Header - Baseball by the Letters

1950s St. Louis Cardinal Jack Faszholz Traded Pitching For a Pulpit

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John Faszholz typified the “gap” player still seen today. A star at the AAA level that gets little to no chance to succeed in the majors.

Faszholz’s window of opportunity slammed shut after just four games.

The modest moundsman is a member of the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame. With no bitterness about what might have been in the majors, Faszholz recalled his memories of a brief stay in St. Louis, along with the decision that brought him to a lasting, even more fulfilling career. In a generous 2000 reply, he wrote:

“Dear Mr. Owens,

Thanks so much for your letter which shows your obvious interest in the great game of baseball. I consider myself very fortunate to have been a part of the game for 12 seasons, and to have competed against, or been teammate of, so many great players.

In response to your questions:

1. Sportsman’s Park: A typical ‘old time’ ballpark where the fans were close to the field. The dimensions were irregular: 354 feet down the left field foul line; only 310 feet down the right field line; about 410-420 to dead center field. There was a wire fence from the right field pavilion) which meant that a hitter had to hit the ball to the pavilion roof (about 25 feet high) for a home run. Any home run into the left field bleachers was a pretty good poke.

2. My nickname ‘Preacher’ — During most of the years that I played, I spent the off-season in school at Concordia Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Since I went to school only one semester a year, it took me 10 years to complete my Seminary courses. Because of this off-season activity, writers and teammates started calling me ‘Preacher.’ After I retired from the game and after I finished my Seminary work, I was, in fact, ordained as a Lutheran minister (1958). My ministry was mainly in teaching and coaching in an education institution of our church body. I retired in 1990.”

Trolling the riches of Baseball Alamanac, I found this fascinating feature about the two lives of Jack Faszholz, written by Pat Doyle. Great photos, too.

Tomorrow: stand on the mound in St. Louis with Jack Faszholz as he relives his first and only start!

Don Drysdale’s Inside Pitch to Collectors

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Don Drysdale saw the humor in autographs.

Mickey Mantle once said:

“I hated to bat against Drysdale. After he hit you he’d come around, look at the bruise on your arm and say, ‘Do you want me to sign it?'”

Before Drysdale’s 1993 death, he ended a years-long willingness to sign free through the mail. His 3-by-5 offer read…

Dear Baseball Fan:

Due to the increase in overhead (office space, secretarial service, postage and so on), from now on, it will be necessary to have a service charge of $3 per signature. No personal checks accepted.

Thank you for your understanding.

Don Drysdale

There was no pretense of an unnamed charity. Likewise, he didn’t rage about collectors who’ve sold his autograph and exploited his kindness. Additionally, he didn’t close the door like Andy Messersmith or Bill White, saying NO to all TTM collectors.

To the end, Double D was a no-nonsense guy dealing with hitters and collectors.

Ernie Harwell’s Amazing Lulu

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I double-checked a file and gasped. Earlier, I shared a letter I sent to Mrs. Ernie Harwell in 2002.

I had tucked away the inspiring response she sent. Here it is, on official team stationery from Comerica park. That famous “D” and the title “Ernie Harwell, Broadcaster” are all that’s seen at the top of the page.

The one-and-only Miss Lulu wrote:

“Dear Mr. Owens,

I swiped a piece of Ernie’s Tiger stationery to do this. I just want to thank you for your kind letter.

For me — and for Ernie — our journey through baseball took us to many wonderful places to live and many great people as friends and neighbors.

It has been a great life and a busy one — raising four children in spite of the baseball schedule. Our 61st wedding anniversary arrives on August 30th, the day of a possible strike.

Our faith in God has carried us through!

Gratefully,

Lulu Harwell”


I found the image of the Comerica Park tribute flag and some vintage family portraits of Ernie and Lulu at the fascinating blog of their granddaughter, Anne Harwell. Anne is a talented artist. Art lovers and baseball fans will be glad they stopped.

Meet The Man Who Stopped Don Drysdale

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Howie Bedell made the most of his second chance in baseball.

The 1968 Phillies used the Pennsylvania native for a mere nine games. But Bedell’s only RBI became a record breaker. His sacrifice fly shattered Don Drysdale’s epic 58-inning streak of scoreless baseball.

Bedell’s beginnings in pro ball date back to 1957. By 1961, he feasted on AAA pitchers, creating a record 43-game hitting streak in the American Association. The following year, he fought for playing time in a crowded Milwaukee Braves outfield.

Bedell toiled back in the minors for five more seasons, a Crash Davis-like, Bull Durham-type character. What kept him going?

His inspiring reply began with five powerful words:

“The love of the game.”

Bedell managed in the Phillies minor league system from 1969 through 1974. Who is he proudest of among the young talents he helped shape?

“Great question. I had many major league players. However, I always believed every player was my best.”

That philosophy carried Bedell through work as the Royals Coordinator of Instruction from 1981 through 1986, into service as a Mariners coach in 1988 and a stint as Cincinnati’s Director of Player Development, beginning in 1990.

“The game has always meant a great deal to me — and always will. So much I could write.”

Let’s hope baseball history writes more about Bedell. Those memories sound like choice collectibles.

Check out Baseball Almanac’s fine summation of Bedell’s minor league managerial career.

Stockpiling Autographed Index Cards

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Here’s what this post is NOT about:

An index card can be a useful autograph tool. It’s too time-consuming or sometimes just impossible to find a card photo of a former player (although Internet searches are opening new horizons for making customized index-photo cards). Also, meeting a former player at the last second means a signed index card beats an autographed hot dog wrapper.

Additionally, an autographed 3-by-5 can be a swell consolation prize from a virtual non-signer. For TTM toughies like Fred Lynn (who may own a blue index card-making plant) or Joe Morgan who’ll offer nothing but one signed index card, this could be matted with a photo or more meaningful collectible.

What this post IS about:

My puzzlement over the collector who sends two blank index cards as “protection” for the card to be signed. No request is made to sign the 3-by-5s, just the hunch that an eager autographer will be inking anything sent by the collector. And, frequently, a collector does get three signatures while asking for just one.

Sure, things can get bent in the mail. Yes, some confused retirees autograph the plastic top loader the card is in. I get the theory of protecting a card.

I’m not criticizing. I’m just asking:

Is there some underground trade in autographed 3-by-5s I’ve overlooked? Even the “one of everything” type of collector might have little use for an extra identical blank index card. Clue me in, please.

But lastly, let me make one plea to all collectors who get one OR MORE signed index cards…

In light pencil, write down the name of who signed on the card’s reverse. Trust me, you may not be able to decipher the handwritten autograph a year (or even a DAY) from now!

What’s your feeling about including one or more extra index cards in your autograph request letter?