Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Yep, great ballplayer, but by all accounts, a great human being, as well. Remember watching his last game, against the Reds in the '72 playoffs and Benches' HR going out over Clements' failed leap. I was living in Mt. Adams and I looked out the window to see the fireworks going off at Riverfront and I was overjoyed! Had I known what was to come, I would have been bawling my eyes out!
Rem
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Same birthday as Pete, I thought it was a sign from above.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RiverRat13
Oh, SNAP!
That's '80s-style awesome.
Is he in an office? It looks more like a kid's bedroom.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Mine was Johnny Bench. I too watched the Baseball Bunch, collected his cards, wore anything I could find to pretend I was a catcher (cowboy vest turned backwards like a chest protector, etc), became a catcher, even dressed as his 1983 topps baseball card of him. My first game in person was in 1983 in Pittsburgh-my parents drove me there from NC to see him for my birthday. I slept on the street in Cooperstown to be front row of regular people to see him inducted into the HOF.
Sadly, he was a jerk the only time I have met him in person at a charity golf event. If I had met him early on I doubt I would have liked him to the degree I did. I know his job was simply to play ball, but I prefer to like the players as people too to be my favorites.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
We're on the same page bounty. Early on, mine was Bench as well (for the Reds). But after meeting him at the ASG in Houston, he went down a whole bunch of notches for me. Politely asking him for an autograph "Mr Bench, could I please have your autograph?"...the response was "get the hell away from me kid." Broke my heart. I still appreciate him as a player and I still "like" him, but he's below just about every one of the great 8 on my list now.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Thinking back, I guess it depends what age I was. Pete Whisenant 1959. I was 10. Back then, some of the players would occasionally come into the Moon Deck and mingle with the fans pre-game. He shook my hand and it completely consumed my little paw. He seemed enormous!! A MLB player actually spoke to me! Funny what impresses a young kid.
At 14, it became Marv Breeding for awhile. He played for the Orioles and Dodgers in the 60's. He played Legion ball with my uncle in Alabama, and I had met him then. When the Dodgers came to Crosley Field, my dad took me and I got to visit with Breeding prior the game. Nice haul: autographed glove, a caught game ball, an honorary contract.
But as a late teen/adult, it became Rose. I so admired the hustle, tenacity, and success Rose had as a player. It seemed that's the way all MLB players should play the game.
As Sir Charles stated in thread #81, I had a similar experience with Rose which "dimmed the light" for me. I came upon him under the grandstands at Crosley one night, surrounded by autograph seekers. A grandfatherly figure with a small child asked Pete how the tryout for his brother Dave was going, as they sought an autograph. Rose blasted the man with expletives (ala BP), embarrassing the old guy in front of his little grandson! Crowd was shocked at his behavior and language! Gotta remember, this was mid 60s.
Sorry for the length, but this thread has caused me to recall some pretty good Reds memories! Keep the stories coming.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
redssince75
Boy, in that picture, he looks like Kevin Costner playing him in a baseball movie.
http://wac.450f.edgecastcdn.net/8045.../06/060567.jpg http://padresteve.files.wordpress.co...pg?w=500&h=320
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Jim Maloney, and was the reason I became a Reds fan.
I got his 1964 TOPPS all star coin in the usual packet of cards. Not sure why that did the trick. My son Patrick Batemen bought me an autographed picture of him a few years back.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RedsBrick
It's my avatar. Mr. Rose. He's why I love the game and the Reds. I tried to play the game like him.
I bet you did.;)
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Our dog was named Sabo, I wore the goggles throughout my tragic baseball career.
Re: Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
_Sir_Charles_
We're on the same page bounty. Early on, mine was Bench as well (for the Reds). But after meeting him at the ASG in Houston, he went down a whole bunch of notches for me. Politely asking him for an autograph "Mr Bench, could I please have your autograph?"...the response was "get the hell away from me kid." Broke my heart. I still appreciate him as a player and I still "like" him, but he's below just about every one of the great 8 on my list now.
Yeah, I met him the day after I graduated college-I even skipped a final trip with friends to celebrate when I heard he was going to be at a golf tourney nearby and drove 3 hours to meet him. I asked for an auto and he said he doesn't sign autos for free. I asked for a pic with him and he said he was only there to play golf (it was a celebrity tourney that I paid to get in so I don't agree with him- if you just want to play and be left alone, skip these tourneys and play on your own time/dime). The icing was the next day the local paper had his pic on front page holding a kid saying how he was there meeting fans and signing autographs. Of course when I met him there was no one else around, but he turns on the BS when the paper cameras are out.