Joe Bauer Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 (edited) Watching Willie Mays run was something. Powerful and graceful at the same time. Edited June 21 by Joe Bauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Gallaway Posted June 20 Author Share Posted June 20 Very cool, Dave! JFK throws out the ball at 8:00. That was the year of 2 All Star games and I never understood why, but as a kid, I loved it, and was hoping it would become permanent! Dave I think I recall you're not a Chicago or Cleveland fan buts it's the Reds or the Cardinals and I think it's the Reds? I included Johny Bench and Frank Robinson. It was interesting back in the 60's the National League always got short changed when they traded stars with the American League. I remember we got burned trading Gaylord Perry and Frank Duffy to the Indians for Sam Mac Dowell. who came to the NL and was never the same, against NL hitting. But I think the real clincher was the Reds trading Frank Robinson for Milt Pappas. I welcomed that as I knew it was a disaster for the Reds! Probably the worst trade the Giants made in the 60's was trading Orlando Cepeda for Ray Sadecki. Cepeda becomes MVP and leads the Cadinals to a title. I think we did it because Sadecki always pitched well against us , but never pitched well against our chief rivals, the Dodgers, and he was just a general washout when he got to SF. I do think there's a natural feeling you get about some players where you can say that guy isn't a Giant!, or a Dodger! , or a Red! Also I noticed with the Giants, we never did well with say players from New England or blondes I noticed. heh heh Here is the box score from the 1967 All Star Game. I think I count 15 NL Hall of Famers and 9 AL Hall of Famers making a total of 25! NL All-Stars 1 Lou Brock LF 2 Roberto Clemente RF 3 Henry Aaron CF 4 Orlando Cepeda 1B 5 Dick Allen 3B 6 Joe Torre C 7 Bill Mazeroski 2B 8 Gene Alley SS 9 Juan Marichal P Manager Walter Alston Reserves Tom Haller C Tim McCarver C Ernie Banks 1B Tommy Helms 2B Tony Pérez 3B Pete Rose LF Willie Mays CF Jim Wynn CF Rusty Staub RF Mike Cuellar P Don Drysdale P Bob Gibson P Fergie Jenkins P Denny Lemaster P Claude Osteen P Tom Seaver P Chris Short P AL All-Stars 1 Brooks Robinson 3B 2 Rod Carew 2B 3 Tony Oliva CF 4 Harmon Killebrew 1B 5 Tony Conigliaro RF 6 Carl Yastrzemski LF 7 Bill Freehan C 8 Rico Petrocelli SS 9 Dean Chance P Manager Hank Bauer Reserves Paul Casanova C Andy Etchebarren C Mickey Mantle 1B Don Mincher 1B Dick McAuliffe 2B Max Alvis 3B Jim Fregosi SS Tommie Agee CF Ken Berry RF Al Kaline RF Frank Robinson RF Al Downing P Steve Hargan P Joe Horlen P Catfish Hunter P Jim Lonborg P Jim McGlothlin P Gary Peters P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 (edited) I aways wondered how barely 200 average hitting Hal Lanier stuck around so long as the Giants shortstop. The guy barely batted his weight! The Giants pitchers had better hitting ability than Lanier. I don't remember the guy ever hitting a home run! Loved Jimmy Ray Hart at 3rd base. Good power, decent fielding. I couldn't understand a word he said in after game interviews but his excited energy, tone and manner of speaking sounded happy natured upbeat and even fun! Super fast talking barely English speaking 2nd baseman Tito Fuentes same thing. Most memorable Giant/Dodger team fight was when Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro threw a pitched ball back to his pitcher and threw it so close to at bat Giant pitcher Juan Marichal's head it nicked Marichal's ear. An infuriated Juan Marichal took a bat swing at Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro head. I think Marichal's bat swing at Roseboro's head actually drew blood! Date...August 22nd, 1965. Edited June 22 by Joe Bauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Von Pein Posted June 20 Share Posted June 20 (edited) 22 hours ago, Kirk Gallaway said: Dave I think I recall you're not a Chicago or Cleveland fan buts it's the Reds... Yes, that's right. I've been a Cincinnati Reds fan since about 1970. Unfortunately, however, I never had a chance to watch a game at Crosley Field. My first in-person game (at age 9) came in 1971 at Riverfront Stadium, which many people hated, but I loved it. I knew every inch of that ballpark. My brother and I had season tickets for 2 straight years (1977 and '78). We went to tons of games in those days. And I even made a visit to Candlestick Park in 1975 to watch the Reds play the Giants in 2 games. George Foster hit a grand-slam in one of those games off Randy Moffitt (I'm sure you remember him, the brother of Billie Jean King). One of the first games I ever attended (in 1971) was also against your Giants, Kirk (you are a big Giants fan, right?). The S.F. pitcher that day was Gaylord Perry, and I think he was ejected for throwing the spitter in that game. I don't have a specific memory of seeing Willie Mays play for the Giants in that '71 game, but I would have to think that Willie probably was in the lineup. That was his last full season as a Giant. http://dvp-video-audio-archive.blogspot.com/2017/09/Legends Of Baseball: Willie Mays My greatest baseball