Header - Baseball by the Letters

Month: March 2011

Boston Red Sox Manager Joe Morgan First Shined Before Fenway Park Faithful in 1959

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“Yankee Stadium foul pole? But I’m from Walpole, Mass!”

Red Sox manager Joe Morgan enjoyed a life in baseball long before taking Boston’s helm in 1988.

In fact, the native of Walpole, Massachusetts made his Fenway Park premiere nearly 30 years prior. Best of all, he had lots of witnesses!

“Only appeared in one game at Fenway Park as a pinch hitter with Kansas City A’s.

Hit triple off the Green Monster with 20 Walpole fans present.”

I’m grateful to share the magic of http://www.retrosheet.org/ to recreate that moment. At least, the game elements. Morgan never noted if he was shining before parents, immediate family, classmates or all of the above! Seeing a “local boy” succeed that day must have been memorable, even for Red Sox rooters.

Morgan started his second baseball climb after his retirement as a player in 1964. (One feature profiled noted that Morgan kept his off-season job as snowplow operator during those lean years.) Many more seasons managing in the minors preceded his Red Sox skipperdom. Did he have any prize pupils in the minors?

“Helped many players, such as Al Oliver, Rich Hebner, John Morlan, Don Money, as very young players by building their confidence. That’s all they needed.”

Tomorrow: Did Hall of Famer Joe Morgan ever recruit a famous ghost signer? Prepare for some hobby intrigue…

Jim Woods, the Pre-Santo Cubs 3rd Baseman

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Baseball begins at birth.

Chicago native Jim Woods appeared in just two games for the 1957 Cubs. Still, that’s better than no games for the millions of Chicago fans who dreamed of even one day appearing in uniform at Wrigley Field.

“Yes, I felt great being a Chicago boy and signing with the Cubs.

You see, they TRADED ME a few years later and WHAT do you think a Chicago boy felt?

But they had a Ron Santo there? Ha Ha.”

Woods didn’t note that he was an extra temptation added to the package sent to Philadelphia to acquire Phils legend Richie Ashburn.

Seeing that Woods hit three career homers, it’s impressive to note that he collected two off Pittsburgh’s Bob Friend. He noted:

“I DO NOT remember homer #2 off Bob Friend, why, I do not know. But #1, I HAVE THE BALL, since 9/20/60.”

Lastly, here’s a question I’ll be asking more often: Who was your roommate, and what was the most fun the two of you ever had on the road? From Woods, the query brought a heart-warming reply:

“Chris Short, a left-handed pitcher, was my roommate and I fixed him up with my sister on one visit to Chicago and visited my dad’s bar. He was a bartender, great days.

P.S. – I DO NOT DRINK

Thanks, Tom

Jim Woods”

Tomorrow: Surprising insights from Red Sox manager “The Other” Joe Morgan

Beating the Brewers Changed Tom Hilgendorf

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Note the “h” in
the signature,
obviously from his
Topps contract!

Was beating the Milwaukee Brewers a religious experience for pitcher Tom Hilgendorf?

Hilgendorf spun a six-hit win (with a career-high seven strikeouts) against Milwaukee July 30, 1972. The victory left him with a new insight:

“The Brewer Game, I was asked to start that game ’cause our staff was tired. I only threw the forkball about 6-7 times during the game. After that, I threw it 70 percent in games.

All my pitches were working and I was having fun. As the game went on, I got stronger. Not bad. First start, go nine innings and win.”

Hilgendorf’s career concluded on a high note with the 1975 Phillies.

“The Phillies: They traded for me when Tug McGraw had back surgery. They were after me for years, but Cleveland wouldn’t trade me. In Frisco, 1975 — Twitch (Wayne Twitchell) was pitching. Got only one out. I came in and pitched 2/3-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 and Tug pitched the ninth. We won.

(Manager Danny) Ozark said to me, ‘You are off for 2 days.’ But I pitched 2 innings the next day. Playing for the Phillies was the best time of my career.”

If 1975 was the best time, only one season prior must have been the other extreme. The Indians held “10 Cent Beer Night,” creating an on-field riot. I asked Cleveland manager Ken Aspromonte for his thoughts, which were shared in an earlier post. Sure enough, Hilgendorf (pictured in the ESPN linked article), had the same bad aftertaste from 10-cent beers.

“Beer Night: I was hit in the head by a flying fold-up chair. Steel. Hard word. Very stupid promotion.

It’s a bad dream. As if it happened yesterday.

Thanks, Tom.

Best wishes,
Tom Hilgendorf”

Thanks to the retired Iowan, for sharing ALL his baseball memories — even the most bruising. Thanks, too, to http://www.retrosheet.org/ for the play-by-play.

Tomorrow: A few words from Jim Woods, the Cub before Ron Santo.

Topps Botches Cub’s Facsimile Autograph

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Mama Moore Catches
Topps’ Error

Scott Moore’s mom rocked the hobby world in February, discovering that he had hundreds of unanswered fan letters, some dating as far back as 2007.

Upon closer examination of the form letter APOLOGY she enclosed with the tardy autographs, parent Julie Moore even apologized on behalf of Topps.

You see, the facsimile autograph is of another player named Moore. The family tried to get Topps to correct the card (since this was his rookie card), but to no avail.

A player’s mother was afraid that collectors wouldn’t believe her son’s autograph. Scott’s signature is real. This time, the Topps facsimile was anything but.

Collectors should hope that every Major Leaguer had a Mom like Julie Moore. Our hobby would be all the better!

Tomorrow: Reliever Tom Hilgendorf relives 10-cent Beer Night.

Saul Rogovin: A Baseball-made Teaching Hero

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Collect your teacher’s autograph!

Saul Rogovin became a star after his playing career.

He became a teacher. Forget his stats. Read Ralph Berger’s stirring profile (linked above) from the SABR Bio Project. Rogovin started his education career at age 51, serving students for 12 years. The feature says that Rogovin had to produce his baseball card to convince classes of his earlier career!

One of the most eloquent replies I’ve received came from former Cub Ed Mayer. Mayer taught for 25 years after his pitching days ended.

That’s what led me to seek out more players-turned-teachers to contact.

Here’s my magnificent seven from the past week:

Dave Fleming
Rich Beck
Don Wengert
Ford “Moon” Mullen
Bob Lacey
Jeff Keener
Jim Morris

Who would you add to this list? Yes, I’ll write them, too. Teachers are my heroes. If you serve a classroom (or more), you have my thanks and admiration. In my eyes, you’ll always be an all-star.