Also National Tootsie Roll Day.
I WANNA TOOTSIE ROLL!!!
Also National Tootsie Roll Day.
I don't know if I would have been Major League good, but I think I would have at least gotten a scholarship to college had I been allowed to play. My stepfather started working us (one of my brothers and me) when I was 12 and he was 11. After school if he was around, he would pick us up and we would work (drywall) that evening and every weekend and summer. Child labor (paid us pennies on the dollar). Did not allow us to get to organized sports much. We played in peanut leagues and little leagues until he made us stop to work.I never learned to do many things well. I was born to be an MLB player, but Viet Nam and then booze got in the way, plus I couldn't hit a curve ball to save my soul. Uncle Sam taught me enough about security work that I was offered a number of jobs, but being a cop held no interest for me. That left me stumbling along with the Lord helping me out despite my lack of abilities.
My dad was a very good handyman, but he was the opposite in that he let and encouraged me to play ball instead of making me learn how to fix things. I think it was because he was the oldest kid in the family during the Depression and had to quit school in the third grade and work to help support the family. The last year I played at 37 after 3 operations on my left leg, I could no longer step into a swing forcefully enough, so my power was gone, but a 25 year college coach said I was the best third baseman he had ever seen.I don't know if I would have been Major League good, but I think I would have at least gotten a scholarship to college had I been allowed to play. My stepfather started working us (one of my brothers and me) when I was 12 and he was 11. After school if he was around, he would pick us up and we would work (drywall) that evening and every weekend and summer. Child labor (paid us pennies on the dollar). Did not allow us to get to organized sports much. We played in peanut leagues and little leagues until he made us stop to work.
I don't know if I would have been Major League good, but I think I would have at least gotten a scholarship to college had I been allowed to play. My stepfather started working us (one of my brothers and me) when I was 12 and he was 11. After school if he was around, he would pick us up and we would work (drywall) that evening and every weekend and summer. Child labor (paid us pennies on the dollar). Did not allow us to get to organized sports much. We played in peanut leagues and little leagues until he made us stop to work.
My dad was a very good handyman, but he was the opposite in that he let and encouraged me to play ball instead of making me learn how to fix things. I think it was because he was the oldest kid in the family during the Depression and had to quit school in the third grade and work to help support the family. The last year I played at 37 after 3 operations on my left leg, I could no longer step into a swing forcefully enough, so my power was gone, but a 25 year college coach said I was the best third baseman he had ever seen.
In my business heyday, I had quite a number of customers. At the time there was a pro softball league going on and Louisville had a team. One of my customers was a lady who had a lamp shop in Louisville. One day her husband came with her. He played on the Louisville pro team. He must have been 6'8 or 9 and at least 250-260. Looked like he could hit a softball a country mile.My Dad worked me regularly as well. Dad only had a sixth grade education and could barely sign his own name but he tried, he drank and he tried. Dad and Mom did the best they could I guess. Dad and Mom divorced after I moved out at 16 the day I got my driver's license. (They were in their late 50s by then or early 60's after 29 years of marriage.) Dad remarried a woman my age. Her nickname was Crow (From Middlesboro, actually probably Harrogate or Sewanee TN,.. I guess she's still there living off his VA pension and whatever else she can pilfer...
I had a try out with the Tigers and did well but they scouted me (From Legion ball) and I had the Tiger manager (Houk at the time) tell me "My last name", for ten games you can play with anyone, after that you ain't worth shit..." His words... (I was raking during my tryout at Old Tiger Stadium, I was in awe and still did well.. as well as I could...)
I never had any legs. I walked okay and still do and I am thankful but getting up to serious exercising them and they always fail me. I played in a couple softball games with a church league of some sort, they were the heavy hitters as most looked like major leaguers or was beens. The last I guess was when I was in San Antonio, I played two games as I was a player coach, I think then I was 51 or 52. I went nine for nine... (I had no power then and knew it but my hand-eye coordination was off the charts. Always has been, I could hit anything at any speed that I could reach.)
