You're welcome.
From the mid-50's through most of the 60's I often sat about 12 rows back behind the Pirates dugout on the first base line at old Forbes Field. The on deck circle was not very far away from us. Some nights late into the game if Clendenon was striking out a little too much and was in a slump, my brother and I used to boo him 'just a little'. He was a very big man ..... crouched on one knee and leaning on about three Louisville sluggers he would just slowly turn his head and glare at us ..... scared the crap out of me. lol
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"When we got him, Donn Clendenon, we became a different team. We never had a three-run homer type of guy. He was always humble, never cocky. We were still young kids in that era. He was a veteran that came in and made us better. When you threw him into the mix with the rest of us, we became a dangerous force. We knew we had a good team (1969 New York Mets ) with him, but we didn't know quite how good. Gil Hodges thought we were better than we were. He was the MVP — a very dangerous player." - New York Mets Shortstop Bud Harrelson
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"Enjoy the game. I like the Bradys big against the Rams." ---
Me too.
(jmo) Belichick is a genius and he had the Patriots playing very well Sunday. And Brady is Brady. If all goes about as it should and the refs stay out of it, I think L.A. should lose by about two touchdowns. (But both of us have been around long enough to know about sports' unpredictability. -- For instance, remember the 1960 Pirates -- Yankees World Series. LOL .... that Series was great. We luckily snared a couple of tickets to game 2. The Pirates got smeared, 16-3.
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By the way, I guess you remember pitcher Jon Matlack. He came and worked out with our university baseball team back in '68. (I never found out why he came there that year but there he was.) He threw some smoke from that long left arm of his.
I was a left-handed hitter so I wasn't hurrying into the batting cage too often to get my cuts against Jon. He was a very nice guy but very intimidating on the mound.
Thanks for the memories! We’re in the same ballpark, age wise, so our memories coincide. The first game I recall was at Ebbitts field, the Dodgers v Chicago cubs (‘56?). Earnie Banks was their shortstop and I recall my brother telling me to watch him carefully. Glad I did!
NYC was a baseball mecca then; Willie Mays up at the Polo grounds, Mantle & Maris at Yankee Stadium. Then came the Mets, who as a Dodger fan immediately became my team. I forget when Ralph Kiner became involved w the broadcasts, but he was a hoot! The game was worth watching if for nothing else than his gaffs; Gary Carter was Gary Cooper, and of course, “It’s Father’s Day today at Shea, so to all you fathers out there, Happy Birthday.” Great stuff, some of which actually put Yogi’s malapropos to shame :)
yep, I remember Matlock. IIRC, he couldn’t find the strike zone consistently buy yes, he threw heat. Seaver was my favorite. A complete pitcher who actually threw complete games!
I’m glad I got to see NYC at it’s height. It’s now an open toilet and someplace I visit only out of necessity.
PS; Bill Mazeroski broke my heart in 1960!!