Thursday, April 29, 2004
Nitro Lew
Everyone remembers Harvey Haddix's lost 12 inning perfect game but what I did not know until recently was that Lew Burdette pitched 13 innings in that contest and got the win.
I don't have a lot of "brush with greatness" type of stories but Lew Burdette was central in one of them. Jim McLauchlin and I wrangled a job from Baseball Cards magazine back in the early 1990's, to cover a Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) old-timer's game at the Metrodome.
The night before the game we got to go to this dinner that was held at the Radisson in downtown Minneapolis. It was great, a whole slew of old ballplayers were there from Bob Gibson, Mickey Lolich, Tug McGraw, Bernie Carbo, Maury Wills, and Bobby Richardson, to name just a few.
Afterwards, as was was our habit in those days, McLauchlin and I went down to the bar. One crowd, McGraw and Carbo I think, were over at one side playing pool. Lew Burdette was sitting by himself over in the corner having a drink. We invited ourselves over to his table and preceeded to get completely bombed with him as he told story after story about not only playing in the Majors but growing up in Nitro, West Virginia.
I remember Lew and I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes, McLauchlin and I drank like 8 or 9 beers each, and Lew put down a equal or better number of whiskey Cokes. Most of the stories can not be repeated in polite company but it was a gas. Lew is quite a character and his eyes still flashed when he recalled stories of his playing days.
Despite the fact that I was smashed, I did not have the nerve to ask him if he remembered giving up the longest home run in Met Stadium history to Harmon Killibrew in June of 1967. Lew may have been a little old but I still did not want to mess with him.
The Fat Kid
Today's post in memory of Zach Malamute (1989-2004). Zach's obituary appears in this issue of Toyfare Magazine. I still remember you buddy.
Everyone remembers Harvey Haddix's lost 12 inning perfect game but what I did not know until recently was that Lew Burdette pitched 13 innings in that contest and got the win.
I don't have a lot of "brush with greatness" type of stories but Lew Burdette was central in one of them. Jim McLauchlin and I wrangled a job from Baseball Cards magazine back in the early 1990's, to cover a Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.) old-timer's game at the Metrodome.
The night before the game we got to go to this dinner that was held at the Radisson in downtown Minneapolis. It was great, a whole slew of old ballplayers were there from Bob Gibson, Mickey Lolich, Tug McGraw, Bernie Carbo, Maury Wills, and Bobby Richardson, to name just a few.
Afterwards, as was was our habit in those days, McLauchlin and I went down to the bar. One crowd, McGraw and Carbo I think, were over at one side playing pool. Lew Burdette was sitting by himself over in the corner having a drink. We invited ourselves over to his table and preceeded to get completely bombed with him as he told story after story about not only playing in the Majors but growing up in Nitro, West Virginia.
I remember Lew and I smoked an entire pack of cigarettes, McLauchlin and I drank like 8 or 9 beers each, and Lew put down a equal or better number of whiskey Cokes. Most of the stories can not be repeated in polite company but it was a gas. Lew is quite a character and his eyes still flashed when he recalled stories of his playing days.
Despite the fact that I was smashed, I did not have the nerve to ask him if he remembered giving up the longest home run in Met Stadium history to Harmon Killibrew in June of 1967. Lew may have been a little old but I still did not want to mess with him.
The Fat Kid
Today's post in memory of Zach Malamute (1989-2004). Zach's obituary appears in this issue of Toyfare Magazine. I still remember you buddy.
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Quick Hits
Wisconsin teen throws no-hitter 22 years after his dad
You can look it up in today's Star Trombone. (registration required but it's free) Did you ever pull off any great sports feats as a kid? Sadly I never did, but I did once pitch 3 scoreless innings in relief when I was completely smashed.
Too Long
Why are the NBA and NHL seasons so long? When it gets warm outside I start to lose interest. Cripes it's 80 friggin' degrees here in Minneapolis even. The last thing I am thinking about is going inside for a basketball or hockey game. The NCAA has it right, early April is the latest for these winter sports to run. Of course the last thing I want to do is go inside for a baseball game but that has nothing to do with the season being too long.
