Posted on 08/08/2008 6:57:38 AM PDT by Lucky9teen
Earl loved the big inning. I always thought Earl was the best Manager in baseball. I used to love to watch him kick dirt on the Umps. That was always entertaining.
I'm thinking they may be on Santa's payroll. :-)
My favorite Wild Bill story is the fun he used to have with the usherettes. In the upper deck you weren’t supposed to sit in the front row (something about people falling over the edge trying to catch foul balls with crab nets or throwing stuff at Reggie Jackson when he came back with the Yankees).
Anyway the usherette for our section also had the last 2 sections to police as well. Wild Bill would give a kid a couple of bucks to go to the far end and sit in the front row. Pretty soon, here she came down the aisle next to us then across to tell the kid to move back a row. When she came back, Wild Bill would stand up and lead the section singing, “Ain’t She sweet”. Several innings later he’d do it again.
When I lived in Texas in the 80’s, I’d get seats behind the Orioles bullpen down the left field line (old Texas Stadium). We’s talk baseball with Elrod or Tim Stoddard. Tim was this huge guy who had a way with hecklers.
Once the O’s were getting shelled by the Rangers, and this Ranger fan kept hollaring, “What’s the Score?”. Constantly. Tim came out of the bullpen dugout, looked this guy right in the eye, and said, “There’s a scoreboard up there; USE IT!”
My favorite all time Oriole story was John Lowenstein. He was being interviewed by some Texas reporter, who hit him with the following question: “I see you like to catch the ball one-handed. Who was the first major leaguer to popularize the one-handed catch?” John said, “That would be Pete Gray.” So this reporter goes off and writes a story about Pete Gray popularizing the one-handed catch; not realizing that Pete Gray only had one arm (he played for the St Louis Browns in 1940’s).
lol
Now that is good stuff. Especially when someone sticks it to the media!
My dad took us to a game at Tiger stadium. Mom took my sister down to the dug out area before the game. I was getting autographs and Elrod Hendricks came out. He is signing my book and he asks my Mom out for dinner after the game. I got all excited and turn around and yell, ‘hey Dad, Elrod Hendricks is taking us out to dinner after the game’. Everybody started laughin’, and I didn't get it at the time. I wanted to go have dinner with Elrod. That is the best Oriole story I have.
My neighbor and I used to go up to Detriot for a Tigers-Orioles game once a year. We talked about it this spring, but never got around to it. I would like to see the new stadium, but the old one was a wonderful place to watch a game.
Last time I was there, got in early and were standing behind the O’s dugout. Jon Millar was out on the field with his microphone and a camera crew. He looked up at us and I hollared, “Whats the matter Jon; won’t anyone talk to you!” Then he goes over to Cal, and Cal goes, “Sorry, I don’t have time to talk.” Then he goes to another O, agets the same brush off. After about 3 or 4, we are laughing our butts off. They’re all just regular Joe’s having fun with the fans. Good times!
Can you name the four Alou brothers who played in the majors?
Felipe, Matty, Jesus and.......?
The fourth Alou brother was actually Boog Powell. He changed his name though, as he didn't want to be known as .... Boog Alou!
BTW, Boog Powell runs Boog's Barbecue at Oriole Park at Camden Yards these days.
Paul Blair used to live just a couple of blocks from my boyhood home, and I would often see him out to dinner at Johnny Unitas' Golden Arm restaurant where I worked as a bus boy while in high school.
With the advent of free agency the Os couldn't keep their stars - Grich and Baylor left for the Angels for example, where Baylor was MVP in 1979.
Section 34 in memorial Stadium! Me too on occasion. The 1979 season was fantastic.... except for that very last game.
Earl used to say that the three-run dinger you traded for over the winter always beats the sacrifice bunt!
LOL
good stuff!
Boog Alou!
lol
My bet, Ricky Ricardo made that up.
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