Greatest moment in Baseball..evah

[DREDIOCK]

http://s96.photobucket.com/albums/l189/angrysasquatch/?action=view&current=Ballgirl.flv


I mean.. you just cant beat that.

LMAO That was GREAT 

[DREDIOCK]

Greatest Moment in Baseball Ruths called shot during the World Series against the Cubs.

Havta agree with Hajo.

but I gotta say Ruths Called shot was the greatest.


And considering I positively LOATH the Yankees
thats saying something.

On another Yankee note.
Is there anyone else that thinks the soon to be Old Yankee Stadium should be designated a historic site and saved from the wreaking ball?

[DiabloTX]

Well, if we can save the Astrodome, surely Yankee Stadium could be as well.  But we all know how fickle New Yorkers can be.

[Hajo]

Dredlock I agree yes Yankee Stadium should be saved.  To many Stadiums with great Histories and a wonderful Ambiance have been demolished.  I too hate the Yankees ( am an Indians fan) But I'm more a fan of baseball in General.  In Cleveland, Municipal Stadium had to be torn down before it fell down.  It was a concrete junkyard.  It had very little History.  I'm lucky I live almost exactly half way between Cleveland and Pittsburg.  The first game I attended in Pittsburgh was at old Forbes Field.  The minute I saw the playing field I knew Baseball was played there.  The 1927 Series and many after for the Pirates.  Chills ran up and down my spine.  I got to see the great Roberto Clemente patrol right field and what an arm!  From the Fence in right Field (which was Ivy covered like Wrigley) I swore he threw to third base without the ball getting no higher then 6 feet off the ground!  What a Gun!  There was Mazeroski at 2nd, Alley at short.....Bill Virdon in center etc.

My hero in those days was one Rocky Colavito the great Cleveland Indian Slugger.

In my lifetime I feel privilaged to have seen Willy Mays, Aaron in his prime......the Capitol of Center Fielders was New York.  Holy Cow Mays played Center for the Giants, Duke Snyder for the Brooklyn Dodgers and some guy named Mantle played for the Yankees.  What an advantage I had.  Of course getting older and being a baseball fan for over 50 years  I don't see any Aarons, Mays', or Mantles on the near Horizon.

My favorite quote from I believe the 1968 Series was from Bob Gibson....who was a spectacular pitcher who would knock his opponent down if he tried to crowd his plate.  The interviewer asked him if he purposely knocked down batters who dug in at the plate.

Gibsons reply..."I'd knock down my Grandmother if she dug in!"

Holy Cow I got to see Campanella, Koufax, Drysdale, Ted Williams and the list goes on and on.  Kaline...sheeesh  Stan Musial.

Enuff said.

[AWMac]

Radio Broadcast:
Ok, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker
going here, two down, nobody on, no score,
bottom of the ninth, there's the wind-up and
there it is, a line shot up the middle, look
at him go. This boy can really fly!
He's rounding first and really turning it on
now, he's not letting up at all, he's gonna
try for second; the ball is bobbled out in center,
and here comes the throw, and what a throw!
He's gonna slide in head first, here he comes, he's out!
No, wait, safe--safe at second base, this kid really
makes things happen out there.
Batter steps up to the plate, here's the pitch--
he's going, and what a jump he's got, he's trying
for third, here's the throw, it's in the dirt--
safe at third! Holy cow, stolen base!
He's taking a pretty big lead out there, almost
daring him to try and pick him off. The pitcher
glance over, winds up, and it's bunted, bunted
down the third base line, the suicide squeeze in on!
Here he comes, squeeze play, it's gonna be close,
here's the throw, there's the play at the plate,
holy cow, I think he's gonna make it!

Girl:
Stop right there!
I gotta know right now!
Before we go any further--!

