The Yankees are back - triggering memories of Thurman Munson

[post]

Record at 2022 season mid point,

Baseball Standings

The official standings for Major League Baseball

www.mlb.com

NY Yankees

59

23

.720

Boston

45

37

.549

NY Daily News - Death of Thurman Munson 25 year memorial, published in 2004, reprinted in 2009,
Archived image link, https://archive.ph/NxLq2
Paywalled link,

25 years later, Thurman Munson’s last words remain a symbol of his life

(The below story was originally written in 2004 on the 25th anniversary of Thurman Munson’s death and was republished by the Daily News in 2009) CANTON, Ohio – Six hundred feet short of…

www.nydailynews.com

"...Diana Dominick and Thurman Munson were childhood sweethearts and that never changed. She was signing her name Mrs. Thurman Munson when she was in sixth grade. They had a paper route together and played catch together. Even after 11 years of marriage and three kids, she says her heart would go pitter-patter when she'd hear Thurman come in the house after being away. As a girl she'd tell her father, "I'm going to marry Thurman Munson," and he'd say, 'What's a Thurman Munson?' " Diana didn't just love him. She felt secure and safe and whole whenever she was with him. It was a wonderful way to feel.

3:10 p.m. Munson sits in the cockpit of his new twin-engine jet, a seven-seat aircraft with N15NY written on both sides, along with David Hall, his flight instructor, and Jerry Anderson, a real-estate associate and friend he met playing handball at the Canton YMCA. The 5-11, 195-pound Munson liked to call the 5-7, 155-pound Anderson "Munchkin."

...He was a living legend around here," Todd Laps says.
Along the far back wall of the Yankee clubhouse, next to Derek Jeter, is the locker of the first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig. It has No. 15 on the top and has a catcher's mask and chest protector. and Jeter makes sure everyone knows this is sacred space, a place belonging to Thurman Munson. Diana Munson has never been in the clubhouse to see it. Next Saturday is Old-Timers' Day, and she and Tracy, Kelly and Michael will be part of it..."

 

[Perotista]

Record at 2022 season mid point,

Baseball Standings

The official standings for Major League Baseball

www.mlb.com

NY Yankees

59

23

.720

Boston

45

37

.549

NY Daily News - Death of Thurman Munson 25 year memorial, published in 2004, reprinted in 2009,
Archived image link, https://archive.ph/NxLq2
Paywalled link,

25 years later, Thurman Munson’s last words remain a symbol of his life

(The below story was originally written in 2004 on the 25th anniversary of Thurman Munson’s death and was republished by the Daily News in 2009) CANTON, Ohio – Six hundred feet short of…

www.nydailynews.com

"...Diana Dominick and Thurman Munson were childhood sweethearts and that never changed. She was signing her name Mrs. Thurman Munson when she was in sixth grade. They had a paper route together and played catch together. Even after 11 years of marriage and three kids, she says her heart would go pitter-patter when she'd hear Thurman come in the house after being away. As a girl she'd tell her father, "I'm going to marry Thurman Munson," and he'd say, 'What's a Thurman Munson?' " Diana didn't just love him. She felt secure and safe and whole whenever she was with him. It was a wonderful way to feel.

3:10 p.m. Munson sits in the cockpit of his new twin-engine jet, a seven-seat aircraft with N15NY written on both sides, along with David Hall, his flight instructor, and Jerry Anderson, a real-estate associate and friend he met playing handball at the Canton YMCA. The 5-11, 195-pound Munson liked to call the 5-7, 155-pound Anderson "Munchkin."

...He was a living legend around here," Todd Laps says.
Along the far back wall of the Yankee clubhouse, next to Derek Jeter, is the locker of the first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig. It has No. 15 on the top and has a catcher's mask and chest protector. and Jeter makes sure everyone knows this is sacred space, a place belonging to Thurman Munson. Diana Munson has never been in the clubhouse to see it. Next Saturday is Old-Timers' Day, and she and Tracy, Kelly and Michael will be part of it..."

When I was young, the Atlanta Crackers were a AA Southern league team of the then Milwaukee Braves. I grew up a Braves fan and still am. I remember listening to the 1957 and 1958 world series as the Braves played the Yankees. I adopted the Yankees back then as my AL team. Of course they were always second to the Braves. What a nucleus the Yankees had back then, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Ford, Skowron, Duren, Turley. The Braves weren’t too shaby either, Aaron, Mathews, Spahn, Burdette, Crandel, Logan. I did get to see many of them play for the Crackers.

It was a long wait until 1996 when the Braves met the Yankees again, then once more in 1999 although they went the wrong way. I’d love to see the Braves meet the Yankess again this year. My two favorite teams.

