Title: Born Today - November
osfan58202233 - November 1, 2006 07:18 AM (GMT)
November 1st – Fernando Valenzuela, 1960
Valenzuela was born in Etchohuaquila, a small town in the state of Sonora, Mexico sometime between 1955 and 1960. His birthdate is officially listed as November 1, 1960, but most baseball scouts and media believe he was born up to five years earlier.
Fernando Valenzuela spent a few weeks in the Dodgers' minor-league system that year and then rang up a solid season at Class AA San Antonio in 1980. He was called up in September and pitched brilliantly down the stretch run, tossing 17-2/3 innings of shutout baseball out of the bullpen with two wins and a save. His work helped the Dodgers tie the Houston Astros for the 1980 National League West Division title, although they lost it in a one-game playoff.
His efforts made him the odds-on favorite to be the league's top rookie in 1981, and he didn't disappoint, starting the season 8-0 with four shutouts and an ERA under 1.00. He became an instant media icon, drawing a huge crowd from the Los Angeles Hispanic community every time he was scheduled to pitch, and triggered a mad race to acquire his rookie baseball cards. After a strike wiped out a third of the season, he cooled down a bit, but still finished 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and led the league with 180 strikeouts. He ended the season as the only pitcher to win Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors in the same year. He pitched a complete game in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees
Following the outstanding debut, Valenzuela settled down into a number of years as a workhorse starter and one of the league's best pitchers. He had his best season in 1986, when he finished 21-11 with a 3.14 ERA and led the league in wins, complete games and innings pitched. He lost a narrow vote for the Cy Young Award to the Astros' Mike Scott.
Valenzuela was born in Etchohuaquila, a small town in the state of Sonora, Mexico sometime between 1955 and 1960. His birthdate is officially listed as November 1, 1960, but most baseball scouts and media believe he was born up to five years earlier.
Fernando Valenzuela spent a few weeks in the Dodgers' minor-league system that year and then rang up a solid season at Class AA San Antonio in 1980. He was called up in September and pitched brilliantly down the stretch run, tossing 17-2/3 innings of shutout baseball out of the bullpen with two wins and a save. His work helped the Dodgers tie the Houston Astros for the 1980 National League West Division title, although they lost it in a one-game playoff.
His efforts made him the odds-on favorite to be the league's top rookie in 1981, and he didn't disappoint, starting the season 8-0 with four shutouts and an ERA under 1.00. He became an instant media icon, drawing a huge crowd from the Los Angeles Hispanic community every time he was scheduled to pitch, and triggered a mad race to acquire his rookie baseball cards. After a strike wiped out a third of the season, he cooled down a bit, but still finished 13-7 with a 2.48 ERA and led the league with 180 strikeouts. He ended the season as the only pitcher to win Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award honors in the same year. He pitched a complete game in Game 3 of the 1981 World Series against the New York Yankees
Following the outstanding debut, Valenzuela settled down into a number of years as a workhorse starter and one of the league's best pitchers. He had his best season in 1986, when he finished 21-11 with a 3.14 ERA and led the league in wins, complete games and innings pitched. He lost a narrow vote for the Cy Young Award to the Astros' Mike Scott.
| QUOTE |
| The secret of this phenomenal success was "Fernando's Fadeaway," a screwball widely regarded as the best since Hubbell's. But he was not intentionally emulating Hubbell or even Christy Mathewson, the master before Hubbell. The youngest of twelve children from a Mexican farm family, Valenzuela, who spoke through an interpreter his rookie year, had never heard of either of these Hall of Famers. He learned the screwball from former Dodger Bob Castillo and had even learned to throw it at two different speeds. As it turned out, he would evoke further comparisons to Hubbell in 1986 when he tied his record five straight strikeouts in the All-Star Game. All-Star success was not new to him - he had compiled a 0.00 ERA and 9 strikeouts in 7.2 All-Star innings, including 1981, when he became one of a select few rookie pitchers to be an All-Star starter. |
His Ruthian physique was deceptive, as he was a good all-around athlete. He won a Silver Bat in 1983 and a Gold Glove in 1986, pinch hit on occasion, and even played outfield during a 21-inning game.
In 1983 Valenzuela became the first player awarded $1 million in arbitration.
wikipedia, baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 2, 2006 06:18 AM (GMT)
November 2nd – Willie McGee, 1958
In his career, McGee played 2201 games, batted .295, hit 79 home runs, drove in 856 runs, and stole 352 bases. He had a total of 1010 runs scored and 2254 hits in his career, in 7649 at bats. He ended his career with 3029 total bases. He hit for the cycle on June 23, 1984.
By far his best year was 1985, when he was named the National League MVP. His stats were outstanding, picking up 216 hits on the year, 10 home runs, 82 RBI's, and an incredible .353 batting average, which was good for a batting title. Other stats included 56 stolen bases, 114 runs scored, and a .503 slugging percentage. He also led the league in triples with 18. It was clear why he was being named MVP and made an all-star for the 2nd of 4 times. To add to all that, he won a Gold Glove Award in the outfield.
a twist: this a "tribute" of memories written by a fan...
In his career, McGee played 2201 games, batted .295, hit 79 home runs, drove in 856 runs, and stole 352 bases. He had a total of 1010 runs scored and 2254 hits in his career, in 7649 at bats. He ended his career with 3029 total bases. He hit for the cycle on June 23, 1984.
By far his best year was 1985, when he was named the National League MVP. His stats were outstanding, picking up 216 hits on the year, 10 home runs, 82 RBI's, and an incredible .353 batting average, which was good for a batting title. Other stats included 56 stolen bases, 114 runs scored, and a .503 slugging percentage. He also led the league in triples with 18. It was clear why he was being named MVP and made an all-star for the 2nd of 4 times. To add to all that, he won a Gold Glove Award in the outfield.
a twist: this a "tribute" of memories written by a fan...
| QUOTE |
| I remember early in the 1982 season listening to KMOX as Willie had just cracked the Cardinals lineup. Even over the radio you could feel the excitement as he would slice one down the right field line and turn it into a triple. Nobody went from home to third faster than Willie. I can still see him from my seats at Busch, as he turned the corner at first and broke into that hunched over sprint...he just kicked it into another gear. One of the things I always loved about Willie, is that he was as raw at the end of his career as on the day he came up. He could bat right-handed against a lefty junkballer, and strike out on three pitches in the dirt...or get picked off first, and then come up later and get the game-winning hit. You never knew what would happen next with Willie. He was a thrill ride. I remember sitting in the third base box seats in Milwaukee for game three of the 1982 series. We had split in St. Louis and had to win once in Milwaukee to force the series back home to St. Louis. It looked grim that night when Ted Simmons smashed a one-hopper off Andujar's knee and Jack was literally carried off to an early exit. The Brewers were hitting Sutter late. It was Willie who single-handedly won that game for the Cardinals. The two big homers and two homer saving catches. Awesome. I was also at what is referred to as "The Ryne Sandberg Game" on June 23, 1984 at Wrigley. I was wearing my Willie jersey, and long before Sandberg became Babe Ruth that day, Willie had already hit for the cycle. Cardinal fans were high-fiving me for two hours. At the end, I exited in a beer-soaked frenzied Cubs celebration. An incredible game. I was in Cincinnati on Memorial Day weekend in 1985. The Cardinals were struggling along playing 500 ball. In the series opener on Friday night, Neil Allen beaned in the winning run in the 13th inning. After that, Whitey declared the Neil Allen era complete, and we went to "bullpen by committee." The next two games, Vince and Willie absolutely ran wild, and from that weekend on the Cardinals were truly off to the races, playing forty games over 500 throughout the remainder of the season. I also remember flying into St. Louis and hurrying to game three of the 1985 NL Playoffs. We were already trailing the Dodgers two games to none, when we came home for that Saturday afternoon game three. It was your classic sunny autumn day in St. Louis... what I like to refer to as "Red October!" Immediately in the bottom of the first, Vince and Willie got Bob Welch all frazzled. Tommy Herr tacked on a homer, and with Pendleton flashing the leather at the hot corner, we turned the series around. Everybody knows about those four glorious victories. "Go Crazy Folks!" Willie, you were a class act, and you were my favorite player. It was a gas cheering for you. Thanks for everything, and God Bless You! --Andy Larsen Rockford, IL |
wikipedia, williemcgee.com
osfan58202233 - November 3, 2006 07:48 AM (GMT)
November 3rd – Bob Feller, 1918
This farm boy from Van Meter, Iowa was only 17 when he struck out eight members of the St. Louis Cardinals in three innings of an exhibition game. After this awesome display of pitching, Feller was advised to seek voluntary retirement from high school in order to sign a professional baseball contract. For 20 years, the teenage phenomena was known as "Bullet Bob" and "Rapid Robert." As a rookie, he struckout 15 batters in a single game, which at that time was an American League record. In 1940, Bullet Bob became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on opening day.
At age 23, his career was interrupted by his four-year enlistment in the Navy. Upon entering the Navy, Feller became an anti-aircraft gunner aboard the U.S.S. Alabama and came out a highly decorated war veteran. He then re-entered Major League Baseball to regain his dominance on the mound. Even though his military career consumed four prime baseball years, Feller ranks 28th in history with 266 wins. He remains the Indians all-time leader in shutouts (46), strikeouts (2,581), innings (3,828) and All-Star appearances (8).
This farm boy from Van Meter, Iowa was only 17 when he struck out eight members of the St. Louis Cardinals in three innings of an exhibition game. After this awesome display of pitching, Feller was advised to seek voluntary retirement from high school in order to sign a professional baseball contract. For 20 years, the teenage phenomena was known as "Bullet Bob" and "Rapid Robert." As a rookie, he struckout 15 batters in a single game, which at that time was an American League record. In 1940, Bullet Bob became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on opening day.
At age 23, his career was interrupted by his four-year enlistment in the Navy. Upon entering the Navy, Feller became an anti-aircraft gunner aboard the U.S.S. Alabama and came out a highly decorated war veteran. He then re-entered Major League Baseball to regain his dominance on the mound. Even though his military career consumed four prime baseball years, Feller ranks 28th in history with 266 wins. He remains the Indians all-time leader in shutouts (46), strikeouts (2,581), innings (3,828) and All-Star appearances (8).
| QUOTE |
| # In his rookie season, he won 17 games and followed that with 24 the next year. # He had six seasons where he won 20 or more games. Each of those years, he led the American League in wins. # He threw three career no-hitters and had 12 career one-hitters. # He was 23 and had 107 wins when he enlisted in the Navy in 1941. # In his first two full seasons back from armed service, he won 26 and 20 games respectively. # He was baseball's biggest drawing card, with an average of an additional 10,000 fans that showed up when he was scheduled to pitch. # He pitched for Cleveland for 18 years, winning 266 games and losing 162. # He led the American League in strikeouts seven times. He set a record for his time in 1946, when he struckout 348 batters. # He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. |
"It wasn't until you hit against him that you knew how fast he really was, until you saw with your own eyes that ball jumping at you."
— Ted Lyons
bobfeller.com, bob feller museum site, Hall of Fame site
osfan58202233 - November 5, 2006 07:21 PM (GMT)
November 4th – Dick Groat, 1930
A career .286 hitter, Wilkensburg PA native Dick Groat collected 2,138 hits in his career. He hit .300 or better 4 times and led the league with 43 doubles in 1963 with the Cardinals. Groat collect a World Series championship ring with the Bucs (1960) and the Cards (1964). He turned 127 Double Plays in 1958 which ranks him in the top 10 list for best DP season for a shortstop. He also is listed in the top 5 list for career DPs for shortstops with 1,237. Groat played more games at shortstop for the Bucs than anyone except Wagner and Vaughan. He was a 5-time All-Star (3 with the Bucs).
