DOCSLIB.ORG

The Lives and Times of Superstars in Two Golden Ages of Sport Philip T

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Lives and Times of Superstars in Two Golden Ages of Sport Philip T Bridgewater Review Volume 3 | Issue 2 Article 7 Jul-1985 The eH roic Image: The Lives and Times of Superstars in Two Golden Ages of Sport Philip T. Silvia Jr. Bridgewater State College Recommended Citation Silvia, Philip T. Jr. (1985). The eH roic Image: The Lives and Times of Superstars in Two Golden Ages of Sport. Bridgewater Review, 3(2), 9-13. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol3/iss2/7 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. test comparing with Pepsi? Certainly not a droll Senator Robert Dole who has sug­ the Summer Olympics of 1984 or the If gested that in 1985 our nation needs decision yearly Super Bowl extravaganzas are any making liy realists, and that perhaps an NFL indication, Americans continue to be sport­ owner could lead through example by mov­ obsessed. It has become increasingly impor­ ing a franchise to sunny Colombia, South tant that we reflect about professional ath­ America. With so many associated prob­ letes and the public's perception oftheir role lems, the cynically informed might concur in society. I would like to take a subjective, with the words ofThomas Wolfe: "It is hard biographical look at four dominant athletes to get excited about the efforts of hired who influenced American civilization dur­ men." Besides this understandable aliena­ ing our two Golden Ages of Sport, namely, tion, there are also many Americans who the 1920s and the late 1960s-1970s. 'I never have been attracted to athletics and yet The role of sport in twentieth -century enjoy fulfilling, contented lives. Western Civilization can scarcely be exag­ Nevertheless, since the 1920s we have gerated. Sport is not merely a diverting lei­ lived through "the Age of the Spectator" in sure activity; at times it has been integrated historian Benjamin Rader's phrase. Millions into life and death matters. Highly spirited of Americans for a multitude of reasons soldiers from British units advanced rapidly have lived vicariously by enthusiastically toward enemy trenches while kicking at a cheering for player and team. And a pre­ soccer bait during World War I (a presum­ ponderant number ofsports' most cherished ably deflating experience), while at the time crown jewels n for example, the World Ser­ ofthe later London blitz the rule's committee of one ofthat city's golfclubs decided upon a ies and, more recently, the Super Bowl-- are one-stroke penalty for replacing any ball in the professional domain. blown away by a bomb! What have the millions of loyal fans of professional sport come to expect ofthe per­ Sport came to enjoy great popularity in an formers who, over the past two generations, industrializing and urbanizing late nine­ have provided them with entertainment? teenth century United States. Participants Certainly the evidence will reveal a meta­ and observers were attracted to athletic con­ morphosis ofattitude as we pass through the tests that had largely outlived Puritanical Two Golden Ages, the first stamped with the condemnation as "worthless entertainment label of "coverup," the second with "expo­ for gentlemen ... and despicable rowdies." sure." In this century spectator sport has become We can best begin with the understanding increasingly associated with professionalism that the coverup decade of the 1920s simply and commercialism. The trend away from represented an intensive extension ofVictorian­ the amateur ideal as personified by Baron de era media protection accorded two of our Coubertin's resurrected Olympic Games of nation's first publicly acclaimed profes­ the 1890s has disappointed proponents of sional sports heroes. Their athletic skills competition-for-competition's sake. Money were appreciated and publicized, their off­ subverts. Athletes all-too-frequently cease field conduct de-emphasized. Only recently dreaming of victory cup, laurel, and draped did we realize that John L. Sullivan and medal, demanding instead what critics What have the mil­ Michael J. "King" Kelly were questionable demean as fool's gold. Bill Rodgers disturb­ characters. ingly lobbies against tradition, preferring to lions ofloyal fans of be paid for running from Hopkinton to the Roxbury-born Sullivan, "the Boston Pru. Obscene contracts -- forty million dol­ professional sports come Strong Boy," was America's first lionized lars lifetime, fifteen million dollars for seven athlete, a colorful personality who attracted years -- mock those hard-working citizens to expect of their worshipful crowds wherever he went. His who make the psychologically devastating career took him from Boston College where mistake of measuring their worth by salary performers who ... he had begun to prepare for entry into the comparisons. priesthood, to the life of a brawler, boozer, The greed of players, agents, and franchise­ have provided them with and adulterer. High-living, free-spending hopping owners aside, other issues