Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2012

1965 Kansas City Athletics Pitcher Tom Harrison Remembers Mule-headed Teammate

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For years, fan interest kept the A’s
mule mascot kicking. I spotted this
vintage sticker offered on ebay.

Don’t sell the “cup of coffee” player short. Someone can build more memories in two weeks than some superstar after two decades.

My exhibit A is Tom Harrison, who pitched in just one game for the 1965 Kansas City Athletics.

He made the season come alive again in his reply. His comments follow:

“First of all, thanks for taking an interest in baseball and secondarily, an interest in my short big league career. My first year, I played in Daytona Beach, Fla. I had a 6-7 record, but left in July, leading the league in strikeouts and ERA. Notable teammates at Daytona were Felix Millan, Alex Rodriguez (catcher for the Angels ’60s) and Joe Rudi.

From Daytona, I went to Lewiston, Idaho, and played for the Broncos. Record-wise, nothing notable, except I got my ass handed to me on more than one occasion.

The first three games, I gave up seven home runs. In Daytona, I gave up two home runs in 19 games. You either learn from your mistakes or go home. Notable players were John Donaldson, Ramon Webster, Tony LaRussa, Bill Edgerton and manager Bobby Hoffman, who played for the World Champion New York Giants, 1954.”

I asked about “Charlie O,” the Athletics mule mascot. No costumed character. The real animal! Tom replied:

“I only remember the mule during our first road trip. Ken Harrelson rode him in Yankee Stadium, and Charley (Finley, team owner) got him into the Americana Hotel.

This is the crap that Finley concerned himself with.”

However, I wondered if the mascot budget might have caused players to get their basic needs overlooked. Tom answered:

“Being that this was my first and only experience in the bigs, everything was fantastic. Somebody else cleaned your shoes, washed your clothes and took care of all your basic baseball needs.

What a life!”

Lastly, Tom reminded me that statistics never tell the whole story. For instance, I asked if hockey was ever a choice for the Canadian-born athlete. He responded:

“I heard more about my place of birth after my career. I left Canada at 18 months, so hockey never entered into my psyche. I worn born in Trail, British Columbia, and in 1936, the Trail Smoke Eaters were the world amateur champions.”

Coming Wednesday: Memories of Jim “Catfish” Hunter.

Ernie Harwell’s Son Remembers

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Gray Harwell knows baseball.

He grew up as the son of legendary Detroit Tigers announcer Ernie Harwell.

Most importantly, Gray knows baseball fans. He went to Comerica Park in 2010 to thank members of a grateful city who wanted to pay their last respects upon Ernie’s death.

We can thank the Florida minister for sharing more memories of his father. His book My Father’s Faith is new for this season. Currently, the title is available only as an Amazon.com e-book, although a print version is expected in May.

Here’s Gray Harwell’s e-interview:

Q: When you were young, how did your Dad explain the mystique of autographs?

A: My dad never had to explain the mystique of autographs to me because as a boy I was after autographs from the ballplayers, just as the fans were trying to get dad’s. After an early Baltimore Orioles game ( 1956 or ‘7 ) I was in the clubhouse after the game with my dad when I naively asked a young pitcher who had just lost the game for his autograph. He turned a red angry face towards me and said, ” yeah, I’ll sign in in my blood”.

My mother and brother and I were so used to people coming up to dad for his autograph that we really didn’t even think anything of it  It was just the way it always was for us and we hardly noticed.

Q: How was your Dad with autograph requests by mail?

A: Dad always tried to respond to his mail. He remembered when he was just a fan himself and how much it meant to him when people he admired would write him back. Mom always helped dad with his mail, as a former English teacher she was his “spellcheck’ and editor for just about everything he wrote. At almost 93, she can still beat me at Scrabble!

Q: What baseball content will we find in your book?

A: The baseball content in my book is mostly a summary of the high points of dad’s amazing seven decades experiencing baseball history first hand. There are also some baseball stories that many have never heard, related especially to his faith.