A career .286 hitter, Wilkensburg PA native Dick Groat collected 2,138 hits in his career. He hit .300 or better 4 times and led the league with 43 doubles in 1963 with the Cardinals. Groat collect a World Series championship ring with the Bucs (1960) and the Cards (1964). He turned 127 Double Plays in 1958 which ranks him in the top 10 list for best DP season for a shortstop. He also is listed in the top 5 list for career DPs for shortstops with 1,237. Groat played more games at shortstop for the Bucs than anyone except Wagner and Vaughan. He was a 5-time All-Star (3 with the Bucs).
| QUOTE |
| Groat and [Bill] Mazeroski led the league in double plays for five consecutive years; he said in Twin Killing, "...my wife could have led the league in double plays with Mazeroski at second base if she were a shortstop. He was that good." |
regarding his two-sport success:
Dick Groat was named College Basketball Player of the Year in 1952 at Duke. He still holds the single-season scoring record at Duke with 831 points. He played briefly in the NBA for the Fort Wayne Pistons. Groat also led his Duke Baseball Team to the College World Series in 1952. Despite being a 2-time All-American in Baseball and his ML career, Groat considers himself to have been a better basketball player than a baseball player. He also served a two year hitch in the Army. Groat could have been a two-sport star in the pros, but Pirate GM Branch Rickey wanted Groat to focus on baseball. Despite a basketball contract offer from Fort Wayne that would have paid him more money than the the Bucs, Groat honored the baseball contract he had signed with the Bucs.
www.fsu.edu, wikipedia
osfan58202233 - November 5, 2006 07:28 PM (GMT)
November 5th – Javy Lopez, 1970
okay, a little discussion about the name.
because i'm not much into providing other discussion about him at this point, even if i do own a #18 shirt, and even if his number is part of my original "osfan-with-all-the-numbers" (1, 18, 10, 6, 25, that cool April 2005 infield)...maybe i'll come back later and fill in more info about him...or maybe not. ;)
he was born Javier Lopez Torres. the thing about calling him Javier, though, is that there's actually a guy named Javier Lopez who is in the Major Leagues – was also born in Puerto Rico – also plays for the Red Sox – had his only non-Fenway appearance against the Orioles – so calling our former catcher Javier really just confuses him with this other kid, the relief pitcher.
so even if it's more accurate - or polite, or whatever - to call a guy by his given name rather than his "nickname," i think i'll just go on calling him Javy.
do you think he'll get signed by someone this offseason?
okay, a little discussion about the name.
because i'm not much into providing other discussion about him at this point, even if i do own a #18 shirt, and even if his number is part of my original "osfan-with-all-the-numbers" (1, 18, 10, 6, 25, that cool April 2005 infield)...maybe i'll come back later and fill in more info about him...or maybe not. ;)
he was born Javier Lopez Torres. the thing about calling him Javier, though, is that there's actually a guy named Javier Lopez who is in the Major Leagues – was also born in Puerto Rico – also plays for the Red Sox – had his only non-Fenway appearance against the Orioles – so calling our former catcher Javier really just confuses him with this other kid, the relief pitcher.
so even if it's more accurate - or polite, or whatever - to call a guy by his given name rather than his "nickname," i think i'll just go on calling him Javy.
do you think he'll get signed by someone this offseason?
osfan58202233 - November 6, 2006 08:59 PM (GMT)
November 6th – Walter Johnson, 1887
check out this great article on the 1924 world series here, just for the photos if nothing else, but it's also a great story.
Using only a fastball for most of his career, the Big Train won 20 or more games 12 times, led the league in strikeouts 12 times, notched 416 career wins and a record 110 shutouts and won two MVP awards.
"This boy throws so fast you can't see 'em, and he knows where he's throwing the ball because if he didn't there would be dead bodies all over Idaho."
––Joe Shea, scouting for the Senators in 1907
"It is questionable whether a 19 year-old lad ever broke into baseball who made a better showing as a pitcher than Johnson did yesterday. The writer saw Cy Young when he first broke into fast company, and he was 40 times rawer than is Johnson. Even the great Mathewson did not have what Johnson had at his command when he broke into the game. Furthermore, he is a mere boy. What will he be when he grows up?"
----Ed Grillo, baseball writer for the Washington Post, after debut August 2, 1907
Between 1910-19, Walter Johnson had ten consecutive 20-win seasons, five times eclipsing 25 wins. Considering his supporting cast throughout those years, Johnson’s run was historic. But by 1924, Johnson was 37 years old and had not had a 20-win season in four years. In the years from 1920-23, he was only a combined five games over .500. When the 1924 season began, it looked like not much had changed. Johnson and the Senators were in fifth place at the end of May, with a record of 17-19, five games off the Yankees pace. In June, however, both Johnson and the Senators caught fire, vaulting into first place. "The Big Train" began a streak of thirteen consecutive wins and the Senators finished the month winning 21 games against only nine losses. The hot streak re-established Johnson as the premier pitcher in the American League. At season's end, Johnson had won the pitcher’s triple crown, leading the league in wins (23), strikeouts (158), ERA (2.72), as well as shutouts (6).
"Consider the simple eloquence of Yankee Ping Bodie explaining why he struck out against Walter Johnson: 'You can't hit what you can't see.'"
—Ron Fimrite, SI, June 16, 1975
"The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup—and then something went past me that made me flinch. I hardly saw the pitch, but I heard it. The thing just hissed with danger. Every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ballpark."
----from Ty Cobb's autobiography, My Life In Baseball
cnnsi.com baseball greats, ballparkdigest, baseballindc.com
check out this great article on the 1924 world series here, just for the photos if nothing else, but it's also a great story.
Using only a fastball for most of his career, the Big Train won 20 or more games 12 times, led the league in strikeouts 12 times, notched 416 career wins and a record 110 shutouts and won two MVP awards.
"This boy throws so fast you can't see 'em, and he knows where he's throwing the ball because if he didn't there would be dead bodies all over Idaho."
––Joe Shea, scouting for the Senators in 1907
"It is questionable whether a 19 year-old lad ever broke into baseball who made a better showing as a pitcher than Johnson did yesterday. The writer saw Cy Young when he first broke into fast company, and he was 40 times rawer than is Johnson. Even the great Mathewson did not have what Johnson had at his command when he broke into the game. Furthermore, he is a mere boy. What will he be when he grows up?"
----Ed Grillo, baseball writer for the Washington Post, after debut August 2, 1907
Between 1910-19, Walter Johnson had ten consecutive 20-win seasons, five times eclipsing 25 wins. Considering his supporting cast throughout those years, Johnson’s run was historic. But by 1924, Johnson was 37 years old and had not had a 20-win season in four years. In the years from 1920-23, he was only a combined five games over .500. When the 1924 season began, it looked like not much had changed. Johnson and the Senators were in fifth place at the end of May, with a record of 17-19, five games off the Yankees pace. In June, however, both Johnson and the Senators caught fire, vaulting into first place. "The Big Train" began a streak of thirteen consecutive wins and the Senators finished the month winning 21 games against only nine losses. The hot streak re-established Johnson as the premier pitcher in the American League. At season's end, Johnson had won the pitcher’s triple crown, leading the league in wins (23), strikeouts (158), ERA (2.72), as well as shutouts (6).
"Consider the simple eloquence of Yankee Ping Bodie explaining why he struck out against Walter Johnson: 'You can't hit what you can't see.'"
—Ron Fimrite, SI, June 16, 1975
"The first time I faced him, I watched him take that easy windup—and then something went past me that made me flinch. I hardly saw the pitch, but I heard it. The thing just hissed with danger. Every one of us knew we'd met the most powerful arm ever turned loose in a ballpark."
----from Ty Cobb's autobiography, My Life In Baseball
cnnsi.com baseball greats, ballparkdigest, baseballindc.com
Skipjack - November 7, 2006 12:20 AM (GMT)
I saw this today on Baseball Prospectus:
"LHP Fernando Valenzuela, Aguilas de Mexicali (Mexican Pacific League)
It happens every year. One peruses the box scores from south of the border, sees Valenzuela in the pitching line, and says to themselves, "No, it can't be." But it is. On Saturday night, three days after his 46th birthday (we think), Fernando-mania was in full effect, as Valenzuela did not only pitch, he got the win, allowing two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings. Valenzuela hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 1997, so he's not doing this in an attempt to get another chance, and he's not doing it for the money. He's doing it because he loves baseball, something we all need to be reminded of now and again."
"LHP Fernando Valenzuela, Aguilas de Mexicali (Mexican Pacific League)
It happens every year. One peruses the box scores from south of the border, sees Valenzuela in the pitching line, and says to themselves, "No, it can't be." But it is. On Saturday night, three days after his 46th birthday (we think), Fernando-mania was in full effect, as Valenzuela did not only pitch, he got the win, allowing two runs on four hits over 5.1 innings. Valenzuela hasn't pitched in the big leagues since 1997, so he's not doing this in an attempt to get another chance, and he's not doing it for the money. He's doing it because he loves baseball, something we all need to be reminded of now and again."
osfan58202233 - November 7, 2006 10:38 PM (GMT)
i really enjoyed watching him play
osfan58202233 - November 7, 2006 10:45 PM (GMT)
November 7th – John Albert "Buck" Martinez, 1948
Originally signed by the Phillies, Buck Martinez fashioned a seventeen-season career on defensive talents. Although a .283 hitter in five minor league campaigns, he hit over .250 only twice in the majors. He was slow afoot and hit with power infrequently. He was, however, excellent at blocking home plate, had an accurate arm, and handled pitchers well. Martinez was most productive in platoon situations, first with Bob Stinson at Kansas City, then with Charlie Moore in Milwaukee, and finally paired with Ernie Whitt for Toronto. In 1976 he tied Jim Sundberg for best fielding average (.991) among AL receivers.
Martinez never fully recovered from a fractured leg and dislocated ankle sustained while blocking home plate in July 1985:
Originally signed by the Phillies, Buck Martinez fashioned a seventeen-season career on defensive talents. Although a .283 hitter in five minor league campaigns, he hit over .250 only twice in the majors. He was slow afoot and hit with power infrequently. He was, however, excellent at blocking home plate, had an accurate arm, and handled pitchers well. Martinez was most productive in platoon situations, first with Bob Stinson at Kansas City, then with Charlie Moore in Milwaukee, and finally paired with Ernie Whitt for Toronto. In 1976 he tied Jim Sundberg for best fielding average (.991) among AL receivers.
Martinez never fully recovered from a fractured leg and dislocated ankle sustained while blocking home plate in July 1985:
| QUOTE |
| After the collision, he still managed to throw the ball to third base in an attempt to catch the advancing runner, his former teammate Gorman Thomas; when the throw went into left field, Thomas tried to come home. However, he was tagged out by a sprawled out Martinez, who had managed to catch the return throw from George Bell on the ground, thus completing probably the only 9-2-7-2 double play in Major League history. |
it's stories like this that make me wish more people read this thread...ah well...;)
Martinez managed the Toronto Blue Jays in 2001-02 (being hired to replace Jim Fregosi after having spent the season as a Blue Jays announcer in the booth). He currently co-hosts the Baseball This Morning show from 6-9 a.m. weekdays on XM175, XM's MLB channel. He also serves as analyst on ESPN's Wednesday night national telecasts of Major League Baseball. He previously worked for ESPN from 1992-2000. Also during the season, he calls 60 games a year as analyst for the Baltimore Orioles on Comcast SportsNet.
For the past 10 years, Martinez has been involved in the Rookie Career Development Program, jointly sponsored by Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association.
MLBPlayers.com, XMRadio.com, BaseballLibarary, wikipedia
osfan58202233 - November 8, 2006 07:33 AM (GMT)
November 8th - Bucky Harris, 1896
Bucky Harris spent seven different decades in the majors as a player, manager, executive, and scout. "The Boy Wonder" was 27 when he took over as player-manager of the Washington Senators in 1924, promptly winning two flags in a row. He hit .333 with two home runs to lead the Senators to a World Series title in 1924. Harris also managed the Tigers, the Red Sox and the Phillies, and led the Yankees to a World Championship in 1947. He won 2,159 games in 29 years as a manager.
He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 (Veterans Committee, Manager).
"He studies baseball as a medical student studies anatomy. He seems to be able to get the best out of mediocre talent."
— columnist, Quentin Reynolds
love this story by Bill James, who rated him #70 on the 100 all-time second baseman list:
Bucky Harris spent seven different decades in the majors as a player, manager, executive, and scout. "The Boy Wonder" was 27 when he took over as player-manager of the Washington Senators in 1924, promptly winning two flags in a row. He hit .333 with two home runs to lead the Senators to a World Series title in 1924. Harris also managed the Tigers, the Red Sox and the Phillies, and led the Yankees to a World Championship in 1947. He won 2,159 games in 29 years as a manager.
He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 (Veterans Committee, Manager).
"He studies baseball as a medical student studies anatomy. He seems to be able to get the best out of mediocre talent."
