Liberal Forum

Zeets2 » 14 Jun 2022, 2:27 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:27 pm

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 1:49 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 1:49 pm

His career totals are pretty amazing to look at.

Wilbur Wood Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
 
He might not be in the HOF..but there was something "HOFerish" about his career.

Funny how the game has changed so much.  I can't think of a single pitcher now throwing only knuckleballs, although many have incorporated the knuckle-curve.  But there were a plethora of them years ago.  I remember the Neikro brothers, Joe and Phil did, RA Dickey, Tim Wakefield, Charlie Hough, and of course, Hoyt Wilhelm.  Then I remember Jim Bouton throwing it with the old Seattle Pilots, while he was writing Ball Four, still a great baseball book.
Do you remember Steve Hamilton as a Yankee throwing his eephus ball?  I was reminded of that just the other night when the Cubs brought in a position player to pitch after the Yanks had scored 17 runs, and threw one to Kyle Higashioka, who promptly deposited it into the left field stands.
Here it is, if you missed it:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1536090617830178816
 

 

Today's players can't master the Vaseline like the did back then    

And seriously, they are always getting checked.  The umpires are checking them after each inning.  

Zeets2 » 14 Jun 2022, 12:13 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 12:13 pm

I think that's terrific.  I came close to beginning a writing career in my college days.  A professor of mine was impressed with some of my writing and knew of my passion for baseball.  He met me in private near the end of the semester and told me he had an internship available he could offer me through my university, writing press releases in the MLB office in Manhattan for the commissioner of baseball (Bowie Kuhn at that time).  However the job had a pre-requisite of a course in journalism which I would have had to take over the interim and that would have taken 4 days a week through January at 8 hours a day, and I just couldn't do that after just starting up my business a year or two before.
But at times I still think about that road not taken, even though I have no regrets with the choice I made.  
 

It's not too late.
You should start with a local paper or something easy to get into.
You will get in the habit of thinking and writing, and deadlines.

Rock » 14 Jun 2022, 1:02 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 1:02 pm

PSA. My ex and I were both in the Navy. She had gone to talk to the lady about babysitting our son. I was on my way to Long Beach where my ship was going through repairs. Our son who was two years old (he just turned 46 last week) was staying at her sister's house. After talking to the lady she left the house and ten minutes later the plane crashed into the house killing the lady and her son. In total 9 people on the ground were killed. 133 on the airliner and two in the private plane also died. As my ex was driving toward our home she saw the small plane that had collided with the airliner going down. The scary thing is that when she was talking to the lady she considered calling her sister to ask her to bring our son to meet the babysitter. If she had the plane would have killed her while she waited or killed her, my son, and sister in law after they arrived. Needless to say it was a traumatic experience for her.

https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/local ... d4954279ab

PSA Flight 182 crash: News 8's coverage of the San Diego tragedy 40 years ago


 
 

That's crazy! Definitely had a guardian angel that day!

Huey » 14 Jun 2022, 2:34 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:34 pm

Today's players can't master the Vaseline like the did back then    

And seriously, they are always getting checked.  The umpires are checking them after each inning.

Yeah, I remember Gaylord Perry using that and regularly beating the Yankees with it.  He was a master with a spitball/vaseline ball.  But somehow the umps could never catch him with it.  I remember Whitey Ford pitching when I was a kid, and they said he had perfected the mud ball.  He'd throw a regular pitch, then the catcher (either Yogi or Elston Howard) would pretend to lose his balance with the ball in his throwing hand, and jam it into the dirt before throwing it back to Ford.  Whitey said he could make a mud ball like that whistle Dixie for one pitch before the ump threw it out of the game.  Another funny story I read (I think it was of Whitey) where he would use the wedding ring on his finger to secretly slice a cut into the ball and throw an unhittable pitch. The story told of an umpire who saw what he was doing in one game and went out to the mound.  He told Whitey, "Go into the clubhouse and adjust your jock strap.  And when you come back, you'd better not be wearing that **** ring!"

Some great memories, huh? 
 

AnnoyedLiberall » 14 Jun 2022, 2:38 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:38 pm

It's not too late.
You should start with a local paper or something easy to get into.
You will get in the habit of thinking and writing, and deadlines.

Yeah, I know.  I just don't seem to have the energy left anymore, and on bad days the pain killers cloud my mind.  Maybe I'll reconsider it in a few months when I'm fully retired.
As it is, I'm writing too much here today, when I should really be getting back to work!
 

