Are There Any BASEBALL Fans On The Forum?

[Mumbleypeg]

Ike, have you made it to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown? Whether you’re a devout follower or casual fan, it should be on every bucket list.

Ken

No, I have not, but yes, iti is definitely on my list. Hope to do it in conjunction with a few other stops, like Bradford, Pa. Even tho I am not a Case collector, I also look at that as a "must do"

My wife and I made a similar trip several years ago. Flew to Pittsburgh, rented a car and drove to Bradford and toured the Case factory. I called them a couple of weeks ahead of time and arranged it. I’m a life member of the Case Collector’s Club so arranging a tour was no problem - not sure what the situation would be for non-members, but a one year membership I think is $25 and it would be worth it IMHO just to get the tour. Whether you collect Case or not it’s great to see how they make knives and you get to interact with the employees who were wonderful hosts, and answered all my dumb questions. My wife who doesn’t know one knife from another even enjoyed it.

Then we drove to Cattaraugus, N.Y. And spent a few hours looking around there, then on to Cooperstown and the HOF. Then spent about a week wandering around New York and PA, getting back to Pittsburgh. Beautiful area, lots to see and do.

Ken

[Waukonda]

Sounds like a great trip.

[Mumbleypeg]

R.I.P. Al Kaline.

Ken

[Waukonda]

R.I.P. Al Kaline.

Ken

He was an excellent ballplayer and a classy genrleman who was universally respected.

[Mumbleypeg]

MLB.com has been running a poll allowing folks to vote for which player had the best single season performance in MLB history. In the finals, Bob Gibson 1968 beat Babe Ruth 1923 for the title. https://www.mlb.com/news/best-individual-season-bracket

I was fortunate enough to see Bob Gibson pitch a 3-hit shutout in the Astrodome that year when a buddy and I drove to Houston for the game. I don’t recall many details except how dominant Gibson’s fastball was in that game.

Ken

[Waukonda]

MLB.com has been running a poll allowing folks to vote for which player had the best single season performance in MLB history. In the finals, Bob Gibson 1968 beat Babe Ruth 1923 for the title. https://www.mlb.com/news/best-individual-season-bracket

I was fortunate enough to see Bob Gibson pitch a 3-hit shutout in the Astrodome that year when a buddy and I drove to Houston for the game. I don’t recall many details except how dominant Gibson’s fastball was in that game.

Ken

That would have been a great one to see, he changed the game with that '68 season.

Gibson was the starter in the very first game I ever attended. It was in the last year of old Busch Stadium (1965) versus the Giants. He struck out Mays twice and Willie McCovey three times but eventually lost in 10 innings, 2 to 1. Willie McCovey had a massive swing and the matchup between he and Gibson that night, forever made me a fan of great pitching.

[1967redrider]

Had my plans panned out, I would have been to two Nats games as of today.

[schradefan27]

I'm very jealous that you gents got to see Gibson. The old film I've seen looks like he throws faster than Seaver, Chapman, Dibble, etc.

I was lucky to see Mariano Rivera in 1999, and Fernando Rodney in 2012. Both dominant as closers, but I have yet to see a truly dominant starter (Verlander with Detroit is the closest). Probably because the managers pull pitchers today based on an analytics sheet.

Keep sharing. It is a highlight of my day.

[Waukonda]

I'm very jealous that you gents got to see Gibson. The old film I've seen looks like he throws faster than Seaver, Chapman, Dibble, etc.

I was lucky to see Mariano Rivera in 1999, and Fernando Rodney in 2012. Both dominant as closers, but I have yet to see a truly dominant starter (Verlander with Detroit is the closest). Probably because the managers pull pitchers today based on an analytics sheet.

Keep sharing. It is a highlight of my day.

What?? You are actually asking an old man to keep sharing stories of the old days?

If you saw Rivera, you saw a good one. I used to really enjoy watching him on televised games. I am a big Verlander fan also.

Gibson was definitely the most dominant I ever saw. Another that I enjoyed watching was Ryan. I lived in SW Michigan in the late 70s into the 80s and it was an easy drive around the tip of the lake, over to Comiskey to see the ChiSox. Ryan was with the Angels in those years and I always made it a point to see him when they came to town. The Sox didn't draw particularly well back then, so good tickets were easy to come by. They did have a decent year in 77 with Oscar Gamble and Richie Zisk having big seasons, but otherwise were pretty much under .500 most years. Ryan was still pretty wild in those years, so his games were entertaining. The resident Lone Star fellas probably have some Nolan Ryan stories.

[schradefan27]

Nolan Ryan supposedly threw his hardest as a Met - I grew up outside the city and heard about him. I was a big fan because he bulldogged a guy who charged the plate.

Missing baseball this year.

[Mumbleypeg]

Nolan Ryan supposedly threw his hardest as a Met - I grew up outside the city and heard about him. I was a big fan because he bulldogged a guy who charged the plate.

Missing baseball this year.