Cool Site
I enjoy reading this blog: bat-girl (The exclusive blog of Batgirl, Minnesota Twins fan. Less stats, more sass). Those of you who hate the annoying Lee Greenwood song "Proud to Be an American" as much as I do will enjoy this post about what it means to be a Canadian.
Wisconsin teen throws no-hitter 22 years after his dad
You can look it up in today's Star Trombone. (registration required but it's free) Did you ever pull off any great sports feats as a kid? Sadly I never did, but I did once pitch 3 scoreless innings in relief when I was completely smashed.
Too Long
Why are the NBA and NHL seasons so long? When it gets warm outside I start to lose interest. Cripes it's 80 friggin' degrees here in Minneapolis even. The last thing I am thinking about is going inside for a basketball or hockey game. The NCAA has it right, early April is the latest for these winter sports to run. Of course the last thing I want to do is go inside for a baseball game but that has nothing to do with the season being too long.
Cool Site
I enjoy reading this blog: bat-girl (The exclusive blog of Batgirl, Minnesota Twins fan. Less stats, more sass). Those of you who hate the annoying Lee Greenwood song "Proud to Be an American" as much as I do will enjoy this post about what it means to be a Canadian.
Monday, April 26, 2004
Today's post comes to us courtesy of Kit Kiefer. You'd do well to buy his book as the man has a heck of a temper.
More Baseball Nicknames
First, there are few nicknames as evocative in a good way as "The Wild Horse of the Osage" (which some local radio guys affixed to Frankie Frisch the other day. That's forgivable; it's nice that Frankie is still getting air time, and you're not going to know without pulling the emergency cord on your train of thought that Frankie was "The Fordham Flash" unless you're into this stuff to such an extent that you're worthless for radio, even morning radio in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.). The nickname is redolent of Charles Marion Russell paintings and Jordan Playboy ads, and to give it away to the Scott Podsednik of the Dirty '30s is a little like tossing a mink coat out of an airplane.
However, the public's besottment with "of the" nicknames -- The Wild Horse of the Osage, the Wild Bull of the Pampas, the Beezark of the Basque -- was bound to lead to abuses, and here's a prime example. Ed Huesser was known as "The Wild Elk of the Wasatch." What the hell does that have to do with baseball? A wild horse at least creates the impression of speed. A wild elk creates the impression of 1) insurance or 2) a wild-elk hunt where the elk winds up dead.
Heusser, by the way, was pitching for the Cardinals one day and carped about a play Ducky Medwick made, or didn't make, behind him. Medwick walked to the mound and cold-cocked Heusser.
A duck taking down the Wild Elk of the Wasatch? The dead-elk image wasn't so far off, after all.
Kiefer
More Baseball Nicknames
First, there are few nicknames as evocative in a good way as "The Wild Horse of the Osage" (which some local radio guys affixed to Frankie Frisch the other day. That's forgivable; it's nice that Frankie is still getting air time, and you're not going to know without pulling the emergency cord on your train of thought that Frankie was "The Fordham Flash" unless you're into this stuff to such an extent that you're worthless for radio, even morning radio in Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.). The nickname is redolent of Charles Marion Russell paintings and Jordan Playboy ads, and to give it away to the Scott Podsednik of the Dirty '30s is a little like tossing a mink coat out of an airplane.
However, the public's besottment with "of the" nicknames -- The Wild Horse of the Osage, the Wild Bull of the Pampas, the Beezark of the Basque -- was bound to lead to abuses, and here's a prime example. Ed Huesser was known as "The Wild Elk of the Wasatch." What the hell does that have to do with baseball? A wild horse at least creates the impression of speed. A wild elk creates the impression of 1) insurance or 2) a wild-elk hunt where the elk winds up dead.
Heusser, by the way, was pitching for the Cardinals one day and carped about a play Ducky Medwick made, or didn't make, behind him. Medwick walked to the mound and cold-cocked Heusser.