I had the privilege of being the Bible study leader for the Tigers when they were World Champions in 1984. My Father’s Faith recounts some of the great experiences Dad and I enjoyed together in Baseball Chapel that year with Lance Parrish, Darrell Evans, Howard Johnson and others. I also tell how sports writer, Waddy Spoelstra, and Dad were unlikely instigators of Baseball Chapel in the early ’70s.

Q: Anything else you’d like fans to know?

A: I would love your readers to buy My Father’s Faith because I think they’ll enjoy discovering what really made my dad the amazing man he was. As his youngest son, I tell “the rest of his story”, from a very personal perspective.

My mailing address is 12618 Grandezza Circle, Estero, FL 33928. The book in print should be available on amazon .com “in the next few days”, following your blog on the 13th. I’d be glad to furnish a bookplate with my autograph for any of your readers who purchase my book and send me a self-addressed stamped envelope. 

Author Adds Berra, Guidry Autograph Insights

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Last week, I cheered for the new book Driving Mister Yogi.

I’m grateful that author Harvey Araton has shared with us some autograph insights about the two stars of his new title.

Q: A few lucky collectors have received autographs from Yogi, often writing in care of spring training. Mostly, requests are returned with a price list asking for $100 per signed card. What did you learn about Yogi’s fan mail?

A: The subject of fan mail did not come up with Yogi but as you know, Yogi is 86 turning 87 and can only sign on a limited basis. His sons, Tim and Dale, run the family’s business, establish their own guidelines and what people receive presumably comes from them.

Q: Ron Guidry has been just as tough to collect through the mail. The only responses in the last few years have come in care of spring training. What did “Gator” say about autographs?

A: Ron is very private person, so the notion of answering fan requests from home is highly unlikely. He does a number of shows every year, generally timing them to his visits to New York for Yogi’s golf tournament in June, Old Timers Day at Yankee Stadium and Hall of Fame induction weekend, which he usually attends with Yogi (though that is on a year-to-year basis at this point.)

Q: Many readers might hope to get their copies of “Driving Mister Yogi” autographed by the two main characters. Any suggestions?

A: Yogi and Ron did 3 separate signings for “Driving Mr. Yogi” this week and I believe signed close to 2000 books. There are no other dual signings scheduled though I believe Ron is doing one in the Lafayette, La. area this month. I would think they would sign the book together in Cooperstown this summer.

Q: Of course, collectors would want you to autograph their book, too. I don’t think mailing books to your newspaper would be a good idea. Are there signed bookplates or other possibilities?

A: No, the Times would not appreciate books showing up at the office so I would not recommend that. The only signing I have scheduled right now is at Words in Maplewood, NJ in June.

Thanks again, Harvey.

Coming Friday: Remembering Ernie Harwell through a son’s new book

Surprise Virgil Trucks On His 95th!

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Let’s surprise ‘Fire’ on April 26
with OUR autographs!

Thanks to friend Kohei Nirengi, who shared this e-mail alert.

ON APRIL 26 VIRGIL TRUCKS, THE TIGERS OLDEST FORMER PLAYER WILL CELEBRATE HIS  95TH BIRTHDAY !!!
                                                      *************
A BIRTHDAY PARTY  WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE HOME OF HIS DAUGHTER.

SHE HAS REQUESTED THAT THOSE WHO WANT TO SEND VIRGIL A BIRTHDAY CARD PLEASE SEND IT TO HER HOME AND NOT TO VIRGIL’S ADDRESS. SHE IS PLANNING HIS BIRTHDAY AS A SURPRISE AND WILL ARRANGE ALL CARDS IN A SPECIAL HONOR TO HIM.  

HER ADDRESS IS:
                        MS. CAROLYN TRUCKS BECKWITH,
                        55  SALSER LANE
                        COLUMBIANA,  ALABAMA   35051

GO TIGERS,   bobby hoeft, founder & publisher of  WBWF

Past blog posts have saluted Bobby and his one-of-a-kind newsletter, When Baseball Was Fun. Bobby has an all-star plan here.