Oh well, I am thankful, I have had it real good for the last 39 or so years since I met My Darling.... The Lord HAS blessed me abundantly...
I just typed this out while reminiscing... May delete it... God Bless you D-Leaguers...
Not much else in the handy man department as he (my stepfather) grew up with his father doing just drywall. He self-contracted and thought that me and my brothers (3 of us) and 1 half-brother (his son) would form a company. He was pissed at me when I (2months out of high school) joined the army. The youngest of my full brothers got in trouble a lot and wound up in foster homes and my stepfather's son wound up in jail a few times before his wife straightened him out. The only one who worked with him for a while is the one brother who was a year younger than me, but he eventually quit as he still did not pay him well.My dad was a very good handyman, but he was the opposite in that he let and encouraged me to play ball instead of making me learn how to fix things. I think it was because he was the oldest kid in the family during the Depression and had to quit school in the third grade and work to help support the family. The last year I played at 37 after 3 operations on my left leg, I could no longer step into a swing forcefully enough, so my power was gone, but a 25 year college coach said I was the best third baseman he had ever seen.
Played a lot of softball in the army and also here in Oklahoma (still do). I have about 11 or 12 state titles with teams I have played with here. Played with a traveling team in Germany (Salsa was the name) and was the only non-Hispanic player on the team as a friend from Costa Rico told those guys that they should bring me aboard even though they wanted to remain an all-Hispanic team. They tried me out and all agreed they would make this exception.My Dad worked me regularly as well. Dad only had a sixth grade education and could barely sign his own name but he tried, he drank and he tried. Dad and Mom did the best they could I guess. Dad and Mom divorced after I moved out at 16 the day I got my driver's license. (They were in their late 50s by then or early 60's after 29 years of marriage.) Dad remarried a woman my age. Her nickname was Crow (From Middlesboro, actually probably Harrogate or Sewanee TN,.. I guess she's still there living off his VA pension and whatever else she can pilfer...
I had a try out with the Tigers and did well but they scouted me (From Legion ball) and I had the Tiger manager (Houk at the time) tell me "My last name", for ten games you can play with anyone, after that you ain't worth shit..." His words... (I was raking during my tryout at Old Tiger Stadium, I was in awe and still did well.. as well as I could...)
I never had any legs. I walked okay and still do and I am thankful but getting up to serious exercising them and they always fail me. I played in a couple softball games with a church league of some sort, they were the heavy hitters as most looked like major leaguers or was beens. The last I guess was when I was in San Antonio, I played two games as I was a player coach, I think then I was 51 or 52. I went nine for nine... (I had no power then and knew it but my hand-eye coordination was off the charts. Always has been, I could hit anything at any speed that I could reach.)
Oh well, I am thankful, I have had it real good for the last 39 or so years since I met My Darling.... The Lord HAS blessed me abundantly...
I just typed this out while reminiscing... May delete it... God Bless you D-Leaguers...
Had me look up an older picture.. This is I think October 1991 as that is my youngest dressed up for her first birthday. My Dad was 6'1" I could never get 6 foot in the Army, Always 5'11"... (We lived in Radcliff at the time.) Dad, his wife and her kids were visiting. Stayed a week I think...
Sounds like you made good decisions.Played a lot of softball in the army and also here in Oklahoma (still do). I have about 11 or 12 state titles with teams I have played with here. Played with a traveling team in Germany (Salsa was the name) and was the only non-Hispanic player on the team as a friend from Costa Rico told those guys that they should bring me aboard even though they wanted to remain an all-Hispanic team. They tried me out and all agreed they would make this exception.
Played baseball for Ft. Campbell back when they had post baseball teams and we played in a league that played against local small colleges and other city teams. I played 3rd base mainly, and on occasion, second when needed. 1 year we finished 30-2 for the year. Sadly, not long after, the army quit playing baseball and just did softball. Played on a post team or two of those.
Praying for your family, I am a day late on this, but a prayer for comfort is never late!Good morning folks. Happy Friday. I hope everyone has a nice weekend planned.
