tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-315066062024-03-13T02:50:03.180-07:00Dr. Harvey Frommer On SportsA Blog For The Sports Reader <p>
<center><b>FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in excess of "One Million" and appears on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.</b></center></p>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.comBlogger283125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-19042435482187094512013-05-04T08:21:00.001-07:002013-05-04T08:34:59.155-07:00Baseball Names - and How They Got That Way! Part IV<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The words
and phrases are spoken and written day after day, year after year - generally
without any wonderment as to how they became part of the language. All have a
history, a story.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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For those of you who liked Parts I thru III and want more, here is
more. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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"The Called Shot" A heavier, slower and older Babe Ruth had
much more to prove in 1932. And prove he did! Batting .341, driving in 137
runs, slugging 41 homers, the Sultan of Swat pushed the New York Yankees to
another pennant. The Cubs of Chicago were the opposition in the World Series.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There was
bad recent history between the two teams. Joe McCarthy had been let go as
Chicago manager in 1930. He wanted payback. Ruth's old buddy, Mark Koenig, now
a Cub, had helped his new team win the pennant. His Chicago teammates voted
Ruth's old buddy only a half World Series share. The Babe was not happy about
that.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On October l in Chicago during batting practice Ruth shouted: "Hey, you
damn bum Cubs, you won't be seeing Yankee Stadium again. This is going to be
all over Sunday." The Babe was referring to the fact that the Yanks had
won the first two games in New York.
The game got underway before 49, 986. Lemons from the stands and
curses from the Cubs were heaped upon the Yankees. Chicago fans showered Ruth
with fruits and vegetables and other projectiles when he was on defense in the
outfield. The Babe smiled, doffed his cap, felt the fire.</span></div>
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When he came to bat in the fifth inning, Ruth had already slugged a three run
homer into the bleachers in right centerfield. He had more in
store. Right-hander Charlie Root got a strike on Ruth, who as accounts go,
raised up one big finger and yelled "strike one!"</span></div>
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Another fast ball strike. Ruth, as the story continues, raised two fingers and
bellowed "strike two!"</span></div>
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Then as the story has been handed down, the 38-year-old Yankee legend stepped
out of the batter's box and pointed. Some said he pointed at Root; others said
the pointed at the Chicago bench, others said at the centerfield
bleachers. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"To tell the truth," Joe McCarthy said, "I didn't see him point
anywhere at all. But maybe I turned my head for a moment."</span></div>
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"The Babe pointed out to right field," said George Pipgras who
pitched and won that game, "and that's where he hit the ball."
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The count was 2-2 when Babe swung from his heels. Johnny Moore, the
Chicago centerfielder started back, then stopped. The ball disappeared into the
right field bleachers, 436 feet from home plate, the l5th and last World Series
home run for Babe Ruth, the longest home run ever hit to that point in time in
Wrigley Field.</span></div>
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"As I hit the ball," Ruth would say later, "every muscle in my
system, every sense I had, told me that I had never hit a better one, that as
long as I lived nothing would ever feel as good as this one."<br />
Chicago fans cheered and applauded the Babe as he rounded the bases yelling out
a different curse for each Cub infielder.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When the "Sultan of Swat" reached third base, he paused. Then he
bowed toward the Chicago dugout. Then he came across home plate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Through the years the debate has
continued. Did he or did he not call the home run? </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrft-StQOTK8AECPGRGKkkd5bNwp8PWq_MGvpviVvpN_NQ7semLM0zxj6CWADtnUk4SvYBoM6gdbrh3ZZTqojdOwz4Q7nqSyZlffe6S4gzARBxkw4_gkbT69NCFFqL8Ym9S0p1g/s1600/1932-babe-ruth-called-shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFrft-StQOTK8AECPGRGKkkd5bNwp8PWq_MGvpviVvpN_NQ7semLM0zxj6CWADtnUk4SvYBoM6gdbrh3ZZTqojdOwz4Q7nqSyZlffe6S4gzARBxkw4_gkbT69NCFFqL8Ym9S0p1g/s320/1932-babe-ruth-called-shot.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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Babe Ruth explained: "I didn't exactly point to any spot like the
flagpole. I just sorta waved at the whole fence, but that was foolish enough.
All I wanted to do was give the thing a ride...outta the park...anywhere.
"Every time I went to the bat the Cubs on the bench would yell ' Oogly
googly.'It's all part of the game, but this particular inning when I went to
bat there was a whole chorus of Oogly goalies. The first pitch was a pretty
good strike, and I didn't kick. But the second was outside and turned around to
beef about it. As I said, Gabby Hartnett said 'Oogly googly.'That kinda burned
me and I said 'All right, you bums, I'm gonna knock this one a
mile.' I guess I pointed, too."</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CALLED STRIKE A strike that a batter does not swing at but which is announced
as a strike by the umpire.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
Can of corn An lazy fly ball.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Candy" In 1939, William Arthur Cummings was elected to the
Hall of Fame, for his alleged invention of the curve ball more than his talent.
His nickname came from fans as a sign of affection.</span></div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
"Cannon" Jimmy Wynn, for his power at bat. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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"CAN'T ANYBODY HERE PLAY THIS GAME?" In 1960 Casey Stengel managed
the New York Yankees to a first-place finish, on the strength of a .630
percentage compiled by winning 97 games and losing 57. By 1962 he was the
manager of the New York Mets, a team that finished tenth in a ten-team league.
They finished 60 games out of first place, losing more games ( 120) than any
other team in the 20th century. Richie Ashburn, who batted .306 for the Mets
that season and then retired, remembers those days: "It was the only time
I went to a ball park in the major leagues and nobody expected you to
win."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A bumbling collection of castoffs, not-quite-ready for prime-time major league
ball players, paycheck collectors, and callow youth, the Mets underwhelmed the
opposition. They had Jay Hook, who could talk for hours about why a curve ball
curved (he had a Masters degree in engineering) but couldn't throw one
consistently. They had "Choo-Choo" Coleman, an excellent low-ball
catcher, but the team had very few low-ball pitchers. They had "Marvelous
Marv" Throneberry, a Mickey Mantle look-a-like in the batter's box--and
that's where the resemblance ended. Stengel had been spoiled with the likes of
Mantle, Maris, Ford, Berra, etc. Day after day he would watch the Mets and be
amazed at how they could find newer and more original ways to beat themselves.
In desperation--some declare it was on the day he witnessed pitcher A1 Jackson
go 15 innings yielding but three hits, only to lose the game on two errors
committed by Marvelous Marv--Casey bellowed out his plaintive query,
"Can't anybody here play this game?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Cap" Adrian Constantine Anson, a shortening of his managerial
title. He was also known as "Big Swede"for his size and Nordic
extraction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Captain Hook" Manager Sparky Anderson never hesitated to
use his Cincinnati
bullpen </span></div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"Carnesville Plowboy''
Spud Chandler was raised on a farm in Carnesville, Georgia, hence the
nickname. Spurgeon "Spud" Chandler was better known during his
collegiate days at the University of Georgia as a football player who also
played baseball. Chandler's had a career mark of 109-43 with the
Yankees from 1937-47. He was a part of seven World Series teams. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"CASEY AT THE BAT" The
title of the Ernest Thayer poem, written in 1888, about the legendary hero of
the Mudville baseball team. The final stanzas are especially famous:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><em></em><br />
<em><blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The sneer is gone from Casey's lip; his teeth are clenched with hate;<br />
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate;<br />
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,<br />
And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.<br />
Oh, somewhere in this favored land, the sun is shining bright;<br />
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light;<br />
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;<br />
But there is no joy in Mudville--mighty Casey has struck out!</span></blockquote>
</em><br />
<em><br /></em><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
"CAT-a-lyst" name given to Mickey Rivers by Howard Cosell for his
ability to trigger Yankee team offense.</span></div>
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(to be continued)</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-26636508587268869752013-04-12T20:14:00.000-07:002013-04-12T20:14:12.708-07:00Writing About Jackie Robinson: An Experience at Once Moving, Poignant, Inspirational <div xmlns:apcm="http://ap.org/schemas/03/2005/apcm" xmlns:apnm="http://ap.org/schemas/03/2005/apnm" xmlns:o="http://w3.org/ns/odrl/2/" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom">
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</span>With the release of the new film focused on “Number 42,” interest in
Jackie Robinson has been revived and rightfully so. He is an important
historical figure. And I had the opportunity to do a lot of writing about Jack
Roosevelt Robinson in several of my books. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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menu.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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of the perks I have experienced in writing sports books and articles has been
the interesting characters I have met, the friendships I have made.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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One such person was Irving Rudd, a Damon Runyan type character who for a time
was the publicity director of the old Brooklyn Dodgers.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Irving became a good friend of mine and my wife Myrna. His words enrich my book
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RICKEY AND ROBINSON</b>. His words over
and over again enriched the five oral histories the Frommer have written.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackie Robinson and Irving Rudd had a special relationship.What follows is an
insight into the black pioneer from our book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IT HAPPENED IN THE CATSKILLS</b>. It comes to you in the voice of
Irving Rudd</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>Recalling a winter weekend in 1954. Irving and his wife and Jackie
Robinson and his wife Rachel went up to the famed Grossinger's Hotel for some
relaxation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IRVING RUDD:</b> "You skate?"
Jackie Robinson asked.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Not very well." I answered.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"C'mon, Irv; let's go skating anyway."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I said, "Okay," and we all
went to the icehouse. We put skates on. The wives go to the rail to watch.
Jackie goes out on the ice and proceeds to lose his balance and falls flat on
his back. Geez! The image of Walter O'Malley, the owner of the Dodgers, came
into my head. I just blew my job. Jackie Robinson just fractured something -
why didn't I stop him from skating?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Then Robinson gets up and brushes
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"C'mon, Irv, let's race!" He gives me that big smile.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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So the two of us like two drunks go around the rink of Grossinger's. He's
flopping on his knees. I'm sliding on my can. We get up and keep going and
flopping and going and flopping and going. And he beats me by five yards.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"Let's do it again," he
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"One more time," he says.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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By now, he's really skating. He is such a natural, gifted athlete. He's skating
like a guy who has been at it for weeks. It's no contest. He's almost lapped
the field on me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Now there's a crowd that's gathered
and they're cheering. He puts his arms around me, and he wasn't a demonstrative
man. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Irv," he says,
"am I glad you were here this weekend with me. I just had to beat someone
before I went home."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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That story give true insight into Jack Roosevelt Robinson and what he went
through in his time as a Brooklyn Dodger. And what a time it was: He
played in the major leagues for a decade. He won the inaugural Rookie of the
Year Award in 1947, the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, and
he helped the Dodgers win six pennants and one world championship. Despite all
the pressure he played under, Jackie Robinson was still able to record a
lifetime batting average of .311.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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From my point of view there is no event in sports history as significant as the
breaking of baseball's color Line. It changed the national pastime forever. It
ushered in a whole new era in baseball and in all sports. All these long
years after Robinson's death at the age of only 53 in 1972 - -more
athletes, not just the black ones, would be well served to remember the debt
owed Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>Here is how I described what it was like at the very start in my book <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RICKEY AND ROBINSON</b>.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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With the blue number 42 on the back of his Brooklyn Dodger home uniform, Jackie
Robinson took his place at first base at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947. It was
32 years to the day since Jack Johnson had become the first black heavyweight
champion of the world.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Many of the 26,633 at that tiny
ballpark on that chilly spring day were not even baseball fans, but had come
out to see "the one" who would break the sport's age-old color line.
Robinson's wife, Rachel, was there along with the infant Jackie, Jr. Many in
the crowd wore "I'm for Jackie" buttons and badges, and screamed each
time the black pioneer came to bat or touched the ball.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackie Robinson grounded out to short his first time up. He was retired
on a fly ball to left field in his second at bat. He grounded into a
rally-killing double play in his final at bat of the day.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The Dodgers won the game, 5-3, nipping Johnny Sain and the Boston Braves.
For Robinson it was a muted performance, but the first of his 1,382 major
league games was in the record books - and he had broken baseball's color line
forever.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"I was nervous on my first day in my first game at Ebbets Field,"
Robinson told reporters afterward. "But nothing has bothered me
since."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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On April 18, 1947, at the Polo Grounds, in the shadow of the largest black
community in the country, Jackie Robinson smashed his first major league home
run as the Dodgers defeated the Giants, 10-4.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Writer James Baldwin had noted: "Back in the thirties and forties,
Joe Louis was the only hero that we ever had. When he won a fight, everybody in
Harlem was up in heaven. On that April day the large contingent of blacks in
the crowd of nearly 40, 000 had another hero to be "up in heaven"
about, another hero to stand beside Joe Louis."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Part sociological phenomenon, part entertainment spectacle, part revolution,
part media event - the Jackie Robinson story played out its poignant, dramatic
and historic scenes through that 1947 season.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Toward the end of the season, a Jackie Robinson Day was staged at Ebbets Field.
Robinson was now a major drawing card rivaling Bob Feller and Ted Williams in
the American League.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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`"I thank you all." Robinson said over the microphone in that
high-pitched voice. He acknowledged the gifts he'd received, which included a
new car, a television and radio set and an electric broiler.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The famed and great dancer “Bill “Bojangles” Robinson stood next to
Jackie Robinson. "I am 69 years old," Bill Robinson said.
"But I never thought I would live to see the day when I would stand face
to face with Ty Cobb in Technicolor."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The motivations of Brooklyn Dodger general Manager</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fR%2fRickey_Branch.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Branch Rickey</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">have always been
questioned. Why did he sign</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fR%2fRobinson_Jackie.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Jackie Robinson</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">? How much of what he did came from a moral conviction that
the color line must go, and how much came from a desire to make money and field
a winning team?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fI%2fIrvin_Monte.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Monte Irvin</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,who wrote the foreword to my book who came up to star
for the </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fN%2fNew_York_Giants.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">New York Giants</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in 1949, suggests
that what Rickey did is far more important than why he did it.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"Regardless of the motives," Irvin observes, "Rickey had the
conviction to pursue and to follow through."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Breaking baseball's color line enabled Rickey to tap into a gold mine, but he elected
not to monopolize the rich lode of talent in the</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fL%2fLeagues_The_Negro.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Negro Leagues</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Monte Irvin cold have been a Brooklyn Dodger, as well as other Negro League
greats like</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fD%2fDoby_Larry.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Larry Doby</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">,</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fJ%2fJethroe_Sam.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Sam Jethroe</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Satchel Paige. But Rickey had Robinson,</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fC%2fCampanella_Roy.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Roy Campanella</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">, Don Newcombe and Joe Black. He was very much in favor of
the other teams integrating, too.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Bigoted major league club owners who had called Rickey complaining,
"You're gonna kill baseball bringing that nigger in now," were now
asking, "Branch, do you know where I can get a couple of colored boys as
good as Jackie and Campy and Newk?"</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Branch Rickey invented the baseball farm system when he was with the St. Louis
Cardinals and presided over their famous Gashouse gang. He was an incredibly
brilliant baseball man. He ran the Dodgers with a calm efficiency. Part of that
calm efficiency translated to advising Robinson well. Reacting to the taunts
and threats, and fighting back against the bigots could win a battle. But too
much protesting could lose the war.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackie Robinson took the abuse: the cut signs by players near their throats,
the verbal curses, the spiking attempts, the cold shouldering, the death
threats that came in the mail. </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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By 1949, Jackie Robinson was in his third season as a Brooklyn Dodger and was
no longer the lone black man on the baseball diamond - he could now let it all
hang out. Branch Rickey who had kept the man Dodger fans called
"Robby" under wraps was elated.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"I sat back happily," Rickey recalled, "knowing that with the
restraints removed, Robinson was going to show the</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><a href="https://sn2prd0310.outlook.com/owa/redir.aspx?C=CF6eY77dfUeTEBPGIzAcG1j2sEYfC9AIyBOZ2CAPchiyKXrz8TfQDmny8cvi0a9AD5Ajh5YmkSs.&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pubdim.net%2fbaseballlibrary%2fballplayers%2fN%2fNational_League.stm" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">National League</span></a><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a thing or two."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jackie's wife Rachel Robinson told me: "It was hard for a man as assertive
as Jack to contain his own rage, yet he felt that the end goal was so critical
that there was no question that he would do it. And he knew he could do it even
better if he could ventilate, express himself, use his own style."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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And what a style it was!</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> At
times the style seemed to be a case of trick photography. He was an illusionist
in a baseball uniform, a magician on the base paths. The walking leads, the
football-like slides, the change of pace runs all were part of Robinson’s
approach to the game.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Today Jackie Robinson remains the stuff of dreams, the striving for potential,
the substance of accomplishment. Today he remains a powerful, driving symbol of
a person with limitless athletic ability, the weight of his people on his soul,
raging against a world he didn't make.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jack Roosevelt Robinson played for the Dodgers of Brooklyn for a decade, and
then he was done. Not many remember that he was actually traded to the New York
Giants in 1956 - -but he refused to go. The owner of the Giants Horace
Stoneham presented Robinson with a blank check –“Fill in the
amount…” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>Jackie refused. “I came in as a Dodger and that’s how I go out,”he said.