Zeets2 » 14 Jun 2022, 2:52 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:52 pm

Yeah, I know.  I just don't seem to have the energy left anymore, and on bad days the pain killers cloud my mind.  Maybe I'll reconsider it in a few months when I'm fully retired.
As it is, I'm writing too much here today, when I should really be getting back to work!
 

this is a nice place to take a quick break.
Changes the work mindset, and makes it easier to get back on task.

Zeets2 » 14 Jun 2022, 2:27 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:27 pm

Funny how the game has changed so much.  I can't think of a single pitcher now throwing only knuckleballs, although many have incorporated the knuckle-curve.  But there were a plethora of them years ago.  I remember the Neikro brothers, Joe and Phil did, RA Dickey, Tim Wakefield, Charlie Hough, and of course, Hoyt Wilhelm.  Then I remember Jim Bouton throwing it with the old Seattle Pilots, while he was writing Ball Four, still a great baseball book.
Do you remember Steve Hamilton as a Yankee throwing his eephus ball?  I was reminded of that just the other night when the Cubs brought in a position player to pitch after the Yanks had scored 17 runs, and threw one to Kyle Higashioka, who promptly deposited it into the left field stands.
Here it is, if you missed it:
https://twitter.com/i/status/1536090617830178816

I remember Steve Hamilton a real tall guy who had a bried stint with SFG when I was a kid.
Kyle Higashioka is a badd *** hitter because it isn't easy to be geared up for 80 plus..but also be ready to unload on a high arc pitch like that.
I think most of us would have been frozen.

Huey » 14 Jun 2022, 2:34 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 2:34 pm

Today's players can't master the Vaseline like the did back then    

And seriously, they are always getting checked.  The umpires are checking them after each inning.

September 1, 1967: Marathon man Gaylord Perry goes unrewarded in Giants’ 21-inning win – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org)

"Gaylord pitched 10 innings or more 31 times".....   and he threw hard, sweating through three jerseys on any typical start.

I remember Gaylord Perry back when he was a struggling young pitcher. He went back and forth between AAA and SFG a few times.
When he was finally out of options was when he did a complete "ABOUT FACE" and the rest is history.
His "BREAK OUT GAME" was when he was called in to pitch long relief for the SP [Ron Herbel?] who got injured in the first inning. Gaylord threw a shutout going the distance  the rest of the way. I'm just going from memory..but check out the link I provided.
many think this epic performance of his  was when he decided to "roll out the greaseball".  
Love him or hate him for throwing the SPITTER / GREASE BALL..but he was one of a kind.
He was such a SWEAT HOG [even when he was thin] that he had "natural grease" built up in his cap ready for his next pitch.
The UMPS can't blame a pitcher who needs to wipe the sweat off his brow...can they...?
 
 

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 3:23 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 3:23 pm

September 1, 1967: Marathon man Gaylord Perry goes unrewarded in Giants’ 21-inning win – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org)

"Gaylord pitched 10 innings or more 31 times".....   and he threw hard, sweating through three jerseys on any typical start.

I remember Gaylord Perry back when he was a struggling young pitcher. He went back and forth between AAA and SFG a few times.
When he was finally out of options was when he did a complete "ABOUT FACE" and the rest is history.
His "BREAK OUT GAME" was when he was called in to pitch long relief for the SP [Ron Herbel?] who got injured in the first inning. Gaylord threw a shutout going the distance  the rest of the way. I'm just going from memory..but check out the link I provided.
many think this epic performance of his  was when he decided to "roll out the greaseball".  
Love him or hate him for throwing the SPITTER / GREASE BALL..but he was one of a kind.
He was such a SWEAT HOG [even when he was thin] that he had "natural grease" built up in his cap ready for his next pitch.
The UMPS can't blame a pitcher who needs to wipe the sweat off his brow...can they...?

I remember years (decades) ago one of the sports mags, SI, Sporting News, Sport, don't remember which, had Gaylord on the cover and behind him was a huge wave. Very funny.

Rock » 14 Jun 2022, 5:18 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 5:18 pm

I remember years (decades) ago one of the sports mags, SI, Sporting News, Sport, don't remember which, had Gaylord on the cover and behind him was a huge wave. Very funny.

It was  psychological warfare that Gaylord usually won. Just the idea that the next pitch might be "loaded up" gave the hitter something else for a distraction.
An epic 16 inning  pitching duel  that involved a SFG Pitcher was this one....
Young Juan Marichal vs Old Timer Warren Spahn......The Best-Pitched Game in Baseball History: Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org)
Marichal  had to "mutiny against"  his manager to keep from getting taken out. There was no **** way he was going to let Alvin Dark yank him as long as the Old Man Spahn was still out there.
The game began at 8 PM and both pitchers were still in the game at half past midnight.
Could you imagine any pitcher [especially a young guy] having the balls to refuse to be yanked after 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 innings  nowadays...?  
 