 

[post]

When I was young, the Atlanta Crackers were a AA Southern league team of the then Milwaukee Braves. I grew up a Braves fan and still am. I remember listening to the 1957 and 1958 world series as the Braves played the Yankees. I adopted the Yankees back then as my AL team. Of course they were always second to the Braves. What a nucleus the Yankees had back then, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Ford, Skowron, Duren, Turley. The Braves weren’t too shaby either, Aaron, Mathews, Spahn, Burdette, Crandel, Logan. I did get to see many of them play for the Crackers.

It was a long wait until 1996 when the Braves met the Yankees again, then once more in 1999 although they went the wrong way. I’d love to see the Braves meet the Yankess again this year. My two favorite teams.

In 1960, before expansion, there were only eight teams in the American league, none west of the Rocky Mountains. Between the ability of the
Yankees to pay for talent due to the ability of the team to attract gate and advertising revenue, they had advantages resulting in your description
of the talent in the 1957 - 58 line ups.

1960 American League Team Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

1960 AL Standings, Team and Player Statistics, Leaderboards, Award Winners, Trades, Minor Leagues, Fielding, Batting, Pitching, New Debuts

www.baseball-reference.com

The schedule before jet airliner travel became more available in 1961, limited locations of major league teams to practical limits of railroad and
less often, transportation by bus. Chicago and New York teams could travel to each other's city via an overnight train trip.

By 1960, the NL had three western teams, if your Braves are included...

1960 National League Team Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

1960 NL Standings, Team and Player Statistics, Leaderboards, Award Winners, Trades, Minor Leagues, Fielding, Batting, Pitching, New Debuts

www.baseball-reference.com

I was particularly struck by this youngster's alleged memory of another life,

-snip- Christian told his mother that, "when he was in the sky," he chose her to be his mother because his spirit or soul recognized her as Christina Gherig in
a past life, his past life as Lou Gehrig's mother.

She once asked him if he flew to different cities during his career as New York Yankee, Lou Gherig, playimg baseball in the American League from
1925 to 1938. She claims he replied, "no, I traveled mostly on trains," although as a boy born in 2009, he had never been on a train.
My comment: I recall, circa 1961, viewing a bulletin board on a wall in a hallway outside a classroom of a higher grade in my elementary school.
It displayed major league baseball standings of that season. There were only eight teams in each league then, all located in cities east of the Mississippi
River. Even 23 seasons after Lou Gehrig had been forced by his degenerative nerve disease to retire from baseball, passenger jet travel was still so
recent, it had not been practical yet for the American and National baseball leagues to expand into more distant cities than one day train travel made
practical. -snip-

.

 

[Perotista]

In 1960, before expansion, there were only eight teams in the American league, none west of the Rocky Mountains. Between the ability of the
Yankees to pay for talent due to the ability of the team to attract gate and advertising revenue, they had advantages resulting in your description
of the talent in the 1957 - 58 line ups.

1960 American League Team Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

1960 AL Standings, Team and Player Statistics, Leaderboards, Award Winners, Trades, Minor Leagues, Fielding, Batting, Pitching, New Debuts

www.baseball-reference.com

The schedule before jet airliner travel became more available in 1961, limited locations of major league teams to practical limits of railroad and
less often, transportation by bus. Chicago and New York teams could travel to each other's city via an overnight train trip.

By 1960, the NL had three western teams, if your Braves are included...

1960 National League Team Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

1960 NL Standings, Team and Player Statistics, Leaderboards, Award Winners, Trades, Minor Leagues, Fielding, Batting, Pitching, New Debuts

www.baseball-reference.com

I was particularly struck by this youngster's alleged memory of another life,


.

Baseball has change in a lot more ways than train to plane travel and teams on the west coast. I had never been on a plane until after I was drafted into the Army. I was 20 or 21 when I took my first plane trip. Free agency changed baseball. It used to be no matter how bad or good your team was, you could always count on seeing your favorite players play. Spahn, Matthews, Aaron would be always there. What I miss was the old doubleheaders, they were always played on Memorial Day, the 4th of July and on Labor Day. I wonder if anyone remembers Lady’s day. I always hated the DH, Astro-Turf and Domed Stadiums.

The DH always reminded me of Girls Softball. But one adjusts. I also dislike having so many teams in the playoffs. You play 162 games for a reason, 154 before expansion to 10 teams. I didn’t mind in 1969 expansion to 12 teams and 2 six team divisions. At least one had to win their division. The 18/12 schedule was good. When expansion continued, then 3 division with a wildcard team, that was the beginning when I became a less avid baseball fan. Watching less games, listening to less games. Now 6 teams in the playoffs dilutes the regular season even more. Talks about going to 7. If you’re going to have that many teams, non-winners, by non-winners I mean not winning your division, you might as well cut the schedule back to 82 games and allow half the league into the playoffs. The regular season doesn’t mean as much as it once did.