— columnist, Quentin Reynolds
love this story by Bill James, who rated him #70 on the 100 all-time second baseman list:
| QUOTE |
| In 1916 Harris played for Muskegon in the Central League, hitting a robust .166 in 55 games. In 1917, he started the year playing for Norfolk in the Virginia League, hitting .120 in 15 games (6 for 50), after which the league folded. Harris, deciding he wasn't going to make it as a baseball player, went home to Pittston, Pennsylvania, and got a job in the coal mines. Shortly after that, however, the second baseman of the Reading club in the New York State league got into a fight with an umpire and was banned from the league. The Reading manager, George Wiltse, needed a second baseman and had seen Harris play – not Bucky Harris, but his older brother, who was also a minor league second baseman. When Bucky got a telegram asking him to report to Reading, he thought it was for him, and reported the next day. Wiltse knew he had the wrong Harris, but needed a second baseman anyway, and decided to give Bucky a chance to impress him. Three years later, Harris had played 137 games for the Washington Senators, and hit .300. |
National Hall of Fame site, Historical Baseball Abstract
osfan58202233 - November 9, 2006 07:47 AM (GMT)
November 9th – Bob Gibson, 1935
Bob Gibson was a fierce competitor who rarely smiled and was known to hit players when pitching to let them know who was in charge. Known by many as the best pitcher in Cardinals history, Gibson dominated with his fastball, sharp slider, and a slow, looping curveball.
In the eight seasons from 1963 to 1970, he won 156 games and lost 81. He won nine Gold Glove Awards, was awarded the World Series MVP Award in 1964 and 1967, and won Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1970. His 1967 World Series was amazing. Gibson allowed only three earned runs over three complete game victories (Games 1, 4, & 7), also hitting a vital home run in Game 7. Moreover, he had come back late in that season from having his leg broken earlier in the season from a line drive by Roberto Clemente.
His earned run average in 1968 was 1.12, which is a Live Ball Era record. He threw 13 shutouts, and allowed only two earned runs in 92 straight innings of pitching. He also won the National League MVP. In Game One of the 1968 World Series, he struck out 17 Detroit Tigers to set a World Series record for strikeouts in one game, which still stands today. His season was so successful that his performance is widely cited in Major League Baseball's decision to lower the pitcher's mound by five inches in 1969. The change had only a slight effect on him; he went 20-13 that year, with a 2.18 ERA.
this is for Jay:
Bob Gibson was a fierce competitor who rarely smiled and was known to hit players when pitching to let them know who was in charge. Known by many as the best pitcher in Cardinals history, Gibson dominated with his fastball, sharp slider, and a slow, looping curveball.
In the eight seasons from 1963 to 1970, he won 156 games and lost 81. He won nine Gold Glove Awards, was awarded the World Series MVP Award in 1964 and 1967, and won Cy Young Awards in 1968 and 1970. His 1967 World Series was amazing. Gibson allowed only three earned runs over three complete game victories (Games 1, 4, & 7), also hitting a vital home run in Game 7. Moreover, he had come back late in that season from having his leg broken earlier in the season from a line drive by Roberto Clemente.
His earned run average in 1968 was 1.12, which is a Live Ball Era record. He threw 13 shutouts, and allowed only two earned runs in 92 straight innings of pitching. He also won the National League MVP. In Game One of the 1968 World Series, he struck out 17 Detroit Tigers to set a World Series record for strikeouts in one game, which still stands today. His season was so successful that his performance is widely cited in Major League Baseball's decision to lower the pitcher's mound by five inches in 1969. The change had only a slight effect on him; he went 20-13 that year, with a 2.18 ERA.
this is for Jay:
| QUOTE |
| Gibson was known for pitching inside to batters. Dusty Baker received the following advice from Hank Aaron about facing Gibson: "'Don't dig in against Bob Gibson, he'll knock you down. Don't stare at him. He doesn't like it. If you happen to hit a home run, don't run too slow, don't run too fast. If you happen to want to celebrate, get in the tunnel first. And if he hits you, don't charge the mound, because he's a Gold Glove boxer.' I'm like, 'Damn, what about my 17-game hitting streak?' That was the night it ended." Gibson maintained this image even into retirement. In 1992, an Old-Timers' game was played at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego as part of the All-Star Game festivities, and Reggie Jackson hit a home run off Gibson. When the 1993 edition of the game was played, the 57-year-old Gibson threw the 47-year-old Jackson a brushback pitch. The pitch was not especially fast and did not hit Jackson, but the message was delivered, and Jackson did not get a hit. |
there are so many incredible stats...like this one:
On May 12, 1969, Gibson struck out three batters on nine pitches in the seventh inning of a 6-2 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Gibson became the ninth National League pitcher and the 15th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the nine-strike/three-strikeout half-inning.
and check out this cool article...
wikipedia, espn.com
osfan58202233 - November 11, 2006 01:19 AM (GMT)
November 10th – Norm Cash, 1934
okay, that's not Norm Cash throwing - it's him sliding, while Ron Hansen is throwing...i got distracted reading about Hansen and the baby birds here :nice:
Texan Norm Cash was a free-spirited, good-time loving country boy, who hit 377 career homers and won the 1961 American League batting title (".361 in '61," "completely overshadowed by Roger Maris's 61 HR."). He also led the AL in assists three times and fielding percentage twice; he ranked among the all-time leaders in assists (4th, 1317) and double plays (10th, 1347).
He filled the middle of the Detroit Tiger lineup for 15 seasons, hitting as many as 20 homers 11 times.
The Tigers acquired him in a deal with the Indians that turned out to be one of the most lopsided in baseball history:
okay, that's not Norm Cash throwing - it's him sliding, while Ron Hansen is throwing...i got distracted reading about Hansen and the baby birds here :nice:
Texan Norm Cash was a free-spirited, good-time loving country boy, who hit 377 career homers and won the 1961 American League batting title (".361 in '61," "completely overshadowed by Roger Maris's 61 HR."). He also led the AL in assists three times and fielding percentage twice; he ranked among the all-time leaders in assists (4th, 1317) and double plays (10th, 1347).
He filled the middle of the Detroit Tiger lineup for 15 seasons, hitting as many as 20 homers 11 times.
The Tigers acquired him in a deal with the Indians that turned out to be one of the most lopsided in baseball history:
| QUOTE |
| After signing with the Chicago White Sox in 1955, he spent 1957 in the military and made his debut with the team in 1958, seeing limited play as an outfielder and pinch hitter. He appeared in 58 games for the 1959 pennant-winners, but the midseason acquisition of Ted Kluszewski left him on the bench, and he was hitless in four pinch-hitting appearances in the World Series. In December of that year he was traded to the Cleveland Indians in an eight-player deal that brought Minnie Miñoso back to Chicago, but the Indians dealt him to Detroit the following April in what turned out to be one of the worst transactions in baseball history. Not realizing what he had, Indians general manager Frank Lane traded Cash for Steve Demeter, who would play only four more games; both Chicago and Cleveland were haunted by Cash for the next 15 years, as he won a batting title and a World Series ring in a Detroit uniform. |
The genial, self-deprecating slugger tied two offbeat records: On June 27, 1963, he had no fielding chances at first base, and in the third inning of Game 6 of the 1968 World Series, he had two hits as the Tigers scored 10 runs.
someone explain this sentence to me:
His total of 317 hits and walks in 1961 is the 23rd-best in ML history; only seven people have bettered it, and only Wade Boggs has done it since Cash.
huh?
the Baseball Page, wikipedia, baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 12, 2006 02:44 AM (GMT)
so i kinda went overboard on this one, but it was fun, what the heck :cool:
November 11th – Harold "Pie" Traynor, 1899
who claims he got the nickname after his favorite childhood treat...hmm
Considered one of the best third basemen of all time, Harold "Pie" Traynor's lightning-quick reflexes and accurate arm has ranked him fifth among all third basemen in career putouts.
Charley Grimm, a fellow teammate, said that Traynor often fielded balls hit down the line with his bare hands. When a glove was necessary, the one he used had a felt interior rather than leather because he thought it was better at stopping a hard hit ball. When hitting, his bat of choice was also unique. He often used discarded bats of well-known sluggers.
Recognized most often for his superlative defensive skills, Traynor's hitting ability was often overlooked. However, during his 17-year career, his batting average was an impressive .320.
Traynor had amazing defensive abilities, but continued to be an offensive threat as well. He never struck out more than 28 times in a season, and in 1929 only struck out only seven times in 540 at-bats. His personal best batting average was .366.
Traynor is also the only Major League Baseball player ever to steal home plate in an All-Star Game.
November 11th – Harold "Pie" Traynor, 1899
who claims he got the nickname after his favorite childhood treat...hmm
Considered one of the best third basemen of all time, Harold "Pie" Traynor's lightning-quick reflexes and accurate arm has ranked him fifth among all third basemen in career putouts.
Charley Grimm, a fellow teammate, said that Traynor often fielded balls hit down the line with his bare hands. When a glove was necessary, the one he used had a felt interior rather than leather because he thought it was better at stopping a hard hit ball. When hitting, his bat of choice was also unique. He often used discarded bats of well-known sluggers.
Recognized most often for his superlative defensive skills, Traynor's hitting ability was often overlooked. However, during his 17-year career, his batting average was an impressive .320.
Traynor had amazing defensive abilities, but continued to be an offensive threat as well. He never struck out more than 28 times in a season, and in 1929 only struck out only seven times in 540 at-bats. His personal best batting average was .366.
Traynor is also the only Major League Baseball player ever to steal home plate in an All-Star Game.
| QUOTE |
| In 10 years that spanned Traynor's peak, Pie had 1,022 RBI on 53 homers. In a similar 10-year span, Mike Schmidt knocked in 1,031 runs - on 361 homers. In 1925, Traynor stroked a single and a home run off the great Walter Johnson in his first two at-bats in the 1925 World Series, won by Pittsburgh. In 1927, Traynor and fellow Pirates Hall of Famer Paul Waner shared the same bat all season. The 42-ounce bat was a discard from an anonymous Boston Braves outfielder named Tim Hendryx. Sharing one big bat, Waner led the National League with a .380 batting average and 131 RBI, while Pie mustered a .342 average and stroked a game-winning single on the season's last day to propel Pittsburgh to the pennant. In 1928, Traynor knocked in 124 runs and hit only three homers, while striking out 10 times. Ten! |
and i like this one:
Rogers Hornsby was a fearsome right-handed hitter who terrorized
third basemen with sizzling line drives that became doubles and triples.
There was a saying that "Hornsby doubled to left, and Traynor threw him out
at first."
He is one of only eight players to have their number retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He devoted more than half a century to the Bucs, as a player, manager, sportscaster and scout. Traynor is remembered for his humble disposition and all-around solid play. In 1948, he joined the ranks of baseball's elite when he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
just don't ask Bill James whether he was better than Stan Hack...:P
official Pie Traynor site, Hall of Fame site, wikipedia, nosecatbooks.com (?)
osfan58202233 - November 13, 2006 08:09 AM (GMT)
i missed the 12th...oh well, it was sammy sosa and sandra gave us news on him recently, so that's covered right? :lol:
osfan58202233 - November 15, 2006 02:04 AM (GMT)
November 13th - John Jordan "Buck" O'Neil, 1911
The players called him Skip, for Buck O'Neil was the captain of the ship that sent more Negro League veterans ashore to the white Majors than any man in baseball history. His crew included such Major League standouts as Ernie Banks, George Altman, Gene Baker, Francisco Herrera, Elston Howard, J.C. Hartman, Connie Johnson, Sweet Lou Johnson, Satchel Paige, Hank Thompson and Bob Thurman.
i'll include the stats and stuff below, but i thought this part of this interview from 2003 was great.
