Sad day for Reds Fans- Joe has Rounded 3rd and headed home!Joe passed away overnight

[nate]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

And this slide show is unbelievable. A bunch of pictures of Joe from throughout his life along with his greatest calls....

http://opera.cincinnati.com/Netcasts...EO02/71116005/

If you don't get a little misty eyed watching that you probably aren't human.

That's really a nice tribute, thanks.

RIP. Joe.

[MrCinatit]

Originally Posted by Caseyfan21

Marty was just on the news on 700 WLW with a quick quote from the cruise. He said something to the effect of "He was my friend, and now he's gone." He was near tears, never hear that much emotion out of Marty.

Really, I can hardly imagine what he is going through. Those two have been together for close to 40 years, much longer than most marriages last.

Yahoo called him a Reds' icon in their headline - which is quite apt. Save one very dark 18 month period in the early '60s, the man has served faithfully for the ball club almost non-stop - 63 years of service for the Reds - which is simply amazing.

I'll always remember those nights, listening to Marty and Joe talk about their ball club, their tomato plants and almost anything else under the sun, and even then, you knew you were listening to something special.
Here was a man who seems to have been loved by everyone in the game, and it didn't matter if they were a Reds uniform or not. I know Nolan Ryan attributed a lot of his success to Nuxy because, during a chance meeting during the '81 strike, a conversation helped Ryan transform from a thrower into a pitcher...all because of a short conversation with Joe.
And I only remember hearing him a couple of times become truly irate with another person - it was during those rare instances where a player (almost every time, if I recall correctly) did not show up for the Star of the Game segment after the final out was made.
But, in the end, Joe would forgive and become is usual jovial self again, talking with ease to whoever else would show up for the segment. And, I would listen to that segment every night so I could hear those special words:

This is the Old Left Hander...


Well. You know the rest.

[CougarQuest]

I woke up from an extremely long week of work and stumbled down the stairs. I make it to the computer chair and the first thing I see is Joe Nuxhall has passed away. I've never had a personal converstation with the man. I've just listened to him every summer. Yet I've got a lump in my throat.

I'm sure my grandma will be one of many to greet you at the pearly gates.

It's a crying shame you didn't get into the HOF before you left Joe.

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by TeamBoone

Tonight, the ballpark will be dark with only two illuminations... his famous words on the outside of the building and a spotlight warming his statue.

Okay, that got me all choked up.

[Reds Fanatic]

This is a nice article about Joe from today's Enquirer:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.d...PT04/311160028

To friends and neighbors, he was just a regular Joe -- breakfasting at the Bob Evans counter, chatting with everyone he saw, and plowing neighbors’ driveways after a snow.

But to schools and other nonprofit agencies in his native Butler County, Joe Nuxhall will be remembered as an extraordinary heavy hitter. The Ol’ Lefthander pitched in to promote elderly services tax levies and school bond issues; raised funds for troubled kids and character education; and handed out more than $450,000 in scholarships to about 400 high school seniors since 1989.

“I can’t tell you how many lives he touched,” said Sally Braun, Fairfield Community Foundation president.


But you couldn’t tell that from his everyday life. Nuxhall, born in Hamilton, lived for more than 50 years in the same modest Fairfield home where he and his wife, Donzetta, raised two sons, Phil and Kim.

If he wasn’t playing golf – or hanging out with buddies at the Joe Nuxhall Golf Center driving range managed by Kim near Hamilton’s Joyce Park – Nux loved to cut grass on his John Deere riding mower or tend to his dwarf snapdragons and other flowers.

In the winter, he’d hop on the John Deere and plow his driveway – and a few of his neighbors’ too – recalls Dr. Kim Kupper, a West Chester Township dentist and his Fairfield neighbor since 1980. Kupper called him “a great neighbor” and “not pretentious at all.”

Nuxhall began nearly every day the same way – with a 7 a.m. breakfast at the Fairfield Bob Evans Restaurant counter with his son and three friends. Waitresses would have a hot cup of coffee waiting when they saw him drive his Ford van – or 1989 Lincoln Continental – into the parking lot.