I am old fashioned, more of a casual baseball fan in my old age. I don’t watch many games, just checked the scores in the AM and keep on wondering how a team can win the world series who finished 10 or more games back of the division winner as a wildcard. The regular season has been cheapened to where it doesn’t have the same meaning or mean much anymore.

All gripes aside, Baseball has always been my favorite sport and will always be. I was never interested in the NBA or the NHL. College football has always ranked ahead of the NFL. But I’m me and old fashioned.

I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams, I rank him ahead as a hitter over Aaron, Mantle, Mays and all those steroid users. My best pitcher was Warren Spahn, although I’m biased there. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax are right up there. I’d go with Greg Maddox as being the best pitcher in the recent era.

 

[Risky Thicket]

When I was young, the Atlanta Crackers were a AA Southern league team of the then Milwaukee Braves. I grew up a Braves fan and still am. I remember listening to the 1957 and 1958 world series as the Braves played the Yankees. I adopted the Yankees back then as my AL team. Of course they were always second to the Braves. What a nucleus the Yankees had back then, Mantle, Maris, Berra, Ford, Skowron, Duren, Turley. The Braves weren’t too shaby either, Aaron, Mathews, Spahn, Burdette, Crandel, Logan. I did get to see many of them play for the Crackers.

It was a long wait until 1996 when the Braves met the Yankees again, then once more in 1999 although they went the wrong way. I’d love to see the Braves meet the Yankess again this year. My two favorite teams.

Growing up I went to many Crackers games over on Ponce de Leon across the street from the big Sears mail order building.

I went to school with Ronnie Blomberg. Became friends with Hank Aaron’s ex-wife. A few years before he died, by chance I had long lunch with Moose Skowron. He was a nice guy, unassuming and funny.

I’ve always been a Braves and Yankees fan. But as you say baseball has changed, but so have I. I just don’t watch it much anymore.

 

[Perotista]

Growing up I went to many Crackers games over on Ponce de Leon across the street from the big Sears mail order building.

I went to school with Ronnie Blomberg. Became friends with Hank Aaron’s ex-wife. A few years before he died, by chance I had long lunch with Moose Skowron. He was a nice guy, unassuming and funny.

I’ve always been a Braves and Yankees fan. But as you say baseball has changed, but so have I. I just don’t watch it much anymore.

I made it to Ponce DeLeon several times a year. Usually when they had a holiday doubleheader. From Forest Park back when Clayton County was mostly farms. Yeah, all of us has changed as has the game. I also remember when a lot of ball players, even major leaguers had to have winter jobs to supplement their baseball salaries. Becoming a baseball player was every one of us kids dream. I was only an average high School first baseman at best. But that dream persisted well into my 30’s. I played some for the army units I belonged to. I could still hit line drives even into my 40’s. But not the curve. Now I’m content to check ESPN for the morning scores.

 

[noonereal]

Record at 2022 season mid point,

Baseball Standings

The official standings for Major League Baseball

www.mlb.com

NY Yankees

59

23

.720

Boston

45

37

.549

NY Daily News - Death of Thurman Munson 25 year memorial, published in 2004, reprinted in 2009,
Archived image link, https://archive.ph/NxLq2
Paywalled link,

25 years later, Thurman Munson’s last words remain a symbol of his life

(The below story was originally written in 2004 on the 25th anniversary of Thurman Munson’s death and was republished by the Daily News in 2009) CANTON, Ohio – Six hundred feet short of…

www.nydailynews.com

"...Diana Dominick and Thurman Munson were childhood sweethearts and that never changed. She was signing her name Mrs. Thurman Munson when she was in sixth grade. They had a paper route together and played catch together. Even after 11 years of marriage and three kids, she says her heart would go pitter-patter when she'd hear Thurman come in the house after being away. As a girl she'd tell her father, "I'm going to marry Thurman Munson," and he'd say, 'What's a Thurman Munson?' " Diana didn't just love him. She felt secure and safe and whole whenever she was with him. It was a wonderful way to feel.

3:10 p.m. Munson sits in the cockpit of his new twin-engine jet, a seven-seat aircraft with N15NY written on both sides, along with David Hall, his flight instructor, and Jerry Anderson, a real-estate associate and friend he met playing handball at the Canton YMCA. The 5-11, 195-pound Munson liked to call the 5-7, 155-pound Anderson "Munchkin."

...He was a living legend around here," Todd Laps says.
Along the far back wall of the Yankee clubhouse, next to Derek Jeter, is the locker of the first Yankee captain since Lou Gehrig. It has No. 15 on the top and has a catcher's mask and chest protector. and Jeter makes sure everyone knows this is sacred space, a place belonging to Thurman Munson. Diana Munson has never been in the clubhouse to see it. Next Saturday is Old-Timers' Day, and she and Tracy, Kelly and Michael will be part of it..."

