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Some stats from maybe baseball’s greatest race - For Rush Chairman

mrtailgate

Well-Known Member
Feb 2, 2005
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You youngins missed a great one in the summer of 1967. My all time favorite baseball summer.

AL went down the stretch with a 4 team race including The Rush Chairman’s BOSOX who basically pulled off the worst to first move (actually 9th to 1st).

In what some refer to as the greatest individual stretch run where every hit was needed and every run was precious, the Great Yaz did the following in his last 12 games -

23-44
5 Home Runs
16 Runs Batted In.

Hard to believe teams just didn’t walk him but he was as good as any player has ever been in clutch games. He really was magnificent to watch.

For all that hard work, the Red Sox got the pleasure of facing Mr Gibson.

My favorite baseball summer in my life.


Following this brief and meaningless interlude, I now return you to your regular program.
 
Re “Mr. Gibson”—
My uncle had been in pro ball for about 50 years. In the 90s I visited him in Colorado and as luck would have it, there was an old timers game that weekend at Mile High Stadium before the Rockies game that evening.

So we go to the game, and after my uncle went through his usual fearless exercise of first trying to talk his way in without a ticket, he flashes his mlb lifetime pass and we enter the stadium. We basically just walk out onto the field during old timers bp (cause you just do that sort of thing if you’re my uncle). We talk to Lou Brock who my uncle brought up to the bigs and a grounder comes to us. Uncle picks it up and says, “hey Lou, sign this” which he does. After that we are walking off and uncle, spying Enos Slaughter in the dugout, takes the ball from me and calls out, “hey Country, sign this for me” which he does.

As we pass the mound there is a cluster of guys there. Uncle takes the ball from me, walks up and meekly says, “Mr. Gibson, would you please sign this for me?” He did.
 
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Re “mr. Gibson”—
My uncle had been in pro ball for about 50 years. In the 90s I visited him in Colorado and as luck would have it, there was an old timers game that weekend at coors field.

So we go to the game, and after my uncle went through his usual fearless exercise of first trying to talk his way in without a ticket, he flashes his mlb lifetime pass and we enter the stadium. We basically just walk out onto the field during old timers bp (cause you just do that sort of thing if you’re my uncle). We talk to Lou Brock who my uncle brought up to the bigs and a grounder comes to us. Uncle picks it up and says, “hey Lou, sign this” which he does. After that we are walking off and uncle, spying Enos slaughter in the dugout, takes the ball from me and calls out, “hey country, sign this for me” which he does.

As we pass the mound there is a cluster of guys there. Uncle takes the ball from me, walks up and meekly says, “mr. Gibson, would you please sign this for me?” He did.

Very cool, thanks for sharing. One of my favorite nights at Connie Mack was when I saw Gibson in the Year of the Pitcher. That old tobacco farmer Woodie Fryman bested Gibson 1-0. I so wish I could get into the Delorean and go back to be there again.
 
Very cool, thanks for sharing. One of my favorite nights at Connie Mack was when I saw Gibson in the Year of the Pitcher. That old tobacco farmer Woodie Fryman bested Gibson 1-0. I so wish I could get into the Delorean and go back to be there again.
Gibson was the man. My uncle actually played for Connie Mack. Here's another story:

My uncle was a very good defensive outfielder, which is a kind way of saying he couldn't hit. So, as a young player with the A's, Mack calls on him to pinch hit. Mack says, "hit one out of here, son!" My uncle, who was cocky, replied, "which seat Mr. Mack?" Uncle proceeded to strike out on three pitches. As he returned to the dugout, Mack was dusting off the bench with his scorecard and said, "this one right here, son."

Incidentally, Mack is the only other person (aside from Gibson) who I ever heard him consistently refer to as "Mister."
 
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Great post... I was 2 that summer and didn't really become sports conscience until 69-70 with Bobby Orr and the Bruins. However my dad for years went on and on about the 67 Sox. I think he felt a connection to Yaz because he was an ND alum and Yaz played at ND for one year. Up until 67 the Sox were largely ignored in Boston since Williams retired in 1960. In fact there were barely 10,000 people at opening day that year. 67 re kindled an intense love affair between the city and the Sox that has continued unabated for over 60 years.
 
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Gibson was the man. My uncle actually played for Connie Mack. Here's another story:

My uncle was a very good defensive outfielder, which is a kind way of saying he couldn't hit. So, as a young player with the A's, Mack calls on him to pinch hit. Mack says, "hit one out of here, son!" My uncle, who was cocky, replied, "which seat Mr. Mack?" Uncle proceeded to strike out on three pitches. As he returned to the dugout, Mack was dusting off the bench with his scorecard and said, "this one right here, son."

Incidentally, Mack is the only other person (aside from Gibson) who I ever heard him consistently refer to as "Mister."

I will tell this story often this Spring Training. I can say with certainty that it will be received quite well by the assorted assemblage of baseball lifers.

To your uncle!!
 
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Gibson was the man. My uncle actually played for Connie Mack. Here's another story:

My uncle was a very good defensive outfielder, which is a kind way of saying he couldn't hit. So, as a young player with the A's, Mack calls on him to pinch hit. Mack says, "hit one out of here, son!" My uncle, who was cocky, replied, "which seat Mr. Mack?" Uncle proceeded to strike out on three pitches. As he returned to the dugout, Mack was dusting off the bench with his scorecard and said, "this one right here, son."

Incidentally, Mack is the only other person (aside from Gibson) who I ever heard him consistently refer to as "Mister."
I rarely refer to anyone by “mister” except, of course, MISTER mrtailgate!
 