lead to a John L. left behind a wife in Boston while he rejection of professional sports in our times. entertainment? toured the country on the vaudeville circuit Brutality, exploitation, sexism, and racism and lived openly with a burlesque queen. His offend. Most especially, there is drug abuse. appetite was incredible. On the day of When today's pros prefer Coke as "the real his championship fight with Jake Kilrain, he thing" who can be certain that they are taste- consumed three whole chickens covered 9 with rice and a loaf of bread. Until he awa­ the progress of the ball after an outfield hit. theless, another type of savior was required, kened with a hangover one day in 1905 and On another occasion at dusk in this pre­ one offering more than the simple integrity vowed temperance, Sullivan, an incredible floodlight era, outfielder Kelly raced back­ of the rigidly authoritarian Landis. Organ­ tippler, had spent a fortune, mostly in bar­ ward, leaped, slammed his fist convincingly ized baseball turned to the playing field for rooms. Even maintaining a healthy scepti­ into his glove and was credited with the help. cism about Professor William Lyon Phelps' game-saving "catch" of a ball that had trav­ Ever since breaking into the majors in assertion that Sullivan once consumed fifty­ eled well beyond his reach. 1905, Tyrus Raymond "Ty"Cobb had thrilled six gin fizzes in a single hour (!), he doubt­ The newspapers' penchant for whitewash­ baseball aficionados. By the time he retired lessly had an amazing capacity for drink. He ing the non-athletic antics of Sullivan and in 1928, "Mr. Baseball" had amassed more would imbibe for days on end, even develop­ Kelly was precedent-setting for the next than four thousand lifetime base hits, won ing delirium tremens during 1888 and almost sixty years, particularly during the 1920s, twelve batting crowns, including nine suc­ killing himself after one spree. It was poten­ "The Era of Wonderful Nonsense." Though cessive titles, and achieved the game's high­ tially hazardous to one's health to encounter that decade featured a galaxy ofstars -- Jack est batting average. As the most aggressive Sullivan while he was on a bender, for the Dempsey, Red Grange, Bobby Jones, Big of competitors, Ty had been a terror on the belligerent champ was always ready to deck Bill Tilden -- American spectators were basepaths who thrived on intimidating oppos­ those for whom he developed an instant overwhelmingly drawn to the self-proclaimed ing infielders with his flashing spikes and dislike. "national game" of baseball. This domi­ slashing slides en route to stealing 892 bases. nance had not been easily maintained, for "King" Kelly of "Slide, Kelly, Slide" fame For all his achievements, Cobb would not since 1910 major league attendance had was a one-time Paterson, New Jersey mill be baseball's savior during the 1920s. Ty, failed to keep pace with the general popula­ bobbin boy who became the darling of though remaining colorful and extremely tion growth, with World War I proving par­ National League baseball fans in the 1880s. competent, was by then an old-style repre­ ticularly disruptive. Developer ofthe "Chicago"slide, now known sentative of "deadball" play which had fea­ Worse still, by the beginning of the 1920s as the hook slide, King Kel was a complete tured single runs scored by bunting, base organized baseball was sorely in need of ballplayer who was worth the then astro­ stealing, and hit-and-run strategy. Purists house cleaning. Just as the country was nomical sum of ten thousand dollars to the might be pleased, but for the fans of the returning to "normalcy" and the Red Scare Chicago White Stockings team when he was Roaring Twenties low scoring contests were was petering out, a distraught young boy traded to the Boston Nationals in 1887. Irish a bore. .Beantowners loved their "Ten-Thousand­ was reputedly exclaiming, "Say it ain't so, Cobb's one "failure" was in not hitting Dollar-Beauty"and showered him with gifts, Joe." The Great Black Sox scandal had many home runs. But he was not alone. No including a house and land in Hingham. If broken. Shoeless (and illiterate) Joe Jack­ son, Ed Cicotte and several other Chicago one had ever hit many homers. This key popularity can be measured by the criterion ingredient in stimulating patron excitement offuneral attendance, then Kelly was first in White Sox players had conspired with gam­ was suddenly provided by George Herman the hearts of fans until the Babe's body was blers to lose the 1919 World Series to Cin­ "Babe" Ruth, destined to become America's laid out at Yankee Stadium in 1948. cinnati. Frantic owners sought to rescue the game's sullied reputation by granting abso­ best-known athlete, its quintessential hero This redhead's funeral was sadly prema­ lute power to Judge Kenesaw Mountain (just ask Hank Aaron and Roger Maris).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Brooklyn Nine DISCUSSION GUIDE