memory came on July 4, 1972 (Reds vs. Cardinals at Riverfront). After the game in the parking garage under the stadium, I managed to get 13 members of the Cincinnati Reds to sign my scorebook, including All-Stars Johnny Bench and Tony Perez [Photo Here]. That's over half the roster in just one single autograph session! Hard to beat that! Kirk, you might enjoy the Giants game linked below, which I added to one of my websites in 2017 after I found it online. It's a dandy game, featuring Harry Caray in the radio booth and back-to-back homers by the 2 "Willies" (Mays and McCovey).... __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ---------------- I want to say Thanks to the EF mods for permitting us to go off-topic for a while to talk about the grand ol' game of baseball. I like to reminisce about old baseball memories once in a while. My heyday for such Major League Baseball memories is circa 1972 to 1986. You wouldn't believe the number of hours I used up while compiling and typing up hundreds of homemade Cincinnati Reds scorebooks in the early '80s. I've taken screen captures of 8 of my scorebooks here: http://dvp-potpourri.blogspot.com/2019/04/DVP's Cincinnati Reds Scorebooks I kept track of some stats in the '80s that I don't think they even keep track of today. Also see my Cincinnati baseball collection below.... (Many Giants games here too!).... Edited June 21 by David Von Pein Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 (edited) Willie Mays hit "5" home runs off of Sandy Koufax in their head-to-head career matchups. Amazing. Mays also had a respectable 278 batting average against Koufax. Edited June 21 by Joe Bauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Varnell Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 22 hours ago, Kirk Gallaway said: I remember we got burned trading Gaylord Perry and Frank Duffy to the Indians for Sam Mac Dowell. who came to the NL and was never the same, against NL hitting. Frank Duffy was involved in two of the Worst Trades in Bay Area Sports History. We got him from the Reds in a trade for George Foster. The Giants basically traded an MVP powerhouse and a Cy Young winner for "Sudden Sam" McDowell who'd turned suddenly wild for the Indians the year before and found himself suddenly in the Giants bullpen before they got rid of him 22 hours ago, Kirk Gallaway said: Probably the worst trade the Giants made in the 60's was trading Orlando Cepeda for Ray Sadecki. Cepeda becomes MVP and leads the Cadinals to a title. I think we did it because Sadecki always pitched well against us , but never pitched well against our chief rivals, the Dodgers, and he was just a general washout when he got to SF. In May of '66 Sadecki and the Cardinals beat the Giants 2 - 1 and the next day they traded Cepeda for him. Orlando was a first baseman and the Giants had Willie McCovey. Both of those guys were defensive liabilities in the outfield, so something had to give. Sadecki beat the Dodgers at least once. June '68 at the 'Stick, 9 - 2. I was at that game, which was most notable for the MLB debut of Bobby Bonds. In his second big league at bat he hit a grand slam. Next AB the bases were loaded again, but he walked. I saw Perry face off live against Tom Seaver at Shea Stadium in 1971. 5 - 3 Mets. I saw Willie Mays play live a half dozen games . He was uncharacteristically quiet. The most memorable hit was a blast off the chain link fence at the 'Stick that bounced right back to the left fielder who held Mays to a single. Then McCovey came up and smashed a two run homer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliff Varnell Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 18 hours ago, Joe Bauer said: I aways wondered how barely 200 average hitting Hal Lanier stuck around so long as the Giants shortstop. They guy barely batted his weight! The Giants pitchers had better hitting ability than Lanier. I don't remember the guy ever hitting a home run! Lanier was solid on defense and could play short and second base, He was smart. He once scored from first on a Jimmy Davenport bunt. Joe Torre thought the ball was going to go foul and slammed it down in frustration when it stayed fair. The Braves catcher had run up the line and Lanier just kept going with no one covering home. 18 hours ago, Joe Bauer said: Loved Jimmy Ray Hart at 3rd base. Good power, decent fielding. I couldn't understand a word he said in after game interviews but his excited energy, tone and manner of speaking sounded happy natured upbeat and even fun! Super fast talking barely English speaking 2nd baseman Tito Fuentes same thing. Most memorable Giant/Dodger team fight was when batter Juan Marichal barely ducked a dangerously high-and-in pitch that inspired him to take a bat swing at Dodger catcher Johnny Roseboro head when Roseboro took offense to Marichal's overtly animated complaining. Holy Toledo! I think Marichal's bat swing at Roseboro's head actually drew blood! Date...August 22nd, 1965. Juan Marichal vs Sandy Koufax in the heat of a pennant race. As I recall Marichal had a problem with Roseboro throwing the ball back to the mound an inch from Marichal's ear. The Giants