AnnoyedLiberall » 13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm » wrote: ↑

13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm

It would be fun to learn a little more about one another as people, and not just our political beliefs.
Let's all share some fun facts about ourselves.

1. I am related to the Kennedy's.
2. I can talk backwards.
3. I am a published author.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Keep it nice please.
No dick swinging or name calling.

I've been an extra in two movies. Both were centered around thoroughbred racing (makes sense since I live in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky).

The first movie was Run For The Roses, a forgettable movie from 1977 staring Sam Groom and Vera Miles. The scene I was in took place during an auction. I've never been able to see myself although I'm in the crowd.

The second movie was the academy award nominated Seabiscuit. The match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral was filmed at Keeneland Race Course here in Lexington in 2003 but the actual race was at Pimlico in Baltimore so they had to change some of the signage. My friend and I were in the infield wearing overcoats and fedoras. I was told to cheer for War Admiral since my birthday was an odd number. Even numbered birthdays were to root for Seabiscuit. During the race they show people running in the infield and cheering. I have the dvd of the movie and have slowed it down and never found myself. I'm also in the scene after Seabiscuit wins and the crowd is cheering him. I'm in that scene too I just can't find myself. But I'm in there I swear. 

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 5:51 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 5:51 pm

It was  psychological warfare that Gaylord usually won. Just the idea that the next pitch might be "loaded up" gave the hitter something else for a distraction.
An epic 16 inning  pitching duel  that involved a SFG Pitcher was this one....
Young Juan Marichal vs Old Timer Warren Spahn......The Best-Pitched Game in Baseball History: Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal – Society for American Baseball Research (sabr.org)
Marichal  had to "mutiny against"  his manager to keep from getting taken out. There was no **** way he was going to let Alvin Dark yank him as long as the Old Man Spahn was still out there.
The game began at 8 PM and both pitchers were still in the game at half past midnight.
Could you imagine any pitcher [especially a young guy] having the balls to refuse to be yanked after 6, 7, 8. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16 innings  nowadays...?

No I can't imagine it. Was that the game that Juan (high leg kicker) Marichal threw like 250 pitches? Pitchers now rarely throw more than 100 pitches. Occasionally one will go 120. When Bronson Arroyo pitched for my Reds he threw such easy (but effective) stuff it wasn't unusual for him to go deep into games.
 

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 3:11 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 3:11 pm

I remember Steve Hamilton a real tall guy who had a bried stint with SFG when I was a kid.
Kyle Higashioka is a badd *** hitter because it isn't easy to be geared up for 80 plus..but also be ready to unload on a high arc pitch like that.
I think most of us would have been frozen.

Funny, here I'm thinking wannabe ballplayers like you and me might just find it easier to hit a high-arc pitch like that, which was really not much different than in a high arc softball game.  Regardless, wouldn't you love to get to shot at hitting against that?
 

AnnoyedLiberall » 14 Jun 2022, 3:04 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 3:04 pm

this is a nice place to take a quick break.
Changes the work mindset, and makes it easier to get back on task.

It is, but on a day like today, I find myself spending more time on it than I really should.
First time I looked up today and it was almost noon!
 

Rock » 14 Jun 2022, 6:00 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 6:00 pm

No I can't imagine it. Was that the game that Juan (high leg kicker) Marichal threw like 250 pitches? Pitchers now rarely throw more than 100 pitches. Occasionally one will go 120. When Bronson Arroyo pitched for my Reds he threw such easy (but effective) stuff it wasn't unusual for him to go deep into games.

I think he was in the neighborhood of 250 pitches...!
He had such great control of so many different pitches and arm angles. He threw a screwball which is a pitch that gets blamed for arm injuries and short careers. The guys who really know how to throw it make it look effortless though..
I think one year he threw over 300 innings and walked fewer than 30 ..[some would have been intentional walks]
So with great control he could keep his pitch count low and log a lot of innings.
The average game only took a little over 2 hours to play back then. That was long enough, plus watching pitchers go the distance was something I miss.

 

Zeets2 » 14 Jun 2022, 6:05 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 6:05 pm

Funny, here I'm thinking wannabe ballplayers like you and me might just find it easier to hit a high-arc pitch like that, which was really not much different than in a high arc softball game.  Regardless, wouldn't you love to get to shot at hitting against that?