    The Brooklyn Nine DISCUSSION GUIDE “A wonderful baseball book that is more than the sum of its parts.” The Horn Book About the Book 1845: Felix Schneider cheers the New York 1945: Kat Flint becomes a star in the All- Knickerbockers as they play Three-Out, All-Out. American Girls Baseball League. 1864: Union soldier Louis Schneider plays 1957: Ten-year-old Jimmy Flint deals with bullies, baseball between battles in the Civil War. Sputnik, and the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn. 1893: Arnold Schneider meets his hero King 1981: Michael Flint pitches a perfect game in a Kelly, one of professional baseball's first big stars. Little League game at Prospect Park. 1908: Walter Snider sneaks a black pitcher into 2002: Snider Flint researches a bat that belonged the Majors by pretending he's Native American. to one of Brooklyn's greatest baseball players. 1926: Numbers wiz Frankie Snider cons a con One family, nine generations. with the help of a fellow Brooklyn Robins fan. One city, nine innings of baseball. Make a Timeline Questions for Discussion Create a timeline with pictures of First Inning: Play Ball important events from baseball and American history that Who was the first of your ancestors to come to America? correspond to the eras in each of Where is your family from? Could you have left your home to the nine innings in The Brooklyn make a new life in a foreign land? Nine. Use these dates, and add some from your own research. How is baseball different today from the way it was played by Felix and the New York Knickerbockers in 1845? First Inning: 1845 Felix's dreams are derailed by the injury he suffers during the 1835 – First Great Fire in Great Fire of 1845, but he resolves to succeed anyway.
    [Show full text]
  • Baseball Cards
    Durham and the Rise of the Baseball Card Educator’s Guide Table of Contents Introduction……………………………………………………….2 How to Use this Educator’s Guide………………………3 Exhibit Outline & Explorations……………………………5 Key Exhibit Themes……………………………………………7 Themed Activities………………………………………………8 Key Exhibit Terms…………………………………………….17 Museum of Durham History | History Hub………18 Curriculum Standards………………………………………19 1 Introduction The baseball card. It’s one of America’s most timeless novelties. Today, you might find one in a sporting goods store, in an auction house or even on your smartphone. However, the baseball card wasn’t always a fun collector’s item. In fact, it began as a creative advertising tool for businessmen. The baseball card came about at a time of major change in America. This exhibit examines that change, and demonstrates how the card evolved as social issues shaped communities like Durham. The exhibit will allow students to explore how different historical eras shaped baseball card advertising, and the sport as a whole. Students will also have the opportunity to understand Durham’s role in baseball card advertising. The exhibit draws together five major themes, including: • Technology & Industry • Advertising • Race & Culture • Community Contributions • Leisure in America 2 How to Use this Educator’s Guide This Educator’s Guide will help educators and students draw connections between the historical content in “Durham and the Rise of the Baseball Card” and classroom topics. Prior to engaging with the exhibit, educators should review the exhibit outline, which gives an in-depth overview of the chronology and subject matter of the exhibit. The exhibit outline may also aid you in preparing lesson plans and classroom activities that relate directly to historical subject matter addressed in the exhibit.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 2 (.Pdf)
    Players' League-Chapter 2 7/19/2001 12:12 PM "A Structure To Last Forever":The Players' League And The Brotherhood War of 1890" © 1995,1998, 2001 Ethan Lewis.. All Rights Reserved. Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 "If They Could Only Get Over The Idea That They Owned Us"12 A look at sports pages during the past year reveals that the seemingly endless argument between the owners of major league baseball teams and their players is once more taking attention away from the game on the field. At the heart of the trouble between players and management is the fact that baseball, by fiat of antitrust exemption, is a http://www.empire.net/~lewisec/Players_League_web2.html Page 1 of 7 Players' League-Chapter 2 7/19/2001 12:12 PM monopolistic, monopsonistic cartel, whose leaders want to operate in the style of Gilded Age magnates.13 This desire is easily understood, when one considers that the business of major league baseball assumed its current structure in the 1880's--the heart of the robber baron era. Professional baseball as we know it today began with the formation of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs in 1876. The National League (NL) was a departure from the professional organization which had existed previously: the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players. The main difference between the leagues can be discerned by their full titles; where the National Association considered itself to be by and for the players, the NL was a league of ball club owners, to whom the players were only employees.
