From the April 28, 2019 Parade Magazine. "Baseball Movies hit home" by Mara Reinstein.
THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942) Gary Cooper stars as Lou Gehrig, whose legendary career was cit short by the disease that would one day carry his name.
THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976) A slovenly, beer-guzzling coach (Walter Mattheau) and his sad-sack youth baseball team become "winning" losers.
THE NATURAL (1984) Once promising supernova Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) stages a middle-aged comeback cheered on by his devoted sweetheart (Glenn Close).
BULL DURHAM (1988) An All-American romance that follows the travails of veteran catcher (Kevin Costner), he team's wild pitcher (Tim Robbins) and groupie (Susan Sarandon) who seduces both of them.
--CootBall
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New York Yankees. Show all posts
Thursday, January 9, 2020
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
White Sox in New York City on 9-11-- Part 4: Took the Bus Home
White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf was sure the Grand Hyatt was "a potential target" so he told the Sox people to get the players out of the hotel.
Two buses took the White Sox from New York City to Chicago early Wednesday morning.
On September 18, baseball returned when the Yankees visited Comiskey Park where the Bronx Bombers got a royal welcome.
And, that is considering how much White Sox fans don't like the Yankees.
Two buses took the White Sox from New York City to Chicago early Wednesday morning.
On September 18, baseball returned when the Yankees visited Comiskey Park where the Bronx Bombers got a royal welcome.
And, that is considering how much White Sox fans don't like the Yankees.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
White Sox in New York City on 9-11-- Part 2: What to Do?
Mark Buehrle in 2001, was just completing his first full-season in the Majors. He and Paul Konerko are the only two Sox players currently with the team
The three games with the Yankees were canceled and replayed October 1-3.
Said Buehrle: "Once I turned the TV on and realized what was going on, all I remember is getting dressed and going down to the lobby. Five or six guys were down there and we were trying to figure out if we were playing tonight, leaving, flying out or busing. Shall we stay in our rooms? We didn't know what to do."
The three games with the Yankees were canceled and replayed October 1-3.
Said Buehrle: "Once I turned the TV on and realized what was going on, all I remember is getting dressed and going down to the lobby. Five or six guys were down there and we were trying to figure out if we were playing tonight, leaving, flying out or busing. Shall we stay in our rooms? We didn't know what to do."
Friday, September 16, 2016
White Sox in New York City on 9-11-- Part 1: Arrived in Wee Hours of the Morning
From the September 7, 2016, White Sox.com "White Sox recall road trip to New York 9/11" by Scott Merkin, MLB.com.
Ken Williams, the White Sox general manager, was with the Sox that day: "I can still smell the burning buildings. If I close my eyes, i can still see the people jumping out of the World Trade Center that you saw more on local television than you did on national television. I can still feel the emotions of that day."
The White Sox had arrived in New York City early that Tuesday morning after completing a four-game series against Cleveland the night before.
They were staying at the Grand Central Hyatt.
I Had Forgotten That My Sox Were In Town To Play the Yankees That Day.
Ken Williams, the White Sox general manager, was with the Sox that day: "I can still smell the burning buildings. If I close my eyes, i can still see the people jumping out of the World Trade Center that you saw more on local television than you did on national television. I can still feel the emotions of that day."
The White Sox had arrived in New York City early that Tuesday morning after completing a four-game series against Cleveland the night before.
They were staying at the Grand Central Hyatt.
I Had Forgotten That My Sox Were In Town To Play the Yankees That Day.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Bill "Moose" Skowron-- Part 4: TV Star
Skowron says his favorite team he played on is the 1961 New York Yankees, who ran away with the pennant with a 109-53 record that year and, of course, there was the home run derby between Mantle and Maris.
Even with all the stars who made up the Yankees back then, Skowron found his place to shine. Beyond baseball, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show several times, including a 1958 episode when he, mantle, Berra and Whitey Ford sand "take Me Out to the Ball Game."
He also appeared on "What's My Line?" and in 1963, after being traded to the Dodgers, co-starred with Leo Durocher on an episode of "Mr. Ed." He was also the godfather of Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on the "Munsters."
In 1963, his .385 World Series batting average helped the Dodgers sweep the Yankees. Then, a year later, we joined the White Sox, who ended the season just one game behind the Yankees.
An Interesting Life, Indeed. --Cooter
Even with all the stars who made up the Yankees back then, Skowron found his place to shine. Beyond baseball, he appeared on the Ed Sullivan show several times, including a 1958 episode when he, mantle, Berra and Whitey Ford sand "take Me Out to the Ball Game."
He also appeared on "What's My Line?" and in 1963, after being traded to the Dodgers, co-starred with Leo Durocher on an episode of "Mr. Ed." He was also the godfather of Butch Patrick, who played Eddie Munster on the "Munsters."
In 1963, his .385 World Series batting average helped the Dodgers sweep the Yankees. Then, a year later, we joined the White Sox, who ended the season just one game behind the Yankees.
An Interesting Life, Indeed. --Cooter
Monday, July 11, 2011
Bill "Moose" Skowron-- Part 3: Playing Hard; Paid Little and Casey
William Skowron grew up on Chicago's Northwest Side where he excelled at all tree major sports, but he really excelled at baseball and football. Notre Dame was his favorite college and he would have gone there had Coach Frank Leahy allowed him to play baseball along with football. However, at Purdue, he could play both.
As a sophomore,he was starting right halfback and even kicked an 82-yard punt left-footed (claimed it got a good roll). The same year he hit a Big Ten record .500 for coach Hank Stram.
The Yankees offered him a $25,000 signing bonus and Moose took the dough. His rookie year, in 1954, Skowron made $6,000. In his 14-year major league career with the Yankees, Dodgers, Senators, White Sox and Angels, he grossed less than $600,000.
