Category Archives: Baseball

October 14, 2013 · 12:46 am

Living the past in the present

Fifty-eight years ago, on Thursday, October 13, 1960, my father took a day off and took me out of my first-grade class.

From Neville Island we journeyed to Forbes Field in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.

There we watched the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the New York Yankees in Game 7 of that year’s World Series (an interesting name now, but even more so at that time when all the teams vying for the title were located in the United States).

The heavily favored Yankees had won 10 pennants in 12 years. They won three games in this series: 16-3, 10-0, and 12-0. The Pirates won the other three games by much closer scores: 6-4, 3-2, and 5-2.

Game 7 proved a classic. The Pirates took the lead. The Yankees came back and went ahead. The Pirates regained the lead in the bottom of the eighth inning. The Yankees tied it in the ninth.

Bill Mazeroski led off the bottom of the ninth inning for the Pirates. He took the first pitch for a ball. Then he drove the second pitch over the left-field wall. And the Pirates were the champions.

How much do I remember because I saw the game in person? How much do I remember because I have seen the pictures and the film and heard the stories? I will never know.

On the anniversary of the game, Pirates fans gather in Pittsburgh to relieve, remember, and recreate.

In 2009, a kinescope of the telecast was discovered in Bing Crosby’s wine cellar. Crosby owned a portion of the Pirates. A DVD appeared with the game. Tricia gave me a copy as a gift.

Tonight I celebrated the past in the present as on the anniversary, I watched the game all the way until, “There’s a drive into deep left field, look out now… that ball is going, going gone! And the World Series is over! Mazeroski… hits it over the left field fence, and the Pirates win it 10–9 and win the World Series!” Mel Allen on NBC TV

And I remembered my father. And my spirit warmed. And the smile has not left my face or my heart.

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as 1960 World Series, Bill Mazeroski, father, Forbes Field, Game 7 1960 World Series, New York Yankees, Pittsburgh Pirates

October 6, 2013 · 10:25 pm

Fathers, friends, Pirates

Tomorrow night, the Pittsburgh Pirates host the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Baseball Division Series. A Pirates win captures the series for them and moves them into the League Championship series for the first time since 1992.

When the Pirates take the field to begin the game, my high school friend Lois will be there with her father.

Lois and I attended Grove City High School in Western Pennsylvania. We had many classes together, including band where she played clarinet and I played the baritone horn. Upon graduation, Lois went to Penn State. I went to Westminster. She has landed in the field of library science. I followed a call into ministry. We lost touch fairly quickly after that.

Our class celebrated its 40th anniversary last year and Lois found me on Facebook. Through that medium, we have discovered that we both still bleed black and gold. The Pirates. The Steelers. They were our teams in high school. They are our teams now.

We each shared our support for the Pittsburgh teams with our fathers. Each of our fathers worked for the public school system.

My dad was the Assistant Superintendent of schools until his death in 1974. And a very good musician. He started his career as a public school instrumental music teacher.

Mr. Thompson, Lois’ father, was our band director. And a very good musician.

Mr. Thompson and my father were good friends. As in any work situation, friendships form. There was a whole group of folks who were friends with my dad. But my dad was especially close to all the instrumental musicians in the system, Mr. Thompson among them. My father played for them when they needed help. Mr. Thompson played in the town band when my dad directed it.

My father and I went to Pirates games – along with my mother, brother, aunt, and grandfather. We made it a family affair. I know now that something similar happened in the Thompson household.

After the Pirates won on Friday, Lois sent me a message saying that she has tickets for Game 4 in Pittsburgh and that she will take her dad along. He is 87.

While that pricks my heart a little thinking of all the games my dad and I never saw, it also brings back a whole host of great memories. And I am really thrilled for Lois and Mr. Thompson. His first name is Grant but I can’t call him anything else but Mr. Thompson even after all these years.

Pretty cool. I count on Lois and Mr. Thompson to bring the Pirates home.

See you along the Trail.

A word about the photo. Yes. My father and I attended Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. We lived on Neville Island at the time. Dad took a vacation day and took me out of my first grade class. We were there for the Kubek hop, for Hal Smith’s three-run home run that put the Pirates ahead in the 8th inning and for Bill Mazeroski’s game-winning home run in the 9th inning. We saw history. And the most important word in that sentence then, and now, is “we.”