Dan Hare of Fairfield Township, one of the Bob Evans’ “counter culture” regulars, said Nuxhall didn’t mind the frequent interruptions from fans.

In a recent interview, Hare explained that Nuxhall “always makes time to talk to everybody. Some celebrities, they just want to eat their meal and move on. But Joe will talk to everybody. I think that’s a remarkable trait,” Hare is head of the Butler County Educational Service Center.

Hare, attorney Dale Lierman, remodeling company owner Mark Lewis, Kim and Joe frequently talked at Bob Evans about details for the Joe Nuxhall Character Education Fund, founded in 2003 to promote respect and caring in classrooms throughout the Midwest.

Cathy Milligan, a Fairfield educator since 1973, said Nuxhall had “a concern about what makes children successful in life, not just for 13 years in school. He wanted them to have a solid foundation that will carry students through the rest of their life -- to be good citizens, good employees, good parents,” said Milligan, Fairfield interim school superintendent.

Nuxhall also vigorously supported Butler County elderly services. He appeared several times on campaign literature for the countywide tax levy with his mother, Naomi Purdy, who died last summer at age 97.

Among the many lessons Nuxhall learned from his mother growing up in Hamilton was the importance of giving back to the community. “She was always participating in things at her church. She was always ready to help out,” he once told The Enquirer.

Nuxhall never just lent his name to a project or campaign. He learned the issues and talked about them at rallies, said Steve Schnabl, Hamilton Senior Citizens Inc. executive director.

“He just didn’t tell baseball stories. He wanted what he put his name on to succeed. That’s why it made so much sense to me that Kim started a character education fund,” Schnabl said.

Last spring, after doctors found four malignant tumors in Nuxhall’s leg, the character fund launched the ambitious $7.8-million Joe Nuxhall Hope Project to help underprivileged, abused or neglected children.

In addition to funding character education and scholarships, the campaign (www.joehope.org) is raising money for:

• a Reds Rookie Success League to teach baseball and character lessons to underprivileged Butler County kids at Fairfield’s Waterworks Park;
• a $2.4-million for a gym, classrooms and kitchen at Fairfield’s One Way Farm nonprofit home for abused and abandoned kids;
• and a $500,000 rubberized baseball field in Hamilton’s Joyce Park for wheelchair-bound children.

Last April's kickoff at Jungle Jim’s Oscar Event Center was a rare public look at Nuxhall’s charitable efforts. Marty Brennaman, Nuxhall’s radio partner for 31 seasons (1974-2004), said few outside Butler County knew about his commitment to kids because he didn’t talk about it.

Nuxhall taught him “a helluva lot about humility,” Brennaman said in an interview before the event. “He legitimately would not care if anybody ever knew about it, because he derives enough satisfaction by himself, in doing what he does.”
Before the Hope Project dinner, Nuxhall explained: “It’s for the kids. It’s not about me. I don’t like to blow my own horn. It’s not my nature.”

In a 2005 WCET-TV interview, Nuxhall said: “I just want people to think of me as one of the regular guys.”

After his cancer came back in September, Fairfield and Hamilton city leaders jointly announced that the road on the cities’ border to Joyce Park – with acres of baseball, football and soccer fields – would be renamed “Joe Nuxhall Way.”

Fairfield also announced plans for a life-size statue of Nuxhall helping two children by artist Tom Tsuchiya, who did the Nuxhall sculpture outside Great American Ball Park. The bronze artwork will be placed next summer at Waterworks Park, near a new concession stand and shelter to be called Joe Nuxhall Pavilion. It’s a fitting tribute to man who gave so much to kids, Braun said.

“He never said ‘No’ to anyone,” Braun said. “The legacy he leaves is one of giving, and supporting the children of Butler County. He’s made more of an impression from being a human being, than from as a ballplayer.”