    [Show full text]
  • Table of Contents
    Table of Contents Letter to collector and introduction to catalog ........................................................................................ 4 Auction Rules ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Clean Sweep All Sports Affordable Autograph/Memorabilia Auction Day One Wednesday December 11 Lots 1 - 804 Baseball Autographs ..................................................................................................................................... 6-43 Signed Cards ................................................................................................................................................... 6-9 Signed Photos.................................................................................................................................. 11-13, 24-31 Signed Cachets ............................................................................................................................................ 13-15 Signed Documents ..................................................................................................................................... 15-17 Signed 3x5s & Related ................................................................................................................................ 18-21 Signed Yearbooks & Programs ................................................................................................................. 21-23 Single Signed Baseballs ............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Jim Bouton's Ball Four Changes Baseball's Image
    Undergraduate Review Volume 1 Issue 1 Article 8 1986 Myth and America's National Pastime: Jim Bouton's Ball Four Changes Baseball's Image Steven B. Stone '86 Illinois Wesleyan University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev Recommended Citation Stone '86, Steven B. (1986) "Myth and America's National Pastime: Jim Bouton's Ball Four Changes Baseball's Image," Undergraduate Review: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 8. Available at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol1/iss1/8 This Article is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Commons @ IWU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this material in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This material has been accepted for inclusion by faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ©Copyright is owned by the author of this document. Stone '86: Myth and America's National Pastime: Jim Bouton's Ball Four Chan Fugitive in Brink's Case," NIT, May 25, :night-Ridder Newspapers), Holmesburg 'he New York Review of Books, Sept. 22, Myth and America's National Pastime: Jim Bouton's BaH Four Changes Baseball's Image Steven B. Stone IAIsweek, July 21, 1980, p. 35. lewsweek, Dec. 15, 1980, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting
    Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Faculty Publications and Other Works by History: Faculty Publications and Other Works Department 3-2019 Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting Elliot Gorn Loyola University Chicago, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/history_facpubs Part of the History Commons Recommended Citation Gorn, Elliot. Bare-Knuckle Prize Fighting. The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Boxing, , : 34-51, 2019. Retrieved from Loyola eCommons, History: Faculty Publications and Other Works, This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Publications and Other Works by Department at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in History: Faculty Publications and Other Works by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. © Cambridge University Press, 2019. 34 2 ELLIOTT J. GORN The Bare- Knuckle Era Origins of the Ring Fistic combat goes back at least as far as ancient Greece and Rome. Pindar , in 474 BC , celebrated Diagoras ’ victory in the Greek Olympiad: “But do thou, O father Zeus, that rulest over the height of Atabyrium, grant honour to the hymn ordained in praise of an Olympian victor, and to the hero who hath found fame for his prowess as a boxer; and do though give him grace and reverence in the eyes of citizens and of strangers too. For he goeth in a straight course along a path that hateth insolence.” Worthy of Zeus’ blessing, the successful boxer was a man of moral as well as physical excel- lence.
    [Show full text]
  • Kit Young's Sale #154
    Page 1 KIT YOUNG’S SALE #154 AUTOGRAPHED BASEBALLS 500 Home Run Club 3000 Hit Club 300 Win Club Autographed Baseball Autographed Baseball Autographed Baseball (16 signatures) (18 signatures) (11 signatures) Rare ball includes Mickey Mantle, Ted Great names! Includes Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Eddie Murray, Craig Biggio, Scarce Ball. Includes Roger Clemens, Williams, Barry Bonds, Willie McCovey, Randy Johnson, Early Wynn, Nolan Ryan, Frank Robinson, Mike Schmidt, Jim Hank Aaron, Rod Carew, Paul Molitor, Rickey Henderson, Carl Yastrzemski, Steve Carlton, Gaylord Perry, Phil Niekro, Thome, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, Warren Spahn, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas, Rafael Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, Robin Yount, Pete Rose, Lou Brock, Dave Winfield, and Greg Maddux. Letter of authenticity Palmeiro, Harmon Killebrew, Ernie Banks, from JSA. Nice Condition $895.00 Willie Mays and Eddie Mathews. Letter of Cal Ripken, Al Kaline and George Brett. authenticity from JSA. EX-MT $1895.00 Letter of authenticity from JSA. EX-MT $1495.00 Other Autographed Baseballs (All balls grade EX-MT/NR-MT) Authentication company shown. 1. Johnny Bench (PSA/DNA) .........................................$99.00 2. Steve Garvey (PSA/DNA) ............................................ 59.95 3. Ben Grieve (Tristar) ..................................................... 21.95 4. Ken Griffey Jr. (Pro Sportsworld) ..............................299.95 5. Bill Madlock (Tristar) .................................................... 34.95 6. Mickey Mantle (Scoreboard, Inc.) ..............................695.00 7. Don Mattingly (PSA/DNA) ...........................................99.00 8. Willie Mays (PSA/DNA) .............................................295.00 9. Pete Rose (PSA/DNA) .................................................99.00 10. Nolan Ryan (Mill Creek Sports) ............................... 199.00 Other Autographed Baseballs (Sold as-is w/no authentication) All Time MLB Records Club 3000 Strike Out Club 11.