The players called him Skip, for Buck O'Neil was the captain of the ship that sent more Negro League veterans ashore to the white Majors than any man in baseball history. His crew included such Major League standouts as Ernie Banks, George Altman, Gene Baker, Francisco Herrera, Elston Howard, J.C. Hartman, Connie Johnson, Sweet Lou Johnson, Satchel Paige, Hank Thompson and Bob Thurman.
i'll include the stats and stuff below, but i thought this part of this interview from 2003 was great.
| QUOTE |
| Q: Are you still learning things about baseball? Buck: Let me tell you something: when you stop learning, you’re through. Mm-hmm. I’m 91, but I’m still learning. Not only about baseball, about others things [too]. Yeah, yeah. You should always keep learning, as long as you live. You’re going to write. You’ll learn something. And not only that, you’re going to teach things. Cause what you’re going to write about now a lot of people, could be baseball fans, don’t know about. Mm-hmm. Of course, you learning, you teaching, that’s life. That’s life.... Q: You have an amazing sense of optimism about the world. Buck: That’s what you should have. Cause always figure that tomorrow is going to be better. Don’t care how good today is, tomorrow is going to be better. But it is exciting though to get up. It’s like the first time you see a Willie Mays, huh? “Mm, look at this.” (Laughs) Q: WeYankee fans are feeling that a little bit these days with the kid Soriano. Buck: Hey, you got to. How you think I felt when I saw him? Huh? That kid. How can he generate that kind of power? Oh, man. (Laughs) It’s amazing, isn’t it? Q: It’s like his bat has batteries or something like that. It’s supercharged. Buck: I’m telling you. He’s got great wrists. And, oh man. You look at him and say, “This is going to be another superstar.” Q: You think he’s going to last? Buck: Of course, of course. Yes. Man. A kid like—-Boy. It’s still there. I’ll tell you one thing—-you know what worries me about baseball? (Pause) The black kid in the inner city stopped playing baseball. Going to basketball. You know the white kid, 170 pounds, 175 pounds: Pee Wee Reese, Phil Rizzuto, that white kid. He stopped playing baseball now [Dave Eckstein notwithstanding]. Mm-hmm. Q: Why is that? Buck: It’s just the difference in the times. Now, all those kids used to play baseball, but what they do now? They play soccer, they doing other things. A lot them actually, don’t play baseball. They on the computer. They doing a lot of things that we never did. I remember in my time, you hear the mama [say], “Alright now, its time for you to come in.” Now you got to tell the kids, “Why don’t you go out and get some sunshine? Go outside and get some sunshine.” But there’s so many things he can do inside the house, you couldn’t do in my era. I remember the southern white boy: he was hungry. He wanted to get out of that cotton field just like the black kid wanted get out of the inner city. Baseball was the out. That’s it. Baseball is the out for the Latin kids; baseball is the out for the Japanese kids. Uh-huh. You understand? This is his way out. And this is why they playing. |
In 1942, O'Neil led the Monarchs to a Negro American League title and faced the Homestead Grays in the Negro World Series. Buck hit a robust .353, as the Monarchs swept the Grays in four games. His Grays' counterpart Buck Leonard recalled, "He would find the gap in the outfield and hit it there. He was one of the best ball players I have ever seen." O'Neil won batting titles in 1940 and 1946, blasting out averages of .345 and .350, respectively.
After winning the 1946 batting title, O'Neil and the Monarchs met the Newark Eagles of the National League in the world championship. Buck hit .333 against the Eagles, along with two home runs (one a grandslam).
allbaseball.com, nlbpa.com
osfan58202233 - November 15, 2006 02:49 AM (GMT)
November 14th - Jimmy Piersall, 1929
Piersall celebrates his 100th homer by
circling the bases backwards.
He won't be voted in to the Hall of Fame as a player, but if Cooperstown ever adds a wing for baseball's most colorful personalities, Jimmy Piersall would be a first-ballot inductee.
From his battles against fans, umpires and scoreboards to his backward trot around the bases on his 100th career homer, perhaps no player in the 1950s and '60s brought as much zaniness to the sport as Piersall. But Piersall often couldn't control himself on and off the field, and this almost led to an early exit from baseball as he was committed to a mental hospital in 1952. His comeback inspired his popular autobiography, "Fear Strikes Out," which later became a movie starring Anthony Perkins.
Piersall celebrates his 100th homer by
circling the bases backwards.
He won't be voted in to the Hall of Fame as a player, but if Cooperstown ever adds a wing for baseball's most colorful personalities, Jimmy Piersall would be a first-ballot inductee.
From his battles against fans, umpires and scoreboards to his backward trot around the bases on his 100th career homer, perhaps no player in the 1950s and '60s brought as much zaniness to the sport as Piersall. But Piersall often couldn't control himself on and off the field, and this almost led to an early exit from baseball as he was committed to a mental hospital in 1952. His comeback inspired his popular autobiography, "Fear Strikes Out," which later became a movie starring Anthony Perkins.
| QUOTE |
| Former outfielder Tito Francona, 67, agreed. "Jimmy was smart as a fox," he said. "Every time he got kicked out of a game, he made more money. People sent him money to pay his fines. I remember a game in Yankee Stadium where he ran to second base and did jumping jacks. Then he ran behind the monuments and sat down." Rocky Colavito, 67, recalled the time he was playing next to Piersall in the Indians outfield in Detroit. "He was in center and I was in right," said Colavito. "All of a sudden, I saw him running to the 395-foot sign in center where two guys were sitting by themselves. He came back laughing. I asked him what happened and he said, `Those two guys have been yelling at me through the whole game. I just spit in their face.'" On one occasion he pulled a water pistol from his pocket and shot water into an umpire's face. |
What shouldn't be overlooked is Piersall's ability. In his 17-year career, he hit .272 and 104 homers with five teams. But the two-time All-Star was even better defensively, winning two Gold Gloves as a centerfielder and his .990 lifetime fielding percentage ranks among the highest all-time.
"He's great, but you have to play him in a cage," said Casey Stengel, his manager with the New York Mets.
espn.com classic, baseball digest 2001
osfan58202233 - November 16, 2006 01:02 AM (GMT)
November 15th - Gus Bell, 1928
Bell was one of the most feared hitters throughout the 1950s and was a highly ranked outfielder as well. He provided a one-two punch along with Ralph Kiner for the Pirates. Later, he fit snugly into Cincinnati lineups with sluggers like Smoky Burgess, Ted Kluszewski, Vada Pinson, Wally Post and Frank Robinson. A four-time All-Star selection, Bell enjoyed his best seasons in 1963, when he hit .300 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI, and 1955, collecting .308, 27, 104. Four times, he knocked in more than 100 runs in a season and hit 103 home runs from 1953-56.
In a 15-year career, Bell was a .281 hitter with 206 home runs and 942 RBI in 1741 games.
interesting tid-bit:
After two strong seasons, he spent part of 1952 back in the minors because of a dispute with the Pirate front office; he had wanted his family to travel with him, including his son Buddy, later an outstanding ML third baseman.
the usual for this one, wikipedia and baseballlibrary
Bell was one of the most feared hitters throughout the 1950s and was a highly ranked outfielder as well. He provided a one-two punch along with Ralph Kiner for the Pirates. Later, he fit snugly into Cincinnati lineups with sluggers like Smoky Burgess, Ted Kluszewski, Vada Pinson, Wally Post and Frank Robinson. A four-time All-Star selection, Bell enjoyed his best seasons in 1963, when he hit .300 with 30 home runs and 105 RBI, and 1955, collecting .308, 27, 104. Four times, he knocked in more than 100 runs in a season and hit 103 home runs from 1953-56.
In a 15-year career, Bell was a .281 hitter with 206 home runs and 942 RBI in 1741 games.
interesting tid-bit:
After two strong seasons, he spent part of 1952 back in the minors because of a dispute with the Pirate front office; he had wanted his family to travel with him, including his son Buddy, later an outstanding ML third baseman.
the usual for this one, wikipedia and baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 17, 2006 07:28 PM (GMT)
November 17th - Baltimore Orioles, 1953
thanks, Jack, for the nudge this morning here
[dohtml]<center><img src="http://www.op.net/%7ecinder/flags/baltimore_orioles.jpg">
<br>
<i>November 17, 1953 - The St. Louis Browns officially become<br>
the Baltimore Baseball Club Inc. The Baltimore franchise board<br>
officially changes its name to the Orioles.</i>
<br>
<a href=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/history/timeline1.jsp><b>Baltimore Orioles History</b></a><br><br><br></center>[/dohtml]
thanks, Jack, for the nudge this morning here
[dohtml]<center><img src="http://www.op.net/%7ecinder/flags/baltimore_orioles.jpg">
<br>
<i>November 17, 1953 - The St. Louis Browns officially become<br>
the Baltimore Baseball Club Inc. The Baltimore franchise board<br>
officially changes its name to the Orioles.</i>
<br>
<a href=http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/history/timeline1.jsp><b>Baltimore Orioles History</b></a><br><br><br></center>[/dohtml]
osfan58202233 - November 19, 2006 04:22 AM (GMT)
November 18th – Jamie Moyer, 1962
Jamie Moyer is best known for his methodical approach to the game and his devastating changeup. He is a finesse pitcher, rather than a power pitcher, throwing an 84 mph fastball with late movement, the circle changeup, and a curveball. He reportedly keeps a log of all the batters he has faced in which he details their strengths and weaknesses.
He signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December 1992 and seemed to have found a stable job on their roster, but it wasn't until 1995 that he was recognized as a durable starter. Between June 26 and August 19, Moyer won seven of his eight decisions to keep Baltimore in the wild-card hunt.
from an ESPN article in 2003, Jim Caple:
Jamie Moyer is best known for his methodical approach to the game and his devastating changeup. He is a finesse pitcher, rather than a power pitcher, throwing an 84 mph fastball with late movement, the circle changeup, and a curveball. He reportedly keeps a log of all the batters he has faced in which he details their strengths and weaknesses.
He signed with the Baltimore Orioles in December 1992 and seemed to have found a stable job on their roster, but it wasn't until 1995 that he was recognized as a durable starter. Between June 26 and August 19, Moyer won seven of his eight decisions to keep Baltimore in the wild-card hunt.
from an ESPN article in 2003, Jim Caple:
| QUOTE |
| As Clemens nears his 300th victory, consider these comparisons. Since leaving the Red Sox as a free agent following the 1996 season, Clemens is 107-43 and has been paid $59 million. Since the Red Sox traded Moyer to the Mariners earlier that year, he is 105-50 and has been paid $31.5 million. In other words, the Red Sox could have a pitcher with more than 100 wins over the past seven seasons and easily have enough money to have signed Pedro or anybody else to front the rotation. You don't hear much about Moyer. He's never struck out 20 batters in a game. He's never been ejected from a postseason game in the second inning while wearing warpaint. He's never assaulted Mike Piazza with a splintered bat. All he does is win. And win. And win. Since 1996, he has a better winning percentage than Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson or Greg Maddux. In fact, he has the best winning percentage in baseball during that span (minimum 15 decisions each season). Granted, that doesn't make Moyer the best pitcher in baseball. But he's the best pitcher who was once released by the Texas Rangers. No, the Red Sox weren't the only team to underestimate Moyer. The Mariners are his seventh organization since he was drafted in 1984. He once was traded for Mitch Williams. He pitched for Joe Torre -- in St. Louis. He learned quite a bit about pitching during all those journeys and finally put it all together in 1996. He is the second big-league pitcher to go from as many as 23 games under .500 for his career to 23 games above .500. "He's like a fine wine, he gets better with age,'' said Minnesota third base coach Al Newman, who faced him as a player more than a decade ago. "No, actually, he just gets slower.'' It's true. Moyer can pitch in the mid 80s, but he loves to make batters look ridiculous by throwing curveballs and changeups in the 70s that appear to defy gravity. He throws slop up there so tantalizingly slow that scouts can measure his pitches by counting "One Mississippi, two Mississippi.'' As one opponent said after Moyer made him look silly this year, "He was throwing feathers up there.'' Moyer is as old school as they come -- he still shows his stirrup socks -- and even without a blazing fastball he can be a mean SOB on the mound. He isn't afraid to pitch seriously inside and if a batter crosses him, he isn't afraid to leave a bruise. On several occasions, catcher Dan Wilson has heard Moyer shout at the batter and ask what pitch he would like him to throw next. "They don't know what to make of it,'' Wilson said. He turns 41 this fall, but Moyer is in exceptional shape and is capable of pitching several more seasons. With 171 career wins, he could very well finish with more than 200. That may not be as impressive as Clemens' final total, but Boston fans wouldn't have minded if a few more of them had come in a Red Sox uniform. |
moyerfoundation.org, another one i seem to have misplaced...
osfan58202233 - November 19, 2006 05:09 AM (GMT)
November 19th – Roy Campanella, 1921
[dohtml]<a href=mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/hof/campanella_roy.wmv>Hall of Fame Video</a>[/dohtml]
A successful catcher is defined by his ability to handle the pitching staff, throw out would-be stealers, and keep errant throws and pitches in front of him. Roy Campanella possessed all these skills and then some.