[WVRedsFan]

Got to the board late today as I sometimes do in the off-season. My whole life revolved around Waite Hoyt, Gene Kelly, Claude Sullivan, Marty, but mostly Joe. I'm devastated.

My first conscious knowledge of Joe was 1962 (I think) and he came back from Kansas City to the Reds and immediately pitched lights out that year. He became a favorite player. When he retired, i can still remember the picture in the local paper (they used to carry the Reds news on the front of the sports page--they no longer do that--he was crying, but was to be the broadcaster. I can't get the image out of my mind that the guy loved the Reds and baseball so much it brought him to tears. Wow.

I'll never forget the home run calls where Marty was describing the HR and Joe was yelling, "Get up, get up, get out." So many things.

RIP, Joe, you've earned your rest.

P.S. Mods, please remove that line under my avatar that says "rounding third and heading for home." That belongs to Joe, not me.

[redsfan4445]

Originally Posted by Matt700wlw

A piece of my childhood is now gone.



It's amazing...I've lost grandparents before....but I can't stop crying with the loss of Joe.

Whatever that means, it's a sad day....but now he's home....he's healthy...and dammit...he's throwing out the first pitch on opening day!!!

Nobody was Reds baseball more than Joe Nuxhall.......and nobody will ever be more loved...


Thanks, Lefty!!!

I know what you mean Matt!! I have been fighting tears all day at work. I am lucky to listen to the radio and hearing Rob Butcher and Seg break down it was hard not to have tears!!

Matt anyway you can float the idea to the Reds to retire #41 in honor of Joe this coming season??

thanks and Im gonna miss Joe so much!

[37red]

In some strange way, it's fitting that a real icon like Joe would pass away just as someone as deplorable as Bonds would finally be nailed for more less stealing one of the biggest treasures in baseball.

[GullyFoyle]

Rest in peace Joe, thanks for the memories...

[CougarQuest]

If baseball had a lifetime achievement award, it should be given to Joe Nuxhall then named for him. (A quote from BCubb from his always great thread)

A groundswell should be pushing for this immediately. Both aspects of it.

[OldXOhio]

Originally Posted by OldRightHander

I'm sitting here in the Flying J in Toledo just trying to digest this. I woke up and heard something on Baseball This Morning and then turned over to WLW. I figured the fitting thing would be to wear my Reds shirt today. I'm here in a truck stop with tears in my eyes, maybe not the manly image you would expect to see in such a place, but I don't really care.

Joe was never one to hide his emotions, particularly in recent years. I'd say it's rather telling that Reds fans everywhere, including the team's brass, have tears in their eyes today.

My memories of Joe will always liken back to listening to Reds games on the radio while sitting in the old yellow seats of Riverfront Stadium with my grandfather. Even when at the game, it just was the thing to do to listen to Marty and Joe.

RIP Joe, you will be missed.

[vaticanplum]

Haven't read through the thread yet, but wanted to say that I heard this on the radio AS I WAS DRIVING PAST the ballpark this morning. Very weird.

I want to put flowers at his statue at the ballpark this afternoon. Is that a nice gesture or does it cross the line into Crazyfan?

[redsmetz]

Originally Posted by vaticanplum

Haven't read through the thread yet, but wanted to say that I heard this on the radio AS I WAS DRIVING PAST the ballpark this morning. Very weird.

I want to put flowers at his statue at the ballpark this afternoon. Is that a nice gesture or does it cross the line into Crazyfan?

I suspect others have beat you to the punch and it's a nice gesture. I think someone mentioned folks were already leaving things there, including a ball inscribed with "Rounding Third & Heading for Home."

[reds44]

Awful news.

RIP Joe

[Joseph]

Originally Posted by redsmetz

I suspect others have beat you to the punch and it's a nice gesture. I think someone mentioned folks were already leaving things there, including a ball inscribed with "Rounding Third & Heading for Home."

It was 'Rounding third and heading for heaven'

or so I heard, could be lore already seeping in though.

VP, its a perfect gesture and tribute to a great human being.