“Thanks anyway.”</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The thanks is due the man they called “Robby” for what he accomplished in
breaking the color line in baseball will last through all eternity. He blazed a
path for many to follow, and they have enriched the game of baseball with their
talent, verve, drive, and commitment. It has become a better game.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>I had the good fortune to interview Jack’s brother Mack Robinson in
Pasadena, California. I was a bit shocked that he taped me taping him. He was
that suspicious of writers. But that is another story. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>“From time to time, Mack told me, “I’m watching sporting events and I
look at the TV screen and I see Jackie Robinson. I look at the whole spectrum
of black America’s life from 1900 to 1947. We’re no longer the butlers, the
servants, the maid. We’re senators and congressmen. We’re baseball managers. I
trace it back to my brother and Branch Rickey breaking the color line and
creating a social revolution in a white man’s world. Blacks have excelled
in all areas because Jackie Robinson showed the world we could.?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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The last words in my <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">RICKEY AND
ROBINSON </b> also belong to Irving Rudd:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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"I always used to think of who I would like going down a dark alley
with me. I can think of a lot of great fighters, gangsters I was raised with in
Brownsville, strong men like Gil Hodges. But for sheer courage, I would pick
Jackie (Robinson). He didn't back up."</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span>Finally, a story that appears in <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">IT
HAPPENED IN BROOKLYN, </b>the oral history I wrote along with my wife Myrna
Katz Frommer.<br />
The speaker is
identified as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MAX WECHSLER</b>:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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When school was out, I sometimes went with my father in his taxi. One summer
morning, we were driving in East Flatbush down Snyder Avenue when he pointed
out a dark red brick house with a high porch.<br />
“I think Jackie Robinson
lives there,?he said. He parked across the street, and we got out of the cab,
stood on the sidewalk, and looked at it.<br />
Suddenly the front door
opened. A black man in a short-sleeved shirt stepped out. I didn’t believe it.
Here we were on a quiet street on a summer morning. No one else was around.
This man was not wearing the baggy, ice-cream-white uniform of the Brooklyn
Dodgers that accentuated his blackness. He was dressed in regular clothes,
coming out of a regular house in a regular Brooklyn neighborhood, a guy like
anyone else, going for a newspaper and a bottle of milk.<br />
Then incredibly, he
crossed the street and came right towards me. Seeing that unmistakable
pigeon-toed walk, the rock of the shoulders and hips I had seen so many times
on the baseball field, I had no doubt who it was.<br />
“Hi Jackie, I’m one of
your biggest fans,?I said self-consciously. “Do you think the Dodgers are gonna
win the pennant this year?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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His handsome face looked sternly down at me. “We’ll try our best,”he said.<br />
“Good luck,” said.<br />
“Thanks.” He put his big
hand out, and I took it. We shook hands, and I felt the strength and firmness
of his grip.<br />
I was a nervy kid, but I
didn’t ask for an autograph or think to prolong the conversation. I just
watched as he walked away down the street.<br />
At last the truth can be
told. I am blowing my own cover. That kid, was me.</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://harveyfrommersports.com/images/harveyborders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://harveyfrommersports.com/images/harveyborders.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">By Harvey Frommer</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The words and phrases are spoken and written day after day,
year after year - generally without any wonderment as to how they became part
of the language. All have a history, a story. Now with the 2013 baseball season
with us -some more language of baseball to savor, to enjoy.<br />
<br />
For those of you who liked Part I, Part II and wrote in to offer suggestions
and ask for more - here is more - Part III. As always, reactions and
suggestions always welcome.</span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<u1:p></u1:p>
</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE
BABE George Herman Ruth probably leads the list for most nick-names
acquired. First called "Babe" by teammates on the Baltimore Orioles,
his first professional team because of his youth, G.H.Ruth was also called
"Jidge" by Yankee teammates, short for George. They also called
him "Tarzan." He called most players "Kid," because he
couldn't remember names, even of his closest friends. Opponents called
him "The Big "Monk" and "Monkey."</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
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Many of Babe Ruth's nick-names came from over-reaching sports writers who
attempted to pay tribute to his slugging prowess:" The Bambino",
"the Wali of Wallop", "the Rajah of Rap", "the Caliph
of Clout", "the Wazir of Wham", and "the Sultan of Swat",
The Colossus of Clout, Maharajah of Mash, The Behemoth of Bust,
"The King of Clout." </span></div>
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His main nickname was rooted in President Grover Cleveland's Baby Ruth. Perhaps
the greatest slugger of all time and also one of baseball's most colorful characters,
Ruth set some 50 records in his 22 years as a player. His accomplishments, his
personality, his nickname-all combined to rocket major league baseball firmly
into the nation's psyche.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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"Babe" and "Ruth" In spring training 1927, Babe Ruth
bet pitcher Wilcy Moore $l00 that he would not get more than three hits all
season. A notoriously weak hitter, Moore somehow managed to get six hits in 75
at bats. Ruth paid off his debt and Moore purchased two mules for his
farm. He named them "Babe" and "Ruth "for
Ruth <br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">CHIEF
BENDER Charles Albert Bender won 210 games and compiled a 2.45 lifetime
earned-run average in 16 years of pitching. He was admitted to baseball's Hall
of Fame in 1953. His nickname came from the fact that he was a Chippewa Indian.<br />
<br />
CLOWN PRINCE OF BASEBALL Al Schacht performed for only three seasons as a
member of the Washington Senators (1919-21), but he still was able to make a
mighty reputation on the baseball field. Schacht was a comic and his routines
centered on the foibles and eccentricities of the National Pastime. It was said
that nobody did it better, and that's why Schacht was dubbed the Clown Prince.<br />
<br />
DAFFINESS BOYS Also known as Dem Brooklyn Bums, the 1926 Brooklyn Dodgers
wrought havoc on friend and foe alike. The hotshot of the team was
freeswinging, slump-shouldered Babe Herman, dubbed the Incredible Hoiman, who
bragged that among his stupendous feats was stealing second base with the bases
loaded. Once Herman was one of a troika of Dodger base runners who found
themselves all on third base at the same time. A Dodger rookie turned to
Brooklyn manager "Uncle" Wilbert Robinson on the bench. "You
call that playing baseball?" "Uncle" Robbie responded,
"Leave them alone. That's the first time they've been together all
year."<br />
<br />
"DON'T LOOK BACK. SOMETHING MIGHT BE GAINING ON YOU" This line
of homespun wisdom formed the sixth rule of a recipe attributed to former
baseball pitching great Leroy "Satchel" Paige. The other five rules
were (1) avoid fried meats which angry up the blood; (2) if your stomach
disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts; (3) keep your juices
flowing by jangling around gently as you move; (4) go very gently on the vices,
such as carrying on in society-the social ramble ain't restful; (5) avoid
running at all times. It seems that most of us have managed to break all of Mr.
Paige's rules more than once. As for rule 5-don't tell it to your neighborhood
jogger.<br />
<br />
DOUBLE NO HITTER It's almost a baseball cliché. A no-hitter is
tossed. And the next time that pitcher takes the mound, there is all the talk
and speculation about the possibility of a second straight no-no taking
place. And always what Johnny Vander Meer did 62 years ago today comes back
into the public consciousness.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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On June 11, 1938, the Cincinnati hurler no-hit the Boston Bees, 3-0. Four
nights later, he was tabbed to start against the Brooklyn Dodgers in the first
night game ever in the New York City metropolitan area. To that point in time,
only two pitchers had ever recorded two career no-hitters. No one had ever
posted two no-hitters in a season. No one had probably even contemplated
back-to-back no-hitters.</span></div>
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More than 40,000 (Fire Department rules notwithstanding) jammed into Ebbets
Field to see the first night game in that tiny ball park's history and also
bear witness to Vander Meer questing after his second straight no-hitter.
Utilizing a one-two-three-four pitching rhythm that saw him cock his right leg
in the air before he delivered the ball to the plate, "Vandy"
featured a fast ball that was always moving and a curve ball that broke ever so
sharply. Inning after inning, the Dodgers went down hitless. In the seventh
inning, Vander Meer walked two batters. But the fans of "Dem Bums"
cheered the Cincinnati pitcher on, sensing they were witnessing baseball
history. The ninth inning began with Cincinnati holding a 6-0 lead. Buddy
Hasset was retired on a grounder. Then suddenly, Vander Meer lost control of
the situation. He loaded the bases on walks. Reds manager Bill McKechnie came
out to the mound to talk to his beleaguered pitcher. </span></div>
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"Take it easy, Johnny," he said, "but get the no-hitter."
Vander Meer got Ernie Koy to hit a grounder to infielder Lou Riggs, who
conservatively elected to go to the plate for the force-out for the second out.
The bases were still loaded, though. Leo "Lippy" Durocher, the Dodger
player-manager and a veteran of many wars, stepped into the batter's box. </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Only
the "Lip" stood between Vander Meer and the double no-hitter.
Durocher took a lunging swing and smashed the ball down the right-field line.
But it went foul into the upper deck. Bedlam and tension intermingled at Ebbets
Field as Vander Meer's left arm came around and delivered the pitch to
Durocher, who swung and popped up the ball into short center field. Harry Craft
clutched the ball. Johnny Vander Meer had made baseball history.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fans
leaped out onto the playing field, but Vander Meer's Cincinnati teammates had
formed a protective shield around the exhausted hurler as he scurried into the
relative calm of the dugout. His mother and father, who had come to see their
son pitch with about 500 others from their hometown, were not as lucky. Swarms
of well wishers and autograph-hunters milled about Vandy's parents. It took
about half an hour before they could be extricated from the mob of admirers.
The event remains in memory as the miracle of 1938, consecutive no-hitters spun
by John Samuel Vander Meer, the man they called the "Dutch Master."
President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent congratulations. Newspapers and magazines
featured every detail of the event for months. For Vander Meer, the double
no-hitters were especially sweet coming against Boston and Brooklyn - teams he
tried out for and been rejected by.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Vander
Meer performed for 13 big-league seasons, winning 119 games and losing 121. He
perhaps would be remembered as a southpaw pitcher who never totally fulfilled
his promise if it had not been for the epic moments of June 11 and June 15,
1938.
</span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
<br />
HITLESS WONDERS The 1906 Chicago White Sox had a team batting average of .230,
the most anemic of all the clubs in baseball that year. The team's pitching,
however, more than made up for its lack of hitting. The White Sox staff
recorded shutouts in 32 of the team's 93 victories. The "Hitless Wonders"
copped the American League pennant and faced the Chicago Cubs in the World
Series. The Cubs of 1906 are regarded as one of the greatest baseball teams of
all time; they won 116 games that year, setting the all-time major league mark
for victories in a season and for winning percentage. The White Sox continued
their winning ways in the World Series, however, trimming their cross town
rivals in six games.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"hitting
for the cycle" Hit a single, double, triple and home run in
the same game, not necessarily in that order.</span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
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HORSE COLLAR Describes a situation when a player gets no hits in a game.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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KLU Ted Kluszewski played 15 years in the major leagues. He pounded out 279
homers, recorded a lifetime slugging average of nearly .500 and a career
batting average of nearly . 300. He was a favorite of the Cincinnati fans; at
6'2" and 225 pounds, his bulging biceps were too huge to be contained by
ordinary shirt-sleeves. Kluszewski cut off the sleeves and started a new
fashion in baseball uniforms-just as fans and sportswriters cut off part of his
name to make for a nickname more easily pronounced and printed.<br />
<br />
LONSOME GEORGE Former legendary Yankee General Manager George Weiss, for
his aloof
ways. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
MAHATMA Branch Rickey (1881-1965) was one of baseball's most
influential personalities. Inventor of the farm system, the force responsible
for Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line, the master builder of the
St. Louis Cardinal and Brooklyn Dodger organizations, he was elected to the
Hall of Fame in 1967. Sportswriter Tom Meany coined Rickey's nickname. Meany
got the idea from John Gunther's phrase describing Mohandas K. Gandhi as
a" combination of God, your own father, and Tammany Hall."<br />
<br />
NICKEL SERIES Refers to old days when New York City teams played against
each other and the tariff was a five cents subway ride.<br />
<br />
NUMBER l/8 On August 19, 1951, Eddie Gaedel, wearing number l/8,
came to bat for the St. Louis Browns against the Detroit Tigers. Gaedel, who
was signed by Browns owner Bill Veeck, walked on four straight pitches and was
then replaced by a pinch runner. The next day the American League banned
Gaedel, despite Veeck's protests. Gaedel was a midget, only three feet, seven
inches tall.</span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-60495336152531256172013-03-24T18:18:00.002-07:002013-03-24T18:18:15.833-07:00Inside Baseball Lingo – the Sometimes Untold, Fairly Fascinating, Oddly Amazing, Stories of How They Came to Be That Way! (Part 2, from the vault)
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>(HARVEY FROMMER IS AT WORK ON A BOOK
ON THE FIRST SUPER BOWL (1967). ANYONE WITH CONTACTS, STORIES, SUGGESTIONS,
PLEASE CONTACT HIM) <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With
the start of a new baseball season, baseball lingo is in the air. The words and
phrases are spoken and written day after day, year after year - generally
without any wonderment as to how they became part of the language. All have a
history, a story. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A brief sampler
follows with more to come . . .</span> </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="display: none; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hide: all;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BAT DAY </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 1951 Bill Veeck ("as in
wreck") owned the St. Louis Browns, a team that was not the greatest
gate attraction in the world. (It's rumored that one day a fan called up
Veeck and asked, "What time does the game start?" Veeck's alleged
reply was, " What time can you get here?") Veeck was offered six
thousand bats at a nominal fee by a company that was going bankrupt. He
took the bats and announced that a free bat would be given to each
youngster attending a game accompanied by an adult. That was the beginning
of Bat Day. Veeck followed this promotion with Ball Day and Jacket Day and
other giveaways. Bat Day, Ball Day, and Jacket Day have all become
virtually standard major league baseball promotions.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"CAN'T ANYBODY HERE PLAY THIS
GAME?" </b>In 1960 Casey Stengel managed the New York Yankees to a
first-place finish, on the strength of a .630 percentage compiled by
winning 97 games and losing 57. By 1962 he was the manager of the New
York Mets, a team that finished tenth in a ten-team league. They finished 601/:
games out of first place, losing more games ( 120) than any other team in
the 20th century. Richie Ashburn, who batted .306 for the Mets that season
and then retired, remembers those days: "It was the only time I went
to a ball</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> park in the major leagues and nobody expected you to win."<br />
<br />
A bumbling collection of castoffs, not-quite-ready for-prime-time major
league ball players, paycheck collectors, and callow youth, the Mets
underwhelmed the opposition. They had Jay Hook, who could talk for hours
about why a curve ball curved (he had a Masters degree in engineering) but
couldn't throw one consistently. They had" Choo-Choo" Coleman, an
excellent low-ball catcher, but the team had very few low-ball pitchers.
They had "Marvelous Marv" Throneberry, a Mickey Mantle
look-a-like in the batter's box-and that's where the resemblance ended.
Stengel had been spoiled with the likes of Mantle, Maris, Ford, Berra, etc.
