The New York Yankees travel to Pittsburgh this week to take on the Pirates. Makes Da Stevo a li'l nostalgic...mebbe even a li'l maudlin..indulge me ifya will... It's been 48 years since these storied teams met. Here is an image of the last time that happened:
Da Stevo was in the sixth grade when this happened. It also happened to be the defining moment of when I KNEW I was a baseball fan. Not so much because Pittsburgh won, because I was a Yankee fan. More because of the drama involved when an incredible upset occurs. I thought the Yankees were invincible and when this moment occurred, it certainly lent credence to a David & Goliath story that I once read in some book somewhere....I even heard it onna high-tech gadget when Mrs. Bobbick wuzn't lookin'..the woman hated me...lol
Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle hit home-runs. And won ballgames with 'em....Ain't no banjo-hittin' dude like Mazeroski was s'posed ta do this...the only thing this guy had in common with those guys was his last initial...and yet...
...Fortunately, my wounds healed quickly...The very next year, the nation was mesmerized by a monumental chase of the most sacred number in baseball..."60"...and it was led by my guys, who became known as "The M-Squad" sans Mazeroski.
Two out of the three M's eventually made it to the Hall of Fame...and to me, the sad thing about that is the vast majority of people don't understand why I harp on ad infinitum, why some Roger's do belong there....and some Roger's don't...
and much like a troubadour that emerged from the same era, I realize, that in sport's, life, and especially baseball....
I'm sorry I don't know anything about any of this you're talking about but I do know the names Mantle and Maris. LOL
And I know Bob Dylan. My dad took everyone to see him once. He said it's our responsibility to go see America's greatest poet once in a lifetime. I liked it.
Great story Steveo! Reminds me of the time my dad took me to see the Reds play the Yankees in spring training in Tampa. I came within a stones throw of Mickey , but I couldn't get the courage up to ask for a autograph. He was Mickey Mantle for crying out loud. Thanks for the memory.
Back when Micky and Roger were doing their thing, every baseball game was not televised. In fact if you got a Saturday afternoon game you were lucky in some parts of the country.
But deep in the heart of Texas, along with the rest of the country, they televised that game, the one where Roger hit his 61th. It was the last game of the season and the last chance for him to get the record. I cheered when he broke the record.
I remember that exciting Summer. There was a lot of controversy and resentment inthe halls of Cooperstown and League offices about it aand the ended up adding that meaningless astrisk to his 61 in the Elias Books equivalent of the say. But at least it was earnred by a real man with a real natural body not Steriodal freaks like McGwire and Bonds.
I'm a life-long native of the GREAT COUNTRY of TEXAS. Been a sports fan all my life. I can be serious, irreverent, humorous and sometimes foolish on a lotta my "takes". Never mean any malice to anyone and that's why I have an affinity for "blogging". Cuz, after all, yuh can't whack me upside the head if I change my mind....
Caveat:
I drink beer.
web polls
Visitors since 8/1/08
.