Please, do NOT send  to Virgil at HIS address. Help his daughter stage a special SURPRISE tribute to this super-signer and best friend to the hobby.

Coming Wednesday: Yogi Berra and Ron Guidry autographing details!

Bo (Rosny) Knows Baseball Cards

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NOT! Blogger Bo has collected great
card insights from guys like Brian
Kingman (who got mixed up
for Alan Wirth…)

The first time I read the blog “Baseball Cards Come to Life!”, I came to life.

Ever since The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book in 1973, I’ve been curious about how players feel about their best and worst photos on cards.

Seems like Bo Rosny had the same thoughts. I was grateful that he’d share his experiences with other bloggers. Here’s his fun e-interview:

Q: What’s been your history as a TTM collector (years, specialty, etc.)?

A: I actually don’t TTM. I’m a baseball card collector and have gotten a few autographed cards in trades over the years but am not really an autograph collector. I ask questions online (email, facebook, twitter,etc). It doesn’t cost me any postage, and is generally quicker andeasier for the player than a written note.

Q:  Who was the first former player ever to write you about his cards? How did you refine your questions?

A: Pat Ahearne was the first to write back. I’ve kept the questions consistent over the years, occasionally adding something specific, like asking Tim Flannery about his surfboard card.
http://borosny.blogspot.com/2009/02/interview-with-pat-ahearne.html
http://borosny.blogspot.com/2009/04/interview-with-tim-flannery.html

Q: Have you found former players who collect to the point of trading
(such as Frank Thomas, the 1950s star)?

A: I wasn’t aware of Thomas’s collection. I’d love to trade with a former player (too bad I don’t have any ’52 Topps cards for Thomas)! What other players trade cards?

Ryan Tatusko is a pitcher in the Nationals organization who is a big Nolan Ryan collector. We have been working on a trade on and off for a while but he is obviously very busy during the season! There are also some players who are looking for cards of themselves.  Dan Smith is one who comes to mind.
http://borosny.blogspot.com/2010/02/dan-smith-is-looking-for-his-baseball.html

Some like Kevin Mench ignore the cards. (Yet let the wrong guy get shown on your card, and listen to the screams!)

Q: What percentage of responses are just signatures, versus answers to your card questions?

A: As it is online communication, there are no signatures. I would estimate that I have sent over 4000 emails, over 2000 facebook messages, and almost 1000 tweets. I get about a 5% response rate, which I think is pretty good as this is an unsolicited request, and many of the players are surprised to get contacted this way.

In my day job, part of what I do is finding people online, so it’s a skill I am good at, but I don’t use any special tools or databases, just a lot of hard work (for me it is quite fun!). I imagine my personal database of player contact info would be pretty valuable to people, but it’s not
something I would consider selling.

If you or your readers are looking to contact an individual player, I’d be happy to point you to them. My twitter feed is public – you can see all the people I am following there publicly. Lots of current and a surprising number of former players on there.

Q: What inspired you to start a blog? How has the blog helped you as a fan and collector?

A: My biggest objective with the blog is baseball card trading. Having a blog definitely helps you in the card trading community. Beyond that I wanted to do something different, as there were so many great card blogs out there already. I compiled a few hundred email addresses and started sending emails out, not really expecting to get many responses. I’ve been blown away by how many great responses I have gotten.

I think this whole project has helped me as a fan by getting to see more of the human side of players. I see them much more as people then as far-away beings on the TV screen. I find it much more interesting than seeing a signature on a photograph.

That said, autograph collectors like you who go way beyond the simple autograph are much more interesting to a fan like me, and clearly to the players too. And I think it is great when you can turn the tables and help them out, like the recent exchange with George Riley.

Q: Future goals writing and collecting?

A: Just keep doing what I’m doing! I’m going to run out of players to contact eventually, but hopefully my blog will still be relevant!

Coming Monday: A special way we can honor Virgil Trucks.