The man they called "Campy" was the complete package, leading National League catchers in putouts six times, and clubbing 242 home runs in his 10-year Major League career. From 1948-1957, Roy Campanella was securely anchored behind home plate for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He caught in five World Series, won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1951, 1953, and 1955, and was the first black catcher in Major League Baseball history. In 1969, he joined baseball’s elite with his induction into the Hall of Fame.
"He fielded with grace that belied his physique and handled with distinction a predominantly white pitching staff."
Like those of many catchers, Campanella's career was punctuated by injuries. In spring training of 1954, he chipped a bone in the heel of his left hand and damaged a nerve. It affected his hitting and limited him to 111 games. Surgery helped in 1955, but the problem returned the next year. Then, in January 1958, Campanella was permanently disabled in an automobile accident. Returning home from his liquor store, which he ran in the off-season, he lost control of his car on an icy street. The car slammed into a telephone pole and flipped over, pinning him behind the steering wheel. The crash fractured his fifth cervical vertebra and damaged his spinal cord. He survived and endured years of therapy, living far beyond the normal span for quadriplegics, but his career was over. He committed himself to decades of work in community relations for the Dodgers.
baseballlibrary.com, Hall of Fame site, official Roy Campanella site
[dohtml]<a href=mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/hof/campanella_roy.wmv>Hall of Fame Video</a>[/dohtml]
A successful catcher is defined by his ability to handle the pitching staff, throw out would-be stealers, and keep errant throws and pitches in front of him. Roy Campanella possessed all these skills and then some.
The man they called "Campy" was the complete package, leading National League catchers in putouts six times, and clubbing 242 home runs in his 10-year Major League career. From 1948-1957, Roy Campanella was securely anchored behind home plate for the Brooklyn Dodgers.
He caught in five World Series, won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1951, 1953, and 1955, and was the first black catcher in Major League Baseball history. In 1969, he joined baseball’s elite with his induction into the Hall of Fame.
"He fielded with grace that belied his physique and handled with distinction a predominantly white pitching staff."
Like those of many catchers, Campanella's career was punctuated by injuries. In spring training of 1954, he chipped a bone in the heel of his left hand and damaged a nerve. It affected his hitting and limited him to 111 games. Surgery helped in 1955, but the problem returned the next year. Then, in January 1958, Campanella was permanently disabled in an automobile accident. Returning home from his liquor store, which he ran in the off-season, he lost control of his car on an icy street. The car slammed into a telephone pole and flipped over, pinning him behind the steering wheel. The crash fractured his fifth cervical vertebra and damaged his spinal cord. He survived and endured years of therapy, living far beyond the normal span for quadriplegics, but his career was over. He committed himself to decades of work in community relations for the Dodgers.
baseballlibrary.com, Hall of Fame site, official Roy Campanella site
osfan58202233 - November 20, 2006 06:42 AM (GMT)
November 20th - Kenesaw Mountain Landis, 1866
Landis had remarkable charisma; he stood out in any gathering he attended. Along with all the virtues of an honest federal judge, he had many of the foibles of the ordinary man. He was extraordinarily patriotic, and had loved baseball since he was a small boy.
— Fred Lieb, The Sporting News
Landis had remarkable charisma; he stood out in any gathering he attended. Along with all the virtues of an honest federal judge, he had many of the foibles of the ordinary man. He was extraordinarily patriotic, and had loved baseball since he was a small boy.
— Fred Lieb, The Sporting News
| QUOTE |
| Landis was granted absolute power over the game as commissioner in 1920 after the Black Sox scandal had tainted the game. He exercised his authority tyrannically until his death in 1944, with no recourse from his decisions available or public criticism of them permitted. Although he was harsh and narrow-minded, and often arbitrary and inconsistent, he persuaded most Americans that the integrity of the national pastime had been restored. |
While serving as a federal judge, Landis was selected to become the first Commissioner of Major League Baseball, serving from 1920 until his death in 1944, accepting the offer under the condition that he receive absolute authority and final say on all matters. The position was created to restore public confidence in the integrity of baseball following the 1919 Black Sox scandal, perhaps the worst of a number of incidents that jeopardized the integrity of the game. He achieved this by permanently banishing eight players from the sport for their Black Sox scandal involvement, including Buck Weaver and superstar Shoeless Joe Jackson, and by dealing harshly with others proven to have thrown individual games or consorted with gamblers. He also banned New York Giants players Phil Douglas, Bennie Kauff and Jimmy O'Connell, Phillies pitcher Gene Paulette, Giants coach Cozy Dolan, and (in 1943) Phillies owner William D. Cox.
The owners had hoped he would then settle into a comfortable retirement as the titular head of baseball. Instead, Landis established a fiercely independent Commissioner's Office that would go on to often make both players and owners miserable with decisions that were, generally, in the best interests of the game. He worked to clean up the hooliganism that was tarnishing the reputation of players in the 1920s, and inserted his office into negotiations with players where he deemed appropriate to end a few of the labor practices of owners like Charles Comiskey that had contributed to the players' discontent.
some speculation here about his possibly being responsible for the delay of integrating the game...some details too about his efforts, successfully, to limit the growth of the minor leagues
Whether his decisions were praised or criticized, he was satisfied with being respected and feared. Dubbed 'the baseball tyrant' by journalists of the day, his rule was absolute. In the context of ensuring the integrity of the game itself, baseball historians generally regard him as the right man at the right time when appointed, but also as a man who perhaps held office too long.
Since 1944, the official title of each league's Most Valuable Player Award has been the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Award.
Hall of Fame site, wikipedia
osfan58202233 - November 21, 2006 08:52 AM (GMT)
November 21st – Ken Griffey, Jr, 1969
Arguably the greatest player of his generation, Ken Griffey Jr. all but single-handedly saved baseball in Seattle with his monstrous home runs and breathtaking centerfield defense.
i read a lot of stuff here about kgj, and it's quite difficult to find a "biography" on-line that isn't long and detailed.
the one below is at the other end of the spectrum - way too brief, and a little outdated.
but what struck me the most was that year, 1995, when the Mariners pulled off that 13-games-out, come-from-behind September, with a playoff game against the Angels to get to the ALDS. and in the bottom of the 11th inning of game 5 of that series, against the Yankees, with Griffey on 1st and someone (Joey Cora?) on 3B, looking for maybe a sacrifice fly to at least tie the game, Edgar Martinez drives the ball down the left field line, and Griffey flies all the way around the diamond to score the winning run.
they say that it was a play that completely turned baseball around in the Pacific Northwest.
here's an audio clipof that moment- when i listen to it, i get chills
The overall 1st pick of 1987 draft by Seattle, Ken Griffey Jr. has been a 10-time Gold Glove winner, an 11-time All-Star, and was the 1997 AL MVP. He is the Mariners all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. In 1992, Griffey Jr. was MVP of All-Star game at age 23. He hit home runs in 8 consecutive games in 1993.
He is the son of Ken Sr., and in 1990 they became the first father-son combination to appear in the same major league lineup.
kgjonline, baseballlibrary
Arguably the greatest player of his generation, Ken Griffey Jr. all but single-handedly saved baseball in Seattle with his monstrous home runs and breathtaking centerfield defense.
i read a lot of stuff here about kgj, and it's quite difficult to find a "biography" on-line that isn't long and detailed.
the one below is at the other end of the spectrum - way too brief, and a little outdated.
but what struck me the most was that year, 1995, when the Mariners pulled off that 13-games-out, come-from-behind September, with a playoff game against the Angels to get to the ALDS. and in the bottom of the 11th inning of game 5 of that series, against the Yankees, with Griffey on 1st and someone (Joey Cora?) on 3B, looking for maybe a sacrifice fly to at least tie the game, Edgar Martinez drives the ball down the left field line, and Griffey flies all the way around the diamond to score the winning run.
they say that it was a play that completely turned baseball around in the Pacific Northwest.
here's an audio clipof that moment- when i listen to it, i get chills
The overall 1st pick of 1987 draft by Seattle, Ken Griffey Jr. has been a 10-time Gold Glove winner, an 11-time All-Star, and was the 1997 AL MVP. He is the Mariners all-time leader in home runs and RBIs. In 1992, Griffey Jr. was MVP of All-Star game at age 23. He hit home runs in 8 consecutive games in 1993.
He is the son of Ken Sr., and in 1990 they became the first father-son combination to appear in the same major league lineup.
kgjonline, baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 22, 2006 07:01 AM (GMT)
November 22nd – Lew Burdette, 1926
Burdette was the winning pitcher on May 26, 1959 when the Pittsburgh Pirates' Harvey Haddix pitched a perfect game against the Braves for 12 innings, only to lose in the 13th. Burdette threw a 1-0 shutout, scattering 12 hits. In the ensuing offseason, he joked, "I'm the greatest pitcher that ever lived. The greatest game that was ever pitched in baseball wasn't good enough to beat me, so I've got to be the greatest!" The next year, facing the minimum 27 batters, Burdette pitched a 1–0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 18, 1960. Tony González, the only opposing batter to reach base after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, was retired on a double play. Burdette helped himself by scoring the only run of the game. Following up his no-hitter, five days later he pitched his third shutout in a row.
A slider and sinkerball pitcher, Burdette was widely accused of throwing a spitball as well. His constant fidgeting on the mound fed that suspicion; it didn't indicate nervousness. Teammate Gene Conley said, "Lew had ice water in his veins. Nothing bothered him, on or off the mound. He was a chatterbox out there ... He would talk to himself, to the batter, the umpire, and sometimes even to the ball."
Besides winning 20 games in 1958 and 21 in '59, Burdette won 19 twice and 18 once. His 2.70 ERA topped the NL in 1956. In two All-Star Games, he allowed only one run in seven innings.
Burdette also cut a record in the 1950s entitled "Three Strikes and Then You're Out". a version of which you'll find in the Bob Dylan Baseball show
wikipedia, baseballlibrary
Burdette was the winning pitcher on May 26, 1959 when the Pittsburgh Pirates' Harvey Haddix pitched a perfect game against the Braves for 12 innings, only to lose in the 13th. Burdette threw a 1-0 shutout, scattering 12 hits. In the ensuing offseason, he joked, "I'm the greatest pitcher that ever lived. The greatest game that was ever pitched in baseball wasn't good enough to beat me, so I've got to be the greatest!" The next year, facing the minimum 27 batters, Burdette pitched a 1–0 no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 18, 1960. Tony González, the only opposing batter to reach base after being hit by a pitch in the fifth inning, was retired on a double play. Burdette helped himself by scoring the only run of the game. Following up his no-hitter, five days later he pitched his third shutout in a row.
A slider and sinkerball pitcher, Burdette was widely accused of throwing a spitball as well. His constant fidgeting on the mound fed that suspicion; it didn't indicate nervousness. Teammate Gene Conley said, "Lew had ice water in his veins. Nothing bothered him, on or off the mound. He was a chatterbox out there ... He would talk to himself, to the batter, the umpire, and sometimes even to the ball."
Besides winning 20 games in 1958 and 21 in '59, Burdette won 19 twice and 18 once. His 2.70 ERA topped the NL in 1956. In two All-Star Games, he allowed only one run in seven innings.
Burdette also cut a record in the 1950s entitled "Three Strikes and Then You're Out". a version of which you'll find in the Bob Dylan Baseball show
wikipedia, baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 23, 2006 05:55 AM (GMT)
November 23rd - Jack McKeon, 1930
As a player, Jack McKeon, a catcher, spent his entire career in the minor leagues. He managed in the farm system of the original Washington Senators franchise, and its successor, the Minnesota Twins, before joining the Royals in 1968 as skipper of their Class A High Point-Thomasville farm team. He led their AAA affiliate, the Omaha Royals of the American Association, from 1969 through 1972, and won two league championships.
As a Major League manager, he won 1,011 games and lost 940, for a winning percentage of .518, over all or parts of 15 seasons.