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Tagged as 1960 World Series, Bill Mazeroski, Game 7 1960 World Series, Grove City High School, Pittsburgh Pirates, playoffs

October 2, 2013 · 12:32 am

I saw Clemente play

In the aftermath of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ first playoff win since 1992 (6-2 over Cincinnati), comments of pride and joy have filled my Facebook feed. I already know that some of my friends supported the Bucs. Tonight I discovered many new fans. Long-term fans, or hidden fans, or fans of baseball captured for a moment by a team ending a 20-year streak of losing seasons and making the playoffs at the same time.

One friend posted a video clip of Roberto Clemente, the Pirates’ great right fielder from 1955 until his untimely death in 1972. A great human being, Clemente died on a humanitarian mission to aid the people of Nicaragua.

Another friend posed a question in response: “You saw Clemente play?”

To which I respond, “I did.”

At Forbes Field and at Three Rivers Stadium, I had the privilege to see Clemente play with skill and grace and passion that few brought to the game.

I saw Clemente. And it was wonderful!

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as Cincinnati Reds, Forbes Field, Pittsburgh Pirates, playoffs, Roberto Clemente, Three Rivers Stadium

September 24, 2013 · 12:17 am

Buctober

After 20 years of frustration, the Pittsburgh Pirates finally played meaningful baseball games in September. The Pirates remained in the race for a playoff spot.

We also won meaningful baseball games in September. And tonight, we finally won enough that we clinched a spot in the playoffs. It remains unclear what that spot will be. Most likely it will be one of the wildcard spots. Hopefully the home spot. The wildcard teams play one game with the winner advancing and the loser ending their season. That makes the home team advantage all the more important.

The next five games will decide that. For now, we are in. And that is good.

There will be meaningful baseball in October. Or as the Pittsburgh Pirates Twitter account has apparently dubbed the days ahead: Buctober!

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as Pittsburgh Pirates, playoffs, wild card race

August 31, 2013 · 8:14 pm

Once and done, probably

Thanks to Tricia for reminding me of two more parks.

It never reached the status of my bucket list. But I live in New York. It seemed something I should do. Once. Just so I could say I had done it.

Today, it happened. Eric and DeLaina went with me and I watched my first, and probably only game – that may change should the Pirates play the Yankees some day, in Yankee Stadium. It is not the House That Ruth Built. But it is the House That Those Who Followed in Ruth’s Footsteps Built.

It is a good stadium. We sat in the right-field, lower grandstand. Good seats except when the ball was hit to deep right. The Show does have lefties who pull. They hit to right fairly often.

We all wanted to see Mariano Rivera pitch since this is his last season. But it was not to be. Ivan Nova threw a three-hit complete game shutout. That wasn’t bad to see.

Great company. Baseball. A historic franchise. Good times!

As I surveyed the stadium, I found myself wondering about the places where I have seen baseball. I start with Pittsburgh stadiums. Then I move to other teams in no particular order.

Pittsburgh – Forbes Field
Pittsburgh – Three Rivers Stadium
Pittsburgh – PNC Park
Philadelphia – Connie Mack Stadium
St. Louis – Busch Memorial Stadium
Chicago – Wrigley Field
Chicago – Comisky Park
Denver – Coors Field
Houston – Astrodome
New York – Yankee Stadium
Kansas City – Royals Stadium (as it was called at the time)
Cleveland – Cleveland Municipal Stadium (but never to the new stadium until the team changes its name and iconography)

On the one hand, it makes an impressive list. On the other, I have many stadiums left to see. It may happen.

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as Ivan Nova, Mariano Rivera, Yankee Stadium

August 18, 2013 · 11:02 pm

Baseball, Brooklyn style

The Dodgers have long since left Brooklyn, although my friend Jose insists they will return. That may happen someday.

But baseball – part of our past in so many ways – remains part of our present in Brooklyn. A couple of strong throws and good relays away from Coney Island’s famed Cyclone, the Brooklyn Cyclones play. Affiliated with the New York Mets, the Cyclones play in the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League. Interestingly enough, teams come from seven states, not just New York and Pennsylvania.

The Cyclones were league co-champions in their first season, 2001. They have not achieved such success since.

