Header - Baseball by the Letters

Tom Owens

Tom has been collecting baseball autographs by mail since 1972 (thanks to "Bullet" Bob Veale). As "Thomas S. Owens," he's written more than 50 books, many about sports or collectibles.

Duane Pillette’s Major League Father

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Pitcher Duane Pillette didn’t have the usual roadblocks up-and-coming hurlers face. Pillette’s first obstacle was his father, major league veteran Herman Pillette.

Fans might think a father with big league experience (a 19-game winner with the 1922 Tigers!) would be the golden ticket to the majors, the perfect parental coach.

“There’s is no doubt that you love the game of baseball–and do I,” Pillette began. “My father was always my hero and I wanted to be just like him. I knew that was impossible, but I swore to myself I would make the majors, although it was against his wishes.

“You see, my dad was a farm boy and he had very little education. Therefore, he seldom made money playing ball. He wanted me to get an education and not always worry about money. He even refused to show me anything about pitching. But I said, ‘Dad, you can’t pay my way to college, so how else can I get that education? I must be good enough to receive a scholarship.’

“He gave in, but said, ‘Okay, you must earn it on your own.’

“I did get that education, and one of the best in the country. Santa Clara, it was a Jesuit (we are Catholic) University, and they are tough. I knew if I could make the grade there, I could make it to the majors.

“But it wasn’t easy, because I received a letter saying I was to join the service. I spent three years, and it made me be tough enough to do anything.

“Sorry, I got carried away. But remember, if you want something bad enough, go get it.

“No, he never saw me pitch, but he read about me, first high school, then college and finally the majors. I wasn’t great, but I stayed eight years, and that made my goal.

“Yes, he was proud of me.

“Remember, whatever you do, do it the best you can and you will be happy.

Sincerely,
Duane Pillete”

Pitcher Duane Pillette’s Field of Dreams

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Duane Pillette is an eternal all-star. Forget the statistics. I’m talking about a baseball evangelist, someone unmatched at spreading love for the game.

Pillette responded with a 2-1/2 page response to questions about his career.
His insightful, inspirational letter is worthy of Hall of Fame enshrinement.

First of all, Pillette offered a perspective of his time with the St. Louis
Browns not heard from many Brownies. How did it feel to go from 1953 Brown
to a charter member of the Baltimore Orioles?

“Tom: The St. Louis Browns became the Baltimore Orioles. They were really the same team. But St. Louis’ park was used by the Cardinals, also, and the infield was dirt, not grass.

Baltimore had grass, and I was a ground-ball pitcher. So in 1954, my only year with them, I made the All-Star team.”

For fans, Baltimore was Memorial Stadium.

For Pillette, Memorable Stadium!

Tomorrow, discover Pillete’s inspiring story of his major league father.

Johnny "Bear Tracks" Schmitz is 89

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Pitcher Johnny Schmitz recorded a decade of solid left-handed success. A two-time All-Star, he was the National League’s strikeout leader in 1946.

All this may pale in comparison to owning one of the greatest nicknames of his day.

Source after source claims that the moniker “Bear Tracks” refers to Schmitz’s gait to the mound.

Everyone except Schmitz.

“Bear tracks: I got that name in spring training in 1938 with Milwaukee of the American Association,” he writes. “In Hot Springs, Arkansas, they took a picture of me putting on my shoes sitting in the stands. They saw I had big feet.

“I like that name.”

Schmitz seemed modest about his quick return to the majors in 1946, following his World War II military service.

“We (the Cubs) had a good ball club when I came out of the service,” he remembers. “We finished in third place. I was 11 and 11. We didn’t get many runs.”

Upon sharing the tribute from Dodger hurler Rex Barney that Schmitz could drop his curve into a coffee cup (full interview from a 1996 Baseball Digest), the veteran lefty’s smile seemed to leap off the page.

“Rex Barney was right,” Schmitz notes. I beat him 1 to 0. You know, there was only one left-hand hitter in their lineup. I always got the best (opposing) pitchers when I pitched. They (Dodgers) had the best club in the league.”

Schmitz concludes with…

“I am now 89 years old, going on 90 Nov. 27.

Thank you.”