To be honest I was never any good at hitting the super  high arc / slow pitch softball stuff...[embarrassed emoji]...
It's cool to see the players who can hit nothing but bombs off that high lob stuff....that's a grooved swing..!
If I was given the chance to bat in front of 50,000 fans and struck out... TRYING TO HIT THAT  NICKLE DIME LOB BALL ****.... I might just start walking towards Mexico to start a new life.  
OK..so picture yourself sitting in the stands at a MLB game and the House Announcer says over the PA System....

"HEY ZEETS  ..!! THE REDS ARE OUT OF PLAYERS AND THE  MANAGER  NEEDS YOU TO PUT DOWN YOUR BEER AND GRAB A BAT..!!! YOU ARE DUE TO BAT 3RD THIS INNING....!! IT'S GAME 7 OF THE WORLD SERIES  BUT DON'T BE NERVOUS...!!!  
OK, with that thought in mind have you ever heard of.........
Eddie Gaedel Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
The Story Of Eddie Gaedel, Major League Baseball's Shortest Player (allthatsinteresting.com)

 

AnnoyedLiberall » 13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm » wrote: ↑

13 Jun 2022, 2:54 pm

It would be fun to learn a little more about one another as people, and not just our political beliefs.
Let's all share some fun facts about ourselves.

1. I am related to the Kennedy's.
2. I can talk backwards.
3. I am a published author.

Feel free to ask me any questions.

Keep it nice please.
No dick swinging or name calling.

Some funny stuff...I'm sure you'll remember the movie based on what this guy did.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIYtKR24LQs

Rock » 14 Jun 2022, 5:52 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 5:52 pm

I've been an extra in two movies. Both were centered around thoroughbred racing (makes sense since I live in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky).

The first movie was Run For The Roses, a forgettable movie from 1977 staring Sam Groom and Vera Miles. The scene I was in took place during an auction. I've never been able to see myself although I'm in the crowd.

The second movie was the academy award nominated Seabiscuit. The match race between Seabiscuit and War Admiral was filmed at Keeneland Race Course here in Lexington in 2003 but the actual race was at Pimlico in Baltimore so they had to change some of the signage. My friend and I were in the infield wearing overcoats and fedoras. I was told to cheer for War Admiral since my birthday was an odd number. Even numbered birthdays were to root for Seabiscuit. During the race they show people running in the infield and cheering. I have the dvd of the movie and have slowed it down and never found myself. I'm also in the scene after Seabiscuit wins and the crowd is cheering him. I'm in that scene too I just can't find myself. But I'm in there I swear. 

I was almost an extra in the movie North Country with Charlize Theron. But, I wouldn't wear flannel. Oh well.
I loved Run for the Roses. When I was a kid I was obsessed with horses. I read Black Beauty when I was 5 or 6, and it was all over for me then. I always wanted to have a horse, but we lived in town. My oldest sister had them, and I would rid bareback all over her pasture. It was the greatest feeling in the world.

Blue Devil » 15 Jun 2022, 12:54 am » wrote: ↑

15 Jun 2022, 12:54 am

I have been part of a College World Series champion, and I have been drafted by a major league baseball team.
 

Very cool!
Did you ever play?

GHETTOBLASTER » 14 Jun 2022, 6:15 pm » wrote: ↑

14 Jun 2022, 6:15 pm

To be honest I was never any good at hitting the super  high arc / slow pitch softball stuff...[embarrassed emoji]...
It's cool to see the players who can hit nothing but bombs off that high lob stuff....that's a grooved swing..!
If I was given the chance to bat in front of 50,000 fans and struck out... TRYING TO HIT THAT  NICKLE DIME LOB BALL ****.... I might just start walking towards Mexico to start a new life.  
OK..so picture yourself sitting in the stands at a MLB game and the House Announcer says over the PA System....

"HEY ZEETS  ..!! THE REDS ARE OUT OF PLAYERS AND THE  MANAGER  NEEDS YOU TO PUT DOWN YOUR BEER AND GRAB A BAT..!!! YOU ARE DUE TO BAT 3RD THIS INNING....!! IT'S GAME 7 OF THE WORLD SERIES  BUT DON'T BE NERVOUS...!!!  
OK, with that thought in mind have you ever heard of.........
Eddie Gaedel Stats | Baseball-Reference.com
The Story Of Eddie Gaedel, Major League Baseball's Shortest Player (allthatsinteresting.com)

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!