The team puts on a show: four mascots (as opposed to two umpires), cheerleaders, hot dog races, and more entertain fans between and during innings. Promotional giveaways happen often. I got a hat and a drawstring bag tonight. MCU Park puts fans right on the edge of the action. It also provides views of Coney Island rides, the beach, and the ocean. An awesome atmosphere.

And they play baseball.

Tonight, at the invitation of one of my summer interns, Marissa, and her father Bill, I joined members of Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church and Bay Ridge United Church and watched the Cyclones beat the Vermont Lake Monsters 6-4.

Each team manufactured their runs from base-hits (and a couple doubles) and aggressive base running. Two spectacular catches took place in the outfield with a Cyclone player running into the wall and holding the ball. Errors and walks also played a role. The Lake Monster outfielders threw out two Cyclones at the plate. A Cyclone outfielder, trying for a play at third, threw the ball into the stands.

Vermont opened the scoring. The Cyclones came back and took the lead. I the eight, Vermont scored three times and went ahead. The Cyclones answered with three runs and retook the lead. They then held on defense to win the game.

They play baseball. And that is very, very good.

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as Bay Ridge United Church, Brooklyn, Brooklyn Cyclones, Brooklyn Dodgers, Coney Island, Cyclone Roller Coster, Fourth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York Mets, New York-Penn League, Vermont Lake Monsters

August 5, 2013 · 10:24 am

My hero’s bat

When the hotel fitness center closed early,I took to the streets of Louisville for exercise.
On Main Street,
I trailed the Walk of Fame.
I sought,
and found
my childhood hero.
Recuerdo Roberto.

See you along the Trail.

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Filed under Baseball, Louisville, Photo

Tagged as childhood, hero, Louisville, Louisville Slugger, Louisville Slugger Walk of Fame, Roberto Clemente

June 16, 2013 · 11:23 pm

First came baseball

I am not sure I would have asked the question. Too many people have experienced abuse, abandonment, failure to love, and more from their fathers. Too many fathers have died too young. Too many wounds remain unhealed.

“What is your favorite memory of your father or your father figure?” Bob Brashear, pastor of West-Park Presbyterian Church, asked near the end of his sermon today.

My first thoughts went to those who had negative experiences of their fathers. I felt my heartstrings tightened as I considered the profound pain the simple question could touch.

Images of my father, gone too long, filled my head and heart. He was not perfect. None of us are. But he was a good, good man who loved me and my brother and sister well.

Memories came at me as thick as gnats on a hot, sultry night. When it came my turn to speak, I went with my first memories:

“Baseball. Playing catch in the back yard. Going to games. Baseball. In Pittsburgh.” I remembered, although I did not share, that as I child, when I would have to go to bed before a Pirates game finished, I would wake up in the morning to find a piece of paper with the score written in my father’s handwriting.

Memories. Blessed memories. As I rejoice in mine, my heart goes out to those who know pain.

Happy Father’s Day to fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, and all, male and female alike, who have filled the role of fathers.

See you along the Trail.

P.S.:
Dodgers 3
Pirates 6

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Tagged as Father's Day, fathers, Memory, pain, Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Pirates, remembrance, West-Park Presbyterian Church

May 27, 2013 · 11:08 am

A surprise

Recovering, returning Pittsburgh Pirates fan that I am, I decided to subscribe to Major League Baseball’s Game Day Audio so I could listen to games. A friend posted on Facebook that the Pirates play in Detroit with Verlander pitching for the Tigers while we send Liriano to the mound.

The Pirates success combined with that match-up and the reality that I will spend most of today inside led me to the conclusion that I should find a way to listen. I went to purchase a subscription and discovered, to my surprise, that my previous subscription had automatically renewed.

On the one hand, this is good. Come 1:00 I will listen. On the other hand, this would have been nice to know in advance. I did not realize that they set up subscriptions in such a fashion. I need to go back and read the fine print. On the other, other hand, after reading the fine print, I need to learn how I could control this in the future.

Today, I will go with the one hand.

See you along the Trail.

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Tagged as Detroit Tigers, Francisco Liriano, Justin Verlander, MLB Game Day Audio, Pittsburgh Pirates

April 28, 2013 · 11:01 pm

For tonight

After today’s win in St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Pirates are in first place in the Central Division of the National League.