Day after day he would watch the Mets and be amazed at how they could find
newer and more original ways to beat themselves. In desperation-some
declare it was on the day he witnessed pitcher A1 Jackson go 15 innings
yielding but three hits, only to lose the game on two errors committed by
Marvelous Marv-Casey bellowed out his plaintive query, "Can't anybody
here play this game?"</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/09/02/sports/02yankees_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/09/02/sports/02yankees_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">DUGOUT </b> An area on each
side of home plate where players stay while their team is at bat. There is
a visitor's dugout and a home-team dugout. They were originally dug
out trenches at the first and third base lines allowing players and coaches
to be at field level and not blocking the view of the choice seats behind
them.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">JUNK MAN </b> Eddie Lopat was
the premier left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees in the late 1940's
and through most of the 1950's. He recalls how he obtained his nickname:
"Ben Epstein was a writer for the now defunct <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New York Daily Mirror</i> and a friend of mine from my Little Rock
minor league baseball days. He told me in 1948 that he wanted to give me a
name that would stay with me forever. 'I want to see what you think of
it-the junk man?' In those days the writers had more consideration. They
checked with players before they called them names. I told him I didn't
care what they called me just as long as I could get the batters out and
get paid for it." Epstein then wrote an article called "The
Junkman Cometh," and as Lopat says, "The rest was history."
The nickname derived from Lopat's ability to be a successful pitcher by
tantalizing the hitters with an assortment of offspeed pitches. This writer
and thousands of other baseball fans who saw Lopat pitch bragged more than
once that if given a chance, they could hit the "junk" he threw.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ONE-ARMED PETE GRAY</b> Born Peter
J. Wyshner (a.k.a. Pete Gray) on March 6, 1917, Gray was a longtime New
York City semipro star who played in 77 games for the St. Louis Browns in
1945. He actually had only one arm and played center field with an unpadded
glove. He had an intricate and well developed routine for catching the
ball, removing the ball from his glove, and throwing the ball to the
infield.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">POLO GROUNDS</b> During the
1880's, the National League baseball team was known as the New Yorkers.
There was another team in town, the New York Metropolitans of the fledgling
American Association. Both teams played their season-opening games on a
field across from Central Park's northeastern corner at 110th Street and
Fifth Avenue. The land on which they played was owned by New York Herald
Tribune publisher James Gordon Bennett. Bennett and his society friends had
played polo on that field and that's how the baseball field came to be
known as the Polo Grounds. In 1889 the New York National League team moved
its games to a new location at 157th Street and Eighth Avenue. The site was
dubbed the new Polo Grounds and eventually was simply called the Polo
Grounds. Polo was never played there.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
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<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Harvey
Frommer is now in his 38<sup>th</sup> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>year of writing books. A noted oral
historian and sports journalist, the author of 41 sports books including
the classics: "New York City Baseball 1947-1957," "Shoeless
Joe and Ragtime Baseball," “Remembering Yankee Stadium” and
Remembering Fenway Park,” h</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">is book on the first Super
Bowl will be published fall 2014.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><br />
<br />
</i>The prolific Frommer’s work has appeared in such outlets as the </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>New
York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, New York Daily News,
Newsday, USA Today, Men's Heath, The Sporting News,Bleacher Report. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a
readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for
extended periods of time.<br />
</span><i><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*</b></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Autographed copies of Frommer
books are available direct from the author. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span></span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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</span><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 7.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This
Article is Copyright © 1995 - 2013 by Harvey Frommer. All rights
reserved worldwide.</span></span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-12290014866050485332013-03-18T17:15:00.003-07:002013-03-18T17:17:25.344-07:00Inside Baseball Lingo – the Sometimes Untold, Fairly Fascinating, Oddly Amazing, Stories of How They Came to Be That Way! (Part 1, from the vault)<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> <span style="color: blue;"><em> </em></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><em>(HARVEY
FROMMER IS AT WORK ON A BOOK ON THE FIRST SUPER BOWL (1967). ANYONE WITH
CONTACTS, STORIES, SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT HIM)</em></span> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> <span style="font-family: Arial;">Withthe start of a new baseball season almost upon on, baseball lingo is in the air. The words and phrases are spoken and written day after day, year after year - generally without any wonderment as to how they became part of the language. All have a history, a story.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><br />A brief sampler follows with more to come . . . </span></span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span></o:p></span> </div>
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<a href="http://stuffnobodycaresabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Casey-Stengel-Mets-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://stuffnobodycaresabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Casey-Stengel-Mets-3.jpg" width="110" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">AMAZIN' METS</b> The first run they ever
scored came in on a balk. They lost the first nine games they ever played. They
finished last their first four seasons. Once they were losing a game, 12-1, and
there were two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. A fan held up a sign
that said "PRAY!" There was a walk, and ever hopeful, thousands of
voices chanted, "Let's go Mets." They were 100-l underdogs to win the
pennant in 1969 and incredibly came on to finish the year as World Champions.
They picked the name of the best pitcher in their history (Tom Seaver) out of a
hat on April Fools' Day. They were supposed to be the replacement for the
Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. They could have been the New York
Continentals or Burros or Skyliners or Skyscrapers or Bees or Rebels or NYB's
or Avengers or even Jets (all runner-up names in a contest to tab the
National League New York team that began playing ball in 1962). They've never
been anything to their fans but amazing-the Amazin' New York Mets.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">BIG POISON and LITTLE POISON</b> Paul
Waner's rookie year with the Pittsburgh Pirates was 1926, when he batted .336
and led the league in triples. In one game he cracked out six hits using six
different bats. In 1927 the second Waner arrived, brother Lloyd. For 14 years,
the Waners formed a potent brother combination in the Pittsburgh lineup. Paul
was 5'8l/2'' and weighed 153 pounds. Lloyd was 5'9" and weighed 150
pounds.<br />
<br />
Paul was dubbed Big Poison even though he was smaller than Lloyd, who was
called Little Poison. An older brother even then had privileges. But both
players were pure poison for National League pitchers. Slashing left-handed
line-drive hitters, the Waners collected 5,611 hits between them. Paul's
lifetime batting average was .333, and he recorded three batting titles. Lloyd
posted a career average of .316. They played a combined total of 38 years in
the major leagues.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><strong>BONEHEAD MERKLE </strong>The phrase "pulling a bonehead play," or "pulling a boner," is not only part of the language of baseball, but of all sports and in fact, of the language in general. Its most dramatic derivation goes back to September 9, 1908. Frederick Charles Merkle, a.k.a. George Merkle, was playing his first full game at first base for the New York Giants. It was his second season in the majors; the year before, he had appeared in 15 games. The Giants were in first place and the Cubs were challenging them. The two teams were tied, 1-1, in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two outs, the Giants' Moose McCormick was on third base and Merkle was on first. Al Bridwell slashed a single to center field, and McCormick crossed the plate with what was apparently the winning run. Merkle, eager to avoid the Polo Grounds crowd that surged onto the playing field, raced directly to the clubhouse instead of following through on the play and touching second base. Amid the pandemonium, Johnny Evers of the Cubs screamed for the baseball, obtained it somehow, stepped on second base, and claimed a forceout on Merkle. When things subsided, umpire Hank O'Day agreed with Evers. The National League upheld O'Day, Evers and the Cubs, so the run was nullified and the game not counted. Both teams played out their schedules and completed the season tied for first place with 98 wins and 55 losses. A replay of the game was scheduled, and Christy Mathewson, seeking his 38th victory of the season, lost, 4-2, to Three-Finger Brown (q.v.). The Cubs won the pennant. Although Merkle played 16 years in the majors and had a lifetime batting average of .273, he will forever be rooted in sports lore as the man who made the "bonehead" play that lost the 1908 pennant for the Giants, for had he touched second base there would have been no replayed game and the Giants would have won the pennant by one game.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"BOO"</b> Name for a day in
1979 of Giants shortstop Johnnie LeMaster, who heard the boo-birds in San Fran.
He took his field position wearing "Boo" on his back. LeMaster
switched back to his regular jersey after one game.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">"CHILI"</b> When he was
about 12 years old, Charles Davis was given a not too attractive haircut which
led to his getting the nickname "Chili Bowl," later shortened to
"Chili" as the boy became the man and the baseball player
"Chili" Davis. <br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">GIANTS</b> One sultry summer's day
in 1885, Jim Mutrie, the saber-mustached manager of the New York Gothams, was
enjoying himself watching his team winning an important game. Mutrie screamed
out with affection, "My big fellows, my giants." Many of his players
were big fellows, and they came to be Giants. For that was how the nickname
Giants came to be. And when the New York team left for San Francisco in 1958,
Giants, Mutrie's endearing nickname, went along with it.<br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">SPLENDID SPLINTER</b> He was also
nicknamed the Thumper, because of the power with which he hit the ball, and the
Kid, because of his tempestuous attitude-but his main nickname was perhaps the
most appropriate. Ted Williams was one of the most splendid players who ever
lived, and he could really "splinter" the ball. The handsome slugger
compiled a lifetime batting average of .344 and a slugging percentage of .634. <br />
<br />
Williams blasted 521 career home runs, scored nearly 1,800 runs, and drove in
over 1,800 runs. So keen was his batting eye that he walked over 2,000 times
while striking out only 709 times. In 1941 he batted .406 - the last time any player
hit .400 or better. One of the most celebrated moments in the career of the
Boston Red Sox slugger took place in the 1946 All-Star Game. Williams came to
bat against Rip Sewell and his celebrated "eephus" (blooper) pitch.
Williams had already walked in the game and hit a home run. Sewell's pitch came
to the plate in a high arc, and Williams actually trotted out to the pitch,
bashing it into the right-field bullpen for a home run. "That was the
first homer ever hit off the pitch," Sewell said later.<br />
<br />
"The ball came to the plate in a twenty-foot arc," recalled Williams.
"I didn't know whether I'd be able to get enough power into that kind of a
pitch for a home run." There was no kind of pitch Williams couldn't
hit for a home run. </span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-83951159994577439572013-03-12T17:46:00.001-07:002013-03-12T17:46:39.483-07:00Sports Book Reviews “FRANCONA: The Red Sox Years” and other spring tomes
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><em><span style="color: blue;">(HARVEY
FROMMER IS AT WORK ON A BOOK ON THE FIRST SUPER BOWL (1967). ANYONE WITH
CONTACTS, STORIES, SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT HIM) <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few years back when I was at Ft. Meyers interviewing for
my “Remembering Fenway Park” two targets were Sox manager Terry Francona and
sports writer Dan Shaughnessy. In my opinion they were at the top of their game
and could provide many insights about Fenway. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Both guys were busy. Both guys had better things to do then
pass the time of day with me. Nevertheless, both guys gave me as much time as I
needed and their stories and insights added immeasurably to my book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.providencejournal.com/sports/red-sox/francona-book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://blogs.providencejournal.com/sports/red-sox/francona-book.jpg" width="209" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>So I knew <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“FRANCONA:
The Red Sox Years” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $28.00, 360 pages) would not be
just another baseball book --and it isn’t. This is one for you to read and keep
on your book shelf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The book covers
eight years, 2 world championships and frontstage and backstage Sox stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We are there with the affable, outspoken and thoughtful
Francona though his successes and failures, There are candid insights into Theo
Epstein, players like David Ortiz, Josh Beckett, Manny Ramirez, Pedro Martinez,
three owners. Francona ends this anecdote-filled and honest book with:
“Managing the Red Sox was the hardest job I ever had. And it was the best job I
ever had. Now it’s time to try it somewhere else.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Try this book - -a notable reading experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Closer” by Kevin Neary (Running Press, $15.00, 288 pages,
paper) has a collection of major league pitchers – past and present – revealing
inside tricks of saving games. Lots of inside baseball. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From Norton comes “So You Think You Know Baseball” by Peter
E. Meltzer( $16.95, paper) is sub-titled “a fan’s guide to the original rules”
and that is what this small tome tackles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Summer of ‘68” by Tim Wendel (Da Capo, $14.99, 272 pages,
paper) focuses on a season that he makes the case for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- -as changing baseball.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For the golfers among you comes a duo of terrific books
from Gotham Books<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- - “An American
Caddie in St. Andrews” by Oliver Horovsitz ($26.00, 322 pages) and “Drive Like
the Pros”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>by Michael Neff ($30.00, 128
pages). One is a burly volume and the other is slim but both pack much to be
loved by sports fans and golfers everywhere. The “American Caddie” is part growing
up, part memoir, all good reading by Horowitz, 26, who has been on the course
for the past seven years and has lots to talk about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Any Given Monday” by Dr. James R. Andrews (Scribner,
$25.00, 270 pages) is a primer on sports injuries and how to prevent them told
by a man who has spent a lifetime in sports medicine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The Official NASCAR 2013 Preview and Press Guide (Random
House, $19.99, 336 pages, paper) is an annual publication that provides all the
needed inside info for fans of the sport. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p> <strong><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <em><span style="color: blue;">(HARVEY FROMMER IS AT WORK ON A BOOK ON THE FIRST SUPER BOWL (1967). ANYONE WITH CONTACTS, STORIES, SUGGESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT HIM) <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></em></span></strong></o:p></span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-40233383064501959202013-01-31T16:20:00.000-08:002013-02-01T08:37:05.785-08:00From the Frommer Vaults: Jackie Robinson Remembered <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <noscript></noscript> <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Jackie and Mr Rickey making history.</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He was born in Cairo, Georgia on the last day of January in 1919, and died on October 24, 1972 in Stamford, Connecticut. A chilly April 15, 1947 was the day he broke baseball's color barrier at Ebbets Field, the lone black man wearing the ice cream white uniform of the Brooklyn Dodgers.<br /><br />The man they called "Robby" attended UCLA, where he won letters in three sports. He was in the Army during World War II and then played briefly in the Negro Leagues when the war ended. He was signed to a minor league contract with the Montreal Royals in 1946 by Branch Rickey, and the following year came up to the Brooklyn Dodgers and broke baseball's age-old color line. <br /><br />He played in the major leagues for a decade. He won the inaugural Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949, and he helped the Dodgers win six pennants and one world championship. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite all the pressure he played under, he was still able to record a lifetime batting average of .311. His base-stealing ability and hustle won many games for the Dodgers. He set several records for fielding for second basemen. <br /><br />His influence on sports is immeasurable. His breaking of baseball's color line against the greatest of odds is still one of the most dramatic stories in all of sports history. And there are those who still have special memories of the man and the legend. Here is how one from that time still remembers the great player Brooklyn Dodger fans called "Robby". <br /><br />When school was out, I sometimes went with my father in his taxi. One summer morning, we were driving in East Flatbush in Brooklyn down Snyder Avenue. My father pointed to a dark red brick house with a high porch. <br /><br />"I think Jackie Robinson lives there," my father said. He parked across the street and we got out of the cab, stood on the sidewalk and looked at the house. Suddenly, the front door opened. A black man in a short-sleeved shirt stepped out. I didn't believe it. Here we were on a quiet street on a summer morning with no one else around. <br /><br />The man was not wearing the baggy, ice-cream-white-uniform of the Brooklyn Dodgers that accentuated his blackness. He was dressed in regular clothes, coming out of a regular house in a regular Brooklyn neighborhood, a guy like anyone else going out for a bottle of milk and a newspaper. <br /><br />Then, incredibly, he crossed the street and came right toward me. Seeing that unmistakable pigeon-toed walk, the rock of the shoulders and hips that I had seen so many times before on the baseball field, I had no doubt who it was. <br /><br />"Hi Jackie, I'm one of your biggest fans," I said self-consciously. "Do you think the Dodgers are going to win the pennant this year?" <br /><br />"His handsome face looked sternly down at me. "We'll try our best," he said. <br /><br />"Good luck," I said." <br /><br />"Thanks," he replied." <br /><br />He put his big hand out, and I took it. We shook hands and I felt the strength and firmness of his grip. I was a nervy kid, but I didn't ask for an autograph or try to prolong the conversation. I just watched as he walked away down the street. That kid was me.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-1386205792777589062013-01-28T15:48:00.000-08:002013-01-29T08:59:23.165-08:00REMEMBERING THE FIRST SUPER BOWL (Part 2)<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Soon </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Super Bowl XLVII will be upon us all. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The date: February 3, 2013.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The place: Mercedes-Benz Super Dome, New Orleans. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The U.S. TV audience to surpass 100 million. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>An advertising slot during the break (30 seconds), a pricey almost $4 million.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All of the above boggles the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of the above is true. And all of the above is a far, far, cry from January 15, 1967 - - the date of the first Super Bowl which was not even officially called “the Super Bowl.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That first game had a TV </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">viewership of </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">51 million Americans. </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A 30-second ad sold for just $42,000. Each winning player received $15,000,each loser $7,500.</span> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">In June 1966, the National Football League and the American Football League announced a merger ending for all intents and purposes a half dozen years of bickering and bad blood. The leagues also agreed to play a post-season game for pro football’s championship. The official name of the game was </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">"World Championship Game, American Football League vs. National Football League."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was word</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">y and dull. Some fans and media members were already calling it “Super Bowl.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Jackie Gleason, one of the celebrated comedians of that era, the evening before the big game ended his TV variety show the “Honeymooners” on CBS the usual way giving acknowledgment to his fellow stars Audrey Meadows, Art Carney and Joyce Randolph. Then the chubby comic exhorted his loyal and massive audience to be sure and tune in the next day and watch Green Bay and Kansas City compete in a championship gridiron game. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Gleason bellowed: “It’s gonna be murder!” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There were those who thought “the Great One” went a bit too far, that he was in the bag for his CBS network that carried the NFL broadcasts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The game was staged at the gigantic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on a sunny and beautiful southern Californian smog-free day. Top tickets were priced at $12.00 but could be gotten for two bucks on the street. More than 30,000 seats were empty as “just” 63,000 showed up. This, despite a 75-mile TV blackout in the Los Angeles area. NBC and CBS paid </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">$9.5 million to televise the game.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The field’s west end zone had the word “Packers” spelled out in green on a gold background. On each side was the NFL insignia. The east zone showcased “Chiefs” in red on a gold background. On each side was the AFL insignia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A large brown football was painted at the 50-yard line. Capped with a gold crown, it sported the NFL insignia in blue and the AFL in red on each side. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Six officials, three representing the NFL and three from the AFL, were on hand. They were backed by six alternates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two different footballs were used – an AFL model and an NFL one.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The e</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ntertainment was billed as </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">“Super Sights and Sounds.” An icon </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">of that era, jazz trumpeter Al Hirt, did his thing. In step were the</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 6.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> University of Arizona and Grambling State University marching bands, the Anaheim High School Drill Team. A</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> pair of "rocket men" sporting James Bond jet packs </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 9.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">and the insignia of each league, flew a bit and landed at midfield. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Halftime saw the release of 10,000 helium-filled balloons and 4,000 pigeons.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/files/2012/02/1967-jetpack-50-yard-line.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/paleofuture/files/2012/02/1967-jetpack-50-yard-line.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For the record, </span></span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="1"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">the favored (12-2) Packers coached by Vince Lombardi had bragging rights to </span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">four </span></span><a href="http://search.proquest.com/news/docview/409904663/13BE7FF76515FF2A600/9?accountid=10422"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NFL</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> titles in six years and 10 future Pro Football Hall of Famers on the roster.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> The (11-2-1) 18-point underdog Chiefs, led by Hank Stram, made a game of it in the first half. However, the “Pack” took over in the second half, winning big, </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">35-10. Bart Starr tossed two touchdown passes to Max McGee and won the MVP award and a trip to New York City to claim his red </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;">Corvette Sting Ray from <u>Sport Magazine</u><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That was many long years ago - -the “grand-daddy of them all”-- Super Bowl One. "Our goal,” former NFL Commisioner Pete Rozelle said,<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“from the first was to make this more than a game, to make it an event."<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span>(to be continued)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">**Harvey Frommer is at work on REMEMBERING SUPER BOWL ONE: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY. He welcomes hearing from anyone with memories, perceptions, leads, memorabilia<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for his newest book. ****<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-57394152200000039882013-01-19T08:47:00.001-08:002013-01-19T20:54:53.842-08:00“Just Win Baby” and Other Notable Tomes<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From acclaimed and deservedly so sports journalist and
author Murray Olderman comes “Just Win Baby” (Triumph Books, $24.95, 203
pages). It is a deftly detailed account of the life and times of Al Davis of
Oakland Raider fame. We are there for the inside look at this mercurial
football maven from his growing up days in Brooklyn all the way through his
triumphs with the silver and black.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Initially Olderman who knew Davis for more than 50 years
was commissioned by the electric executive to write his biography. Somehow,
that book never made it into print.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Just Win Baby” is Olderman’s third person account <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- -and what an account it is. It uiilizes a
great deal of the material given to Olderman and is enhanced by the prize
winning author’s perspective, writing and organizational skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGHLY
NOTABLE<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The Muhammad Ali Reader” edited by Gerald Early(Ecco,
$17.99, 336 pages) has bragging rights to over 30 pieces on “the Greatest” organized
by decades. The 16 page photo insights showcase Ali in all his ways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Yacht Clubs of the World” text by Bruno Cianci and Nicolo
Reggio (Rizzoli, $100,00, 270 pages) is one of the most beautiful books ever
produced by a company that has produced many beautiful books. Page after page
in brilliant, bold, color unfolds as one turns the pages of this opulent opus.
We are there with twenty storied venues like the New York Yacht Club, the Hong
Kong Yacht Club, the Yacht Club de France and on and on. Yachting’s culture is
on display and the reader (viewer) is all the better for it. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MOST NOTABLE<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-64150539185060357852013-01-14T15:51:00.002-08:002013-01-15T17:48:06.197-08:00REMEMBERING SUPER BOWL ONE<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g23luxfc5AY/S2t94ZTwiOI/AAAAAAAAb00/lh60bO97CtI/s640/Superbowl+1.preview.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_g23luxfc5AY/S2t94ZTwiOI/AAAAAAAAb00/lh60bO97CtI/s320/Superbowl+1.preview.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>''The most fun thing was watching
the development of the Super Bowl because the game is what it's all about. I
really felt a high at every Super Bowl with all the glitz and the spectacular
halftime shows.'' – Pete Rozelle <o:p></o:p></span>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Super Bowl is an invention
of American business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is American
business.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Roger Angell<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The merger of the American Football League and the National
Football League led to the need for a championship game. The first contest was
played on January 15, 1967. The NFL’s Vince Lombardi Green Bay Packers squared
off against the AFL’s underdog Kansas City Chiefs coached by Hank Stram. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That first Super Bowl
was played at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles before 61,946. Yes, there
were empty seats – the first and only time the legendary event failed to sell
out </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">even with ticket prices that topped out at $12.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The contest was officially known as the AFL-NFL World
Championship;however, its unofficial name - the Super Bowl - was used by media,
fans and players. The <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>name stuck. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>One theory for how the high flying name came about is that at
an owner's meeting centered on what to call the game, one of the moguls had a
"super ball" in his pocket that he had appropriated from his
youngster earlier in the day. Not too taken with the long and ordinary sounding
suggestions for what would become professional football's ultimate game, Lamar
Hunt suggested the name Super Bowl. His suggestion was not greeted with much
enthusiasm by the assembled group. Nevertheless, he mentioned the name to a
reporter who loved it and, as they say, the rest is history. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The first Super Bowl witnessed the first dual-network,
color-coverage simulcast of a sports event in history, and attracted the
largest viewership to ever see a sporting event up to that time. The Nielsen
rating indicated that 73 million fans watched all or part of the game on one of
the two networks, CBS or NBC. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In actuality, the game was a contest between the two leagues
and the two networks. CBS' allegiance was to the NFL. NBC's loyalty was to the
AFL - a league it had virtually created with its network dollars. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The networks charged $42,000 for a 30
second commercial.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"> Frank Gifford was a sidelines reporter for</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"> CBS. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">Ray Scott handled the CBS
play-by play </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">for the first half
while Jack Whitaker </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">took over in the
second half.</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">Curt Gowdy </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">and Paul Christman</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"> handled
the </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;">NBC telecast. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>There were many oddities and talking
points about that first game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">Two jetpack pilots
shook hands at the 50 yard line after landing there. Commercials for </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">McDonald's (then boasting of "Over Two Billion Served") and
Muriel cigars ("So much more cigar for just 10 cents") were all the
rage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">ccording
to NFL Films President Steve Sabol, Commissioner Pete Rozelle had wanted to
call the game "The Big One."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That never came to be. Neither did “Pro Bowl, another name the NFL head
man favored.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 16pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">From
the start (but not in that first game) there were unique <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>features to the Super Bowl including its
designation with a Roman numeral rather than by a year - a move attributed to NFL
Commissioner Pete Rozelle to give the game class and continuity. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Max McGee of the Packers became an interesting footnote to
Super Bowl history. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"I knew I wouldn't play unless (Boyd) Dowler got
hurt," he said later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So McGee went
out on the town the days (and nights) prior to the game. Curfews, it seems,
were there for him to break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, the
unimaginable happened. Dowler suffered a separated shoulder throwing a block on
the opening series. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In came McGee who had caught only four passes all season. He
snared 7 passes for 138 yards, hauling in the </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 7.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">first touchdown
in Super Bowl history—a 37-yard pass from Green Bay's Bart Starr. He caught
another at the </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">end of the third quarter for
a 13-yard touchdown. Elijah Pitts ran for two other scores. The Chiefs' 10
points came in the second quarter, their only touchdown on a 7-yard pass from
Len Dawson to Curtis McClinton. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>McGee stole the show and set a pattern that would be part of
the ultimate game's history of unlikely heroes, strange twists of fate,
footballs taking a wrong bounce for some teams, the right bounce for others. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Quarterback
Bart Starr was the first Most Valuable Player<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>leading the Packers to a 35-10 victory over KC. Starr completed 16-of-23
passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns. </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today more Americans watch the Super Bowl than
vote in presidential elections. Municipalities vigorously and ruthlessly
compete for the rights to host a game and then work with the NFL, advertising
and talent agencies, merchandisers, security personnel, and celebrity party
planners more than a year in advance fine tuning myriad details.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of million large-screen TVs are
purchased weeks before the game. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The grandest and gaudiest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ann</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">ual one-day spectacle
in American sports, </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">Super Bowl Sunday has become an unofficial American holiday<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with bragging rights to millions of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>parties, betting pools, excessive consumption
of food and drink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>TV networks charge as
much as $2.5 million for a 30-second spot. Many viewers do not even watch the
game itself, content to partake of the elaborate pre-game or halftime
entertainment. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="17"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="19"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="21"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="23"></a>The
2012</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">
Super Bowl drew a television viewership of 111.3 million. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is all a mind
boggling situation very different from 1967 when the Chiefs and the Packers
clashed. And soon Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans will be upon us. Watch out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 3;"> </span><span style="color: #0b5394;">(to be continued)<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: BatangChe;">***Harvey Frommer is
at work on REMEMBERING SUPER BOWL ONE: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY. He
welcomes hearing from anyone with memories, perceptions, leads, memorabilia <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for his newest book. ****<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-4340542682058536842013-01-01T17:19:00.004-08:002013-01-01T17:19:42.801-08:00Harvey Frommer's SPORTS BOOK REVIEW
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Read all about Len Berman’s “The Greatest Moments in
Sports” and sporting fare books<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Famed and Emmy-Winning sportscaster Len Berman never seems
to take a break and we are all the better for it. His newest effort is a rundown
of 25 of the most thrilling upsets and underdogs in sports. The moments range
from the Bobby Thomson home run that gave the old New York Giants the pennant
to the U.S. Hockey team’s Miracle on Ice, to “A Horse Named Upset” who was the
only horse to ever beat Man O’ War, to Althea Gibson, the female Jackie
Robinson. All these and many more give insights, new awareness to classic
sports moments. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In a hockey frame of mind there is “Wayne Gretsky’s Ghost”
by Roy MacGregor (Vintage Canada, $19.95, 369 pages, paper). This is a book
that will appeal to all generations and all fans of the sport covering as it
does stars of the game from Jean Beliveau to Steve Yzerman.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From Kent State University Press comes “The ’63 Steelers”
by Rudy<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dicks, paper). Detailed,
definitive in its scope, this terrific tome is a must read for football fans
but especially those who root for the Steel City franchise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Notre
Dame’s Happy Returns” by Brian O’Conchubhair and Susan Mullen Guibert with
photos by Matt Cashore (University of Notre Dame Press, $38.00, 184 pages, 174
color photos) is a winning photographic essay, a travel book, a sports guide.
It is all about what makes Ireland special for fans of the Fighting Irish and
contains an exploration of the intro of American football in Ireland and the
role of Notre Dame enhancing the sport’s existence there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-91534824179496848412012-11-27T16:11:00.001-08:002012-11-27T16:11:11.692-08:00Amazing, Historic, Lowest Scoring NBA Game & the Birth of the 24-Second Clock
<br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Dr. Harvey Frommer on Sports</b> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To watch the high-scoring action in the National Basketball Association
today, it is hard to believe the way things once were. But back in the early
years of the league, games were yawning affairs or stalling contests. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The 1950-1951 season saw the NBA go from an unwieldy 17-team league to 11
teams in a two-division setup. It was also a season that included the
lowest-scoring game in NBA history. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It happened November 22, 1950 - the yawner of all yawners. The game pitted
the Fort Wayne Piston (who became the Deroiters) against the Minneapolis Lakers
(who became the Show Time bunch), and was played on the home court of the
Lakers, who enjoyed a great home advantage. Their court was shorter and
narrower than normal size. Their team was big, bulky and slow - all of which
were perfectly suited for a slowdown game. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the game, the two teams combined for just 31 shots. When it was over, Ft.
Wayne had creaked out a 19-18 triumph in a painful and boring example of how
dull a stalling contest could be. The game started serious talk throughout the
NBA about ways to prevent those kinds of contests from taking place. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Then on January 6, 1951, a very cold night in Rochester, the Royals (who one
day would evolve into the Sacramento Kings) played against the Indianapolis Olympians(evolved
from the 1948 basketball Gold Medal winners) in what has gone down as the
longest game in the annals of the NBA. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The game lasted a grand total of 78 minutes and included six overtimes. Some
of the loyal Rochester fans booed, and hundreds of others walked out of the old
Edgerton Park Arena. They just couldn't abide the slow-down stalling tactics of
both teams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the half-dozen overtimes, just 23 shots were taken. At the start of each
overtime, the team that earned the tip just held on to the ball for one last
shot. Players just stood around gaping and staring at each other. One player
dribbled or held the ball and looked around hoping to make the smart pass for a
high percentage shot. Indianapolis finally won the game, 75-73. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Red Holzman told me in the late 1980s when I was writing his autobiography,
"I played 76 of the 78 minutes in that opus. And although I was in great
shape, my tail was dragging when the historic marathon was over". That
game and the bore that was the 19-18 contest made players and coaches see the
need and the urgency to speed up the game. It was these two games, and others
like them, that set the stage for the creation of the 24-second clock - and the
salvation of the NBA. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The clock was first used in the 1954-1955 season, and scoring jumped an
average of 15 points a game as a result. The new NBA era was underway. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a post-script to all of this, Holzman told me that back in 1951, after
the 19-18 game, he got the idea for a shot clock and told some of the owners
about it. They dismissed him as "a young squirt." But someone must
have been listening. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<hr align="center" size="3" width="100%" />
</span></div>
<br />
<em><b>About the Author</b> <o:p></o:p></em><br />
<em>
</em><br />
<em>Dr. Harvey Frommer received his Ph.D. from New York University. Professor
Emeritus, Distinguished Professor nominee, Recipient of the "Salute to
Scholars Award" at CUNY where he taught writing for many years, the
prolific author was cited by the Congressional Record and the New York State
Legislature as a sports historian and journalist. <o:p></o:p></em><br />
<em>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">His sports books include autobiographies of
sports legends Nolan Ryan, Red Holzman and Tony Dorsett, the classics "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/SHOELESS-RAGTIME-BASEBALL-Harvey-Frommer/dp/B0027GLNVA/ref=thebaseballguru"><span style="color: blue;">Shoeless
Joe and Ragtime Baseball</span></a>," "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/New-York-City-Baseball-1947-1957/dp/0299196941/ref=thebaseballguru"><span style="color: blue;">New
York City Baseball: 1947-1957</span></a>." The 1927 Yankees." His "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Yankee-Stadium-Narrative-History/dp/1584797169/ref=thebaseballguru"><span style="color: blue;">Remembering
Yankee Stadium</span></a>" was published to acclaim in 2008. His latest book, a
Boston Globe Best Seller, is "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Fenway-Park-Narrative-History/dp/1584798521/ref=thebaseballguru"><span style="color: blue;">Remembering
Fenway Park</span></a>." Autographed and discounted copies of all Harvey Frommer
books are available direct from the author. Please consult his home page: <a href="http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/"><span style="color: blue;">http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/</span></a></span></em><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><u1:p></u1:p><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></b>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-85161082448651553152012-11-10T09:32:00.002-08:002012-11-10T09:32:33.749-08:00Sports Book Reviews From Random House, Canada
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>All kinds of
intriguing sports books are now out for all to enjoy from Random House, Canada.
