Feel good thread! Who was your first baseball hero?

[klw]

We'd do every single at bat like him no matter what.

He looks 14 in that picture. That makes me feel old.

[OC_Red]

Frank Robinson. Most compelling Reds player I've ever seen.

One of my most cherished pieces of Reds memorabilia is the Sohio 1957 Reds photo book. Mr. Robinson is in it and I HAD to have him sign it, which he graciously did (for a small fee of course) at a card show back in the 90s.

That one is a definite keeper.

[wheels]

Johnny Lee Bench.

[NebraskaRed]

Kal Daniels was the first professional ballplayer I ever met, and his was the first signed baseball card I ever owned.

[Norm Chortleton]

I absolutely loved Kalvosky when he came up with the Reds. One of the sweetest swings I've ever seen. Too bad things turned the way they did at the end of his time here and then with the Dodgers.

Funny story: A couple of my friends were at a Reds-Dodgers game. They went down to the bullpen and asked Norm Charlton to hit Daniels. Boom, right between the 2 and 8. I'll always regret I wasn't there to see it.

[Larkin Fan]

I'm sure no one on this board would ever be able to guess who mine was. I mean, it's not like my handle gives any indication, right?

But man, Barry was a special player to watch play. As a kid, I was first becoming aware of baseball at the perfect time because he was just starting his career. I collected his baseball cards and when I started playing ball, he was the player I emulated, even to the point of getting a number of lectures from coaches about how that was not "proper" way to turn a double play or throw a ball to first. Obviously, I didn't care, it was how Barry did it.

To this day, he's still the most complete baseball player I've ever seen and had the pleasure to watch on a day-to-day basis.

[Strikes Out Looking]

#5

[Norm Chortleton]

I'm sure no one on this board would ever be able to guess who mine was. I mean, it's not like my handle gives any indication, right?

I was gonna guess Juan Castro.

[Red in Chicago]

Peter Edward for me. The reason I became a Reds fan, instead of a Cubby fan like my father.

[Dom Heffner]

Frank Robinson. Most compelling Reds player I've ever seen.

His Baseball Reference page is saved on my favorites. I LOVE this man.

[Dom Heffner]

As a kid I loved all the Big Red Machine at some point. Bench or Morgan, then Foster.

[BluegrassRedleg]

I was a middle infielder growing up in Little League, and mom was a HS Spanish teacher, so I latched on to Davey Concepcion. He was my original favorite.

[Always Red]

On Frank Robinson:

His Baseball Reference page is saved on my favorites. I LOVE this man.

So do I- both he and Vada Pinson

“When you made a mistake on the field, you hated going back to the dugout because you knew you had to face Frank.”--Elrod Hendricks

edit PS- Elrod Hendricks played for Earl Weaver. And felt more accountable to Frank Robinson!

Those Kangaroo Courts he ran got a lot of attention because there was a funny photo of Frank wearing a mop on his head. But those sessions were absolutely serious. They were Frank’s way of communicating how to play the game the right way, and of not tolerating any other way, especially not tolerating losing.

Frank was unafraid to confront teammates for their mistakes. He would challenge an opposing pitcher in a moment. Fans want players to care about as much as they care. No player I’ve ever known cared more than Frank. No player was as intolerant of players who didn’t.

My favorite story about Frank concerns a game–I’ve long since forgotten the date or place–when he had a wrist injury so severe he was unable to swing the bat. Only his teammates knew how badly Frank was hurting. Never mind that. Frank bunted for a hit, stole second and scored the winning run on a hit.

During his National League days, he had some hellish battles with Don Drysdale. Don would throw one at Frank’s head. Frank would get up and slap one off the wall.

One day, some of us in the media were asking Frank about the best pitchers ever ever faced.

Juan Marichal? “Killed him,” Frank said.

Bob Gibson? “Killed him,” Frank Said.

Don Drysdale? “Killed him,” Frank said.

Sandy Koufax? “Killed him,” Frank said. “Wait. You said Koufax? No one killed him, and if they said they did, they’re lying.”--Richard Justice

[Raisor]

Bench.

I caught in little league and wore #5 because I wanted to be him.

I watched the Baseball Bunch.

I had posters.

I had shirts ( still do in fact)

He's my Javy

[Roy Tucker]

Leo Cardenas.

Don't know why. I was 12 and I liked his baseball card picture. Kind of a boyhood crush.