It’s my pleasure, Mr. Schmitz.

Johnny “Bear Tracks” Schmitz is 89

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Pitcher Johnny Schmitz recorded a decade of solid left-handed success. A two-time All-Star, he was the National League’s strikeout leader in 1946.

All this may pale in comparison to owning one of the greatest nicknames of his day.

Source after source claims that the moniker “Bear Tracks” refers to Schmitz’s gait to the mound.

Everyone except Schmitz.

“Bear tracks: I got that name in spring training in 1938 with Milwaukee of the American Association,” he writes. “In Hot Springs, Arkansas, they took a picture of me putting on my shoes sitting in the stands. They saw I had big feet.

“I like that name.”

Schmitz seemed modest about his quick return to the majors in 1946, following his World War II military service.

“We (the Cubs) had a good ball club when I came out of the service,” he remembers. “We finished in third place. I was 11 and 11. We didn’t get many runs.”

Upon sharing the tribute from Dodger hurler Rex Barney that Schmitz could drop his curve into a coffee cup (full interview from a 1996 Baseball Digest), the veteran lefty’s smile seemed to leap off the page.

“Rex Barney was right,” Schmitz notes. I beat him 1 to 0. You know, there was only one left-hand hitter in their lineup. I always got the best (opposing) pitchers when I pitched. They (Dodgers) had the best club in the league.”

Schmitz concludes with…

“I am now 89 years old, going on 90 Nov. 27.

Thank you.”

It’s my pleasure, Mr. Schmitz.

Baseball Passings Serving the Hobby

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If autograph collectors field an all-star team in 2010, David Allen Lambert should be first on the roster.

A collector since 1981, Lambert is serving the hobby, and baseball world, by forming the Facebook group “Baseball Passings.” He’s offering a respectful, meaningful way to note the obituaries of anyone connected to the majors, Negro Leagues or the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Additionally, online tributes can be left for those who have died.

Lambert, a talented online genealogist for the New England Historic Genealogical Society, detailed the origins of “Baseball Passings.”

Q: I’d like to know what inspired you to create Baseball Passings. One individual player’s death?

A: Since I was a teenager I was interested in the oldest living baseball players. This came into play when I first wrote to Smoky Joe Wood of the (debut 1908 Red Sox). After that I wrote to all players from 1910-1919, then 1920-1929 and so on. Long before a regular list of the older players was provided on a regular basis to the Hall of Fame I was doing it still in high school.

From a variety of sources from SABR, to collectors I started a round robin email regarding the passings of former MLB, AAGPBL, and Negro League players. I thought in the age of social networking I would give it a try on a Facebook group. This enables others to post passings, and I have made the leaders in the Baseball research field and hobby field who have joined my group as honorary group administrators.

Q: Have teammates or family members of the deceased contacted you?

On Facebook I am friends with the daughters of George Cisar, and Jim Roland. They both have responded to the posts either on the wall of the page, or personally to me. I am also honored to have my friend who is Babe Ruth’s grand-daughter be part of the group.

Q: Some collectors might think, ‘Why do this? It’s too late to get autographs from someone who’s died.’ How has this helped you as an autograph collector?

A: I think more just saving postage for collectors regarding writing to some who has died. I feel like we are providing a service to have the widows, and or family of the ball players from having to reply to requests after their loved one is gone.

Q: How can readers join the Facebook group or help you as you keep gathering info about Baseball Passings?

If you are a member of Facebook, simply type “Baseball Player Passings” in the search bar. If not, you can reach the group directly at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=238999221854

Q: Who have you met or discovered in your baseball research?

A: The photo shows Lambert with Silas Simmons at his 111th birthday in 2006. I was responsible for re-discovering this former Negro League Ballplayer back in 2005. I was honored to be at his birthday celebration and present him a plaque from SABR(Society of American Baseball Research).

I was also responsible for exposing the fact a Florida man who died was not the real baseball player Bill Henry from the Red Sox, and other teams of the 1950s and 1960s which made national news.

Thanks to David Allen Lambert for one potent reminder: write to your favorite retired players TODAY.

Readers: who are other unsung heroes of the hobby who deserve a tip of the cap?