Do you love me?
Will you love me forever?
Do you need me?
Will you never leave me?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life?
Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?
Do you love me!?
Will you love me forever!?
Do you need me!?
Will you never leave me!?
Will you make me so happy for the rest of my life!?
Will you take me away and will you make me your wife!?
I gotta know right now
Before we go any further
Do you love me!!!?
Will you love me forever!!!?

Boy:
Let me sleep on it

 

[DREDIOCK]

Radio Broadcast:
Ok, here we go, we got a real pressure cooker
going here, two down, nobody on, no score,
bottom of the ninth, there's the wind-up and.....

That song has been the last song played at every wedding reception I've been to in the last 15 years.
Its become something of a tradition with the folks I know.


typically a bunch of guys will get up on one side. and women ont he other and each will sing the parts.

Actually pretty cool how much feeling they put into the last few lines LOL

to get back on topic.
Yankee stadium. If anything should be turned into a baseball museum.
Maybe play the little league world series there.

Lord knows the area could use it

[midnight Target]

Greatest Moment in Baseball Ruths called shot during the World Series against the Cubs.

Mays catch in Centerfield in the 54 World Series.

1947 when Jackie Robinson came to the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Smokey Joe Woods and Walter Johnson facing one another both with winstreaks of something like 13 straight games.

The Pittsburgh Pirates deciding to watch the 1927 Yankees take batting practice before the first game of the 27 World Series.
The Pirates lost 4 straight.

Any of the above.  Learn some History of the game then you can make comparisons on a large scale not just what happened within the last 20 years    Baseball has been around for a long time....the last 30 years or better we've been watching watered down talent coming with a limited time in the Minors and in no way ready to play quality Major League Baseball as it was played 40 to 50 and many more years ago. Then there were 8 teams in the AL and 8 in the NL.

75% of the players today would be working in the coal mines and farm fields 40 to 50 years ago.  Players did not come up from the minors usually UNLESS they were 25 to 26 years old.  They were ready to play ball.  Name me 10 guys that can bunt now and bunt well.

George "shotgun" Shuba came up in 1955 to the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He constantly hit over .300 and hit 20 to 30 HR's a year but could not break the Dodgers everyday lineup!  Who was he going to replace???   Duke Snyder???  Carl Furillo?  Jackie Robinson? -> (who played 1st base, Left Field and 2nd)  So he stayed in the minors.  I believe he was a 28 year old Rookie (think age is close) That is only one example....there are many more.

Hajo, sure there were great players in the past, and I agree that there are many in the Bigs now who may not have made it when the league had fewer teams. However, with year round training, better nutrition and improved salaries (allowing players to concentrate on baseball), the top players today would clean the clocks of the top players from yesteryear.

I was watching when Gibson hit that homer. It was magical.

Now maybe if I was in the stands in the Polo grounds and saw Mays run down that fly ball in deep center field, I'd pick that one. But it is hardly appropriate to look down your nose at baseball events of the past 20 years. Some of us do know our baseball history and we still see the magic. No need to get snooty about it.

[DREDIOCK]

Hajo, sure there were great players in the past, and I agree that there are many in the Bigs now who may not have made it when the league had fewer teams. However, with year round training, better nutrition and improved salaries (allowing players to concentrate on baseball), the top players today would clean the clocks of the top players from yesteryear.

Maybe. Maybe not.
If those top players of yesteryear were so good without al the modern techniques.
Imagine what they could have been like if they had available to them now what todays players have.

Bythe same token. How good would todays players be if they didnt have al the things they have now?

[AWMac]

Greatest moment in Baseball..evah

When I was 7 Years old and over at my Moms friends house in Toledo, Oh.

Sittin there and having lunch with Mickey Mantle at Teresa Brewers house.

Beyond awesome.

Mac

[Masherbrum]

Mays admitted he accepted stolen signs in 1951 with a lot of the other Giants hitters.    I've lost any respect for them as a team.    They even had the very screen window on the center field scoreboard in their Championship photo by accident. 

