15 Jun 2022 10:49 am
Zeets2 » 15 Jun 2022, 7:20 am » wrote: ↑ That's a great story! I remember reading about him in Bill Veeck's book, "Veeck as in Wreck" when I was a kid. Gaedel was before my time, but I definitely remember the stories about him and Veeck. I think MLB outlawed using midgets right after the first game. But Veeck had some amusing ideas, especially his exploding scoreboard when he owned the White Sox at Comiskey Park. Do you remember that? It would shoot off fireworks whenever a Sox player hit a homer. He also relayed the story about Veeck's "moveable outfield fence" at Municipal Stadium when he owned the Indians. He would raise or lower the fence before a series depending on whether or not it would help the Indians more, but I think that was eventually made illegal too. Veeck was a character much like Charlie Finley of the Kansas City A's, who later moved them to Oakland. Do you remember him and his attempt to use orange baseballs? Or his mule mascot, Charlie O? I think Finley was also instrumental in getting the designated hitter rule in place in the AL.
Terrific memories of when baseball was truly a game!
I forgot all about the movable fence.
Finley had a mechanical rabbit pop out of the ground to deliver fresh batch of balls to the Ump.
FARMERS DAY was a popular promotion that lasted several years.
They had an egg toss, players trying to catch greased pigs, milking cows. How would you like seing Reggie trying to catch a runaway pig...?
Cleveland had a TEN CENT BEER NIGHT. OK.....SO GIVE ME A DOLLARS WORTH.
Then there was CHISOX DISCO SUCKS NIGHT........Disco Demolition Night - Wikipedia