That was one of the most famous fights in baseball history. Happened when Ryan was 46 years old and pitching for the Rangers. I heard an interview about it with Robin Ventura, who is the guy that charged the mound after Ryan hit him on the arm with a fastball. Ventura said he started for first base but then turned and ran toward Ryan. When I got about halfway to the mound and saw Nolan standing there waiting for me I thought to myself “What in the h*ll am I doing?”.

You can see video of it on YouTube. Ryan pummeled him pretty good but the ensuing riot lasted several minutes with multiple other fights. IIRC Ventura was the only player ejected, Ryan pitched 7 innings giving up one run and won the game.

There’s a chapter about it in the book The Baseball Codes - The Unwritten Rules of America’s Pastime . A must-read for MLB fans.

Ken

[Old Folder]

[Mumbleypeg]

Today at noon Central time you can see a great game on MLB.com for free. https://www.mlb.com/news/rangers-game-2 ... eaming-mlb I was at that game, a nail biter that ended with the only walk-off grand slam in MLB post season history.

I can tell you from personal experience, the place went absolutely nuts!

Ken.

[Mumbleypeg]

Watching the 10 years old replay on television of Rangers vs. Red Sox in Boston, when Rangers catcher Bengie Molina hit for the cycle. He already had a single, double, and a grand slam home run in the game when he came to bat the last time, needing a triple to hit for “the cycle”. A most unlikely feat for the notoriously slow catcher.

Bengie was a chunk - watching him chug around the bases for a triple, and the reaction of his team mates, is great. He hit it off the wall in center field at Fenway, the ball caromed into that funky corner there and rolled around while the outfielders chased it. Bengie made it to third base standing up.

Ken

[KLJ77]

That was some good baseball, Ken. Thanks for the flashback.

[1967redrider]

I've seen Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer throw some real gems while visiting Nats Park. Any visiting pitcher doing well has been erased from my memory, probably by a few MGD's. The Nationals are aligned with Anheuser Busch now, for the last three years or so, and recent games have been way more painless to get through.

[Mumbleypeg]

MLB is doing their best to keep us “Seamheads” entertained. https://www.mlb.com/ Lots of options including computerized match-ups of all-time All Star lineups from each team. https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-dream-bracket-rosters

As much as I hate to, I’m betting the damnYankees end up in the finals, against maybe the Cardinals or Dodgers.

Ken

[1967redrider]

I'm just hoping there is a season this year, and it starts before the normal All-Star break schedule.

[KLJ77]

I've seen Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer throw some real gems while visiting Nats Park. Any visiting pitcher doing well has been erased from my memory, probably by a few MGD's. The Nationals are aligned with Anheuser Busch now, for the last three years or so, and recent games have been way more painless to get through.

Same here, Redrider...Both Strasburg and Scherzer had an awesome season last year and were pivotal in their winning the WS. I told my wife prior to the playoffs that the Nats would be this years Cinderella Team to take it all. Those guys played their hearts out and NEVER gave up. The WS was one of the best I've ever witnessed. I am sorry to see Rendon leave the team, but I wish him the best with the Angels.

My wife and I had the opportunity to purchase these two attached commemorative plaques. #25 of 99, and 236 of 5000.

[1967redrider]

I've seen Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer throw some real gems while visiting Nats Park. Any visiting pitcher doing well has been erased from my memory, probably by a few MGD's. The Nationals are aligned with Anheuser Busch now, for the last three years or so, and recent games have been way more painless to get through.

Same here, Redrider...Both Strasburg and Scherzer had an awesome season last year and were pivotal in their winning the WS. I told my wife prior to the playoffs that the Nats would be this years Cinderella Team to take it all. Those guys played their hearts out and NEVER gave up. The WS was one of the best I've ever witnessed. I am sorry to see Rendon leave the team, but I wish him the best with the Angels.

My wife and I had the opportunity to purchase these two attached commemorative plaques. #25 of 99, and 236 of 5000.

WOW!!! Those are awesome!!!

[KLJ77]

Redrider...if interested, you can still get the one commemorative plaque at this site, along with other memorabilia. This is where we purchased ours and it is a very respectable site. I'm not associated with Highland Mint, so am not trying to entice you to buying anything...just wanted to pass along the info in case you were interested.

https://www.highlandmint.com/washington ... -mint.aspx

[gsmith7158]

It's starting to sound like we may actually get a little baseball this year. It seems that MLB is looking at an abbreviated season with no fans in the seats. I've got my fingers crossed as I sit here watching Atlanta and Cleveland in the 1995 World Series.

[1967redrider]

Redrider...if interested, you can still get the one commemorative plaque at this site, along with other memorabilia. This is where we purchased ours and it is a very respectable site. I'm not associated with Highland Mint, so am not trying to entice you to buying anything...just wanted to pass along the info in case you were interested.

https://www.highlandmint.com/washington ... -mint.aspx

Just saw this, thank you, Sir!

[Mumbleypeg]

Another interesting and odd incident from MLB’s past. Enjoy!

https://www.mlb.com/news/when-two-balls ... -same-time

I sure do miss it.

Ken

[zzyzzogeton]

Here's one of those "What ifs?" to speculate on -

https://www.mlb.com/news/featured/the-s ... ll-forever