I was at the stadium in 1961 to see 4 of Roger's 61 home runs and 2 of Mickey's 54.

 

[noonereal]

Baseball has change in a lot more ways than train to plane travel and teams on the west coast. I had never been on a plane until after I was drafted into the Army. I was 20 or 21 when I took my first plane trip. Free agency changed baseball. It used to be no matter how bad or good your team was, you could always count on seeing your favorite players play. Spahn, Matthews, Aaron would be always there. What I miss was the old doubleheaders, they were always played on Memorial Day, the 4th of July and on Labor Day. I wonder if anyone remembers Lady’s day. I always hated the DH, Astro-Turf and Domed Stadiums.

The DH always reminded me of Girls Softball. But one adjusts. I also dislike having so many teams in the playoffs. You play 162 games for a reason, 154 before expansion to 10 teams. I didn’t mind in 1969 expansion to 12 teams and 2 six team divisions. At least one had to win their division. The 18/12 schedule was good. When expansion continued, then 3 division with a wildcard team, that was the beginning when I became a less avid baseball fan. Watching less games, listening to less games. Now 6 teams in the playoffs dilutes the regular season even more. Talks about going to 7. If you’re going to have that many teams, non-winners, by non-winners I mean not winning your division, you might as well cut the schedule back to 82 games and allow half the league into the playoffs. The regular season doesn’t mean as much as it once did.

I am old fashioned, more of a casual baseball fan in my old age. I don’t watch many games, just checked the scores in the AM and keep on wondering how a team can win the world series who finished 10 or more games back of the division winner as a wildcard. The regular season has been cheapened to where it doesn’t have the same meaning or mean much anymore.

All gripes aside, Baseball has always been my favorite sport and will always be. I was never interested in the NBA or the NHL. College football has always ranked ahead of the NFL. But I’m me and old fashioned.

I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams, I rank him ahead as a hitter over Aaron, Mantle, Mays and all those steroid users. My best pitcher was Warren Spahn, although I’m biased there. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax are right up there. I’d go with Greg Maddox as being the best pitcher in the recent era.

It really is a shame there is no way to get all those steroid records out of baseball.

 

[Perotista]

It really is a shame there is no way to get all those steroid records out of baseball.

I agree. They should be expunged.

 

[post]

I was at the stadium in 1961 to see 4 of Roger's 61 home runs and 2 of Mickey's 54.

Wow! I am jealous. I saw them both play at the stadium a few seasons later, but that home run competition season I was confined to watching them on channel 11. I didn't miss those girders that blocked the view in some of the lower deck seats, after the mid 80s remodeling.

I think this was the most significant game I was in attendance at the stadium for, and the crowd was as big as on bat day. I recall the bat day I attended was a double header. When the Yankees played the Brewers in game 5 of the 1981 playoffs, the fans threw coins at Reggie in the outfield and he picked them all up.

https://books.google.com/books?id=Z7YDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA47&dq=reggie+jackson+fans+coins&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj796LDher4AhX3D0QIHdCBDTYQ6AF6BAgEEAI#v=onepage&q=reggie jackson fans coins&f=false

YANKS RALLY TO BEAT BREWERS, 7-3, FOR DIVISION TITLE (Published 1981)

www.nytimes.com

October 12, 1981
"...Behind by 2-0, the Yankees overcame the deficit in the space of 11 fourth-inning pi tches. Reggie Jackson hit the first of those 11 for a game-tying two-run homer, "

I've always been disappointed that Roger wasn't honored in Cooperstown, but I also believe Bob Meusel, a career .300 hitter with more RBIs than Roger, was even more deserving.

Bob Meusel - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've been to the new stadium once, 12 years ago. It felt artificial but more comfortable for younger and future fans. I've been to Fenway once, saw Yankees while Reggie was still on the team and Yaz was near the end of his career. Fenway felt obsolete then, especially the bathrooms and that must have been 40 years ago.
Yaz will turn 83 next month and Reggie is 76. It seems mind boggling, the relentless advance of time.

 

[multivita-man]

This year's Yankees are triggering memories of Andy Pettite, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, David Cone, Scott Brosius, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, Tino, Wellsie, and Joe Torre. Not a Yankees fan but a fan of baseball and that's probably the best team I've seen in my lifetime. They had a tougher than expected ALCS against Cleveland that year but came back from a 2-1 deficit and win 7 straight games in dominant fashion - 3 to close out Cleveland and 4 to sweep the Padres - to close out the season.

The two teams that, at the moment, seem most likely to stop NY are Houston and Atlanta. The Dodgers look good as well, and if they can overcome injuries, have a shot to be in that conversation as well. But Houston's pitching and defense are for real and they've demonstrated that they can challenge that lineup. I'd still put my money on the Yankees though.

