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Baltimore Orioles

Little ‘Birdie’ Told Orioles of Dan Boone

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His dream never died!

Christmas is the time of miracles. However, miracles are all around us, all the time. Don’t like the “M” word? Okay…try movie moments.

I love the Dan Boone comeback story. (Yes, baseball history insists he’s forever DANNY, no matter how he signs his name these days…)

After the Astros gave Boone a chance in 1982, everyone thought Boone’s days in baseball were over.

Except for Dan Boone. And his wife.

They both understood that the dream remained. She encouraged him to pursue a chance in the newly-formed Senior League in 1989. Orioles scout Birdie Tebbetts, at age 77, marveled at how the lefty had mastered a new pitch: a knuckleball. Against all odds, Boone became a 36-year-old prospect with the 1990 O’s. The dogged left-hander got his second chance in the bigs.

Boone wrote:

“My conversations with Birdie was mainly after the Orioles signed me. He told me how the Orioles thought he was crazy to recommend me to them. So I was happy to do well for Birdie. I know he was proud of me.”

The pitch that transported Boone back to the majors wasn’t that new for him. He added:

“I started to mess around with the knuckleball when I was around 12 years old. My Uncle showed me the grip and I would practice throwing it just playing catch with friends. I never threw it in a minor league game in the early years but experimented with it in big league camp with the Angels and Padres. when I went to the Senior League in Florida is when I developed it into my #1 pitch.

I used it to strike out Johnny Bench in Cincinnati in 1981.

The reason why pitchers don’t use it much is it is a difficult pitch to master. Most managers and pitching coaches don’t like the pitch.”

Kudos to the website 21 Greatest Days for telling the stories of Boone and other minor league miracles so well!

Merv Rettenmund Ponders Pinch-hitting

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“Hitting? Glad you asked!”

Merv Rettenmund always hustled. He’s still hustling today at http://www.mervrettenmund.com/.

Most remember him as the scrappy Baltimore outfielder, someone who might hit .300 in his sleep.

He credits Orioles coaches Jim Frey and Billy DeMars with hitting wisdom that inspired him to become a coach, too.

Collectors know “The Hit Man” as a willing signer, although someone who tired of squeezing every letter into each autograph.

By the way, I smiled at the compact facsimile autograph on the 1971 Topps.  For years, I’ve seen Rettenmund take two lines to sign cards, stacking his first name atop his long last name.

I asked him about the twilight of his career, when he led the National League with 21 pinch-hits in 1977.

How did he do it? Rettenmund replied with a surprising breakdown of the art:

“Pinch-hitting is simple:

1. A lot of at-bats in spring (training)
2. Hit breaking ball and fastball until All-Star break
3. After All-Star break, only swing at fastballs

Also play on a really bad team, where you lost every night, so you get one at-bat a night. It helps maintain your timing. I actually enjoyed pinch-hitting.”

Unraveling The Mystery of Oriole Jim Frey

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I’ve had the image in my head for more than 30 years.

I’m outside Metropolitan Stadium, ready for the Orioles to arrive. Sharpie in hand, I’m ready for autographs.

A few, like Jim Palmer, come alone by cab. Well-dressed guys heading into The Met.

Then, I see a car pull up near the visitors entrance. A convertible. The passenger is wearing an Orioles uniform. It’s coach Jim Frey.

True story. Unfortunately, I know only the story’s beginning.

I see on http://www.sportscollectors.net/ that Frey’s signed 138 of 145 fan mail requests. I’m not wanting autographed cards. I just want to know where the O’s coach went in uniform. Think he’ll tell? It’s worth a two-stamp gamble.