Some bad news in our family -- my wife's aunt who had suffered the fall has died, or more accurately the decision was made to let her pass by disconnecting the equipment. She was in her 80s and a vital woman - had been a marathon runner back when that was less common. Slipped and fell entering her house and suffered such severe head trauma she could not be saved.
It's been said a million times and I'm not adding anything new here, but as Warren Zevon put it, "enjoy every sandwich." My wife is planning to go to NYC for the funeral. I have a medical procedure scheduled late next week which will likely be a conflict.
Have a great day guys.
Oh, we'll beat that spread - for the first 30 minutes.Cats 2.5 point favorites against Bama...just not seeing it.
Bama has won 13 of last 15 games.
The only good news is their two losses were on the road to Tennessee and to Auburn and they got beat bad. But I think the Cats will lose unfortunately.
I played some fast pitch softball. We went undefeated one year, but we had a great pitcher. He had once beaten The King and His Court (Eddie Feigner). You get a really good pitcher in fast pitch and you don't need much else. He would let us hit it in batting practice, but sometimes I would get a little to big for my britches and he would show me the reality of things.
Feigner once struck out Mays, Aaron and I think Frank Robinson in a row at an All Star weekend exhibition. Our pitcher could throw it by you and make it rise. Sink, or go in or out at will. I batted against a few guys who went on to pro ball (no stars), but this guy was easily the hardest to hit.Fast pitch softball is about the best there is going. That thing comes out of no where.... (Never played any of that but had a chance to watch some up close.)
I was going by memory on my list, but perhaps he put on more than one exhibition. He would normally pitch an inning from second base and an inning blindfolded at times.Fast pitch softball is about the best there is going. That thing comes out of no where.... (Never played any of that but had a chance to watch some up close.)
Edit:
Had to take a look...
Softball pitch speed...
An excerpt;
..."In a 1967 exhibition at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Mr. Feigner faced a lineup of six Major League Baseball players (five of whom were later elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame). He struck out all six -- Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Brooks Robinson, Willie McCovey, Maury Wills and Harmon Killebrew -- in succession."...
I just read he was clocked at 104 and that is from 46 feet instead of the MLB 60.
Yeah, I was reading about some girl college pitcher throwing at 70 striking out some MLB players. Feigner threw 50% faster. He pitched till he had a stroke at 75. They say modesty was not one of his virtues.Yes Sir, when I mentioned before of not being able to see it coming is exactly why. Just amazing what you cannot see from an under-hand fast pitched softball. That is wicked thrown from the right person. Saw some pretty decent girls fast pitchers as well. That motion puts no stress on the arm either.
Saw him/them play one time as a kid about 1960 at old Covington Ballpark - where the the approach ramp to I-75 bridge to OH is now. Held something like 3-5K people as I remember. 3-3 result (no extra innings) against an all-star team of local semi-pro baseball players. He performed his tricks like pitching from 2B & blindfolded. I knew a lot of the local guys as attended their Sunday afternoon games when Dad umpired them. Ten years earlier he played with them.I played some fast pitch softball. We went undefeated one year, but we had a great pitcher. He had once beaten The King and His Court (Eddie Feigner). You get a really good pitcher in fast pitch and you don't need much else. He would let us hit it in batting practice, but sometimes I would get a little to big for my britches and he would show me the reality of things.
Up 17 at the half and we have no confidence that we might win this game. Such is the state of being a UK fan this year.
I think we got this one now, up 26 under 12 left...you can breathe easy.
Great game by the whole team, but Edwards and Reeves have been incredible.
Oh HECK NO, ALL I ask is that CAL does NOT go to stall ball. FINISH this game no matter the score! Let these kids realize what they can actually do... Nice finishes last. Don't play dirty but play to kill...
See, I told y’all !!!!Oh, we'll beat that spread - for the first 30 minutes.
And you were right. To be honest, I had no idea what to expect from this game. Pleasantly surprised to say the least.See, I told y’all !!!!