They range from picture tomes, to biographies, to how-to, to commemorative
editions. Something for everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stephen Brunt’s
“100 Grey Cups”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(McClelland &
Stewart, 256 pages $45.00) is a coffee table gem about Canada’s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>largest annual single sporting event. All the
legendary teams from Canada’s storied football past are showcased in words and
pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Team Canada” as told by the players with Andrew Podnieks
($45.00, 293 pages) is another coffee table gem<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>- - the 40<sup>th</sup> anniversary celebration of the Summit Series in
words and pictures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Famed Barry Melrose offers “Dropping the Gloves” (
Fenn/M&S, $27.99, 256 pages). The book is a sharing of Melrose’s many years
of on-ice experience. Lots of insights. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Great One”
offers up the Complete Wayne Gretsky as seen through Sports Illustrated
writings (Fenn/M&S, $22.99, 336 pages).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul Henderson
weighs in with “The Goal of My Life” (Fenn/M&S, $29.99, 304 pages. The
memoir covers his two decades in hockey and more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For those in a NASCAR frame of mind there is “The Official
NASCAR Trivia Book” by John C. Farrell (Fenn/M&S, $16.99, 448 pages) and
also “NASCAR Nation” by Chris Myers with Michael Levin (Fenn/M&S, $24.99,
240<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The former is a mighty lode of challenging trivia
while the book <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by Chris Myers is all about
how racing values simulate and mirror America’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Coach” by Rosie DiManno (Doubleday Canada, $27.95, 336
pages) is a page turning terrific tome about one of the great NHL coaches. All
kinds of personal insights into the complex coach abound.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-17416002471589541792012-10-29T07:10:00.005-07:002012-10-29T07:10:49.077-07:00The First World Series (From the Vault)
<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The hype, hoopla and accomplishments of
the 2012 baseball season will now belong to history along with the elongated
play-offs and recent World Series which joins the first one that took place in
1903. The world, baseball and the World Series were very different then.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Back in the 1880s for a period of seven
years there had been play-offs between the champs of the National League and
the American Association. Once the play-offs went to 15 games - 1887 between
St. Louis and Detroit. Pittsburgh won its third straight National League
pennant in 1903. Boston won the brand new American League title that season by
14 l/2 games over the Philadelphia Athletics. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Pirates bragged about Honus Wagner
whose .355 average earned him the batting title. Their swashbuckling manager
Fred Clarke was runner-up with a .351 average. Boston boasted about two 20-game
winners in Deacon Phillippe and Sam Leever.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first modern World Series came
about at the suggestion of Boston owner Henry J. Killilea and Pittsburgh's
owner Barney Dreyfuss. It was called "Championship of the United
States" and it was a five of nine games affair. The first game was October
l, 1903 at Boston's Huntington Avenue Grounds before 16,242. Deacon Phillippe
pitched Pittsburgh to a 7-3 win over Boston's Cy Young.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Throughout the game and the series
Boston's rabid fans serenaded Pittsburgh players with a popular song of the
day, "Tessie," but they substituted their own vulgar words for the
regular lyrics. The routine definitely had a negative impact on the Pittsburgh
players. "It was that damn song that caused us problems," grumbled
Buc player Tommy Leach afterwards.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Deacon Phillippe won three of the first
four games of the series for Pittsburgh but then faltered. Boston then swept
the next four games. Bill Dinneen and Cy Young won all five games for Boston in
the series On October 13, only 7,455 showed up - the smallest crowd of the
series. Phillippe pitched his fifth complete game of the series but lost, 3-0
to Dinneen and Boston had the championship.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right after the game ended players from
both clubs lined up for a combination team photo. It was a remarkable display
of good sportsmanship considering the bitterness that had existed between the
junior American League and senior National League.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An oddity of the World Series was that the
losing players received more money that than the winners. Buc Owner Dreyfuss
put his club's share of the gate receipts into the players' pool. Each
Pittsburgh player netted $1,316 while each Boston player netted $1,182.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deacon
Phillippe - heroic in his efforts in the series with five decisions and 44
innings pitched, still World Series records, was given a bonus and 10 shares of
stock in the Pirates.</span> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oddly enough there was no World Series
played in 1904. Boston was ready, willing able. But the National League pennant
winning New York Giants were not. Their manager John J. McGraw snarled:
"We are the champions of the only major league." In 1905, the World
Series resumed, fitted itself into its best of seven format and has been with
us ever since.</span> </span><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-79390042597320894192012-10-13T08:19:00.002-07:002012-10-13T08:19:53.370-07:00Sports Book Reviews: Tony La Russa’s “One Last Strike” and More<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An avalanche
of fall sports books are on the shelves ready for reading. The range of
subjects and approaches are amazing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All
have something of interest for readers, but topping the list as he topped the
baseball world in so many ways is </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tony
La Russa’s “One Last Strike” (William Morrow, $27.99, 420 pages). The price is
right and the reading is fascinating.</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The book takes one inside the mind of the great LaRussa
through the 2011 world championship season of the Cards offering insights and
inside baseball that only the legendary Redbird skipper could. The book also
offers much more than that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- -focusing
as it does in intriguing details about personalities like Mark McGwire, Joe
Torre, Sparky Anderson, Albert Pujols. Where most “memoirs” are rehashes of
news stories – this book breaks new ground fort the genre. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">MUST HAVE</b></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The story of the man behind the Heisman Trophy is the
subject of “Heisman” by John M. Heisman (Howard, Simon and Schuster, $25.00,
248 pages). Written by the subject’s great nephew along with author Mark
Schlabach, this is a special kind of book for football fans revealing as it was
the life and times of its subject - -the man behind the trophy. Archival photos
and important research make the book a winner.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“How
the SEC became Goliath” by Ray Glier (Howard, Simon and Schuster, $22.99, 245
pages) is an engrossing view revealing the creation of the most dominant
conference in collegiate football.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Baseball is Just Baseball" by David
Shields (Blue Rider Press/Penguin, $14.00, 183 pages) is a slim and under-sized
attempt to capitalize of the fabulous Japanese star's move from Seattle to the
New York Yankees. Nevertheless, this unauthorized collection is serene reading
and a provider of insights into the superstar.<br />
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Sandlot Stats" by
Stanley Rothman (Johns Hopkins Press, 571 pages) is an over-sized tome that is
truly a scholarly labor of love as its sub-title proclaims "learning
statistics with baseball." For those interested in the subject - -this is
your book - - one that attempts to explain the mathematical anchorage of
baseball as a way to understand the universe of stats and probability.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
fans of the Mick – “The Classic Mantle” by Buzz Bisssinger with photographs by
Marvin E. Newman (Abrams, $19.95, 114 pages, 50 color and b/w photos) is the
book for you. The price tag is a bit hefty for the slim volume but the tome
packs a punch showcasing as it does images from Mantle’s heyday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Lamar Hunt” by Michael MacCambridge (Universal Uclick,
$27.99, 416 pages) is a page turning biography by one of the best football
writers around. Page after page yields up anecdotes about Hunt’s impact on sports-
-in fact three sports. Hunt is the only one inducted into three Halls of Fame.
Hunt was a man who changed American sports, especially football. This is an
important book for all those interested in sports and culture. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From the Clerisy Press comes “Gone Pro Alabama” ($17.95,
368 pages, paper) a book that details the deeds of Crimson Tide athletes who
went on to become legends. <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In a hockey frame of mind from McClelland and Stewart comes
“The Life of Conn Smythe” ($19.00, 384 pages, paper). This is definitely a tome
terrific for those interested in the life story of a true hockey legend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-32790796521402346402012-09-30T18:23:00.003-07:002012-09-30T18:26:07.384-07:00“Dat Day” - -Bobby Thomson's Famous Homer Lives On<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/bobby-thompson.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://blogs.suntimes.com/sportsprose/bobby-thompson.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: yellow;"><i>Bobby Thompson</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 150%;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Play-off baseball will soon be in the air; however, it is
doubtful if any moment will take place to compare with what happened in
Manhattan those long years ago.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Throughout the long history of baseball there have been
poignant, exciting, dramatic moments. But nothing like what happened on October
3, 1951 at the old Polo Grounds in New York City. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Some refer to that time as "The Miracle at Coogan's
Bluff." Others, especially in Brooklyn, call it "Dat Day." But
no matter what label is applied it was a time to remember. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> It was a time when the Giants played out of the Polo
Grounds in Manhattan and the Dodgers entertained millions in their tiny
Brooklyn ballpark, Ebbets Field. It was a time of tremendous fan devotion to
each team. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> In July, Brooklyn manager Charlie Dressen had bragged,
"The Giants is dead." It seemed to aptly describe the plight of Leo
Durocher's team. For on August 12 the Giants trailed the Dodgers by 13 l/2
games in the standings. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Then, incredibly the Giants locked into what has been
called "The Miracle Run." They won 37 of their final 44 games - 16 of
them in one frenetic stretch - and closed the gap. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> "It was a once-in-a-lifetime situation," recalls
Monte Irvin, who batted .312 that year for the Giants. "We kept on
winning. The Dodgers kept on losing. It seemed like we beat everybody in the
seventh, eighth and ninth inning. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> The Giants and Dodgers finished the season in a flat-footed
tie for first-place and met on the first day of October in the first game of
the first play-off in the history of the National League. The teams split the
first two games setting the stage for the third and final game. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Star hurler Don Newcombe of the Dodgers was pitted against veteran
Sal Maglie of the Giants. Both hurlers had won 23 games during the regular
season. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> The game began under overcast skies and a threat of rain.
Radio play-by-play filtered into schoolrooms, factories, office buildings, city
prisons, barbershops. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> The Wall Street teletype intermingled stock quotations with
play-by-play details of the Giant-Dodger battle. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> The game was tied 1-1 after seven innings. Then Brooklyn
scored three times in the top of the eighth. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Many of the Dodger fans at the Polo Grounds and the
multitude listening to the game on the radio thought that the Giants would not
come back. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Leo Durocher and the Giants never gave up. "We knew
that Newcombe would make the wrong pitch," said Monte Irvin. "That
was his history." </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> The Giants came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning -
only three outs remained in their miracle season. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Shortstop Alvin Dark led off with a single through the
right side of the infield. Outfielder Don Mueller slapped the ball past Dodger
first baseman Gil Hodges. Irvin fouled out. A double by Whitey Lockman down the
left field line. Dark scored. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> With runners on second and third Ralph Branca came in to relieve Newcombe. Bobby Thomson
waited to bat. Durocher said, "I did not know whether they would pitch to
Thomson or not. First base was open. Willie Mays, just a rookie, was on deck."
</span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Veteran New York Giant announcer Russ Hodges described the
moment to millions mesmerized at their radios that October afternoon: </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> "Bobby Thomson up there swinging.... Bobby batting at
.292. Branca pitches and Bobby takes a strike call on the inside corner.
