...So the baseball season is upon us again. It's hard to imagine how many baseball seasons I've been witness to. For two or three seasons my mother shipped me to my aunt and cousin in Chicago each summer when I was thirteen. My cousin Harold and I were rabid baseball fans, and of course we rooted for the Chicago Cubs. I still remember a few of the players in 1937: Frank Demaree, Augie Galan, Phil Cavaretta, Gabie Hartnett, Stan Hack, Big Bill Lee, Billy Herman, Larry French. Harold and I went to Wrigley Field quite often and the Cubs had a very good team. In 1937 they won 93 games--but unfortunately finished second. I don't recall who played in the World Series that year--but I suspect it might have been the Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers. Perhaps one of the teams could have been the Yankees. I'll just have to "google" it. Google knows everything. I do know that the Cubs passed on an offer to buy Joe DiMaggio in 1936 because at the time DiMaggio had a gimpy knee. Charlie Graham offered Joe to the Cubs before he talked to the Yankees. The Cubs didn't want to take a chance on Joe's knee. Can you imagine Joe DiMaggio in Wrigley Field? He would have broken Babe Ruth's home run records. Graham was the owner of the San Francisco Seals, a minor league team. I understand that Graham got $75,000 for Joe. What a steal! I wasn't a Cub fan for long. When I stopped going to Chicago in the summer, I played stickball in the Bronx and became a Brooklyn Dodger fan. I had perhaps 150 baseball cards which my mother dumped when I joined the Navy. Can you imagine how rich I would be if I still had those cards! My friends and I used to play a game with baseball cards--in the street. Each guy would flip a card to the ground, and the other guy would also flip a card. If the first guy matched the other card, he would pick up both of them. If not, then the other guy would win the cards. After awhile I became a very good "flipper" and my card collection grew. When the Dodgers moved to California, I was devastated. But eventually, when I returned from WWII, I began to become a NY Met fan and now that I'm in Florida, my team is the Florida Marlins. After all of this, would you say I was fickle?
Joe Dimaggio... I went to the VA Medical Center again to what is called "the triage" meaning if you have an emergency you can see a doctor without an appointment. Well, last Friday I had a new "partial" fixed in my mouth by a dentist but when I got home and tried eating, the device gave me pain--so today, Dr. Davis, (a fellow alumnus of Columbia Univ) worked on it until there was no more pain. Tonite Rhoda made fried chicken and I was able to eat two drumsticks! Now I can't wait for Passover and the seder we are going to at Toojays. I asked Rho how much we'd have to pay for all the work on the partial with a private dentist and she said a couple of thousand dollars! In that case he can keep the partial and I'd just gum my food. Well what do you know: In the opening game of season the Marlins beat the Nationals today, 12-5. So they are in first place!
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I never understood why you were were a Brooklyn Dodgers fan even though you lived in the Bronx? Was it because you actually were (and still are) a National League fan? In that case, you are not fickle at all. As a non-fickle Yankees fan, I ask that you please Google the results of the last dozen All-Star games.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've heard of Jackie Robinson--a Dodger. The American League was too white. It's too easy to root for a league that has owners paying for pennants and which makes players billionaires, and which uses designated hitters. That's not real baseball. And if you google yourself, you'll discover that the Marlins beat the Yankees in a World Series.
ReplyDeleteThe Baron has confused this avid follower: He became a Dodger fan in the 1930's, but Robinson didn't join the team until 1947. And the Yankees had great teams way before free agency, so most of their stars were home-grown, not bought. He is right about the designated hitter, however; there's nothing we enjoy more than watching an exciting rally die because a .127-hitting pitcher grounds into a double-play -- he can't run too fast, because it might tire him out too much.
ReplyDeleteBaron says he was a baseball fan before you were even thought of, and the Cubs were NL. He lends no credence to your commentary. So, let's become respectful.
ReplyDelete"...But eventually, when I returned from WWII, I began to become a NY Met fan..." The Mets weren't invented until 1962 - that was quite a bit after Baron returned from WWII.
ReplyDeleteBaron did say "eventually". It has meaning.
ReplyDeleteThe NEW YORK Giants of Polo Grounds fame played the Crankees in 1937. They had met the previous year and the Cranks won 4 games to 2. This time the Bronx Bummers did better, taking 4 out of 5. I sat in the bleachers for Game 4, the only Jints win.
ReplyDeleteThe Crankees of 1937 were indeed formidable. Columbia Lou Gehrig patrolled first, Poosh 'Em Up Tony Lazzeri covered second, Frankie Cro was the sure-handed shortstop, and Red Rolfe (Dahtmouth) was at third.
The outfield was anchored by Joe D., but other paladins (have bat, will travel) were out there also. Twinkletoes George Selkirk (.328) is one of the best outfielders no one ever heard of: Myril Hoag hit .301; Jake Powell was good enough to keep Old Reliable Tommy Henrich on the bench even though he hit .320.
Powell was a key factor in four consecutive World Serious wins by the Cranks. He was also a bigot who committed suicide at age 40.
Behind the plate was Bill Dickey, steady as a rock, a top hitter (.332, 29 HR, 133 RBIs, without steroids).
The pitching staff was led by goofy Lefty Gomez and Red Ruffing, both 20 game winners, and each of whom threw more than 250 innings. They were backed up by Grandma Johnny Murphy; Spud Chandler; Bump Hadley (a Brown graduate) who won 161 big leagues games; Monte Pearson, Pat Malone, et alia.
6 joined Doc Ross in the Hall of Fame. 16 (!!!)were All-Stars.
The Giants were not slouches. King Carl Hubbell, the lefty screwballer, was elected to Cooperstown as was Mel Ott (511 home runs). In addition to Hubbell and Ott, other All Stars were Scrappy Dick Bartell, Jo Jo Moore, Harry the Horse Danning, Wally Berger, Hank Leiber, Gus Mancuso, and pitchers Cliff Melton and Prince Hal Schumacher.
Nevertheless they were no match for the Crankees who were one of the greatest teams of all time.
There was not much money for the players back then and no free agency either. They played for the love of the game, and it showed--very few prima donnas.