A duck taking down the Wild Elk of the Wasatch? The dead-elk image wasn't so far off, after all.
Kiefer
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Draft Day Angst
Is it just me or is there anything in sports more ridculous than NFL Draft "coverage?" I really think I'd rather spend the next 3 weeks watching wall to wall Candlepin Bowling coverage on ESPN than another second of Mel "What's with that haircut" Kiper.
Which reminds me, what school do all of these talking heads on ESPN go to that teaches them how to use their hands when illustrating a point? Have you noticed they all do the same thing? There's several variations but nearly all have the "2-handed point" down to a science. You know what I mean. It's where they hold their hands out, palms in, thumb side up and then rock them back and forth at the camera. Were all these guys referees for Australian Rules Football before?
Is it too late for Curt Gowdy to come out of retirement? I remember Howard Cosell saying that when he retired we were all gonna miss him. I didn't believe it at the time but damnit that hairpiece wearin' goofball was right.
Is it just me or is there anything in sports more ridculous than NFL Draft "coverage?" I really think I'd rather spend the next 3 weeks watching wall to wall Candlepin Bowling coverage on ESPN than another second of Mel "What's with that haircut" Kiper.
Which reminds me, what school do all of these talking heads on ESPN go to that teaches them how to use their hands when illustrating a point? Have you noticed they all do the same thing? There's several variations but nearly all have the "2-handed point" down to a science. You know what I mean. It's where they hold their hands out, palms in, thumb side up and then rock them back and forth at the camera. Were all these guys referees for Australian Rules Football before?
Is it too late for Curt Gowdy to come out of retirement? I remember Howard Cosell saying that when he retired we were all gonna miss him. I didn't believe it at the time but damnit that hairpiece wearin' goofball was right.
Friday, April 23, 2004
Stat of the Week
If Barry Bonds continues to hit homes runs at the pace he is currently, by the end of the season he will have hit 1,345,789.
If Barry Bonds continues to hit homes runs at the pace he is currently, by the end of the season he will have hit 1,345,789.
Steriod Sucking Automatons and Televison Consumption
The recent flap about steroids in baseball has made me nostalgic. I know most of you are gonna disagree with me but I long for the days when professional athletes did not spend the whole year lifting weights and working out. It seemed back then that players were just average guys and the game was somehow more approachable for the average fan.
This is most evident in Pro Football. Guys that were absolutely giants when I was a kid would be strong safeties today practically. Fred Zamberletti, who used to be the trainer for the Minnesota Vikings, once said that back in the team's glory years of the late 1960's and 1970's their entire weight set would have fit in a small closet.
Many of today's "steroid sucking automations," are so big that they have become freaks with little chance of a normal life outside of football. They have become so strong that special rules have been enacted just to protect quarterbacks and prevent them from being hurt. The game that was once so much fun and exciting has become little more than a staged production produced solely for television consumption. Face it today's game is on average pretty damn boring. They even have rules prohibiting celebrating after a big play.
The league has worked hard at removing real human beings and real life from the game at a rapid pace. Things like instant replay attempt to even remove the possibility of human error from the contest. Pittsburgh fans take note, had instant replay been around inthe 1970's there would not have been an "immaculate reception." But then again, had instant replay existed in 1975, Drew Pearson would have never gotten away with mugging Nate Wright and the Vikings might have had one more trip to the Super Bowl.
Even so I'd prefer the game if instant replay was only available in the booth for the announcers. If the Vikes had gotten to the Super Bowl in 1975 they'd have probably lost again anyway.
I miss the old game. Played by real human beings.
The recent flap about steroids in baseball has made me nostalgic. I know most of you are gonna disagree with me but I long for the days when professional athletes did not spend the whole year lifting weights and working out. It seemed back then that players were just average guys and the game was somehow more approachable for the average fan.
This is most evident in Pro Football. Guys that were absolutely giants when I was a kid would be strong safeties today practically. Fred Zamberletti, who used to be the trainer for the Minnesota Vikings, once said that back in the team's glory years of the late 1960's and 1970's their entire weight set would have fit in a small closet.