 

[noonereal]

Roger Maris starting in right field, Mickey in center, 1961 Allstar game.

2022
Judge in center, Stanton in right.

 

[TobyOne]

The Yankees are flying too close to the sun. The fate of Icarus awaits.

 

[Perotista]

I wonder how many are like me. Rooting for your favorite team to make it to the world series, but once it becomes apparent, they won’t, you then root against a team. For me, it’s always been the Braves I wanted to win, my favorite team from the beginning. But once they become eliminated, first I rooted against the Dodgers. It was the Dodgers back in 1959 that stopped the Braves from going to 3 straight world series by winning a 3-game playoff. Once the Braves fell out of contention for the pennate, then anytime was fine as long as it wasn’t the Dodgers. Remember once the NL was split into divisions back in 1969, the Braves were in the western division. Then the Braves went into the east in 1994. The Dodgers weren’t the most hated team anymore, that honor has gone to the Mets. If the Braves don’t win the division, then any team other than the Mets winning is fine. Root, Root against the Mets as I had the Dodger prior.

I have my favorite team, then the team I hate. Am I alone? I think Yankee fans are like me, they hate the Red Soxs and vices versa.

 

[post]

This year's Yankees are triggering memories of Andy Pettite, Bernie Williams, Derek Jeter, David Cone, Scott Brosius, Paul O'Neill, Jorge Posada, Tino, Wellsie, and Joe Torre. Not a Yankees fan but a fan of baseball and that's probably the best team I've seen in my lifetime. They had a tougher than expected ALCS against Cleveland that year but came back from a 2-1 deficit and win 7 straight games in dominant fashion - 3 to close out Cleveland and 4 to sweep the Padres - to close out the season.

The two teams that, at the moment, seem most likely to stop NY are Houston and Atlanta. The Dodgers look good as well, and if they can overcome injuries, have a shot to be in that conversation as well. But Houston's pitching and defense are for real and they've demonstrated that they can challenge that lineup. I'd still put my money on the Yankees though.

Seemed like simpler times in a number of ways...

World Series Trophy Visits Sister Marguerite's School

NEW YORK (AP) _ The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin School was awash in New York Yankees blue as mayor Rudolph Giuliani brought the World Series trophy to the school where the sister of manager Joe Torre is the principal. ``I never thought this would ever be here!'' exclaimed an awestruck...

apnews.com

World Series Trophy Visits Sister Marguerite’s School​

LISA M. HAMM November 20, 1996

"Still, 400 eyes widened Tuesday when Giuliani and Sister Marguerite stood on the cafeteria stage and pulled off a blue veil, revealing the gleaming gold trophy.

``Is this the Yankees’ locker room?″ Giuliani asked a kindergarten class, noting the blue caps and Yankee T-shirts that replaced the school’s usual blue plaid uniform.
``The press has said to me, `What was your most shining moment?′ I think it had to be when my brother Frank got his heart,″ a beaming Sister Marguerite said. Frank Torre, a former major leaguer, got a long-awaited heart transplant the day before the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves to clinch the championship.

Still, Giuliani’s visit Tuesday clearly ranked high in Sister Marguerite’s heart, especially after her brother failed to live up to his promise to personally bring the trophy to the school.

``My brother Joe didn’t come here,″ the nun said impishly, eyebrow cocked. ``The mayor came here with the trophy for us to see. My brother is in Hawaii getting the sun. Wait until he comes home!″

Sister Marguerite presented the mayor with Nativity basketball shirts for his two children.

``The Yankee are going to do it again next year,″ Richard Annunziata, 11, declared as he crowded up to the stage to get a better view.

Following the grand display, the trophy was bundled back to its home in City Hall."

Sister Marguerite Offers Prayers For Brother Joe And The Mets​

https://www.qchron.com › news › queenswide › sister-ma...
Oct 26, 2000 — "Sister Marguerite remembered that growing up in Marine Park, Brooklyn her mother always encouraged the Torre boys to play sports. Both Joe and
...
August 28, 1929 - May 28, 2022

Growing up in Marine Park, Brooklyn, religious life was the furthest thing from young Josephine Torre’s mind. Along with her four siblings, Josephine attended the local public schools and recalled being a tomboy in her youth. ... working for the New York Telephone Company and soon accompanied a work friend, Elsie, to an event being held by the Ursuline Sisters. While there, she was drawn by the welcoming nature and hospitality of the Ursuline community, and she began to hear God “whispering” to her. Two years later, Josephine entered the Ursulines and became Sr. Marguerite, a name chosen to honor her mother who possessed what Sister described as “tremendous interior strength”...
...
Sr. Marguerite also became a local celebrity as the New York Yankees’ number one fan and would often celebrate their wins with the Nativity community.