McKeon was named National League Manager of the Year in 1999 and 2003. The latter award was a result of leading the Marlins, who had a record below .500 when he took the job as their manager during the season, to a World Series victory. On October 2, 2005, just after the Marlins won the last game of the 2005 season, McKeon announced that he would not be returning the following season. McKeon led the Marlins to three of the four winning seasons in franchise history, but there was a consensus within the organization that a managerial change was in order. Players complained that McKeon was too abrasive, and clubhouse tension mounted as the season soured.
on the other hand,
As a player, Jack McKeon, a catcher, spent his entire career in the minor leagues. He managed in the farm system of the original Washington Senators franchise, and its successor, the Minnesota Twins, before joining the Royals in 1968 as skipper of their Class A High Point-Thomasville farm team. He led their AAA affiliate, the Omaha Royals of the American Association, from 1969 through 1972, and won two league championships.
As a Major League manager, he won 1,011 games and lost 940, for a winning percentage of .518, over all or parts of 15 seasons.
McKeon was named National League Manager of the Year in 1999 and 2003. The latter award was a result of leading the Marlins, who had a record below .500 when he took the job as their manager during the season, to a World Series victory. On October 2, 2005, just after the Marlins won the last game of the 2005 season, McKeon announced that he would not be returning the following season. McKeon led the Marlins to three of the four winning seasons in franchise history, but there was a consensus within the organization that a managerial change was in order. Players complained that McKeon was too abrasive, and clubhouse tension mounted as the season soured.
on the other hand,
| QUOTE |
| Dontrelle Willis was pitching for the Florida Marlins against the San Diego Padres. The Marlins had a lead, and it was beginning to look like Willis would get his first Major League win. But then his pitches started to miss the plate. As Marlin's manager Jack McKeon looked on, he saw Willis fidget and sweat. The more nervous Willis got, the harder it was for him to get the ball over the plate. McKeon knew exactly what to do. The 72-year-old manager quickly called time out. He walked to the mound to calm to his young pitcher. McKeon gave Willis a short speech about how to throw a strike. But his words were not the important thing. McKeon's confidence and joking style were just what Willis needed. When McKeon left the mound, Willis was smiling and relaxed. He was ready to pitch again. He finished strong and got his first win for the Marlins. |
and here's a cool article giving another read on McKeon's je ne sais quoi:
Baseball Analysts
wikipedia, http://www.mcps.k12.md.us/departments/even...Activities.html (check it out), baseballanalysts.com, usatoday.com
osfan58202233 - November 24, 2006 05:51 AM (GMT)
November 24th – Joe Medwick, 1911
Tough and gruff, outfielder Joe Medwick's competitive spirit typified the rowdy "Gashouse Gang" Cardinals of the 1930s. Medwick, nicknamed "Ducky" because of his waddling gait, ended his 17-year career with a .324 batting average. He also accumulated 1,383 RBI, topping the National League three straight years.
His hard-charging style of play got him pulled out of the seventh game of the 1934 World Series by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, when Detroit Tigers fans started pelting him with garbage after he slid hard into third on a triple.
In 1937, he not only captured the National League Triple Crown, but also led the senior circuit in nine other categories and was voted the loop's Most Valuable Player.
Tough and gruff, outfielder Joe Medwick's competitive spirit typified the rowdy "Gashouse Gang" Cardinals of the 1930s. Medwick, nicknamed "Ducky" because of his waddling gait, ended his 17-year career with a .324 batting average. He also accumulated 1,383 RBI, topping the National League three straight years.
His hard-charging style of play got him pulled out of the seventh game of the 1934 World Series by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, when Detroit Tigers fans started pelting him with garbage after he slid hard into third on a triple.
In 1937, he not only captured the National League Triple Crown, but also led the senior circuit in nine other categories and was voted the loop's Most Valuable Player.
| QUOTE |
| During a USO tour by a number of players in 1944, Medwick was among several individuals given an audience by Pope Pius XII. Upon being asked by the Pope what his vocation was, Medwick replied, "Your Holiness, I'm Joe Medwick. I, too, used to be a Cardinal." |
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968, by the Veterans Committee.
wikipedia, Hall of Fame site
osfan58202233 - November 25, 2006 06:13 AM (GMT)
November 25th - Joe DiMaggio, 1914
[doHTML]<A href="mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/hof/dimaggio_joe.wmv"
target="_blank">Hall of Fame Video</A>[/doHTML]
[dohtml]<a href=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/audio/joltinjoedimaggio.ram><img src="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/images/radio.gif" width="100" height="107" border="0"></a>[/dohtml]click on the radio for the intro to the song
[doHTML]<A href="mms://a1503.v108692.c10869.g.vm.akamaistream.net/7/1503/10869/v0001/mlb.download.akamai.com/10869/library/open/hof/dimaggio_joe.wmv"
target="_blank">Hall of Fame Video</A>[/doHTML]
[dohtml]<a href=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/audio/joltinjoedimaggio.ram><img src="http://www.baseball-almanac.com/images/radio.gif" width="100" height="107" border="0"></a>[/dohtml]click on the radio for the intro to the song
| QUOTE |
| Joltin' Joe DiMaggio by Ben Homer & Alan Courtney© Published: 1941 Performed by: Les Brown Sung by: Betty Bonney Hello Joe, whatta you know? We need a hit so here I go. Ball one (Yea!) Ball two (Yea!) Strike one (Booo!) Strike two (Kill that umpire!) A case of Wheaties He started baseball's famous streak That's got us all aglow He's just a man and not a freak, Joltin' Joe DiMaggio. Joe, Joe DiMaggio We want you on our side He tied the mark at forty-four July the 1st you know Since then he's hit a good twelve more Joltin' Joe DiMaggio Joe, Joe DiMaggio We want you on our side From coast to coast that's all you'll hear Of Joe the one man show He's glorified the horsehide sphere Joltin' Joe DiMaggio Joe, Joe DiMaggio We want you on our side He'll live in baseball's Hall of Fame He got there blow by blow Our kids will tell their kids his name Joltin' Joe DiMaggio We dream of Joey with the light brown plaque Joe, Joe DiMaggio We want you on our side And now they speak in whispers low Of how they stopped our Joe One night in Cleveland Oh Oh Oh Goodbye streak DiMaggio |
osfan58202233 - November 26, 2006 05:35 PM (GMT)
November 26th – Lefty Gomez, 1908
Vernon "Lefty" Gomez is considered one of baseball's greatest winners, ranking third in Yankee history in regular season wins with 189. His 6-0 World Series record gave him the most wins without a loss in Major League history. His five starts and three wins (1933,35,37) in All-Star game competition is also a record that has gone untouched for decades. He also won the pitching version of the triple crown twice (1934,37), leading the American League in victories, ERA & strikeouts.
Besides being one of baseball's most dominant pitchers in the 1930s, Gomez was also known as a joker who always tried to keep the team loose. Earning the nicknames "Gay Caballero" and "El Goofy," Gomez's wackiness set him apart from the decorous Yankees of the 1930s. He once held up a World Series game, exasperating manager Joe McCarthy, to watch an airplane go by. Gomez also got away with needling his buddy, Joe DiMaggio, because DiMaggio like everyone else enjoyed the Gomez wit which produced statements like, "I've got a new invention, a revolving bowl for a tired goldfish" and "I don't wanna throw him nothing, maybe he'll get tired of waiting and leave."
Gomez quotes:
Vernon "Lefty" Gomez is considered one of baseball's greatest winners, ranking third in Yankee history in regular season wins with 189. His 6-0 World Series record gave him the most wins without a loss in Major League history. His five starts and three wins (1933,35,37) in All-Star game competition is also a record that has gone untouched for decades. He also won the pitching version of the triple crown twice (1934,37), leading the American League in victories, ERA & strikeouts.
Besides being one of baseball's most dominant pitchers in the 1930s, Gomez was also known as a joker who always tried to keep the team loose. Earning the nicknames "Gay Caballero" and "El Goofy," Gomez's wackiness set him apart from the decorous Yankees of the 1930s. He once held up a World Series game, exasperating manager Joe McCarthy, to watch an airplane go by. Gomez also got away with needling his buddy, Joe DiMaggio, because DiMaggio like everyone else enjoyed the Gomez wit which produced statements like, "I've got a new invention, a revolving bowl for a tired goldfish" and "I don't wanna throw him nothing, maybe he'll get tired of waiting and leave."
Gomez quotes:
| QUOTE |
| "A lot of things run through your head when you're going in to relieve in a tight spot. One of them was, 'Should I spike myself?'" "He (Jimmie Foxx) has muscles in his hair." "I'm the guy that made Joe DiMaggio famous." "I talked to the ball a lot of times in my career. I yelled, 'Go foul. Go foul.'" "I want to thank all my teammates who scored so many runs and Joe DiMaggio, who ran down so many of my mistakes." "I was the worst hitter ever. I never even broke a bat until last year when I was backing out of the garage." "No one hit home runs the way Babe (Ruth) did. They were something special. They were like homing pigeons. The ball would leave the bat, pause briefly, suddenly gain its bearings and take off for the stands." "One rule I had was make your best pitch and back up third base. That relay might get away and you've got another shot at him." "The secret of my success was clean living and a fast outfield." "When Neil Armstong first set foot on the moon, he and all the space scientists were puzzled by an unidentifiable white object. I knew immediately what it was. That was a home run ball hit off me in 1933 by Jimmie Foxx." |
and some anecdotes thanks to Bill James:
| QUOTE |
| Lefty claimed that one time he hit a double but was picked off second base. "What the hell happened out there," Joe McCarthy demanded. "How should I know?" replied Lefty. "I've never been there before." One time, with runners on first and third, the batter hit a sharp one-hopper back to the mound. Lefty bobbled the ball a moment, too late to make the play at home, then spun and threw to Tony Lazzeri at second, way too late to make the play at second. "What did you do that for?" asked Lazzeri. "I've been reading in the papers about what a smart player you are," said Gomez. "I figured you'd think of something." |
Later on throughout the years, Gomez began to encounter arm problems. His fastball lost its effectiveness, so Gomez switched from being a power pitcher to a finesse pitcher. Even though the transition wasn't smooth, the zany Gomez still added humor to the whole ordeal: "I'm throwing as hard as I ever did, but the ball is just not getting there as fast." Gomez fooled hitters with a newly acquired slow curve and had a great comeback in 1941 (15-5) after a 3-3 mark in 1940, leading the league in winning percentage (750).
latinosportslegends, baseballalmanac, Historical Baseball Abstract
osfan58202233 - November 28, 2006 07:03 AM (GMT)
November 26th - Babe Herman, 1903
the other "Babe"
Only Babe Herman and Bob Meusel have hit for the cycle three times. The .393 batting average (second to Bill Terry's .401), 416 total bases, 241 hits, and 143 runs he amassed in 1930 still stand as Dodger records. He also reached a high of 35 HR in 1930, and, with the Reds in 1932, led the NL with 19 triples. On July 10, 1935 at Cincinnati, he hit the first home run in a night game.
Herman was an outstanding hitter but a below-average fielder who led the NL in errors in 1927 as a first baseman and in each of the next two years playing in right field. Fresco Thompson, a 1931 teammate, observed: "He wore a glove for one reason: because it was a league custom." Herman developed a self-deprecating attitude about his shortcomings; when informed by a local bank that someone had been impersonating him and cashing bad checks, he said, "Hit him a few flyballs. If he catches any, it ain't me."
Twice Herman was on base when teammates hit homers and stopped running to watch the ball. Both times the surprised teammate passed Herman, reducing the homers to singles and earning Herman the nickname, "the Headless Horseman of Ebbets Field."
the other "Babe"
Only Babe Herman and Bob Meusel have hit for the cycle three times. The .393 batting average (second to Bill Terry's .401), 416 total bases, 241 hits, and 143 runs he amassed in 1930 still stand as Dodger records. He also reached a high of 35 HR in 1930, and, with the Reds in 1932, led the NL with 19 triples. On July 10, 1935 at Cincinnati, he hit the first home run in a night game.
Herman was an outstanding hitter but a below-average fielder who led the NL in errors in 1927 as a first baseman and in each of the next two years playing in right field. Fresco Thompson, a 1931 teammate, observed: "He wore a glove for one reason: because it was a league custom." Herman developed a self-deprecating attitude about his shortcomings; when informed by a local bank that someone had been impersonating him and cashing bad checks, he said, "Hit him a few flyballs. If he catches any, it ain't me."