The Yankees were in the process of having another run at domination while Moose was there and they were managed by none other than Casey Stengel. One time in his rookie year, Stengel removed him with bases loaded, angering Skowron, who threw his bat as he returned to the dugout.
The man who replaced him cleared the bases with a double. Stengel didn't say anything to Moose until the next day, "Then he walked up to me and said, 'Don't ever show me up again, kid. My reasons got reasons you'll never figure." Pure Casey.
Not Finished with the Moose. --DaCoot
As a sophomore,he was starting right halfback and even kicked an 82-yard punt left-footed (claimed it got a good roll). The same year he hit a Big Ten record .500 for coach Hank Stram.
The Yankees offered him a $25,000 signing bonus and Moose took the dough. His rookie year, in 1954, Skowron made $6,000. In his 14-year major league career with the Yankees, Dodgers, Senators, White Sox and Angels, he grossed less than $600,000.
The Yankees were in the process of having another run at domination while Moose was there and they were managed by none other than Casey Stengel. One time in his rookie year, Stengel removed him with bases loaded, angering Skowron, who threw his bat as he returned to the dugout.
The man who replaced him cleared the bases with a double. Stengel didn't say anything to Moose until the next day, "Then he walked up to me and said, 'Don't ever show me up again, kid. My reasons got reasons you'll never figure." Pure Casey.
Not Finished with the Moose. --DaCoot
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Bill "Moose" Skowron-- Part 2: A Hard Prognosis
Continued from May 30th. From the May 22nd Chicago Tribune.
William Joseph "Moose" Skowron was both a Yankee and a White Sox player as well as a "Mr. Ed" the talking horse co-star.
After turning 80 in December, he collapsed at a ballpark in Arizona during spring training.. His oldest son, Greg, said that they were leaving the ballpark during the fifth inning, "which was unusual for him. Then he turned down an autograph request, which I'd never seen him do before. Then he turned to me and said, 'I don't feel so good.'"
It turned out to be lung cancer.
A few years ago, a Chicago newspaper ran a list of the 25 greatest athletes produced by the city and Skowron's name wasn't on the list. To this day, his friends and fans remain outraged. (Must have been an oversight.)
Skowron played baseball and football at the city's Weber High School and played two years at Purdue before going to seven World Series in his nine seasons with the Yankees (1954-1962).
Surely, that should be enough to get him on that list. And that's not even including the World Series he won with the Dodgers against his old team the year after they traded him.
Quite the Man. --Cooter
William Joseph "Moose" Skowron was both a Yankee and a White Sox player as well as a "Mr. Ed" the talking horse co-star.
After turning 80 in December, he collapsed at a ballpark in Arizona during spring training.. His oldest son, Greg, said that they were leaving the ballpark during the fifth inning, "which was unusual for him. Then he turned down an autograph request, which I'd never seen him do before. Then he turned to me and said, 'I don't feel so good.'"
It turned out to be lung cancer.
A few years ago, a Chicago newspaper ran a list of the 25 greatest athletes produced by the city and Skowron's name wasn't on the list. To this day, his friends and fans remain outraged. (Must have been an oversight.)
Skowron played baseball and football at the city's Weber High School and played two years at Purdue before going to seven World Series in his nine seasons with the Yankees (1954-1962).
Surely, that should be enough to get him on that list. And that's not even including the World Series he won with the Dodgers against his old team the year after they traded him.
Quite the Man. --Cooter
Monday, May 30, 2011
Bill "Moose" Skowron-- Part 1: Out with the Yankee Clipper and Monroe
I was sorry to find out that one of my all-time favorite Chicago White Sox players, Bill Skowron, has lung cancer, but is battling it in typical stubborn, positive and witty style.
From the May 22nd Chicago Tribune Musings of Moose" by Jim O'Donnell. They had a page and a half spread on him with two pictures in the article: a close-up of Moose today and one of him on the dugout steps with Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Talk about a sluggers row and mostly Hall of Fame at that.
And, of course, he has some great baseball stories to tell.
He tells of one night during spring training when they begged Joe DiMaggio to take them out to dinner with his wife, Marilyn Monroe. Said Skowron, "I shaved four times that day. She was great--charming, funny, wanting to learn more about baseball. And absolutely gorgeous."
However, he noticed Marilyn had been slyly checking out another man. When the Yankee Clipper went to the bathroom, her glances got chancier. DiMaggio was known for being extremely territorial.
"All I thought was, 'If DiMaggio comes out and sees this, we've got problems,'" Skowron said. "Thank God she had the sense to cut it out when he got back."
I write about Bill Skowron because he was one of my first favorite baseball players, even if he did play for the Yankees.
Da Moose. --Cooter
From the May 22nd Chicago Tribune Musings of Moose" by Jim O'Donnell. They had a page and a half spread on him with two pictures in the article: a close-up of Moose today and one of him on the dugout steps with Roger Maris, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Talk about a sluggers row and mostly Hall of Fame at that.
And, of course, he has some great baseball stories to tell.
He tells of one night during spring training when they begged Joe DiMaggio to take them out to dinner with his wife, Marilyn Monroe. Said Skowron, "I shaved four times that day. She was great--charming, funny, wanting to learn more about baseball. And absolutely gorgeous."
However, he noticed Marilyn had been slyly checking out another man. When the Yankee Clipper went to the bathroom, her glances got chancier. DiMaggio was known for being extremely territorial.
"All I thought was, 'If DiMaggio comes out and sees this, we've got problems,'" Skowron said. "Thank God she had the sense to cut it out when he got back."
I write about Bill Skowron because he was one of my first favorite baseball players, even if he did play for the Yankees.
Da Moose. --Cooter
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)