Known for her deep faith and ministry of prayer – former students often recall watching her during her daily walks of the schoolyard as she prayed the Rosary no matter the weather – Sr. Marguerite expanded this ministry in her retirement. She would often hand-write upwards of 40 notes a week for people she was praying for, especially “her sick” and continued this practice until she became ill last week.

Sr. Marguerite was a friend to everyone she encountered – even Mets fans. She is predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Margaret, her sister, Rae, and brothers Rocco and Frank, and survived by her brother, Joe, and her beloved nieces and nephews, especially her nephew, Michael, who she lived with in Florida for many years.

At the time of her death, Sr. Marguerite had been an Ursuline Sister of Tildonk for 72-years.."

 

[slick]

I was at the stadium in 1961 to see 4 of Roger's 61 home runs and 2 of Mickey's 54.

I'm older. I saw my first World Series on TV 1947. I was only 5 at the tiem but was such a fan that
I knew DiMaggio led the team with 20 RH's. When he hit one in the World Series I told my dadnow he has 21.
I didn't realize that World Series Homers didn't count toward seasonal totals.

I guess I went to the stadium through the years about 20 times. I saw DiMaggio hit one of hhis 361 homers
in person & I also was there when Rizzuto hit one of his lifetime total of 37.

 

[slick]

Baseball has change in a lot more ways than train to plane travel and teams on the west coast. I had never been on a plane until after I was drafted into the Army. I was 20 or 21 when I took my first plane trip. Free agency changed baseball. It used to be no matter how bad or good your team was, you could always count on seeing your favorite players play. Spahn, Matthews, Aaron would be always there. What I miss was the old doubleheaders, they were always played on Memorial Day, the 4th of July and on Labor Day. I wonder if anyone remembers Lady’s day. I always hated the DH, Astro-Turf and Domed Stadiums.

The DH always reminded me of Girls Softball. But one adjusts. I also dislike having so many teams in the playoffs. You play 162 games for a reason, 154 before expansion to 10 teams. I didn’t mind in 1969 expansion to 12 teams and 2 six team divisions. At least one had to win their division. The 18/12 schedule was good. When expansion continued, then 3 division with a wildcard team, that was the beginning when I became a less avid baseball fan. Watching less games, listening to less games. Now 6 teams in the playoffs dilutes the regular season even more. Talks about going to 7. If you’re going to have that many teams, non-winners, by non-winners I mean not winning your division, you might as well cut the schedule back to 82 games and allow half the league into the playoffs. The regular season doesn’t mean as much as it once did.

I am old fashioned, more of a casual baseball fan in my old age. I don’t watch many games, just checked the scores in the AM and keep on wondering how a team can win the world series who finished 10 or more games back of the division winner as a wildcard. The regular season has been cheapened to where it doesn’t have the same meaning or mean much anymore.

All gripes aside, Baseball has always been my favorite sport and will always be. I was never interested in the NBA or the NHL. College football has always ranked ahead of the NFL. But I’m me and old fashioned.

I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams, I rank him ahead as a hitter over Aaron, Mantle, Mays and all those steroid users. My best pitcher was Warren Spahn, although I’m biased there. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax are right up there. I’d go with Greg Maddox as being the best pitcher in the recent era.

Agree with every thing in this post. I went to my first game in 1948 Giants vs. the Boston Braves. Big John Mize because of that became my favorite player. .Like you after the game began to expand from 8 teams in each league then I began to lose interest with every new expansion and playoffs were required to get into the World Series.

In 1953 the Yanks won the last of their historical run of 5 World Series in a row. That year they lost 9 games in a row. If there were playoffs
at that time and they got into that same type of funk they would have been toast to an inferior team. In that streak of 5 series in a row
Berra's backup as catcher Cherlie Silvera was on the team in all five & his 5 World Series checks were worth more money than his
respective yearly salaries were.

The thing I agree with you most is that Williams was the greatest player I ever saw & the best offensive player of the 40's & the 50's.
When rating the best of all time I always put Ruth #1 & Williams #1A. As for the others Cobb, Hornsby, Mays, Aaron, Gehrig, Foxx, Bonds
anyone of them could be #2. But IMO #2 is a lot closer to #10 in offensive ability than to Williams.

About the last 10 games I went to the Stadium in order to see Williams hit. He never hit one out when I was there. Two or three high
fly balls to deep right around the 344 ft. sign were close but Bauer was always there to corral them.

 

[noonereal]

Agree with every thing in this post. I went to my first game in 1948 Giants vs. the Boston Braves. Big John Mize because of that became my favorite player. .Like you after the game began to expand from 8 teams in each league then I began to lose interest with every new expansion and playoffs were required to get into the World Series.

