Header - Baseball by the Letters

Is Former Cardinals Manager Vern Rapp Mad At Al “Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky?

by

Does Vern Rapp have a bad rap?

Most importantly, he’s come to terms with the defining controversy of his major league career.

Rapp’s stormy tenure in St. Louis overshadowed his minor league mastery. He interrupted his playing career for military service in the Korean War. Seeing that his chances as a big league player were limited, Rapp became a player-manager in the minors at age 27.

Skipper Rapp became minor league baseball’s Muhammad Ali, coming out of retirement again and again. Once, he pitched. His last pro pinch-hit came at age 48. Why? Was he teaching, or just enjoying himself?

“FUN.”


Rapp seemed unaware of being a part of baseball media lore. According to one legend, a tongue-in-cheek retirement tribute to Rapp by a Boston sports radio station turned serious. The tributes rolled in, culminating in a job offer from the Cincinnati Reds. What does Rapp recall of that day?

“Very little.”

I asked about his demand for clean-shaven Cardinals. “Mad Hungarian” relief ace Al Hrabosky got madder, saying that he needed menacing facial hair to keep his edge against hitters.

Would Rapp handle the situation differently today? Has he spoken with Hrabosky since?

Rapp responded:

“That question is history. I’m enjoying my life very much. Audrey and I will be married 60 years in May, 2011. Four daughters, 15 grandchildren and four great.

That’s what life is all about.”

Is Former Cardinals Manager Vern Rapp Mad At Al "Mad Hungarian" Hrabosky?

by

Does Vern Rapp have a bad rap?

Most importantly, he’s come to terms with the defining controversy of his major league career.

Rapp’s stormy tenure in St. Louis overshadowed his minor league mastery. He interrupted his playing career for military service in the Korean War. Seeing that his chances as a big league player were limited, Rapp became a player-manager in the minors at age 27.

Skipper Rapp became minor league baseball’s Muhammad Ali, coming out of retirement again and again. Once, he pitched. His last pro pinch-hit came at age 48. Why? Was he teaching, or just enjoying himself?

“FUN.”


Rapp seemed unaware of being a part of baseball media lore. According to one legend, a tongue-in-cheek retirement tribute to Rapp by a Boston sports radio station turned serious. The tributes rolled in, culminating in a job offer from the Cincinnati Reds. What does Rapp recall of that day?

“Very little.”

I asked about his demand for clean-shaven Cardinals. “Mad Hungarian” relief ace Al Hrabosky got madder, saying that he needed menacing facial hair to keep his edge against hitters.

Would Rapp handle the situation differently today? Has he spoken with Hrabosky since?

Rapp responded:

“That question is history. I’m enjoying my life very much. Audrey and I will be married 60 years in May, 2011. Four daughters, 15 grandchildren and four great.

That’s what life is all about.”

Was Pope John Paul II a Giants Fan?

by

Mike Sadek’s autograph collecting exploits made more headlines than his hitting.

Instead of seeking a teammate or rival on a baseball, Sadek looked for a holier hero to sign an autograph. En route to Candlestick Park for a 1987 Mass attended by 70,000, Pope John Paul II autographed a baseball for the catcher.

The story is recounted  in the worthwhile Tales from the San Francisco Giants Dugout

Sadek’s update on the Pope ball included:

“Spur of the moment. Lots of people got on me when it was sold. What they don’t know is that the money got my son and me out of some debt and paid for my daughter’s honeymoon! (It was just the three of us.)”

I’m not Catholic. I do not know about any Papal teachings on autograph collecting. However, I think any religious leader would be proud that Sadek sacrificed to help his family.

Sadek didn’t mention how much his Pope autograph sold for. I just found another “JPII” baseball available on ebay for $20,000.

A cheer for Project 1976 for its Mike Sadek bio.

Giant Mike Sadek Homered for Dad

by

Mike Sadek may have been as rare as an Elvis sighting in San Francisco box scores from 1973-81. However, his memories would put him on my list of all-star Giant storytellers.

First, I wanted to know if this Minnesota native was immune to cold-and-windy Candlestick Park. I’m still shivering over memories of my one blustery trip there. How did he feel?

“Cold and windy, but better than the minor leagues!”


The back-up catcher got a bonus in his 1973 rookie season. He became batterymate for future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.

“Yes, it was a thrill to catch him. He didn’t have his best stuff, but he had great control.”


I expected Sadek to tell what kind of pitch he clouted for his first major league home run on June 19, 1977, versus Grant Jackson. (Thanks for the history, www.retrosheet.org) Maybe, he’d remember the final score. Instead, I received a classic tale.

“It took a few years for me to hit one and after I circled the bases and got to the dugout — there was one of my idols (since I was in junior high school) Willie McCovey — laying flat on the bench. Two guys were fanning him with towels.


He lifted his head and said, ‘I thought I saw Sheik (me) hit a home run!’

The biggest thrills for me was just getting there after six-plus years in the minor leagues — introducing my dad around (my biggest fan — my first-hit ball and my first career HR ball are buried with him.”

Tomorrow: learn about Sadek’s holiest of autographs.

Walter O’Malley Answered Autograph Requests

by

When I found http://www.walteromalley.com/, I hoped the Dodger Hall of Famer’s legacy with collectors wasn’t too good to be true.

I asked Brent Shyer, Vice President of Special Projects for O’Malley Seidler Partners.

“Walter required that any letter received was answered promptly,” he said. “They were a friendly organization.”

Brent has seen the team president’s archives. The thin carbon copies of EVERY letter. O’Malley responded to regular autograph requests. He’d tackle fan feedback, too.

“I saw someone wrote to complain about an unruly fan in Ebbets Field,” Brent said. “Walter responded with a letter and two tickets to a future game.”

The website offers other gems of O’Malley fan interaction. Once, a boy wanted the Dodgers boss to know what happened in the parking lot after the game. The site offers O’Malley’s surprising reply to the young fan.

The perfect book showing the little-known side of O’Malley is Forever Blue: The True Story of Walter O’Malley, Baseball’s Most Controversial Owner,and the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles

From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, this is a well-researched look at the O’Malley-led team. For the whole story of the Dodgers, this is the book!
 
Meanwhile, write to your favorite team owner. Who knows? Your letter might be in a book someday!