Steel Guitar and Baseball

Papa Joe Pollick · Post by **Papa Joe Pollick** » 7 May 2007 10:25 am

Well,ya'll kin root fer whoever ya want,but if'in it aint the TIGERS,yur backin an also run.I'm a Jim Leyland fan,regardless of where he's managing!

Thats my stand..PJ

Drew Howard · Post by **Drew Howard** » 7 May 2007 12:08 pm

Though I'm a Michgan boy I love the Cubs and Wrigley Field, meet me under the a scoreboard for a beer...

Stephen Gregory · Post by **Stephen Gregory** » 7 May 2007 2:42 pm

BTW, there were no "Minnesota Twins" in 1960, they were still the "old" and original Washington Senators. Those "Senators" were replaced by the expansion "Senators" in 1961.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 7 May 2007 3:03 pm

And the expansion Senators moved to Texas and became the Rangers, playing their first season there in 1972.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 7 May 2007 3:07 pm

LOVE baseball!!!

I got to be the San Jose Red Sox batboy in '53...used to have to share uniforms with Albie Pearson. (He was only 5',4" tall)
He would come to my house for dinners..he then went to the SF Seals in '57 and always left tickets for me at the box office. Then he went to the Washington Senators and was American League Rookie of the year in '58. Great guy!

Been a AZ Diamondback fan since they started and enjoyed the way they broke the hearts of those Nasty ol' Meanie Yankee fans. Don't care if they ever win another game, that was PURE JOY to me!!

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 7 May 2007 3:12 pm

Baseball, you say?

'mon the Teddy Bears.(next season)

Arch.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 7 May 2007 3:23 pm

Great story, Jack!

I've never been real clear, since the advent of the internet forum as a means of communication, that if someone finds a subject boring or not interesting (typically if it isn't germane to the theme of the forum itself, like baseball to a steel guitar forum), that they insist on letting us know they are bored.

Why wouldn't one just click off this topic and go on to something else that is interesting to them, why do they feel compelled to post a response expressing their disinterest?

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 7 May 2007 3:53 pm

Ray, I was listening that same afternoon when Musial hit all those homers.
One time in St. Louis during the ISGC, I spent probably as time at the ball park as I did at the convention. My son and I were along the first base line when McGwire hit #60. What a treat it was to share that experience with my 10 year old son.
By the way, that's him in the picture over to the left.

Ken

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 7 May 2007 4:16 pm

I like debait. And some folks take it.

Arch.

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 7 May 2007 4:40 pm

No Arch-I believe you felt that the steel guitar folks need to know that you think baseball is boring, and living in Scotland, we wouldn't expect you to understand.

And to make sure, you clicked back on the thread to read the subsequent posts!

Now here's something for you, Archie: I'm also a cycling fan and a regular rider, and I look forward to the film "The Flying Scotsman," about Graeme Obree, who once set the hour record on the velodrome on a cobbled together bike, with an unorthodox riding position, only to have his record stripped by the cycling officials.

Back to baseball: How about our nearly ancient S.F. Giant, Barry Bonds, apparently steroid free, and having a possible MVP year in his pursuit of Hank Aaron's home run record?

The baseball record that officials of that sport don't want to have to deal with!

Robby Springfield · Post by **Robby Springfield** » 7 May 2007 5:42 pm

Archie Nicol wrote:I like debait. And some folks take it.

Arch.

I don't think I'm going to get de-baited into that!

My love for baseball started with my kids. We have followed our youngest from t-ball through this year's softmore season where he made All Star, All Region, All State, and All State Tournament. Just a little bragging rights for a proud dad.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 7 May 2007 8:19 pm

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 7 May 2007 9:12 pm

Archie..it appears as though you've bitten off the tips of your fingers!!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 7 May 2007 9:20 pm

Dem guys from the Bronx!

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 7 May 2007 9:25 pm

Jack,My Dad was a sheetmetal worker in the South Bronx,The first baseball game"1962"? that he took me too was the Yankees vs. the California Angels..Whitey Ford pitching Yogi Berra catching.The first guy up to bat was your friend Albie Pearson..first pitch out of the park!I'll never forget it,he was short but my how he could hit,Stu

A. J. Schobert · Post by **A. J. Schobert** » 8 May 2007 3:23 am

I love the Cincinnati Reds, but more so I love spending time with my dad at a game, going to a game has become costly so I don't do as much, God Bless Pete Rose!