    [Show full text]
  • December 16, 2011 Vol. 115 No. 50
    VOL. 115 - NO. 50 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, DECEMBER 16, 2011 $.30 A COPY First Night Boston 2012 NORTH END ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION 41ST ANNUAL NORTH END CHRISTMAS PARADE Here Comes Santa Claus! by Sal Giarratani FedEx Family Festival. (Photo by Paul Marotta) This year, First Night Boston celebrates the 36th edition of the country’s oldest and largest New Year’s Eve arts festival by announcing a line-up of world class events that offer some- thing for everyone. On Saturday, December 31, 2011 from noon to midnight, First Night presents its annual day-long festival of art, music, dance, ice sculpture and more. First Night will showcase 1,000 artists in 200 exhibitions and per- formances in locations all over downtown Boston, from the Waterfront to the Fenway. First Night welcomes children, families and revelers of all ages to celebrate community While driving up from the rival of Santa by helicopter jolly ole Santa. This year First Night organizers strongly suggest through the arts. south on Route 95, I heard at Puopolo Park. marked St. Agrippina’s 17lh visiting the interactive planner at www.firstnight.org to Bruce Springsteen singing The Christmas parade was Annual Christmas Program plan attendance . The schedule is subject to change and “Santa Claus is Coming to sponsored by the North End for the kids. updates can be found on the website. Town.” This Christmas clas- Athletic Association in asso- I’m sure many other chil- All First Night outdoor events are free, though supported sic was playing on the radio as ciation with The Nazzaro dren were thinking the by sales of the First Night button, which is the ticket for I was headed to town to see Center, North End Against same thing.
    [Show full text]
  • My Replay Baseball Encyclopedia Fifth Edition- May 2014
    My Replay Baseball Encyclopedia Fifth Edition- May 2014 A complete record of my full-season Replays of the 1908, 1952, 1956, 1960, 1966, 1967, 1975, and 1978 Major League seasons as well as the 1923 Negro National League season. This encyclopedia includes the following sections: • A list of no-hitters • A season-by season recap in the format of the Neft and Cohen Sports Encyclopedia- Baseball • Top ten single season performances in batting and pitching categories • Career top ten performances in batting and pitching categories • Complete career records for all batters • Complete career records for all pitchers Table of Contents Page 3 Introduction 4 No-hitter List 5 Neft and Cohen Sports Encyclopedia Baseball style season recaps 91 Single season record batting and pitching top tens 93 Career batting and pitching top tens 95 Batter Register 277 Pitcher Register Introduction My baseball board gaming history is a fairly typical one. I lusted after the various sports games advertised in the magazines until my mom finally relented and bought Strat-O-Matic Football for me in 1972. I got SOM’s baseball game a year later and I was hooked. I would get the new card set each year and attempt to play the in-progress season by moving the traded players around and turning ‘nameless player cards” into that year’s key rookies. I switched to APBA in the late ‘70’s because they started releasing some complete old season sets and the idea of playing with those really caught my fancy. Between then and the mid-nineties, I collected a lot of card sets.
    [Show full text]
  • NEW ORLEANS NOSTALGIA Remembering New Orleans History, Culture and Traditions by Ned Hémard
    NEW ORLEANS NOSTALGIA Remembering New Orleans History, Culture and Traditions By Ned Hémard Last of the Bare-Knuckles Dow Jones & Company’s issuance of hand-delivered short news briefs (called “flimsies”) to stock traders culminated in the publication of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, July 8, 1889 (Price Two Cents), and New Orleans made the first page of the very first issue, 125 years ago. It all had to do with a highly anticipated prize fight. THE JOURNAL bulletins attempted to provide any updates on the Jake Kilrain vs. John L. Sullivan fight. Bare-knuckle fighting was illegal in all of the existing thirty-eight states, and (although New Orleans was at the vortex of this pugilistic whirlwind) Governor Francis T. Nicholls had forbidden the fight in Louisiana and had activated the state militia to prevent it. Governor Robert Lowry of Mississippi had taken similar measures. Where the bout was to be fought was shrouded in secrecy, unrevealed until the train leaving New Orleans deposited a multitude of enthusiastic fightgoers at the clandestinely arranged location. An earlier announcement (January 12, 1889) in the New Orleans Weekly Pelican heralded the upcoming contest. The confrontation between Kilrain and Sullivan is considered to be a turning point in boxing history, being the last world title bout fought under the London Prize Ring Rules and therefore the last bare-knuckle heavyweight title bout. No gloves were worn and some wrestling moves were permitted. A round concluded when one fighter was knocked down, and the fight lasted until one contestant was unable to get up off the ring floor.