won the game 4 - 3 but Juan was suspended for 10 games, and those two lost starts may have cost the Giants the NL crown. I saw Marichal pitch live a couple of times. He beat the Pirates at the 'Stick 4 - 3, and lost to the Mets at Shea 1 - 0 in 10 innings. I don't think that happens anymore -- a starting pitcher go into extra innings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted June 21 Share Posted June 21 1 hour ago, Cliff Varnell said: Juan Marichal vs Sandy Koufax in the heat of a pennant race. As I recall Marichal had a problem with Roseboro throwing the ball back to the mound an inch from Marichal's ear. Cliff I stand corrected thanks to you recalling correctly that it was Marichal's contention that Roseboro was purposely throwing the ball back to the pitcher and throwing it so close to Marichal's head it nicked his ear. Marichal was known for having the best "screw ball " in baseball. I remember in an All Star game his facing Carl Yastrzemski with two out and men on base and Yaz's American league down in runs. On a two-strike pitch Marichal threw Yaz a screw ball that was so perfect, it started right over the plate and ended up two feet off and away from Yastrzemski. Yaz was so coiled and anxious to swing he did so, and with all his strength. Yet he missed the ball by two feet and in so doing spun his whole body into a full on pretzel and fell to the ground in a contorted heap right on home plate. He fell so hard he laid there ( in pain it seemed to me ) the entire time the National League team ran right by and around him to their dugout. I'll bet to his dying day Yaz remembered Marichal's famous screw ball making him look like a fool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Gallaway Posted June 22 Author Share Posted June 22 12 hours ago, Cliff Varnell said: Orlando was a first baseman and the Giants had Willie McCovey. Both of those guys were defensive liabilities in the outfield, so something had to give. Of course at first Cepeda played a lot of left field. I think both Cepeda and of course Mac Covey had some problems with their knees. You know I think the first time they moved Davenport to shortstop was to try Cepeda at third. Because we couldn't watch every game and sometimes couldn't listen on the radio, I'd check box scores. I'm sure there were errors, but I don't remember any, but it could be he just didn't have much range. You're right it was probably inevitable. I just didn't think Sadecki was good enough to trade Cepeda for. Yeah, George Foster! We were just brimming with power but at least he didn't really make it for another 4 years with the Reds after we traded him. Mays would have had at least 100 more Hr's if it weren't for Candlestick.It would have been at least neck and neck with Aaron. Atlanta was a power hitter ballpark. Joe, Hal Lanier was ok, he was a good hitter, but you remember Johnny Lemaster? He was an excellent fielder, but everyone gave him a hard time about his hitting. I went to the game where I saw "Boo" stitched on his uniform where his name was in back. He had it done himself. Though my friends and I would call him Johnny Disaster, I never booed my team. I felt very bad seeing it They asked him about it and he said it didn't matter, but of course it did! I was fortunate enough to have older brothers and the first 2 pro games I saw were at Seal Stadium. And Willie Mays hit a HR in the first game I saw! I was 2-0 at Seal Stadium and then we lost my first game at Candlestick 14-6 to the Pirates. I saw Willie Mays in person in about 30 games in the 60's . We knew where to wait in the player parking lot after the game and I got Mays, Marichal and Mc Covey's autograph but lost it after I left home when my Mother did a housecleaning. I still have the JFK Assasination Life Magazine and the Time Magazine 9 frame front illustration of Juan Marichal's windup. I saw a lot of Marichal victories but I also saw him lose to Bob Gibson. In an interview 10 years ago. I found out Barry Bonds went to my kindergarten through 6 grade school in San Carlos! I knew 2 of Jim Davenport's sons, one named Randy played guitar. Seal Stadium Collision and catch with Bobby Bonds! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted June 22 Share Posted June 22 (edited) 10 hours ago, Kirk Gallaway said: Of course at first Cepeda played a lot of left field. I think both Cepeda and of course Mac Covey had some problems with their knees. You know I think the first time they moved Davenport to shortstop was to try Cepeda at third. Because we couldn't watch every game and sometimes couldn't listen on the radio, I'd check box scores. I'm sure there were errors, but I don't remember any, but it could be he just didn't have much range. You're right it was probably inevitable. I just didn't think Sadecki was good enough to trade Cepeda for. Yeah, George Foster! We were just brimming with power but at least he didn't really make it for another 4 years with the Reds after we traded him. Mays would have had at least 100 more Hr's if it weren't for Candlestick.It would have been at least neck and neck with Aaron. Atlanta was a power hitter ballpark. Joe, Hal Lanier was ok, he