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Great post... I was 2 that summer and didn't really become sports conscience until 69-70 with Bobby Orr and the Bruins. However my dad for years went on and on about the 67 Sox. I think he felt a connection to Yaz because he was an ND alum and Yaz played at ND for one year. Up until 67 the Sox were largely ignored in Boston since Williams retired in 1960. In fact there were barely 10,000 people at opening day that year. 67 re kindled an intense love affair between the city and the Sox that has continued unabated for over 60 years.

Yaz and ND intersected with the Phillies as well. They lost the flip for Seaver and would not agree to pay for Yaz’ college. Very possibly, Yaz and Seaver should both have been Phils.
 
Very cool, thanks for sharing. One of my favorite nights at Connie Mack was when I saw Gibson in the Year of the Pitcher. That old tobacco farmer Woodie Fryman bested Gibson 1-0. I so wish I could get into the Delorean and go back to be there again.
39f7ddbf-31e4-42ca-8e22-ed67969be9d7.jpg

Go for it MISTER mrtailgate!
 
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I will tell this story often this Spring Training. I can say with certainty that it will be received quite well by the assorted assemblage of baseball lifers.

To your uncle!!
So so many great stories and experiences growing up for me, usually tagging along when he came east on scouting trips. His baseball memoir is full of them, and there is another great interview that can be found on a kc royals page if you do a little digging. He was a Cambria county guy.
 
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You youngins missed a great one in the summer of 1967. My all time favorite baseball summer.

AL went down the stretch with a 4 team race including The Rush Chairman’s BOSOX who basically pulled off the worst to first move (actually 9th to 1st).

In what some refer to as the greatest individual stretch run where every hit was needed and every run was precious, the Great Yaz did the following in his last 12 games -

23-44
5 Home Runs
16 Runs Batted In.

Hard to believe teams just didn’t walk him but he was as good as any player has ever been in clutch games. He really was magnificent to watch.

For all that hard work, the Red Sox got the pleasure of facing Mr Gibson.

My favorite baseball summer in my life.


Following this brief and meaningless interlude, I now return you to your regular program.
68 and 69 were pretty good too. Remember it well. 67 was a great year for baseball. Cardinals beat Red Sox in seven as Gibson bested Lonborg who pitched on 2 days rest. Yaz was phenomenal. Conigliaro was beaned in California high jacking a great career. Sox also had George “Boomer” Scott, Reggie Smith, Mike Andrews, and Rico Petrocelli.
 
So so many great stories and experiences growing up for me, usually tagging along when he came east on scouting trips. His baseball memoir is full of them, and there is another great interview that can be found on a kc royals page if you do a little digging. He was a Cambria county guy.
So so many great stories and experiences growing up for me, usually tagging along when he came east on scouting trips. His baseball memoir is full of them, and there is another great interview that can be found on a kc royals page if you do a little digging. He was a Cambria county guy.

Am I correct that your uncle intersected with a very iconic baseball moment? Are you Bill and your uncle John?
 
No. Though I had another uncle john in baseball. Uncle is Charlie.

Now I got it!

An extremely distinguished career in the game no doubt as evidenced by the many compliments from big time players on the impact your uncle had on their views of baseball. I just looked, I still have a baseball card of his (I’m sure you have it but if you don’t I’ll be happy to send your way).

I’ve got to read his book. Any ideas on how to locate?
 
You can usually find used copies on amazon. The writing/editing is not great but the stories are. A great view of the minors and the world of scouting. He was a fearless force of nature personality, creative thinker, and would have succeeded at anything he tried.

A final personal story. In 83, he came east with a handful of tix for every game of the World Series. I was in college in Carlisle and between classes and traveling to the games each night, I have never been so tired in my life. We go to game 4 in philly and our seats are way up in the 700 level of the vet. At the end of the game my dad (his brother) made a comment about it.

So the next day we arrive at the vet and he says, here are your tickets. We end up in the restaurant at the phils’ owner’s party. After hobknobbing with lasorda (who he’d worked with at the dodgers as scout and spy in the sky) a bit, they take us to our table and sit down. I look to my right and sitting at next table is joe dimaggio. Uncle turns to my dad and nonchalantly says, “seats ok?”

Btw, tx on the card - I do have one. In my office I have it framed with my football hof card from my other uncle. But that’s another story...
 
You can usually find used copies on amazon. The writing/editing is not great but the stories are. A great view of the minors and the world of scouting. He was a fearless force of nature personality, creative thinker, and would have succeeded at anything he tried.

A final personal story. In 83, he came east with a handful of tix for every game of the World Series. I was in college in Carlisle and between classes and traveling to the games each night, I have never been so tired in my life. We go to game 4 in philly and our seats are way up in the 700 level of the vet. At the end of the game my dad (his brother) made a comment about it.

So the next day we arrive at the vet and he says, here are your tickets. We end up in the restaurant at the phils’ owner’s party. After hobknobbing with lasorda (who he’d worked with at the dodgers as scout and spy in the sky) a bit, they take us to our table and sit down. I look to my right and sitting at next table is joe dimaggio. Uncle turns to my dad and nonchalantly says, “seats ok?”

Btw, tx on the card - I do have one. In my office I have it framed with my football hof card from my other uncle. But that’s another story...


Thanks for sharing these stories. Sounds like you had some good genes in that family. I’ll locate the book on Amazon. I have posted before that it ain’t great getting old but I am so glad I grew up seeing the players I did. I am lucky to have seen one great era of baseball royalty including Mays, Mantle, Koufax, etc. Your uncle crossed over a couple eras when the game was its greatest. I’m sure you heard about them all you lucky stiff.

I’ll say one good thing about DiMaggio, he was extremely charming to my wife one day.
 
Indeed. Good luck - if amazon doesn’t have it sometimes you may be able to get it via sabr. Re DiMaggio, there is a reason the adjective commonly used with him was “classy”.
 
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