    [Show full text]
  • Ou Know What Iremember About Seattle? Every Time Igot up to Bat When It's Aclear Day, I'd See Mount Rainier
    2 Rain Check: Baseball in the Pacific Northwest Front cover: Tony Conigliaro 'The great things that took place waits in the on­ deck circle as on all those green fields, through Carl Yastrzemski swings at a Gene Brabender pitch all those long-ago summers' during an afternoon Seattle magine spending a summer's day in brand-new . Pilots/Boston Sick's Stadium in 1938 watching Fred Hutchinson Red Sox game on pitch for the Rainiers, or seeing Stan Coveleski July 14, 1969, at throw spitballs at Vaughn Street Park in 1915, or Sick's Stadium. sitting in Cheney Stadium in 1960 while the young Juan Marichal kicked his leg to the heavens. Back cover: Posing in 1913 at In this book, you will revisit all of the classic ballparks, Athletic Park in see the great heroes return to the field and meet the men During aJune 19, 1949, game at Sick's Stadium, Seattle Vancouver, B.C., who organized and ran these teams - John Barnes, W.H. Rainiers infielder Tony York barely misses beating the are All Stars for Lucas, Dan Dugdale, W.W. and W.H. McCredie, Bob throw to San Francisco Seals first baseman Mickey Rocco. the Northwestern Brown and Emil Sick. And you will meet veterans such as League such as . Eddie Basinski and Edo Vanni, still telling stories 60 years (back row, first, after they lived them. wrote many of the photo captions. Ken Eskenazi also lent invaluable design expertise for the cover. second, third, The major leagues arrived in Seattle briefly in 1969, and sixth and eighth more permanently in 1977, but organized baseball has been Finally, I thank the writers whose words grace these from l~ft) William played in the area for more than a century.
    [Show full text]
  • Dear Supporter
    Chairperson Natalie Niekro Master of Ceremonies Phil Niekro – Hall of Fame Emcee Jon Warden Joe Niekro Humanitarian of the Year Award Recipient J. Kent Friedman Special County Music Guest Appearances Chuck Wicks, Keith Anderson and Trailer Choir MLB Honorary Host Committee Carlos Alfonso John McLaren Bob Aspromonte John Mayberry Ken Aspromonte Roger Metzger Kevin Bass Omar Moreno Dave Bergman Joe Morgan Craig Biggio Lance Niekro Bret Boone Phil Niekro Byron Browne Gaylord Perry Bill Buckner Terry Puhl Enos Cabell Craig Reynolds Bert Campaneris JR Richard Bill Dawley Ron Robinson Jeff DeWillis Nolan Ryan On April 28th 2012, athletes from all over the country will come together at Minute Larry Dierker Joe Sambito Jim Foor Mike Scott Maid Park, in association with The Joe Niekro Foundation, to honor the beloved 13- George Foster Duke Sims year Houston Astros All-Star, Joe Niekro, at the 3rd Annual Knuckle Ball…A Pitch for Phil Garner Billy Smith Darryl Hamilton Lee Smith Life. Major League baseball player Jim Bouton once said, “Me watching Niekro pitch Ed Herrmann Ozzie Smith Art Howe Dave Stewart was like a young artist inspecting his first Picasso.” Mike Huff Daron Sutton Monte Irvin Don Sutton Ferguson Jenkins Bobby Tolan Since Joe Niekro’s tragic and sudden death as a result of a brain aneurysm, his Tommy John Bill Virdon daughter, Natalie, established The Joe Niekro Foundation, committed to the funding of Jay Johnstone Jon Warden Deacon Jones Carl Warwick aneurysm research and treatment. Dave Kingman Glenn Wilson Bob Knepper Willie Wilson Frank LaCorte Jimmy Wynn Because of her father’s love for the Houston Astros and the city of Houston, it is only Mickey Lolich fitting that The Knuckle Ball be held in the city that gave the Niekro family their greatest memories.
    [Show full text]