Lockman without too big of a lead at second but he'll be running like the wind
if Thomson hits one. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> "Branca throws ... there's a long drive...it's gonna
be, I believe. . .' The precise moment was 3:58 P.M., October 3, 1951. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> "... the Giants win the pennant!" Hodges screamed
the words at the top of his voice, all semblance of journalistic objectivity
gone. "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Hodges bellowed it out eight times - and then overcome by
the moment and voiceless, he had to yield the microphone. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Pandemonium was on parade at the Polo Grounds for hours
after the game. For almost half an hour after the epic home run, there were so
many phone calls placed by people in Manhattan and Brooklyn that the New York
Telephone Company reported service almost broke down. </span><span style="line-height: 150%;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 150%;"> Bobby Thomson
and Ralph Branca would play out their major league careers. But the moment they
shared - as hero and goat that October day at the Polo Grounds - would link
them forever.</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial; line-height: 150%;">
</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></b></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-1897431948501424212012-09-27T04:33:00.001-07:002012-09-27T04:34:31.902-07:00Sad Days at Fenway Park in the 1960's<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">An Excerpt from </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox/Abrams 2011</em> - - <span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>now available in stores, on-line and direct from the author</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The joy and passion and full houses (breaking the 700 straight sellout mark and counting) and winning ways now on parade at Fenway Park all are a sharp contrast to the way things once were at the little ballpark in most of the 1960s. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There are still those around who recall that time, some with mixed emotions. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">SAM MELE: I came into Fenway a lot when I managed Minnesota from 1961 to 1967. My home was still in Quincy, Mass. So I slept in my own bed. It was funny. I was managing against the team that I loved. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 1965, we beat Boston 17 out of 18 times, 8 out of the 9 at Fenway. It actually hurt me, to beat them. I felt sorry because in my heart I was a Red Sox fan. I had played for them, I had scouted for them. Tom Yawkey would come in my office. And we would talk a lot. Oh yeah, geez, he had me in his will.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The losing, the miserable attendance, the doom and gloom that pervaded Fenway was on parade big time on the 16th of September. The tiniest crowd of the season made its way into Fenway Park - - just 1,247 paid and 1,123 in on passes. Dave Morehead opposed Luis Tiant of the Cleveland Indians. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Fenway was a ghost town of a ball park in 1965 when the team drew but 652,201, an average of 8,052 a game . The worst came late in the season. On September 28th against California only 461 showed to watch the sad Sox. The next day was even worse against the same team – just 409 in the house. Finishing 9th in the ten-team American League, the Sox lost 100 games and won 62. The nadir had been breached.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Managers kept coming and going. Top prospects somehow never made it for one reason or another. Billy Herman was in place as the 1966 season started. Early on Dave Morehead, just 24, regarded as a brilliant future star, suffered an injury to his arm and was never the same. Posting a 1-2 record in a dozen appearances, he symbolized the Red Sox of that era - promise but pathos. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 1966, the Sox lost 90 games and finished ninth. Attendance at Fenway Park was 811,172, an average attendance per game of 10, 095. It was pitiful. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">JIM LONBORG: The 1967 season started off as a typical Red Sox season. There were 8,324 fans on a cold and dreary April 12th, Opening Day. We beat the White Sox 5-4. Petrocelli hit a three-run homer. And I got the win. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day there were only 3,607 at the ballpark. And then we went on a road trip. We came back having won 10 straight games. And when our plane landed there were thousands of fans waiting at the airport. That moment was the start of the great relationship between the fans and the players.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">BOB SULLIVAN: I went to Dartmouth, and we used to road trip down to Fenway and get standing room without any trouble. It was eight dollars for grandstand seats. But so many seats were empty. You would flip an usher a quarter and you could move down into the seats. Then it changed. What happened was ’67. </span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-56303563699564570232012-09-13T07:31:00.000-07:002012-09-13T07:31:09.331-07:00SPORTS BOOK REVIEWS<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s that time of year when football is the talk of many towns and a sport publishers trot out their new wares for. What follows is a beginning sampling of some of the more interestingefforts. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“The Best American Sports Writing 2012” edited by Michael Wilbon (HMH, $14.95, 361 pages, paper) has a lot to recommend it - -and a couple of pieces that I have close connections to. As the author Tony Dorsett’s autobiography “Running Tough,” I was especially enthralled with S. I. Price’s piece on football in Aliquippa, Pa., where the young Tony learned his stuff. As the co-author along with my wife Myrna of “Basketball My Way” by Nancy Lieberman, I was especially interested in the Ben McGrath piece on Nancy as men’s basketball coach. These two and others make “The Best American Sports Writing 2012” live up to its claim in its title. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Ten Gallon War” by John Eisenberg (HMH, $27.00, 308 pages) is an intriguing flashback to pro football history and the fight for dominance in the gridiron sports in Dallas. It was the Texans of the AFL versus the Cowboys of the NFL and the birth of the game in “Big D.” Like a street fight with an amazing cast of characters, this one is sure to entertain any sports fan.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From the University of Wisconsin comes “Alan Ameche” by Dan Manoyan (Terrace Books, University of Wisconsin Press, $26. 95, 279 pages).It was Ameche who catapulted Wisconsin into collegiate football’s big time as a Heisman Trophy winner for the Badgers. He continued with a brilliant pro career with the Baltimore Colts. A wonderful look back at football history and an insightful portrait of one of the game’s legends.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Best of Rivals” by Adam Lazarus (DaCapo, $26.00, 304 pages) is a treat for Niner fans. It focuses via many interviews on as its sub-title proclaims “the Inside Story Behind the NFL’s Greatest Quarterback Controversy.” That might be press agent speak, but the book is worth the read – illuminating and engrossing.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">From Kevin Cook comes “The Last Headbangers” (Norton, $26.95, 278 pages). The book is football history - - this time the seventies - a time of beyond head-slapping, a time of hard-hitting, rowdy and raunchy behavior. Painkillers, steroids and a sport on the ascent in more ways than one. If you want to re-live some it, this is the tome for you.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Finally, there is “Love’s Winning Plays” by Inman Majors (Norton, $25.95, 256 pages) a novel focused on the ups and downs of young Raymond Love, a coach valiantly attempting to navigate his way through his rookie year of coaching in the Southeastern Conference. Funny, appealing book.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“All In” (Abrams,$29.95, 128 pages)The New York Giants Official 2011 Season and Super Bowl Commemorative is a must for fans of the team.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Also from Abrams two more books from the “101 Reasons to Love”series – one on the Packers by David Green and the other by Ron Green, Jr. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">All of these Abrams books are beautifully produced and targeted for specific fan bases, but what’s not to love here for all football fans? </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My Remembering Yankee Stadium, Remembering Fenway, and New York City Baseball: The Last Golden Age have all been included in "501 Books Baseball Fans Must Read Before They Die." </span></em><br />
<br />
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-43526056511309185122012-08-25T17:35:00.000-07:002012-08-25T17:42:44.833-07:00Massive Fire Sale at Fenway: Sixties Swamp Time Looming<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> In a spectacular and almost unheard
of salary dump, the powers that be with the Red Sox have decided 2012, the 100th
anniversary year, is a lost season. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Jettisoned to the Dodgers - -Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Josh
Beckett and along with this talent Los
Angeles takes on almost $250-million in salary. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">
It is not exactly the 1960s at Fenway, but it could be - -soon.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> In 1963, Johnny Pesky, on the scene
as manager since the end of the ’62 season, got his “country club” group off to
a hopeful start. At the end it would be
the same sad story - - a 76-85 record, a seventh place finish, 28 games off the
pace. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Dick
Stuart and Dick Radatz were two “cult
figures” who performed in the sixties for the Sox. Richard Lee Stuart was with
the team in 1963 and 1964. Richard Raymond Radatz had a longer tenure,
1962-1966.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">On
June 23, 1963 first baseman Stuart, known as "Dr. Strange Glove" for
his challenged ways as a fielder, established a major league fielding record,
grabbing three first inning grounders and tossing them to pitcher Bob Heffner
for putouts. The Yankees, unfortunately, bombed the Sox, 8-0. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Sox fans delighted in giving Stuart the mock
cheer. There was a game when wind was whipping about Fenway as was customary at
times. Stuart, known also in some
circles as “Cement Glove,” without losing a step, deftly snatched up a piece of
paper that had blown his way. That
effort provoked the crowd into rising up and giving him a standing ovation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Radatz
was a top relief pitcher and a powerful presence on the mound. In 1963, he
entered a game against the Yankees with the bases loaded. Reaching back for a
little extra, he struck out Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, and Elston Howard --
all American League MVPs at one time -- on a total of 10 pitches. Mantle
afterwards, as the story goes, complained about what it was like to hit against
that “monster." Dick Radatz became “Monster” Radatz. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> STEVE FOLVEN: I went with my friend Billy Brooks and his
uncles by car. We drove down Commonwealth Ave,
parked on a side street across from BU (Boston University)and
walked to the park. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The
Yankees were winning 1-0 in the last of the ninth. Stottlemyre was still pitching. And Yastrzemski led off that inning with a
triple. And then the Sox filled the
bases with one out. And I said, “They’re
finally going to win. “ </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Malzone
hit like a line drive to third. Clete Boyer, the vacuum cleaner, just scooped and made an incredible play,
threw to second - the ball went to
first, double-play. They lost 1-0. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Leaving,
you just went under the bleachers. It
was like the solemn march. Nobody said
too much. I just remember Billy Brooks’
uncles, as we would go back from these games,
saying, “Yeah and every time we go, we lose. Every time we go they lose.” These guys are like 50 or 60 years old and
I’m going like, “Don’t take it so seriously, will ya?” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> Many fans took it seriously. Johnny
Pesky was sacked as manager with two games left in the season. The Sox finished 1964 in 8th place in a 10
team league and drew 883,276 to Fenway. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=31506606" name="Opening_Day_lineup"></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">SAM MELE: I came into Fenway a lot when I managed Minnesota from 1961 to
1967. My home was still in Quincy,
Mass. So I slept in my own bed.
It was funny. I was managing against the team that I loved. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">In
1965, we beat Boston
17 out of 18 times, 8 out of the 9 at Fenway.
It actually hurt me, to beat them.
I felt sorry because in my heart I was a Red Sox fan. I had played for them, I had scouted for
them. Tom Yawkey would come in my
office. And we would talk a lot. Oh
yeah, geez, he had me in his will. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Tony
C, (Conigliaro) also put together a “day” for himself on the 27th of July 1965 at Fenway. He stroked three home
runs, two in the opener of a doubleheader and a grand slam in the
nightcap. Boston,
however, was a loser in both games to Kansas
City. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"> The losing, the miserable
attendance, the doom and gloom that pervaded Fenway was on parade big time on
the 16th of September. The tiniest crowd of the season made its way into Fenway Park - - just 1,247 paid and 1,123 in on passes.
Dave Morehead opposed Luis Tiant of the Cleveland Indians. A no-hitter for Morehead!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">After
the game the news came out that Tom Yawkey, as was his practice, would rewrite
Morehead’s contract and give the 22-year-old a $1,000 bonus. That was the good
news - the bad news was for General Manager Pinky Higgins. He was let go and
replaced by Dick O’Connell. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Fenway
was a ghost town of a ball park in 1965 when the team drew but 652,201, an
average of 8,052 a game . The worst came late in the season. On September 28th
against California
only 461 showed to watch the sad Sox. The next day was even worse against the
same team – just 409 in the house.
Finishing 9th in the ten-team American League, the Sox lost 100 games
and won 62. The nadir had been breached.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Managers
kept coming and going. Top prospects somehow never made it for one reason or
another. Billy Herman was in place as the 1966 season started. Early on Dave Morehead, just 24, regarded as
a brilliant future star, suffered an injury to his arm and was never the same.
Posting a 1-2 record in a dozen appearances, he symbolized the Red Sox of that
era - promise but pathos. Sound familiar?</span></span>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-23218458919815056102012-08-14T18:45:00.002-07:002012-08-14T18:46:59.148-07:00Harvey Frommer Remembers Johnny Pesky<br />
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://cache.heraldinteractive.com/blogs/sports/red_sox/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/pesky.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="http://cache.heraldinteractive.com/blogs/sports/red_sox/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/pesky.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<td style="padding: 0in 0in 0in 0in;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 160; width: 97%px;">
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<td style="padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt; width: 100.0%;" width="100%"><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was some years ago when I was
at Fenway park doing research and interviewing for one of my
baseball books. My son Fred was then a teenager and he accompanied me
to the park dressed in a red sweater and packing his baseball glove -- just
in case.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We arrived at the legendary park quite
a few hours before game time as is my practice when I am working. Fenway
was empty. There was no one in the stands but my son anxious to catch a
ball.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I interviewed one player and then
another and then interrupted Johnny Pesky who was hitting fungoes and
interviewed him. Gracious, enthusiastic, informed, the man they call
"Mr. Red Sox" gave me more than the time of day. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I figured I could impose.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"See that kid in the outfield
stands with the red sweater. Could you hit a ball out to him?"</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"And if I hit him on the noggin,
then what! We are all in trouble." </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"You are right," I said, and
walked away to interview others.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Minutes later through the empty
ballpark I heard my son's voice and saw him running through the stands to
the home plate area. He was shouting: "I got it. I got it." And
he had a ball in his hand.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pesky was near me and yelled.
"Get me that ball. The kid isn't supposed to have it."</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I went over to my son and got the
baseball and brought it to Pesky. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"What's your son's name?"</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told him. He autographed the ball
"To Fred. Great catch. Johnny Pesky"</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was
my first meeting with Pesky and immediately I knew I had come into contact
with a mensch,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>good guy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But since I am an oral historian and
know there are various remembrances of things past, equal time now for my
son who today is an AP correspondent based in Washington, D.C. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>FRED FROMMER: My first time at Fenway
Park was September 6, 1981. I'd come along very early with my father who
was down on the field interviewing players during batting practice for a
book he was writing. I was a huge baseball fan, and I had never been in a
stadium that seated fewer than 50,000. Now, I had this 34,000-seat ballpark
virtually to myself; it felt like a backyard. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>From the first row behind the short
right field wall by the foul pole, I could see balls careening all over the
field like pinballs and my dad talking to Red Sox coach Johnny Pesky, who
was hitting fungoes.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"That's my son out there, by
the foul pole," I heard him say. "Can you hit a ball to
him?" </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"No way," said Pesky.
"What if it hits him in the head?"</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"He’ll catch it," my dad
assured him. He was confident the endless evenings he had spent hitting me
fly balls would pay off.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>But Pesky shook his head.
"Sorry, I can't do it."<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>A few minutes later, I heard a crack
and a bunch of Red Sox players in right field yell, "Heads-up!"</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I looked up, and there in the blue
New England sky was a perfect white sphere. I camped under it. With Pesky's
incredible aim, I didn't have to move. The ball just landed in my mitt. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>"Hey, nice catch," one of
the Red Sox shouted up at me. “We could use you out here, the way we're
playing." </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Just before the game started, Pesky
found my dad and told him to get the ball from me. He autographed it:
"To Freddy, Nice Catch. Best Wishes, Johnny Pesky." </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I still have the ball. <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Flash forward to the 21<sup>st</sup>
century and my getting a contract to write what has been called the
definitive book on Fenway Park.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
first thought was to try and get Johnny Pesky to write the foreword and to
also agree to be one of the 140 oral history voices in the book. I scored
on both accounts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="padding: 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt 1.5pt; width: 100.0%;" width="100%"><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What follows in the marvelous and self
effacing foreword by the Red Sox legend:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 1in; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">They call me “Mr. Red Sox.” And that is a
special honor considering all the great stars and personalities who have been
with the franchise through all the years. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It’s been a wonderful ride for the kid out
of Portland, Oregon who signed for a five hundred dollar bonus. I first showed
up at Fenway Park in 1942 and never believed that when 2010 rolled around, I
would still be on the scene, still be coming to the ballpark, still be putting
on the Red Sox uniform, still having my own locker in the clubhouse.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 2;"> </span>The organization
has honored me by naming the right field foul pole after me, putting me in the
Red Sox Hall of Fame, retiring my number. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>As author Harvey Frommer,
in this book, brings the great story of Fenway Park to all of us in tremendous
detail,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think back to all the greats I
have known, those I played with or saw play at Fenway Park, a kind of who’s who
in Sox history - - Mr. Tom Yawkey, Joe Cronin, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio,
Bobby Doerr, Tex Hughson, Mel Parnell, Boo Ferriss, Dick Radatz , Reggie Smith,
Carlton Fisk, Fred Lynn, Tony Conigliaro,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Jimmy Rice, Jim Lonborg, Carl Yastrzemski, Luis Tiant, Dwight Evans,
Dennis Eckersley, Roger Clemens,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wade
Boggs, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra, Dustin Pedroia, Curt Schilling, Jacoby
Ellsbury . . . </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I think back to so many
moments at Fenway, good and bad – our winning the 1946 pennant, Ted Williams
hitting a home run in his final at bat, the Impossible Dream season, the
Carlton Fisk home run, that 1975 team that battled the Reds in the World
Series, the Bucky Dent homer, the heartbreak loss of the 1986 World Series to
the Mets, the great changes in the old ballpark and the exciting work done by the
new ownership, the thrill of “breaking the Curse of the Bambino” and winning
world championships in 2004, 2007.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">I have played for, coached, managed the
Sox. I have been in the front office, a television and radio announcer, even an
ad salesman. I have probably seen more Red Sox games, hit more fungoes, put in
more time at Fenway Park than anyone else in Red Sox history. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As I said, it has been some ride. Seven
decades-worth and counting, and I have enjoyed every moment of it. Many of
these moments are captured in this book through Harvey Frommer’s riveting
narrative, through great photos, and most importantly though the words of those
who lived it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as a voice in my
book and a person to interview, Pesky was honest, on target, full of BoSox
pride, not full of himself. Just a few of his comments from <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Remembering
Fenway Park </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>follow:<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</i></b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">JOHNNY
PESKY: Manager Joe Cronin let me play. That was how it all started in 1942 when
we went up against the old Boston Braves, an exhibition<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>City Series,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>one game at Fenway and one at Braves Field. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I made four errors in the exhibition game and
felt just terrible about it. I thought Cronin was going to send me down to
either Scranton or Louisville. But he didn't say anything to me.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The
first time I saw Fenway Park, it was dark and dreary. I was mainly concerned
about playing as well as I could and keeping warm. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Opening
Day was Tuesday April 14<sup>th<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></sup>.
I was 22 years old. I came up the runway, up the three steps and looked out
from the dugout. It was an old park even then. But it was very well kept, clean
and nice. And right in the middle of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought it was beautiful.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lived on Bay State road just across from
Kenmore Square and could walk across to the ballpark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I batted leadoff ahead of Dom and Ted. </span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">JOHNNY
PESKY: Ted and I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lockered next to one
another.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We always talked<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>baseball. When you’re talking to the greatest
hitter, it was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>like talking to the Holy
Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He said: “Johnny, you’ve got to hit
strikes. Don’t’ be afraid to take a pitch. And you’ve got to keep that bat on
the level.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’d stand up and show me
his approach to hitting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it stayed
with me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JOHNNY PESKY: Coming back from the Navy in
1946, I was impressed with how beautiful the ballpark still was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Yawkey came down and talked to us. He
said he felt good about the team.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
loved Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio and Bobby Doerr. He was very nice to me,
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fenway Park was my comfort zone. Very
homey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fans<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were close, liking their ball. After the war,
we had great crowds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The club now got
going pretty good. There was much interest in Red Sox baseball and being in
Fenway Park. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">JOHNNY
PESKY:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A big left handed pitcher was
going against us. Piersall was going up for his first at bat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Goddamn this guy’s awful wild, God damn it,
I’m afraid,” Jimmy said.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">“If
you’re afraid,” I told him, “you better get a lunch pail and go home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>JOHNNY PESKY:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Yaz was as good as any outfielder
that ever played there, and I’m not taking anything away from Ted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yaz was<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>like an infielder from the outfield.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He threw well; they couldn’t run on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And he knew how to play that Monster.</span></b><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The bio featured in Remembering Fenway Park reads:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>JOHNNY PESKY</b><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> is MR. RED SOX. A member of the Red Sox Hall
of Fame whose number has been retired by the team, he has been a player,
manager, coach and goodwill ambassador for the Red Sox since the 1940s. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That bio tells just half the story. He was also beloved, respected, and
honored<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- -all for the right reasons. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-51837085783654344362012-08-10T17:17:00.001-07:002012-08-14T18:46:36.904-07:00Boston Red Sox (Sort Of) Ultimate Quiz for Diehard Fans (II)<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>For
all of you out there who think you know your baseball especially Boston
Red Sox baseball—this is the quiz for you. With a tip of the BoSox cap to
John Quinn and Dave Martin who know the score.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Fifteen
questions. Answers follow the questions, so no peeking. A score of nine or more
correct makes you a major leaguer. Below that you are in the minors but on your
way up. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Warning:
there is one trick question.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Have
fun.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>And
if you want to really participate, there will be Red Sox Quiz III - send in
some questions and answers and perhaps they will make it into print.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1.