Twice Herman was on base when teammates hit homers and stopped running to watch the ball. Both times the surprised teammate passed Herman, reducing the homers to singles and earning Herman the nickname, "the Headless Horseman of Ebbets Field."
| QUOTE |
| Herman's name is associated with a baserunning gaffe during his rookie year that was not entirely his fault. During a game on August 15 at Ebbets Field, he tried to stretch a double off the right field wall into a triple with one out and the bases loaded; Chick Fewster, who had been on first, advanced to third base – which was already occupied by Dazzy Vance, who had started from second base but was now caught in a rundown and was dashing back to third. All three of them ended up at third base, with Herman not having watched the play in front of him, and the third baseman tagged all three just to be sure of getting as many outs as possible. The slow-footed Vance had been a major contributor to this situation, but according to the rules the lead runner was entitled to the base, so umpire Beans Reardon called Herman and Fewster out. Thus, Babe Herman was said to have "doubled into a double play"; he would later complain that no one remembered that he drove in the winning run on the play. This led to the following popular joke: * "The Dodgers have 3 men on base!" * "Oh, yeh? Which base?" |
wikipedia, everything2.com, baseballlibrary
osfan58202233 - November 28, 2006 07:23 AM (GMT)
November 28th – Dave Righetti, 1958
no good photos, i mean really no good photos at all
Although best known as a reliever, Dave Righetti began and ended his career as a starting pitcher. As a minor leaguer with the Tulsa Drillers, he set a Texas League record when he struck out 21 Midland Cubs batters on July 16, 1978. That is the league's record for a 9-inning outing (Bob Turley fanned 22 in a 16-inning effort in 1951).
He made his major league debut with the New York Yankees the following season and was the 1981 American League Rookie of the Year. On July 4, 1983, he pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
In 1984, he was moved to the bullpen, and in 1986, he notched 46 saves.
After 7 successful seasons as the Yankees closer, he was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants. He saved 24 games in 1991, but after that, his numbers trailed off. After stints with the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays, he ended his career as a starter once again with the Chicago White Sox in 1995.
baseballreference.com
no good photos, i mean really no good photos at all
Although best known as a reliever, Dave Righetti began and ended his career as a starting pitcher. As a minor leaguer with the Tulsa Drillers, he set a Texas League record when he struck out 21 Midland Cubs batters on July 16, 1978. That is the league's record for a 9-inning outing (Bob Turley fanned 22 in a 16-inning effort in 1951).
He made his major league debut with the New York Yankees the following season and was the 1981 American League Rookie of the Year. On July 4, 1983, he pitched a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox.
In 1984, he was moved to the bullpen, and in 1986, he notched 46 saves.
After 7 successful seasons as the Yankees closer, he was signed as a free agent by the San Francisco Giants. He saved 24 games in 1991, but after that, his numbers trailed off. After stints with the Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays, he ended his career as a starter once again with the Chicago White Sox in 1995.
baseballreference.com
Puma170 - November 29, 2006 04:26 PM (GMT)
Not to steal anyone's (D's :D ) thunder on this but...
November 29th - Amy, 1979
Happy Birthday to my wife, AMY!!!!
You are much better than I deserve and I am lucky to have you...
PUMA
November 29th - Amy, 1979
Happy Birthday to my wife, AMY!!!!
You are much better than I deserve and I am lucky to have you...
PUMA
osfan58202233 - November 29, 2006 05:46 PM (GMT)
very very cool.....particularly since i had no interest in writing up Mariano Rivera :lol:
The Roar From Section 34 - November 30, 2006 12:41 AM (GMT)
Shame on you, Ms. D! >|
Now, do I think Mariano Rivera will be a HOFer? Without a doubt. Duh, we all know this. Should BOP fans care that today is "Sand-man's" birthday? HELL NO!
Now, do I think Mariano Rivera will be a HOFer? Without a doubt. Duh, we all know this. Should BOP fans care that today is "Sand-man's" birthday? HELL NO!
| QUOTE |
| He was born Vincent Edward Scully to Irish immigrant parents on Nov. 29, 1927, in the Bronx. His dad, a silk salesman, died when Vin was little and his mom remarried a man Vin liked. He's described his family as "not poverty-stricken, just poor." He grew up in a fifth-floor walk-up in Washington Heights, and he knew what he wanted to be almost from the beginning. |
Arguable the greatest baseball voices in the pastime's consciousness. While growing up in Virginia, I remember his voice from the “Game of the week” along with the guy who announces dog shows now. Joe Garage.. Joe Orangutan… Something like that.
To be honest, I literally ran home after school in October during the playoffs when he called a game. When the playoffs where played during the day. Sounds really lame, but he calls a game like he was reading you a bed-time story.
An article written by Gary Kaufman at Salon.com
| QUOTE |
| "Three times in his sensational career has Sandy Koufax walked out to the mound to pitch a fateful ninth where he turned in a no-hitter. But tonight, September the 9th, nineteen hundred and 65, he made the toughest walk of his career, I'm sure, because through eight innings he has pitched a perfect game." Vin Scully just finished his 50th season broadcasting Dodgers games. I listened in regularly for what at the time was my whole conscious life but was only a dozen or so of those years. I grew up in Los Angeles. Lots of kids at school rooted for the Oakland A's or the Pittsburgh Pirates, powerhouses of the day. Those teams won a lot (and had cool caps), but you couldn't go home from school and listen to them on the radio. I was an Angeleno, and Dodger blue all the way. I moved away from my hometown half a lifetime ago, and the one thing I miss about the place, even still, is the sound of Vin Scully's voice, that musical Irish tenor crooning from the transistor radio hidden beneath my pillow after bedtime: Swung on, a hiiiigh drive into deeeep left field. Back goes Henderson, a-waaaay back, to the waaaaaall ... she's gone! Musical, yes. Vin Scully has the most musical voice in baseball. He doesn't have the clipped, old-time-radio cadence of most broadcasters who date back to the '50s and beyond. Although his timbre is thin, everything is smooth and rounded. The words slide into each other. He has flow. The melody rises and falls on the tide of the game. You can almost hum along to Vin Scully. He's often referred to as baseball's poet laureate, and those who don't get him parody him by quoting Emerson or spouting flowery language. But even though he will occasionally toss off some verse (he's likely to find the lyrics of an old show tune more apt) or call a cheap base hit "a humble thing, but thine own," the real metaphor for Vin Scully isn't poetry, or even music: It's painting. Other radio announcers can tell you what's happening on the field, and you can imagine it. With Vin Scully, you can see it. His command of the language and the game is so masterful that he always has just the right words to describe what's going on. He paints you a picture. You can't ask another baseball announcer about Scully without hearing a variation on that phrase: "At times I'll be listening to him and I'll think, Oh, I wish I could call upon that expression the way he does," Dick Enberg has said. "He paints the picture more beautifully than anyone who's ever called a baseball game." I found a collection of baseball writing once in the library. One of the chapters was a transcript of Scully's call of the ninth inning of Sandy Koufax's perfect game against the Chicago Cubs in 1965. It read like a short story. It had tension, rising and falling drama, great turns of phrase. It was, and still is, the best piece of baseball writing I've ever seen. And it came off the top of his head, at a moment when, like the man whose feat he was describing, he knew he had to be at the top of his game. I've since heard a tape of that half inning: There's not a single misstep. He never once fumbles for a word, makes a false start or trips over himself. Fastball, swung on and missed, strike 2. And you can almost taste the pressure now. Koufax lifted his cap, ran his fingers through his black hair, then pulled the cap back down, fussing at the bill. Krug must feel it too as he backs out, heaves a sigh, took off his helmet, put it back on and steps back up to the plate. It's different now. I've changed my skin. Today I root for the Dodgers' hated rivals, the San Francisco Giants. I have friends who still can't believe it, who don't think it's possible to go from the Dodgers to the Giants, even though the Giants' own manager, Dusty Baker, had his best years in a Dodgers uniform. But it's true. The place in my fan's heart where Jimmy Wynn and Davey Lopes and Steve Garvey and Ron Cey used to live is now occupied by Barry Bonds and J.T. Snow and Jeff Kent and Marvin Benard. But as wonderful as the Giants' announcers have been while I've rooted for them -- the wry wit of Hank Greenwald and now the impish charm of Jon Miller -- there's still nobody like the redhead. Miller's occasional Scully impersonations only help a little. You've probably heard Vin Scully even if you don't live in Los Angeles. He's worked for the networks off and on since the late '50s, doing baseball, football and golf, and he's the announcer in the current baseball movie "For Love of the Game." He's OK on TV, but if you haven't heard him broadcast baseball on the radio, you haven't heard him. For one thing, he works alone, something the Dodgers continue to allow him to do long after it's become fashionable, even required, to have a former player serve as a "color" commentator. On network TV or radio, he always has a partner. For years on NBC's "Game of the Week," his partner was Joe Garagiola, and Scully's instructions to Garagiola when they first teamed up, for an All-Star Game in the mid-'60s, are enlightening: "I said to him, 'Joe, you played a long time, but I've broadcast as many games as you've played, and then some. So if you're gonna talk "inside baseball," you tell the fans the "inside baseball." But don't tell me.'" Good advice, but impossible. The fact is, when two people are in the booth, they talk to each other. When it's just Vin, he talks to you and me. It's intimate. We're in on it. And Scully's vast knowledge of the game, his incredible store of anecdote both old and new, the fruits of his almost obsessive preparation, need not play second fiddle to some former backstop with strong opinions about when to employ the hit-and-run. I grew up in a lucky time and place for a kid who liked to listen to sports on the radio. We had Scully doing the Dodgers, Enberg doing the Angels and Rams, the colorful, vocabulary-inventing Chick Hearn doing the Lakers, and Bob Miller, less famous than the others, somehow making hockey action make sense on the radio for the Kings. (All are still there except Enberg, long NBC's plum-assignment guy.) I was spoiled. I've heard others who grew up listening to Scully say that they never realized how good he was until they traveled around some and heard other announcers. But I knew. Looking back, I think now that Jerry Doggett, the Dodgers' longtime No. 2 announcer, was a pretty fair broadcaster, but he seemed like a clod next to the mellifluous Scully. I could hear the Angels' various broadcasters every night, and sometimes I'd tune in the San Diego Padres on KGB or even the Giants on clear-channel KNBR. Nobody like him. Nobody like the redhead. The Dodgers defensively in this spine-tingling moment: Sandy Koufax and Jeff Torborg. The boys who will try and stop anything hit their way: Wes Parker, Dick Tracewski, Maury Wills and John Kennedy; the outfield of Lou Johnson, Willie Davis and Ron Fairly. And there's 29,000 people in the ballpark and a million butterflies. There's David Copperfield stuff to get to, although talking about it means talking about Vin Scully the person, not Vin Scully the voice, something Scully and I probably agree is far less interesting to do. He was born Vincent Edward Scully to Irish immigrant parents on Nov. 29, 1927, in the Bronx. His dad, a silk salesman, died when Vin was little and his mom remarried a man Vin liked. He's described his family as "not poverty-stricken, just poor." He grew up in a fifth-floor walk-up in Washington Heights, and he knew what he wanted to be almost from the beginning. "I was about 8 years old and we had an old radio on four legs with crossed bars between the legs," he told his friend Danny Kaye in a TV tribute in 1982, "and I would come home to listen to a football game -- there weren't other sports on -- and I would get a pillow and I would crawl under the radio, so that the loudspeaker and the roar of the crowd would wash all over me, and I would just get goose bumps like you can't believe. And I knew that of all the things in this world that I wanted, I wanted to be that fella saying, whatever, home run, or touchdown. It just really got to me." He was a pretty fair baseball player at Fordham Prep, and went to Fordham University on a partial baseball scholarship in 1945. He served a year in the Navy, then returned to get his degree in 1949, giving up baseball in his senior year because it interfered with his chance to do some work at a local radio station. He also was a stringer for the New York Times, wrote a column for the college paper -- and sang in a barbershop quartet. Upon graduation he got a job at WTOP, the CBS affiliate in Washington. A network executive mentioned him to Red Barber, CBS's sports director (and lead announcer for the Brooklyn Dodgers). Not long after, Barber had a sudden need for an announcer to do the Boston University-Maryland football game, part of "The Saturday CBS Football Roundup," which had Barber in the studio in New York throwing it to whichever one of several games around the country was most exciting at the moment. Barber called Scully at home and got his mom, who was thrilled, if confused. "What kind of mother would I have?" Scully said. "Irish, red-headed and excitable. She took the message, but she said it was from Red Skelton." Scully went to Boston to do the game from Fenway Park. But because of a mix-up, there