In 1953 the Yanks won the last of their historical run of 5 World Series in a row. That year they lost 9 games in a row. If there were playoffs
at that time and they got into that same type of funk they would have been toast to an inferior team. In that streak of 5 series in a row
Berra's backup as catcher Cherlie Silvera was on the team in all five & his 5 World Series checks were worth more money than his
respective yearly salaries were.

The thing I agree with you most is that Williams was the greatest player I ever saw & the best offensive player of the 40's & the 50's.
When rating the best of all time I always put Ruth #1 & Williams #1A. As for the others Cobb, Hornsby, Mays, Aaron, Gehrig, Foxx, Bonds
anyone of them could be #2. But IMO #2 is a lot closer to #10 in offensive ability than to Williams.

About the last 10 games I went to the Stadium in order to see Williams hit. He never hit one out when I was there. Two or three high
fly balls to deep right around the 344 ft. sign were close but Bauer was always there to corral them.

I saw the Mets play at the old Polo Grounds in 1963. NyC was so so differant back then.
So so different.

 

[slick]

I saw the Mets play at the old Polo Grounds in 1963. NyC was so so differant back then.
So so different.

485 feet to center field fence no HR's to centerfield in that park. Me & my brother saw the Dodgers play
the Giants at the Pologrounds a guess around 1954, Snider hit the ball about as hard as one can to right
center probably a 450 footer went for a double. I read in 'Big Sticks' a great baseball book that the stadiums
where DiMaggio, Greenberg, Mize, Mantle & Williams played in the fences were 17% further from home plate than they became in the new version of cookie cutter ballparks of the 1970's to present day.

Griffith Stadium left field foul pole was actually 402 feet from home plate, that's the average distance
of center field fences today. In fact in 1945 the entire Washington Senator team hit exactly
27 HR's that year. 26 were hit on the road only one was hit at home.

September 7, 1945: Washington first baseman Joe Kuhel homers off the Browns' Bob Muncrief to provide the winning margin in a 3–2 Senator victory at Griffith Stadium. It is the only four-bagger struck all season by the Senators in 78 home games in their spacious ballpark—and it was an inside-the-park job. An amazing stat in the 'live ball era'
No Washington ballplayer hit a fair ball over the fence for a homerun all year at Griffith Stadium & the Senators finished 2nd in the league only 1 game behind the Tigers who won the World Series that year.

 

[post]

Okay, 5 to 1 win in game five against Cleveland. Yankees had a disappointing second half of the season, only winning 99 games in total.

Tomorrow night the ACLS begins in Houston.

 

[noonereal]

Okay, 5 to 1 win in game five against Cleveland. Yankees had a disappointing second half of the season, only winning 99 games in total.

Tomorrow night the ACLS begins in Houston.

Now over to TNT for opening night of basketball .

 

[slick]

Baseball has change in a lot more ways than train to plane travel and teams on the west coast. I had never been on a plane until after I was drafted into the Army. I was 20 or 21 when I took my first plane trip. Free agency changed baseball. It used to be no matter how bad or good your team was, you could always count on seeing your favorite players play. Spahn, Matthews, Aaron would be always there. What I miss was the old doubleheaders, they were always played on Memorial Day, the 4th of July and on Labor Day. I wonder if anyone remembers Lady’s day. I always hated the DH, Astro-Turf and Domed Stadiums.

The DH always reminded me of Girls Softball. But one adjusts. I also dislike having so many teams in the playoffs. You play 162 games for a reason, 154 before expansion to 10 teams. I didn’t mind in 1969 expansion to 12 teams and 2 six team divisions. At least one had to win their division. The 18/12 schedule was good. When expansion continued, then 3 division with a wildcard team, that was the beginning when I became a less avid baseball fan. Watching less games, listening to less games. Now 6 teams in the playoffs dilutes the regular season even more. Talks about going to 7. If you’re going to have that many teams, non-winners, by non-winners I mean not winning your division, you might as well cut the schedule back to 82 games and allow half the league into the playoffs. The regular season doesn’t mean as much as it once did.

I am old fashioned, more of a casual baseball fan in my old age. I don’t watch many games, just checked the scores in the AM and keep on wondering how a team can win the world series who finished 10 or more games back of the division winner as a wildcard. The regular season has been cheapened to where it doesn’t have the same meaning or mean much anymore.

All gripes aside, Baseball has always been my favorite sport and will always be. I was never interested in the NBA or the NHL. College football has always ranked ahead of the NFL. But I’m me and old fashioned.

I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams, I rank him ahead as a hitter over Aaron, Mantle, Mays and all those steroid users. My best pitcher was Warren Spahn, although I’m biased there. Bob Gibson and Sandy Koufax are right up there. I’d go with Greg Maddox as being the best pitcher in the recent era.