Five Red Sox players have won the batting title two or more times. Four of them
are Ted Williams, Wade Boggs, Pete Runnels and Nomar Garciaparra. Who is the
fifth? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Dom DiMaggio<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b. Jim Rice c. Carl
Yastrzemski d. Fred Lynn</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">2.
Who was the first Red Sox player to officially have his number retired?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a. Babe Ruth<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>b. Ted Williams c. Joe Cronin d. Bobby Doerr</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">3.
Which onetime Red Sox player is 1 of 2 players to play for a record six
different playoff teams?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
David Wells b. Bill Mueller c. Dennis Eckersley d. Rickey Henderson</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4.
Which Red Sox pitcher holds the record for most home runs allowed in a season,
with 38?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Roger Clemens b. Tim Wakefield c. Josh Beckett d. Mel Parnell</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">5.
Who is the only Red Sox player to have two 20 home run/20 stolen base seasons?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Nomar Garciaparra b. Dom DiMaggio c. Jackie Jensen</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">d.
Jim Rice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">6.
Who was the first man to manage both the Pawtucket Red Sox and Boston Red Sox?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Dick Williams b. Butch Hobson c. Jimy Williams d. Darrell Johnson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">7.
Who was Harry Frazee?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
third baseman in the 1920s<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b. manager in
the 40s</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">c.
pitcher in the 60s d. owner in the teens of 20<sup>th</sup> century</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">8.
What was the highest uniform number ever worn by a Red Sox player? </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
40 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b.56 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>c. 82 <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>d. 100</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whose retired number is 6?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Johnny Pesky b. Bobby Doerr c. Dom DiMaggio d. Walt Dropo</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">10.Who
was </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">an eight-time gold glove outfielder who played 19 of
his 20 Major League seasons with the Boston Red Sox.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Ted Williams b. Jackie Jensen c. Sam Mele d. Jimmy Piersall </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who pitched the </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">First no-hitter in
Red Sox history?</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">a.
Lefty Grove<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b. Rube Foster<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>c. Boo Ferris d. Smoky Joe Wood</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">12<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who were the “Golden Outfielders”?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">13<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was the “Golden Greek” ?</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">14<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who were the “Gold Dust” twins?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who were the “Gold Sox” ?<br />
**************************************************</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">ANSWERS</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">1<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>c</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">2<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">3 a</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">4<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>b</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">5 c</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">6 d</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">7 d</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">8
c<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(worn by Johnny Lazor) </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">9 a</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">10 d</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">11<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Rube Foster vs. NY, 2-0, 6/21/1916.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">12 </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span class="white"><span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Duffy Lewis, Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">13
Harry Agganis</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">14<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jim Rice and Fred Lynn</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">15<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the 1950s, Tom Yawkey spent a lot to
create a winner.</span></div>
Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-36562656112247554522012-07-30T15:48:00.000-07:002012-07-30T19:01:08.891-07:00Harvey Frommer’s Sports Book Reviews: August Sporting Reads – Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 8.6pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> <span style="color: cyan;">Dog
days are upon us in August, most of the time. In publishing however there is
always a curious mix of recently published baseball books and just published
football tomes. This new edition of my ongoing sports books reviews, almost
four decades and counting, is a case very much in point.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3d85c6; margin-bottom: 8.6pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.profootballhof.com/UserFiles/image/50th-Book/50th-Book-310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.profootballhof.com/UserFiles/image/50th-Book/50th-Book-310.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> The
biggest and also the most expensive of the lot is “The Pro Football Hall of
Fame 50<sup>th</sup> Anniversary Book,” by Joe Horrigan and John Thorn (Grand
Central Publishing, $34.99, 320 pages). If you are any kind of football fan,
this marvelous looking effort is just for you. Horrigan, veep of the HOF’s for Communications/Exhibits and
Thorn, a legend in anyone’s book in the field of sports publishing, make a
terrific team. They have produced a gem.
Chronologically organized, this anniversary book boasts hundreds of
images, all kinds of memorabilia, superb writing. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #3d85c6; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #3d85c6; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5198LYw59wL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5198LYw59wL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="color: #3d85c6; text-align: justify;">
<a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51au4GY59vL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;">From
Abrams comes “<b>Yankee Greats</b>” and “Baseball Fantography.”The former by Bob Woods ($19.95, 224 pages) is a
compendium of 206 full color photographs of Bronx Bomber legends. The latter by
Andy Strasberg, is almost 200 jam packed pages of images and stories. And
finally from Abrams there is “The Classic Palmer” with text by John Feinstein
with photos by Walter Loos. Priced at $19.95, this 140 page volume is a buy or
gift for the legion of Arnold Palmer fans out there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3d85c6; margin-bottom: 8.6pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> From
Globe Pequot Press comes “Hack’s 191”by Bill Chastain and “The Baseball Hall of
Shame” by Bruce Nash and Allan Zullo. The Chastain work focuses on Hack Wilson
and his incomparable 191 RBI’s in 1930. The Nash and Zullo’s effort is an ongoing look at what they call “the
most outrageous moments of all time” in baseball. Oddball antics get the royal
treatment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #3d85c6; margin-bottom: 8.6pt; text-align: justify; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"> “The
Most Memorable Games in Patriots History”
by Jim Baker and Bernard M. Corbett ($25.00, 360 pages) is a book told in
the words of those who made the history. Tighter editing would
have made the whole tighter but there are parts that truly sing especially to
New England Pats faithful. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: #6fa8dc; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> “Stillpower” by Garret Kramer (Atria, $22.00, 191 pages) is
a slim product with a big message. It examines how to achieve excellence in
sports and life through an inner source. Simply written, yet packing complex
ideas, this Kramer quietly explains how all of us in this razzle dazzle world
can obtain a clear and quiet state of mind.</span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: #3d85c6;">
</span> </span></div>
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<br /></div>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-71285764975753282132012-07-22T18:41:00.000-07:002012-07-22T18:43:09.452-07:00Remembering Jake Ruppert: the Man Who Built the Yankee Empire<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Tahoma; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.realclearsports.com/blognetwork/rcs_sidelines/ruppert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.realclearsports.com/blognetwork/rcs_sidelines/ruppert.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The Yankees roll
on, top of the heap, more stars, more world championships, more hype and
hoopla. They are New York. They are big time baseball.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Lest we forget,
the roots go all the way back to the son and grandson of Bavarian beer tycoons
who founded the Ruppert Breweries. Heir to the family millions, young Jacob
Ruppert was born on August 5, 1867. He lived with his family in a commodious
and luxurious Manhattan Fifth Avenue apartment. He attended the prestigious
Columbia Grammar School. Although he was accepted to the School of Mines of
Columbia University, his father insisted he become part of the brewery business.<br />
By the turn of the century, the Rupperts in a time before income tax,
were reaping huge profits and had become fabulously wealthy. The Ruppert Brewery, one of the most modern
beer producing plants in the world, was a complex of thirty-five fortress-like
red brick buildings located from East 90th to East 94th Street between Second
and Third Avenues in the Yorkville section of Manhattan's upper East side.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The brewery chimneys
spewed smoke carrying the sulfurous smell of malt from the boiling vats into
the air. On windy days the smell was especially foul and noxious. Maids in the
area even in the summertime, closed windows, pulled down drapes, did what they
could to keep the stench out of their employer’s dwellings. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> At 19, Jacob Ruppert began work at the
brewery - - washing barrels. Four years
later he was general manager. At 29, he was president of the Jacob Ruppert
Brewing Company succeeding his father who had retired. Under the young Ruppert’s
direction, the brewery increased its 1893 output of 350,000 barrels to
1,300,000 barrels just prior to prohibition. In his tenure Ruppert would create
and head a gigantic and modern plant for 62 years - home to the finest brewery in the world. At
one point, valued at over $30 million, the Ruppert brand (“Make Mine Ruppert”) employed more than a thousand workers and was
an integral component of the entire New York economy.<br />
A vast fortune and Tammany Hall
connections eased Ruppert into a congressional seat. He was elected as a
Democrat in a normally Republican district. The ambitious Ruppert served as a
four-time member of the House of Representatives from 1899 to 1907 representing the "Silk Stocking"
district of Manhattan. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">After the death of
his father in 1915, Ruppert continued to live with his mother in the family's
red brick Victorian house at 1115 Fifth Avenue on "Millionaire's Row"
along Central Park. When his mother died in 1924, Ruppert stayed on in the
family mansion for another year. He then sold to a developer and moved across
the street into a 12-room apartment in a 15-story luxury building at 1120 Fifth
Avenue. His apartment faced Fifth Avenue and looked out onto the Central Park
Reservoir directly across the street.
Five full-time servants catered to every whim of the Teutonic,
punctilious millionaire. Throughout his life, Ruppert lived within easy walking
distance of his brewery.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">He was appointed
an honorary Colonel in the New York State 7th National Guard Regiment, and it
pleased him very much when people used "Colonel" in addressing him. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">
A heavily invested real estate toomler as well as the head of the most
powerful brewery in the world, “Colonel” Ruppert’s wealth kept increasing
making him one of the world’s richest men with an estimated fortune of nearly
$50-million.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Called “Congressman”
by some, “Colonel” by most, "Jake," by his closest friends, Ruppert
had the world on a string. A confirmed bachelor, he always had one beautiful
woman, sometimes two, on his arm. But his true love had always been baseball.
He was always a rabid fan. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Back in 1880 when
he was just 13, Jacob Ruppert owned,
managed, captained and played second base for a local Manhattan baseball
club. The snobbish, some would say cruel, rich boy, insisted that his players
clean the cages of his private menagerie before he would bring his bat and ball
down to the vacant lot where the team played.
Making it perfectly clear to all that he could not abide losing, Ruppert
also made it very uncomfortable for any of his players who struck out – he
fired them. The highly privileged youngster was a passionate rooter for the New
York Giants. As a teenager he tried out but could not make the club. No matter,
he would accomplish much more in baseball than that.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">North of the city
at his large estate in Garrison, New York, Ruppert kept St. Bernards and Boston terriers. He owned a
dozen varieties of doves, two dozen varieties of monkey. He had a collection of
Percherons, the large horses that had pulled the big beer trucks. He was a
collector of trotting horses and thoroughbred race horses, yachts, Chinese
porcelains, jades. His country place was a repository of one of the largest
personal art galleries and libraries in the United States. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">His office was devoid
of curtains. Close by his desk were marble pedestals, a goldfish aquarium, two
bronzes of American Indian collectibles.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Ruppert’s shoes were
made to order. Changing his clothes several times a day, he dressed in the
latest and most expensive fashions and was attended to by a valet. He traveled in style with his secretary
Al Brennan in his own private railroad car. It was known that the “Colonel”
enjoyed the comforts of his own drawing room and sleeping in a silk brocade
nightshirt.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> Always interested in baseball, always
acquiring, Ruppert was very much interested in purchasing the New York Giants
but was told by manager John J. McGraw that they were not for sale but that the
sad sack New York Yankees might be. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">"It was an
orphan club," Ruppert said, "without a home of its own, without
players of outstanding ability, without prestige." It was a team whose
average annual attendance was 345,000, and dozen year record was a mediocre 861
wins and 937 defeats. But Jake Ruppert, the man they would later call
"Master Builder in Baseball," would change all that.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">On January 11,
1915, Jake Ruppert teamed with a real Colonel, </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Tillinghast
L'Hommedieu Huston, </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">and purchased the Yankees of New York for $460,000 from the
original owners - -professional gambler
Frank Farrell and ex-police commissioner William S. Devery. Huston impressed
everyone by peeling off 230 thousand dollar bills – his share of the purchase price.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Players and
sportswriters referred to Hutson as "Cap." There were others who
called him "the Man in the Iron Hat" because of the derby hat,
generally crumpled, that he wore. The hat matched his suits, always crumpled
and rumpled.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The Farrell-Devery
duo had milked and mismanaged the franchise for years. So owning the Yankees,
who had a 12 year record of 861-937 and average attendance of 345,000 a season,
would be a challenge for the new owners.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Ruppert and Huston,
however, were up to the challenge. They had
deep pockets and a great deal of
business acumen. Huston was a
successful entrepreneur engineer, a </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">rich
contractor. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> Ruppert always knew his way
around a buck. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> All kinds of intrigue surrounded the purchase
of the Yankees involving Tammany Hall wheeler dealers, other owners, and the
American League President. All of them were very anxious to put in place new
Yankee ownership and a successful franchise in New York City. To close the
deal, American League owners and the League kicked in the rest of the half
million dollars that Farrell and Devery insisted on before they would sell out.
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">"I never saw
such a mixed up business in my life,” Ruppert complained right off the bat.
