That is a great history you have, what a gift your Father was to a great many people. If he played, I likely watched him. Where did he come up? A lot of the Giants started out in Tacoma, playing minor leagues. I met Willie McCovey there. I delivered papers to him, and sat on his stoop as he smoked. My dad met him, and they shared a love of baseball It has been 60+ years, but I remember his name as Dusty Rhodes. I could be wrong as I was about 9 years old. We went to the Tacoma ballpark and watched the Giants minor league team several times with them. Baseball was an ENORMOUS pleasure back before the money and fame went to those blessed with talents heads.
I know your dad wasn’t that clean up batter, but Dusty played for the Brooklyn Giants and in SF. He was a pinch hitter. I am just riffing here. The memories are sweet. I hope the ones of your father are as sweet to you.
Leo Durocher: “Anytime you see a fielder get under a ball and pound his glove - even in Little League - you know he’s going to catch it. I have seen (Dusty) Rhodes pound his glove and have the ball fall twenty feet behind him.” - Leo Durocher in Nice Guys Finish Last (1975)
Correction, my thoughts ran together.
I delivered papers to Dusty Rhodes, and sat on his stoop as he smoked and reminisced
...sorry, count on me to foul up a story. Maybe it was the tears in my eyes as I thought about my dad, and now yours.
This is the correction
I delivered papers to him, and sat on his stoop as he smoked. My dad met him, and they shared a love of baseball