Many of today's "steroid sucking automations," are so big that they have become freaks with little chance of a normal life outside of football. They have become so strong that special rules have been enacted just to protect quarterbacks and prevent them from being hurt. The game that was once so much fun and exciting has become little more than a staged production produced solely for television consumption. Face it today's game is on average pretty damn boring. They even have rules prohibiting celebrating after a big play.
The league has worked hard at removing real human beings and real life from the game at a rapid pace. Things like instant replay attempt to even remove the possibility of human error from the contest. Pittsburgh fans take note, had instant replay been around inthe 1970's there would not have been an "immaculate reception." But then again, had instant replay existed in 1975, Drew Pearson would have never gotten away with mugging Nate Wright and the Vikings might have had one more trip to the Super Bowl.
Even so I'd prefer the game if instant replay was only available in the booth for the announcers. If the Vikes had gotten to the Super Bowl in 1975 they'd have probably lost again anyway.
I miss the old game. Played by real human beings.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Baseball Nickname O' the Week
I love baseball nicknames. No other sport has such a long history of side-splitting monikers than our esteemed national pastime. From Bill "Wagon Tongue" Keister to Robert "Death to Flying Things" Ferguson, there's something about baseball that lends itself to such shenanigans. Every week knuckleball will offer a Baseball Nickname O' the Week and will also provide smart-ass comments (at no extra charge) along with a link to a page with more info on the ballplayer. So without further ado here's this weeks' entry:
Benny "Earache" Meyer
It's not "Moonlight" Graham but I'll take what I can get. Some might say it's cruel hanging a nickname on a guy based on an unfortunate medical condition. But who knows? Earache is certainly a lot better than "Swollen Glands" Meyer or "Congenital Herpes" Meyer so maybe the guys were going easy on him.
"Earache" gets bonus points because he lived in the town of my birth Festus, MO.
I love baseball nicknames. No other sport has such a long history of side-splitting monikers than our esteemed national pastime. From Bill "Wagon Tongue" Keister to Robert "Death to Flying Things" Ferguson, there's something about baseball that lends itself to such shenanigans. Every week knuckleball will offer a Baseball Nickname O' the Week and will also provide smart-ass comments (at no extra charge) along with a link to a page with more info on the ballplayer. So without further ado here's this weeks' entry:
Benny "Earache" Meyer
It's not "Moonlight" Graham but I'll take what I can get. Some might say it's cruel hanging a nickname on a guy based on an unfortunate medical condition. But who knows? Earache is certainly a lot better than "Swollen Glands" Meyer or "Congenital Herpes" Meyer so maybe the guys were going easy on him.
"Earache" gets bonus points because he lived in the town of my birth Festus, MO.
Gabba-Gabba-Hey!
It's the inagural post on knuckleball! Just getting this bad boy off the ground. Originally I was going to get my website, http://www.knuckleball.org, up and running but I am running behind in setting up the webservers at my place. So temporarily we will run this thing through blogger.
Knuckleball is going to be an online, and someday hopefully print, magazine dedicated to sports writing and literature that doesn't make it in the mainstream sports media. I will be accepting stories, photos, cartoons, and the like for publication online. In addition I will put my own stuff up there when I feel the work is good enough. To keep it fresh I'll update the blog portion on a regular basis.
Stay tuned . . .
It's the inagural post on knuckleball! Just getting this bad boy off the ground. Originally I was going to get my website, http://www.knuckleball.org, up and running but I am running behind in setting up the webservers at my place. So temporarily we will run this thing through blogger.
Knuckleball is going to be an online, and someday hopefully print, magazine dedicated to sports writing and literature that doesn't make it in the mainstream sports media. I will be accepting stories, photos, cartoons, and the like for publication online. In addition I will put my own stuff up there when I feel the work is good enough. To keep it fresh I'll update the blog portion on a regular basis.
Stay tuned . . .