“Contracts, liabilities, notes, obligations of all sorts. There were times when
it looked so bad no man would want to put a penny into it. It is an orphan ball
club without a home of its own, without players of outstanding ability, without
prestige."</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">All of that would
change. The “Prince of Beer” </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">w</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">anted to re-name the Yankees to “Knickerbockers” after his best-selling
beer, but the marketing ploy failed. Besides, it was said, the name was too
long for newspaper headlines. Years later it would be short enough for
basketball’s New York Knickerbockers.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> R</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">uppert pressed on. As a beer baron, he was hands on for every
aspect of his business. That same behavior pattern existed for him with the
Yankees. </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> He knew them all and was always
up to date on their capabilities, shortcomings, foibles and performances. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">
I</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">n his early ownership years Ruppert </span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">lost almost as
much money as was paid to purchase the Yankees. But on the field there was some
progress. The team finished fifth in
1915, fourth in 1916, their first time
out of the second division since 1910. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The Yankee owner
rarely hung out with "with the boys," Rud Rennie wrote in the <i>New York Herald-Tribune</i>. "For the
most part, he was aloof and brusque.... He never used profanity. 'By gad' was
his only expletive."<br />
A fixture at his Stadium, which he
insisted on keeping so fanatically clean that sometimes he even swept it
himself, Ruppert had a private box to which he invited the celebrities of
the day. He was not an owner, though, who came to the park to be seen. His
interest was in seeing his tea, excel. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The Colonel’s idea
of a wonderful day at the ball park was any time the Yankees scored 11 runs in
the first inning, and then slowly pulled away. The Colonel was fond of saying,
“There is no charity in baseball, I want to win every year.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">“Close games make
me nervous.” he said. “A great day is when the Yankees score a lot of runs
early and then just pull away.” </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">He created the “Ruppert
effect.” Those who worked for him at the brewer on the ball club knew he was
around and about and very interested in all that was going on. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Members of his
team received first class treatment. For the Yankees this showed itself in the
sleeping accommodations he arranged on trains. Most other teams had players,
dependent on seniority, given berths, upper or lower. The players on the New
York Yankees all slept in upper births<br />
While
the Yankees were high flying, Ruppert’s other business – his brewery was
hurting. Prohibition cut his brewery's annual production of 1.25 million
barrels of real beer to 350,000 barrels of half-percent near-beer that nobody
wanted to drink. In effect, the brewery treaded water producing, bottling and selling "near
beer".</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"><b style="color: #ffe599;">BABE RUTH</b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">In a move that
would change the course of Yankee and Red Sox history, indeed, baseball
history, Jake Ruppert on January 3, 1920 purchased George Herman “Babe” Ruth,
25, from Boston. The deal was a very smart business move – the young Ruth had
talent and would become one of the greatest drawing cards in baseball
history. In his first season as a Yankee
, he blasted 54 homers. <br />
Ruth bragged “They’re coming out to see me in
droves.” From 1920 to 1922, the Yankees with G.H. Ruth on board drew more three
million fans into the Polo Grounds. Never had the New York Giants drawn a
million fans in a season.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The Colonel was
the only one to conduct salary negotiations with the “Sultan of Swat.”Ruth was
a valuable commodity and the Yankee owner treated him as such. The</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> pair disagreed at times privately and publicly about contracts;
nevertheless, Ruppert and Ruth were personal friends.</span><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;"> Frugal
to a fault, Colonel gave orders that the Yankee front office should always keep
an eye out for any out of line Ruthian expenses. Thus, a $3.80 train ticket for
Mrs. Ruth and a $30 "uniform deposit" were not honored extracted for the
greatest single gate attraction of all time.<br />
Angered and annoyed at the
gate success of Babe Ruth & Company, the Giants told the Yankees to look
around for other baseball lodgings. The Yankees had been playing in the
shadow of the Giants at the Polo Grounds since 1913, tenants of the National
League team. It was a very
unsatisfactory arrangement; now with the Yankees outdrawing the Giants in their
in their own ballpark, it was an embarrassment. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">The forward
looking Ruppert and Hutson suggested the Polo Grounds be demolished and
replaced by a 100,000 seat stadium to be used by both teams and for other
sporting events. The Giants were not interested. So the search was on to
create a new ballpark, not just a new ballpark but the greatest and grandest edifice of its time, one
shaped along the lines of the Roman Coliseum. The Colonel dreamed big dreams
and had the power and money to back them up. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma; line-height: 150%;">Babe Ruth became a
Yankee through the dream and efforts of the Colonel. Yankee Stadium was really “the house that
Jake Ruppert built.” And all credit goes
to Ruppert as the man who truly built the Yankee empire. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-73871154300186848262012-07-02T12:32:00.001-07:002012-07-02T12:33:34.137-07:00Yankees vs. Red Sox: Baseball's Absolutely Amazing and Greatest Rivalry<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqPaXfzrb24rbHpHvHUXtBTXFL1IwqOwYwpEv5d4COTIM-Y8jq6n9g0i2lX6VFkHqk4zan_biKyt1duXdy5T4vpkW6afv9CJslXw1Ij2vn71O4YjqYrae9NraUHdwRagXAoWw4w/s1600/98.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGqPaXfzrb24rbHpHvHUXtBTXFL1IwqOwYwpEv5d4COTIM-Y8jq6n9g0i2lX6VFkHqk4zan_biKyt1duXdy5T4vpkW6afv9CJslXw1Ij2vn71O4YjqYrae9NraUHdwRagXAoWw4w/s400/98.JPG" vca="true" width="272" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">They are at it again this second weekend of July 2012, just as they have been at it all through the decades the two franchises have been part of Major League Baseball, since the beginning of the last century.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Researching, writing and interviewing for my books Remembering Yankee Stadium: An Oral and Narrative History of the House That Ruth Built and Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox, I had as back story and front story the narrative of the oldest and strongest rivalry in American baseball history - the Yankees of New York versus the Red Sox of Boston. I wanted the more than 200 people I interviewed to talk ballparks. Most did. But many wanted to also talk Sox-Yanks rivalry. And why not?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It is not only a competition of teams, cities, styles, ballparks, fans and, at times, writers. It is a rivalry of contrasting images. The New York Yankees represent the most successful franchise in baseball history. It's a club of legends with Ruth, Gehrig, Combs, Dickey, Ford, Berra, Munson, Raschi, Reynolds, Mantle, Maris, Jackson, Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mattingly, Clemens and many others. Through the years, winning has been as much a part of Yankee baseball as the pinstriped uniforms, and the monuments and plaques. The New York Yankees are the most successful of all franchises in baseball history, in sports history.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Through the years winning has been as much a part of the ethos of the Yankees as the pinstriped uniforms, the monuments and plaques in deep centerfield. It was once said: "Rooting for the New York Yankees is like rooting for General Motors." Unlike General Motors, the Yankees roll on.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Red Sox - less successful, more human, more vulnerable - have most of the time seemed like the rest of us. For the team and its fans, winning at times has not seemed as important as beating the Yankees and then winning. For the fans of the old Brooklyn Dodgers, the slogan used to be "Wait 'til Next Year." For Boston fans it has been -"When are they going to fold this year?" </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The competition is the Charles River versus the East River; Boston Common compared to Central Park. History, culture, style, pace, dreams, and self-images. All are mixed up in the competition in one way or another.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Don Zimmer: I didn't even know there was a big rivalry until I came to the Red Sox. But I found out soon enough. I was coaching at third base in 1974 at Yankee Stadium, and the fans were throwing so much crap on the field that I had to put on a helmet for protection. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The rivalry is violence. It is also the Babe and Bucky and Butch. It is Carl Yastrzemski trotting out to left field at Fenway with cotton sticking out of his ears to muffle the boos of disheartened Sox fans. It is the Scooter, the Green Monster, and the Hawk. It is Rich McKinney on April 22, 1972 making four errors on ground balls to third base that figured in Boston's scoring of nine runs to defeat the Yankees, 11-7. It is Joe Dee versus the Thumper, Yaz and the Commerce Comet, Mombo and King Kong. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The rivalry is Mickey Mantle slugging a 440-foot double at Yankee Stadium in 1958 and tipping his cap to the Red Sox bench. It's Williams spitting, Jackson gesturing and Martin punching. Fisk's headaches from the tension he felt coming into Yankee Stadium. It is also the Yankees' Mickey Rivers jumping out of the way of an exploding firecracker thrown into the visitors' dugout at Fenway. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The rivalry consists of signs: ‘I LOVE NEW YORK, TOO, IT IS THE YANKEES I HATE,' or 'BOSTON CHOKES. BOSTON SUCKS. BOSTON DOES IT IN STYLE. ‘ </span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><span style="font-size: large;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Baseball’s Greatest Rivalry – the Boston Red Sox vs. the New York Yankees just kept on going at fever pitch as through the 1949 season. On June 28th after missing the first 69 games of the season because of an ailing heel‚ Joe DiMaggio finally returned to the Yankee lineup. His single and home run helped the Bombers beat the Red Sox 6-4 in a night game at Fenway before 36‚228‚ the largest night crowd in Fenway history to that point. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The next day the Yankees came back from seven runs down. DiMag torqued the charge with a 3-run homer in the 5th and another home run in the 8th inning. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"You can hate the Yankees," one sign read, "but you've got to love Joe DiMaggio!" </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In the final game of the series, after seven innings before another SRO crowd, the Yankees were in front,3-2. Then the great Joe DiMaggio put the game and the series away for the Yankees with a three-run smash off the light tower giving his team a 6-3 win and a sweep of the </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In 1967, the Sox finished 20 games ahead of the 9th-place Yankees. Boston was going into the World Series. People started tearing apart the scoreboard, ripping the sod off of the field, just trashing the place. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">DICK BRESCIANI: (Sox historian) 1985. We're opening the season against the Yankees. Terrible weather. Teams were going to work out the best they could. Joe Mooney, head groundskeeper, had covered the mound. Ron Guidry wanted to throw off it and removed the tarp. A bellowing voice screamed: “Get the hell off my mound!” </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"I’m a Yankee pitcher," Guidry said.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“I don’t care who the hell you are.” Joe had a hose and he was spraying water. “If you don’t get off there, you’re going to get the full force," he said. Guidry left. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">DAN SHAUGHNESSY: (top shelf baseball columnist) 2004 in my view is still the greatest sports story ever told. The idea that you would have the Red Sox win their first World Series in 86 years, to do it at the expense of the Yankees and to do it in something that hadn’t been done in 140 years in a seven-game series in baseball. The World Series was clearly anticlimactic.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In Boston, they scream: "Yankees suck! Yankees suck! " And even when the Yankees are not playing in Boston you can hear those words at Fenway during a Tampa Bay, Mets or a Baltimore game. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In New York, they still sometimes chant: "1918! 1918!" </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Item: In 1925, the Yanks sought to trade a first baseman even up to the Red Sox for Phil Todt. Boston passed on the trade. The first baseman Lou Gehrig became one of the great players of all time. Todt batted .258 lifetime with 57 home runs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Item: During a time of Yankee glory from 1919-1945, the Red Sox never placed first in the eight-team American League, finishing an average of thirty games behind in the standings. They came in last nine times, and had five 100-plus-loss seasons. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I could go on and on, have even written a book on the subject of the great rivalry with my son Fred: ttp://www.dartmouth.edu/~frommer/REDSOXvYANKEES.htm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You pays your money and takes your choice –Yankees, Red Sox, neither. Just enjoy the rivalry. There’s always something new to it.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>About the Author </em></span><br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Dr. Harvey Frommer received his Ph.D. from New York University. Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Professor nominee, Recipient of the "Salute to Scholars Award" at CUNY where he taught writing for many years, the prolific author was cited by the Congressional Record and the New York State Legislature as a sports historian and journalist. </em></span><br />
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<span style="color: cyan; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>His sports books include autobiographies of sports legends Nolan Ryan, Red Holzman and Tony Dorsett, the classics "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball," "New York City Baseball: 1947-1957." The 1927 Yankees." His "Remembering Yankee Stadium" was published to acclaim in 2008. His latest book, a Boston Globe Best Seller, is "Remembering Fenway Park." Autographed and discounted copies of all Harvey Frommer books are available direct from the author. Please consult his home page: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/ </em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31506606.post-67558429799318297452012-06-23T17:51:00.000-07:002012-06-23T17:52:51.639-07:00The Storied and Sensational Subway Series: Battle of New York City Baseball| <span style="font-size: large;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There are many in New York City and elsewhere just drooling at the thought of another World Series matchup: the New York Yankees versus the New York Mets. It would be the ultimate battle for Big Apple bragging rights.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Only this time around it would not be Brooklyn versus the Bronx - it would be Queens versus the Bronx - travel distance eight miles.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The only question is will how many players and fans will travel by subway as they once did which was how the term "Subway Series" came to be.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Back in 1889 the New York Times observed: "The competition between Brooklyn and New York as regards baseball is unparalleled in the history of the national game."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The competition may have been unparalleled but it was also unequal. Throughout most of their history the Dodgers of Brooklyn were a sad sack team. The Yankees were the royalty of baseball.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It was not until 1941 that the rivalry between the two franchises reached fever pitch in the first Subway Series. The results were predictable. The Yankees won. There was another Brooklyn-New York Subway Series in 1947 - same result. In 1949 - same result. In 1952, in 1953 - same results.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Dem Bums" of Brooklyn won the National League pennant in 1916, 1920, 1941, 1947, 1949, 1952 and 1953. But the team had never won the World Series. Going into the 1955 Fall Classic, their last five defeats were at the hands of the Yankees.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Whitey Ford bested Don Newcombe as the Yankee won Game One of the series. That was the game with the controversial "steal" of home by Jackie Robinson. Brilliant pitching by 35-year-old Tommy Byrne gave the Yanks a victory in Game Two. Brooklyn fans took heart in the fact their team dropped the first two contests by a combined three runs. But the history was that no team had ever won a seven-game World Series after losing the first two games.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> In Game Three, Johnny Podres came up big, holding the Yankees to seven hits. The Brooks won 8-3. They won Game Four, 8-5, to tie the series. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The largest crowd to ever see a World Series game at Ebbets Field showed up on October 2nd. Sophomore manager Walt Alston started slim rookie Roger Craig in Game Five. Stengel tabbed 1954 Rookie of the Year Bob Grim.'' Incredibly, the Dodgers won again, 5-3. One more win and the mighty Yanks would be World Series losers. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It was southpaw Karl Spooner against southpaw Whitey Ford at Yankee Stadium. Spooner lasted only through the first inning. He walked two, yielded singles to Berra and Bauer and a two run dinger by Hank Bauer. Five runs. Spooner would never pitch in the major leagues again.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Ford, at the top of his game, in the fourth year of his 16 year Hall of Fame career, was having fun. He gave up just four hits as the Yankees stayed alive with a 5-1 win.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> After giving up one of the four hits, Yogi Berra told him: "Your slider ain't workin' good, Whitey. Don't throw no more."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Aw, Yog'," Ford said, "Don't be a spoil sport. I need the practice. Let me throw it to this guy."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "No more," Berra insisted. "...The World Series ain't the right time to horse around."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> On October 4, 1955, 23-year-old Johnny Podres took the mound for the most important game of his life. He was opposed by Tommy Byrne, a dozen years his senior. Each pitcher had won a game in the series. There were 62,465 in attendance at Yankee Stadium.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Hits by Gil Hodges in the fourth and sixth innings gave the Dodgers a 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the sixth, Junior Gilliam came in from left field to play second base and Sandy Amoros took his place. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Mantle walked to start the Yankee sixth. McDougald bunted for a single. Berra was next. Mel Allen's call brings back the time:</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "Johnny Podres on the mound. Dodgers leading 2-0 . . . The outfield swung away toward right. Sandy Amoros is playing way into left-center. Berra is basically a pull hitter. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Here's the pitch. Berra swings and he does hit one to the opposite field, down the left field line . . . Sandy Amoros races over toward the foul line . . . and he makes a sensational, running, one-handed catch! He turns, whirls, fires to Pee Wee Reese. Reese fires to Gil Hodges at first base in time to double up McDougald. And the Yankees' rally is stymied!" </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "I run and run and run" was how Amoros characterized one of the most dramatic moments in baseball history. After all these years Jerry Coleman is not as impressed with what happened as others: "It wasn't so much that Amoros made a great catch. It was the way he went after it in the sun. A better fielder would have made it easier. . . the circumstance was that we may have had a tie ball game...as it turned out, that was out last chance."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Mel Allen, loyal to a fault, turned the microphone over to Vin Scully. "Howard hits a ground ball to Reese. He throws to Hodges... the Brooklyn Dodgers are World Champions."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> The precise moment was 3:43 P.M. on October 4, 1955. Brooklyn streets were clogged with celebrating fans. Honking car horns, clanging pots and pans, and shredded newspaper all punctuated that one singular moment. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> In the borough-wide party that night, there were 50 complaints of noise and 10 false fire alarms. Some one billion flakes of tickertape, shredded newspapers and torn telephone books were swept off Court Street the following morning. </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> "It was the first and only world championship the Brooklyn Dodgers ever had," their storied centerfielder Duke Snider said. "You had to pinch yourself. We finally had done it."</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> However, all the celebrating was short-lived and bittersweet. In 1956, it was Yanks over Dodgers in seven games. And in 1957 the Dodgers of Brooklyn moved to Los Angeles.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Pretenders to the throne of "Subway Series" have sprung up since then - - Yankees versus Los Angeles Dodgers in transcoastal World Series. Even the "Shuttle Series" - - the World Series of 1986 between the Boston Red Sox and New York Mets. The name derived from the two cities that were linked by commuter air-shuttle routes and shameless commercialism by shuttle operators Eastern and Pan American.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> There are also all the past "Subway Series" footnotes and sub-plots: Casey Stengel whose glory days were with the Yankees becoming the first manager of the New York Metropolitans. Joe Torre, who grew up in Brooklyn, managing the Mets from 1977-1981 then going on to his wondrous run as Yankee skipper. Yogi Berra piloting the Yankees in 1964, the Mets from 1972-1975, and the Yankees from 1984-1985. He now is a kind of symbol of the Bronx Bombers after making up with George Steinbrenner after years of estrangement.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> And Daryl Strawberry, one time great star for the Mets, now a Yankee, is another sub-plot. "I'm on this side now, a Yankee, but I know lots of Mets fans back from the old days. Another meeting in October, the Subway Series in New York City - now that would be something else." </span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> It sure would.</span></span><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><br style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><i style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Dr. Harvey Frommer received his Ph.D. from New York University. Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Professor nominee, Recipient of the "Salute to Scholars Award" at CUNY where he taught writing for many years, the prolific author was cited by the Congressional Record and the New York State Legislature as a sports historian and journalist.</span></i></span></span></span><br style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;" /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"> His sports books include autobiographies of sports legends Nolan Ryan, Red Holzman and Tony Dorsett, the classics "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball," "New York City Baseball: 1947-1957." The 1927 Yankees." His "Remembering Yankee Stadium" was published to acclaim in 2008. His latest book, a Boston Globe Best Seller, is "Remembering Fenway Park." Autographed and discounted copies of all Harvey Frommer books are available direct from the author.</span> <a href="http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/">Please consult his home page:</a></span></i></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"> </span></i></span></span></div>Dr. Harvey Frommerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08132091412927905026noreply@blogger.com0