Touring the Bases With…Dick Drago

Pitcher Dick Drago began his career with the expansion Kansas City Royals in 1969 and split time between the rotation and the bullpen, winning 11 games in 26 starts and 15 relief appearances.  He led the Royals with 17 wins in 1971, but from ’69-’74 he went only 68-80 as a starter before becoming a [...]

Remembering Phil Rizzuto

Looking back, I’d have to say that Phil Rizzuto was the “voice” of my youth. It was the “Scooter’s” unmistakable, high-pitched voice that would be resounding throughout the steamy living room during those summers in the late 60′s when I first started following America’s pastime. Whether it was his trademark “Holy Cow!” (which, at times, [...]

An Open Letter to Barry Bonds

Dear Barry, I can now say it with a clear conscience: you’re a BUM, Mr. Bonds. I know, I know–you’ll probably tell me that there’s been no conviction yet and that the perjury/obstruction charges you’ve faced are STILL bogus; after all, you’re Barry Lamar Bonds–home run king, big-shot. You surmised that constant denial would make [...]

A Whole New Ballgame

Yes, we’re just a few days away from that special time of year–opening day–as the the winter “rust” has shed; a new baseball season will begin its infancy before maturing in October. The off-season has seen its usual share of personnel moves and newsmakers; more important, I believe it’s come time for some of us to [...]

Touring the Bases With…Frank Sullivan

One of the tallest pitchers in baseball at 6’7″, Frank Sullivan enjoyed immediate success upon earning a full-time spot with the Boston Red Sox in 1954, winning 15 games in his rookie season.  He tied for the league lead in wins with 18 in 1955 and paced the junior circuit in starts, innings, and batters [...]

Remembering Moe Drabowsky

I’m one of those guys who always believed baseball was meant to be fun–REAL fun. After all, it was created as a GAME, right? Baseball currently reeks of economics; players carrying briefcases is now much more common than a good practical joke in the clubhouse. “Players seem to be more serious now,” said Moe Drabowsky [...]

Touring the Bases With…Ed Herrmann

The grandson of pitcher Marty Herrmann, Ed, a catcher, debuted with the Chicago White Sox in 1967, then spent 11 years in the majors before ending his career with Montreal in 1978 as Gary Carter’s backup.  In 1972, Herrmann caught all 49 of Wilbur Woods’ starts, the most for a battery since 1884 when Sam [...]

Remembering Steve Howe

The accident scene was so eerily similar to his reckless existence. Steven Roy Howe lay dead on a California highway with his late-model vehicle resting on top of him; a witness told cops that Howe’s truck simply drifted off the roadway. When I first read of the death of this once-promising athlete from Michigan, I immediately [...]

Remembering Curt Gowdy

He was a born storyteller–the “guy next door” who happened to become the first legitimate superstar of sports television. When legendary broadcaster Curt Gowdy passed away a few years back, it truly signifid the end of an era; colleague Dick Enberg accurately referred to him as “the last of the dinosaurs”–-a man who will be remembered [...]

Remembering Gene Conley

Yes, the current NBA campaign continues to progress while baseball players now filter into spring training; this overlapping of seasons reminds us of a unique, special individual who once graced both the hardcourt AND the diamond professionally: Donald Eugene Conley. Gene Conley loved sports as a kid–partaking in every athletic event one could imagine while [...]

Touring the Bases With…Carmen Fanzone

A former versatile infielder turned accomplished musician who once played the “Star Spangled Banner” before a game at Wrigley Field, Fanzone–a flugelhorn player–was originally signed by the Red Sox and spent five years in the majors from 1970-1975, four of them with the Chicago Cubs.  Click here to watch a video of a conversation I had [...]

Lyman Bostock: What Might Have Been

What coulda been–a man taken from us WAY too soon…. It’s been 35 years since the very memorable 1975 baseball season–one that saw future Hall of Famers Jim Palmer and Tom Seaver win Cy Young Awards, Frank Robinson become MLB’s first black manager, and another “no-no” thrown by Nolan Ryan. It also featured the Tigers [...]

Touring the Bases With…Gene Conley

The winning pitcher of the ’55 All-Star Game and the only person to win championships in two major sports, the man basically went an entire DECADE without a day off; Red Sox Hall of Famer Frank Sullivan told me that kind of streak should be in the same conversation as DiMaggio’s.  A truly remarkable and nice man….Click here to [...]

Jackie Jensen: The Golden Boy

There wasn’t much Jackie Jensen COULDN’T do. He hit the longest home run in the history of Cal-Berkeley baseball–over 525 feet. In his first college football game, he ran back a punt 56 yards for a touchdown while breaking numerous tackles. He could shoot a basketball superbly, out-jump his college’s high jumpers, and even beat [...]

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