was a good hitter, but you remember Johnny Lemaster? He was an excellent fielder, but everyone gave him a hard time about his hitting. I went to the game where I saw "Boo" stitched on his uniform where his name was in back. He had it done himself. Though my friends and I would call him Johnny Disaster, I never booed my team. I felt very bad seeing it They asked him about it and he said it didn't matter, but of course it did! I was fortunate enough to have older brothers and the first 2 pro games I saw were at Seal Stadium. And Willie Mays hit a HR in the first game I saw! I was 2-0 at Seal Stadium and then we lost my first game at Candlestick 14-6 to the Pirates. I saw Willie Mays in person in about 30 games in the 60's . We knew where to wait in the player parking lot after the game and I got Mays, Marichal and Mc Covey's autograph but lost it after I left home when my Mother did a housecleaning. I still have the JFK Assasination Life Magazine and the Time Magazine 9 frame front illustration of Juan Marichal's windup. I saw a lot of Marichal victories but I also saw him lose to Bob Gibson. In an interview 10 years ago. I found out Barry Bonds went to my kindergarten through 6 grade school in San Carlos! I knew 2 of Jim Davenport's sons, one named Randy played guitar. Seal Stadium Collision and catch with Bobby Bonds! I saw the Mays/Bonds collision catch. I think it was a televised game. If not, then on a later sportscast on the news. Mays was such a great athlete he came from centerfield to center-right on a full run tilt and actually out-leaped and out-maneuvered Bobby Bonds ( another great athlete ) in that tangled simultaneous leap to grab that ball. Incredible! Typical super-star feat on May's part. 99.9% of pro-outfielders would have dropped that ball due to the violent collision of Mays and Bonds. Mays awed you with his play. Mays himself said something about his hitting another 50 to 100 home runs had his home park not been Candlestick. The incessant and extremely strong SF Bay wind ( coming in from left field - May's main power blast area ) blew that many May's home run shots back onto the field. And don't forget Mays lost two years of play when he was just coming into his hitting prime due to military service. That lost play time alone might have very well cost Mays another 60 to 80 HRs. I also think the bone chilling cold wind from the Bay made it tougher to play at the Stick as your home park. Most games were day games in May's time. Candlestick was often times freezing as the games wore on from that cold ocean wind. Remember Mark Twain ( debatably ) said "the coldest Winter he ever spent was a Summer in San Francisco" ? Edited June 22 by Joe Bauer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Gallaway Posted Sunday at 02:46 PM Author Share Posted Sunday at 02:46 PM Joe, I know you'll love this. NYC 1954 at the All Star break and Willie Mays as mystery guest on "What's my line? " with none other than Dorothy Kilgallen batting cleanup!, but then Jack Paar who doesn't seem to know anything about how the game us played and chooses blindness after the guest's identity is revealed! Starts at 17:00. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Mellor Posted Monday at 01:42 PM Share Posted Monday at 01:42 PM Not my game folks, there's just a few names in the sport that I'm familiar with, Mays included. What comes to my mind is Chuck Berry's lyrics, :-" Two, three count, with nobody on, he hit a high fly into the stand. Round the third he was headin' for home it was a brown eyed handsome man that won the game it was a brown eyed handsome man." Always wondered if Chuck had in mind the lyric Brown skinned handsome man...but thought better of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Bauer Posted Monday at 04:31 PM Share Posted Monday at 04:31 PM Watched Mays on "What's My Line." They figured his identity out very quickly. It's always unsettling for me to see Dorothy Killgalen on that show. She was murdered for what she knew about the JFKA and Jack Ruby. Killing her ( a middle aged mother with young son ) was a diabolic, pure evil act. And her murderers got away with it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirk Gallaway Posted Monday at 04:55 PM Author Share Posted Monday at 04:55 PM 2 hours ago, Pete Mellor said: Not my game folks, there's just a few names in the sport that I'm familiar with, Mays included. What comes to my mind is Chuck Berry's lyrics, :-" Two, three count, with nobody on, he hit a high fly into the stand. Round the third he was headin' for home it was a brown eyed handsome man that won the game it was a brown eyed handsome man." Always wondered if Chuck had in mind the lyric Brown skinned handsome man...but thought better of it. I know the song Pete. I never made the connection but it does sound perfect for the time! I just saw a Dorothy Kilgallen's timeline before her death and I don't recall anyone posting this here. This is Dorothy Kilgallen's last appearance on "What's my line" before she's found dead the next day! Maybe a little pasty, but she looks in generally good health. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now