I'm in your age group & are on the same page with all you've written on this subject.
From 1948 till I went to college in 1960 baseball was my favorite sport by a mile.
As a Yankee fan living in NJ 20 miles from the stadium I knew every players averages every day. I still think the greatest pennant races were from 1948 thru 1951. The things that turned me off to the game you mentioned: Expansion, Free Agency.
I was still a pretty good fan till the late sixties; to this day I remember the World Series
contestants of every year from 1920 till 1969 & who won as I became a kinds baseball
historian. From 1970 till today I have not been what anyone would call a fan.

The Yanks as I said were my team right up until free agency when they began to pay
the players everyone else desired, it's vague now but I think the first one the got was
Andy Messerschmidt. Almost from that time on I rooted against the Yanks .

'I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams'
I'll second that. I belong to a baseball website 'Baseball Fever' and every
year they vote for the 50 greatest players. My vote has always been:

1) Ted Williams
1A) Babe Ruth

and I think #3 is a lot closer in talent to #19 than #3 is to #1 or #1A.

 

[Perotista]

I'm in your age group & are on the same page with all you've written on this subject.
From 1948 till I went to college in 1960 baseball was my favorite sport by a mile.
As a Yankee fan living in NJ 20 miles from the stadium I knew every players averages every day. I still think the greatest pennant races were from 1948 thru 1951. The things that turned me off to the game you mentioned: Expansion, Free Agency.
I was still a pretty good fan till the late sixties; to this day I remember the World Series
contestants of every year from 1920 till 1969 & who won as I became a kinds baseball
historian. From 1970 till today I have not been what anyone would call a fan.

The Yanks as I said were my team right up until free agency when they began to pay
the players everyone else desired, it's vague now but I think the first one the got was
Andy Messerschmidt. Almost from that time on I rooted against the Yanks .

'I’ll leave you with this, the best hitter I ever saw play was Ted Williams'
I'll second that. I belong to a baseball website 'Baseball Fever' and every
year they vote for the 50 greatest players. My vote has always been:

1) Ted Williams
1A) Babe Ruth

and I think #3 is a lot closer in talent to #19 than #3 is to #1 or #1A.

I was the same, for me it was starting lineups of every team I had memorized for every year until 1969. 1969 seems to be a dividing line for a lot of old baseball fans. I suppose that was the year I went from being a baseball junkie to more or less a casual fan. The Braves has always been my team. Atlanta had the Crackers, a Southern League AA minor league team of the then Milwaukee Braves. I was too young to remember the Braves playing in Boston. I do remember the stink about the Dodgers and Giants moving to California.

Growing up until free agency, no matter how bad your teams was, you could go to the ballpark and watch your favorite player. I do believe with the additions of wildcard teams, that that weaken the meaning of the regular season. But it is what it is.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

I saw the Mets play at the old Polo Grounds in 1963. NyC was so so differant back then.
So so different.

I saw the Mets play at the Polo Grounds in 1962.. Ha... Lol

I had an older cousin who brought me down to a game.. 1962.. Of course the Mets lost.. But I guess that's how many people become fans of teams.. My 1st game and all..

 

[slick]

I was the same, for me it was starting lineups of every team I had memorized for every year until 1969. 1969 seems to be a dividing line for a lot of old baseball fans. I suppose that was the year I went from being a baseball junkie to more or less a casual fan. The Braves has always been my team. Atlanta had the Crackers, a Southern League AA minor league team of the then Milwaukee Braves. I was too young to remember the Braves playing in Boston. I do remember the stink about the Dodgers and Giants moving to California.

Growing up until free agency, no matter how bad your teams was, you could go to the ballpark and watch your favorite player. I do believe with the additions of wildcard teams, that that weaken the meaning of the regular season. But it is what it is.

'too young to remember the Braves playing in Boston.'

Not me! The first game I ever went to in person was in the Pologrounds in 1948 with dad & an uncle! That was the year they won the pennant; pretty good team
Bob Elliot was MVP the year before and was solid again, also the year when their pitching staff was famously labeled 'Spahn, Sain then prey for Rain'

People especially youngsters like post 24 suggests become fans of teams & pick favorite players from their first game. Johnny Mize became my favorite player
as he eventually tied Kiner for the league lead in homers that year with 40 participated in that game. A sidelight, my uncle pointed out to me a real oddity at that
time. Bill Voiselle was a pitcher for the Braves & he wore #96.

The Yankees as of today have retired all the numbers from one to ten and over 20 numbers in all. I think they have retired over 20 numbers in all. At that time
1948. they had retired only the numbers of Ruth #3 & Gehrig #4 & most all teams regulars used those low numbers. Bill Voiseele ( spelled in wrong I'm certain)
had the #96 for a unique reason my uncle explained that he requested that number because that was the name of the city he was born in 96 North Carolina.

Today having numbers from 0 to 99 are not unusual Judge himself wears #99 but 70 years ago they certainly were!