was no booth for him. He ended up on the stadium roof with a long microphone cord, walking up and down to follow the game, freezing -- he'd left his coat and gloves at the hotel, thinking he'd be inside. When Barber got a note from Fenway officials the next week apologizing for not having a booth for his man on Saturday, he was shocked and impressed: Scully had never mentioned his plight on the air, had never grubbed for sympathy from the audience. Although Scully was sure he'd done a lousy job and blown his big chance, Barber soon offered him the job as No. 3 man in the Dodgers booth. He was 22 years old. How can it have taken so long? "Koufax, feet together, now to his windup and the 1-2 pitch: fastball outside, ball 2. (Crowd boos.) A lot of people in the ballpark now are starting to see the pitches with their hearts. The pitch was outside, Torborg tried to pull it over the plate but Vargo, an experienced umpire, wouldn't go for it. Two and 2 the count to Chris Krug. Sandy reading signs, into his windup, 2-2 pitch: fastball, got him swingin'!" "We just needed somebody to sort of take an inning here and there and just do little things. As I put it, carry our briefcases if necessary," said Barber, known as the Old Redhead, who would become Scully's mentor. "Scully was a very apt young man. And he took right over. He made the most of his opportunity." It used to be the other way around, but now if you listen to old tapes of Red Barber, you hear some of Vin Scully's cadences. Barber's call of Cookie Lavagetto's game-winning double in Game 4 of the 1947 World Series ("Here comes the tying run, and heeeeere comes the winning run!") sounds almost exactly like Scully. "Red never taught me how to broadcast, he never taught me baseball, or anything like that," Scully said in the 1982 video. "What he did teach me was among other things an attitude -- get there early and do your homework and bear down. Use the crowd." Scully uses the crowd like nobody else. He still gets those goose bumps from the roar of a crowd, and he makes it a part of the broadcast. At the most exciting, historically significant moments, when other announcers would blather on about how exciting and historically significant the moment is, Scully shuts up. When Koufax struck out Harvey Kuenn to complete his perfect game, Scully stayed quiet for 38 seconds while the crowd roared. When Henry Aaron broke Babe Ruth's career home run record with his 715th in 1974, Scully said, "It's gone!" -- and then took off his headset and stood in the back of the booth so he wouldn't be tempted to ruin the moment by talking. When the Brooklyn Dodgers won their only World Series, in 1955, he said, simply, "Ladies and gentlemen, the Brooklyn Dodgers are the champions of the world." (He would later claim that he would have been unable to say more, for fear of bursting into tears.) "The strike 1 pitch: curveball, tapped foul, 0 and 2. And Amalfitano walks away and shakes himself a little bit, and swings the bat. And Koufax with a new ball, takes a hitch at his belt and walks behind the mound." I would think that the mound at Dodger Stadium right now is the loneliest place in the world." After one season, Scully was afraid he was going to be out of a job. The Dodgers were sold to Walter O'Malley, and Scully figured the new owner might want to bring in his own people. Then Vin got a call at home. It was O'Malley. Not, as Scully has often said, his secretary, or "a special assistant to," but the man himself. O'Malley assured the young announcer that he was wanted back for 1951. "It was an incredible thought," Scully would say years later. "Here I'd been a year and a half out of college, and the thought that with all the things he had to do and with all the things he had on his mind, that he would call this kid in Jersey, the third announcer, and tell him, 'You'll be back next year.'" It was the first indication Scully had of the O'Malley way of doing business, a way that would make him an intensely loyal employee as long as the family owned the team. He came to consider Walter O'Malley a father figure, and Walter's son, Peter, who eventually took over the team, was like a brother. When Peter decided in late 1997 to sell the team (Fox bought it the next year), he sat Scully down and told him personally, and Scully said he felt "like I had been hit in the pit of my stomach." By the mid-'50s Barber had moved over to the Yankees and Scully was the No. 1 man for the Dodgers. In 1958 -- the Brooklynites among you generally stop reading at this point in the story -- O'Malley moved the Dodgers to Los Angeles. "My first feeling was of tremendous relief when [O'Malley] told me I was in his plans to go to Los Angeles," Scully told Bob Raissman of the Los Angeles Daily News in 1997. "But I was saddened because being a New Yorker, everything I had and loved in the world was back there." Not for long. Scully married a woman named Joan Crawford (not the actress) in 1958. The Dodgers struggled to a seventh-place finish that year, but in 1959 became the first National League team to go from seventh to first when they beat the Milwaukee Braves in a playoff. (Scully's famous call of the clinching moment: "Big bouncer over the mound, over second base. Up with it is Mantilla, throws low and wide! Hodges scores! We go to Chicago!") They beat the "Go-Go" White Sox in the Series, and what had taken 75 years and millions of broken hearts in Brooklyn had taken two seasons in California. The Dodgers were champions of the world. Los Angeles fell madly in love with its new team -- and with its announcer. "Sandy fussing, looks in to get his sign, 0 and 2 to Amalfitano. The strike 2 pitch to Joe: fastball, swung on and missed, strike 3! He is one out away from the promised land, and Harvey Kuenn is comin' up." It was a different world out West. In 1962 the Dodgers moved into a gleaming new ballpark -- something that would have kept the team in Brooklyn had a deal been worked out there. They were champions again in '63 and '65, and then, after a Brooklyn-like four-Series losing streak ('66, '74, '77, '78), again in '81 and '88. The golden age of the transistor radio made Vin Scully's voice an overarching presence at Dodger Stadium. So many fans brought radios to the game, the broadcast could be heard in every corner of the ballpark. Even the players could hear it when the crowd was quiet (which, at polite Dodger Stadium, was often). He used that power only rarely. Once he had the crowd sing "Happy Birthday" to an umpire, Frank Secory. In 1965, on the last day of the season, with the Dodgers having clinched the pennant the night before, manager Walter Alston let Scully manage, over the radio, from the booth. A very hung over Ron Fairly drew a walk ("He didn't trot to first base. He didn't really walk to first base. He sloshed to first base"), and Scully thought it would be fun to have Fairly, slow-footed in the best of times, steal. "For those of you in the ballpark with transistor radios listening," Scully said, "watch Fairly's face when he looks over to third and gets the steal sign." After a double take for the ages by Fairly and a foul ball by the hitter, Scully had Fairly go again, and he made it, thanks to the catcher dropping the ball. At that, Scully retired from managing: "All right, Walter," he said, "I got you this far. Now you're on your own." "One and 1 to Harvey Kuenn. Now he's ready: fastball, high, ball 2. You can't blame a man for pushing just a little bit now. Sandy backs off, mops his forehead, runs his left index finger along his forehead, dries it off on his left pants leg. All the while Kuenn just waiting. Now Sandy looks in. Into his windup and the 2-1 pitch to Kuenn: swung on and missed, strike 2! It is 9:46 p.m." Vin Scully has been behind the mike for half a century -- more than two-thirds of the time that baseball has been a radio fixture. He is revered, at least by those who know of him, like few others in the game: like Joe DiMaggio was, maybe, or Willie Mays is. He's in the Hall of Fame. In fact, the Hall of Fame did a multimedia presentation on his 50th season this year that was so popular, it's probably going to become a regular event. In even more fact, when I called the Hall of Fame for help in researching this article, I was told there was a six-week backup for reference requests -- "but since you're writing about Vin Scully, I can do it right away." Criticizing him is like criticizing Shakespeare. You can do it, but you say more about your own foolishness than anything else. He's never changed his style. When his wife, Joan, died at 35, in 1972, leaving him with three children, Scully was the same easygoing fellow he'd always been on the air. It was just like on that rooftop at Fenway all those years before. No complaining, no talking about Vin. I listened to him every day, and I had no idea. (He also has three children with his current wife, Sandra.) As he gets older, it seems to bother him more and more to be away from his family on road trips. He talks a lot -- in interviews, never on the air -- about how precious time is, and how much of it feels wasted when he's away from home. "There are a lot of times you sit in a hotel room and you can hear the meter ticking," he told the Dodgers' Web site earlier this year. "And you begin to think about your own mortality. But I do love the game so much." Retirement doesn't seem to be on the horizon. "Two and 2 to Harvey Kuenn, one strike away. Sandy into his windup, here's the pitch: Swung on and missed, a perfect game!" I haven't heard him much these last couple decades. Even when I visit L.A. there's rarely time or inclination to sit and listen to a ballgame on the radio, and anyway now that every game is on TV, Scully's not on the radio enough anymore. He does more innings on the TV side, leaving the bulk of the radio work to others. But I still hear him in my head, the voice of baseball for me. When I slap one through the hole in a pickup softball game, he's right there with the call: "A humble thing, but thine own." |
osfan58202233 - November 30, 2006 01:46 AM (GMT)
how awesome is that?
i keep saying, i get the names from a calendar that was a gift. i don't pick the names, just go with whatever is listed that day.
so Vin Scully is a great, great surprise.
thanks for the post, G.
i keep saying, i get the names from a calendar that was a gift. i don't pick the names, just go with whatever is listed that day.
so Vin Scully is a great, great surprise.
thanks for the post, G.
osfan58202233 - November 30, 2006 06:40 AM (GMT)
November 30th – Bo Jackson, 1962
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American multi-sport professional athlete who, before he retired, played football in the National Football League and baseball in the American League, the first athlete named an All-Star in both sports. He is also an actor who has had small roles in several films.
Jackson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the first pick of the 1986 NFL Draft, but he opted to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals instead. He spent most of the season with the Memphis Chicks in the minor leagues before being called up for regular duty in 1987, where he had 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as an outfielder for the Royals. He began to show his true potential in 1989, when he was selected for the American League All-Star team, and was named the game's MVP for his play on both offense and defense.
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson (born November 30, 1962) is an American multi-sport professional athlete who, before he retired, played football in the National Football League and baseball in the American League, the first athlete named an All-Star in both sports. He is also an actor who has had small roles in several films.
Jackson was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the first pick of the 1986 NFL Draft, but he opted to play baseball for the Kansas City Royals instead. He spent most of the season with the Memphis Chicks in the minor leagues before being called up for regular duty in 1987, where he had 22 home runs, 53 RBIs and 10 stolen bases as an outfielder for the Royals. He began to show his true potential in 1989, when he was selected for the American League All-Star team, and was named the game's MVP for his play on both offense and defense.
| QUOTE |
| His great plays in the game included a monstrous home run off Rick Reuschel of the San Francisco Giants which landed an estimated 448 feet from home plate - in his first All-Star at-bat. Legendary baseball announcer Vin Scully (calling the game for NBC-TV) was moved to comment, "And look at that one! Bo Jackson says hello!" |
can't ya just hear that, greg?
On June 5, 1989, Jackson ran down a long line-drive deep to left field on a hit-and-run play against the Seattle Mariners. With speedy Harold Reynolds running from first base on the play, Scott Bradley's hit would have been deep enough to score him against most outfielders. But Jackson, from the warning track, turned flat footed and fired a strike to catcher Bob Boone, who tagged the sliding Reynolds out. Jackson's throw reached Boone on the fly. Interviewed for the "Bo Jackson" episode of ESPN Classic's SportsCentury, Reynolds admitted that he thought there was no way anyone would throw him out on such a deep drive into the gap in left-center, and was shocked to see his teammate telling him to slide as he rounded third base.
On July 11, 1990 against the Baltimore Orioles, Jackson performed his famous "wall run", when he caught a ball approximately 2-3 strides away from the wall. As he caught the ball at full tilt, Jackson looked up and noticed the wall and began to run up the wall, one leg reaching higher as he ascended. He ran along the wall almost parallel to the ground, and came down with the catch, to avoid impact and the risk of injury from the fence.
Before Jackson finished his career in California he spent two years playing for the Chicago White Sox. After a poor at bat he was known to snap the bat over his knee.
In his eight baseball seasons, Jackson had a career batting average of .250, hit 141 home runs and had 415 RBIs, with a slugging average of .474.
oh, and just as an aside,
| QUOTE |
| Joining the Raiders midway through the 1987 season, Jackson rushed for 554 yards on 81 carries in just seven games. Over the next three seasons, Bo Jackson would rush for 2,228 more yards and 12 touchdowns. What made his stats so impressive was the fact that he was a back-up to Raiders' legend Marcus Allen. |
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