Arty Passes · Post by **Arty Passes** » 8 May 2007 5:19 am

LET'S GO METS!!!!

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 8 May 2007 5:30 am

I have always enjoyed baseball--lived in Boston for a while in the '70s and saw many games in Fenway--but it took my young son, now eight, to become a real fan.

Spencer is a real fan--eats, lives and breathes it. While his friends were watching cartoons in the morning, it was ESPN Sports Center for him. He really knows his stuff....

Anyway, we went to spring training in Phoenix this year for spring schoool break. Spencer has decided since he was born in Texas, he needs to support Texas teams, so it was the Texas Rangers camp for us. I have to say I had one of the best times I have ever had--it was awesome. You could go out and watch them practice during the days, and get to talk to some of players and coaches as they went back and forth. The stadium seats 10K--not a bad seat in the house--with the top ticket price of 20 bucks. Got to see 3 games (Seattle, San Diego and Kansas City) in perfect 70 degree weather.

One interesting thing was you kinda got a feel for the players--most were at least friendly and would wave and talk to the kids, some coming over for pictures and autographs. Some were real standoffish, like Hank Blalock, the starting third baseman who happens to be Spencer's favorite player. Man, this guy would not even acknowledge the kids with a wave, much less anything else--a huge dissapointment to an 8 year old. (The first day he blew us off, he struck out every time he was at bat--instant karhma???)

One funny sideline was walking in to the first game with Seattle, Spencer told me he was going to catch a foul ball that night. I told him I know people who have been going to games for 30 years that have never caught one. Dang if he didn't catch one in the sixth...

He also got Sammy Sousa to sign it!

Bottom line is I am a big fan now, and see many spring trainings in my future...

PS--Robbie, that's awesome!--Spencer has been playing since TBall--I'll share your story with him...:

Archie Nicol R.I.P. · Post by **Archie Nicol R.I.P.** » 8 May 2007 5:38 am

Mark; Graeme Obree is another fine Ayrshireman.

Is this what is meant by first base?

Arch.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 8 May 2007 5:58 am

Stu
What a treat that musta been to be there in that ol' park...back when I was a kid we'd see thos parks on TV and wish we could see them.

Mickey Mantle once said that Albie was really lucky...when he got tired in the outfield he could lean on a blade of grass!

He had a cannon for an arm..He was a walk-on pitcher when he went to the San Jose team but hit so well they moved him to the outfield...at Seals Stadium in SF he went into the corner of the outfield to get a ball and threw a rope on one bounce to third, (on the bag) to cut down a guy trying to go from first to third.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 8 May 2007 9:04 am

Jack,Yeah growing up in the city"Flushing" was pretty cool if you liked Baseball.Yankee Stadium was an awesome site,I remember watching "THE Mick" miss a routine fly ball falling down and then reading about that day in "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton,he talked about how Mick was so hung-over that day,I asked my Dad what a "Hangover Was"I was also a big Mets fan...when Tim McGraw came to Anchorage about 12 years ago I gave him my "1969" world Series program that had Tug,Koosman,Nolan Ryan,And Tom Seaver as their pitching staff,all rookies,He wanted to know how much I wanted for it,I told him enjoy see ya' around and walked out.He's probably still scratching his head.

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 8 May 2007 12:24 pm

Stu

Were you there when the dodgers were?

Bobby Caldwell · Post by **Bobby Caldwell** » 8 May 2007 2:33 pm

Go Card's. I said Go Card's. Awe come on Card's let's go. I'm sure they'll get it fired up soon. Love the game no matter who is playing but the Card's are my team. Bobby

Ken Williams · Post by **Ken Williams** » 8 May 2007 6:14 pm

Bobby, not only are you a hall of famer guitar picker but you have excellent taste in baseball teams.

Go Cards!

Ken

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 8 May 2007 8:05 pm

Jack,I was born in 1952...I guess so.When I moved to L.A.a bunch of the Dodgers in the late 70's would hang with us at the Palomino club,with Me,and Dan Tyack,and Ernest Bovine..The players were Big Rick Sutcliff,Jerry Reuss,Steve"Bad Boy" Howe,Don Sutton,Gary Thomason,they would leave free tickets to all of the home games,I got to sit near Roy Campanella he had a Dodger license plate on the back of his wheel chair that said "Roy" nice guy also.We also got to see Cindy Garvey close up..very fine!My favorite Dodger of all time was Sandy Koufax.