Sorry, but I used to put Mays on a pedestal.   When he admitted he did that, as did Thomson and many others, it cut deep. 

[DREDIOCK]

Actually.
with the exception of AWMacs experience. None of the others mentioned is the greatest moment in baseball.
Not Ruth. Not Mays.
None of em

Think about it.
What REALLY is the greatest moment in baseball?

For me it was a pickup game with a bunch of kids when I was like 12.
My buddies "all everything" big brother was pitching. He was something like 14-15
The kid showed no mercy to anyone. Beaming fastballs like lightening bolts
now keep in mind I was never a REAL good Baseball player. Football was always more my thing. I just always liked colliding with people. this same older brother used to say I was nuts and had balls of steel when we all played football. considering he was already well into adolesence and considerably larger then me.
But baseball. eh, I was ok
When I was on. I could play a pretty decent 3rd base. Could fast pitch some
But I was never considered a power hitter. So usually I tried for placement.

Swing and a miss. Strike one
swing and a miss Strike two.
Third pitch he threw a curveball. for some reason I've always loved curve balls
For some reason .I remember hitting that ball like I remember no other. Felt weird almost like a stutter you see in AH on it was more of a feeling as the bat moved the ball
HOME RUN!

I had just hit a home run against my buddies "all everything" big brother!

I couldnt have been happier if I had singlehandedly won the world series all by myself.

I remember running home to tell my father "Dad! I hit a Home run off of David!"

And his responce. "Very good...who the hell is David?" LOL

Those are the greatest moments in baseball.
Or any other sport for that matter.
Its not what you see someone else do on TV.
Its what you did


Now think about it. Are the Ruth,Mays, etc  exploits still your greatest moments?

[Hajo]

Todays Players are very good athletes.  The motivation however is different.  The earlier ball players played just to eat and the love of the game.  If they didnt perform back to the mines or Farms for them.   The owners were greedy to say the least....thus the end of the reserve clause.  After the  season most had to find other jobs to support their families.  Baseball only paid a lot to the few elite.

Pitchers threw just as hard back then as they do now.  Shortly after WWII with timing devices developed during the war Cal Griffith paid Bob Feller to throw through a target that could clock the speed of his fastball.  How bout 107 mph ? And by the way it was a strike.

Find me pitchers that throw 200 inning plus today?  Babe Ruth used a 48 oz. bat.....now they use 33 oz bats.  It was normal for a pitcher to throw 300 innings plus in the 50's and earlier.  No pitch counts....and no more arm injuries occured then do today.  It was considered a slap in the face if a pitcher was yanked from a game then.  They figured they were paid to pitch as long as it took to complete the game.  Now the starters are looking for the setup man in the 5th and 6th innings. Saves???? There was no such category until the late 70s or early 80s.

In 1968 or 1969 the pitchers mound was lowered.  Why?  Because the Pitchers were outperforming all but the elite hitters in the game.
It was not uncommon for pitchers such as Bob Gibson and Luis Tiant to name a few to have an ERA of under 1.50 for the season.  Team batting averages were in the .230 to .240 range. Now they build modern Band Boxes for more home runs.  However the number of homeruns has fallen dramatically in the last few years.  I wonder why? They are now hitting fewer homeruns in the ball parks that were built to facilitate homeruns.  How bout that Ollie

Now...the players of the earlier era had to face spitballs, shineballs, balls scuffed and spit upon to darken their color to make them more hard to see.  It was legal to throw those pitches.  The only thing that made those pitches illegal was the death of shortstop Ray Chapman of the cleveland Indians who was struck in the head by a pitch (Yankee Pitcher Carl Mays).  Even after that some pitchers such as Jim Bagby were "grandfathered" into still being able to throw the spitter because of how long they pitched.  Now...what....the baseball stays in play for 10 pitches?  The fields weren't the pooltables they play upon today either.  Trains were the chief mode of travel and a western swing meant a game in St. Louis at one time.

I'm not turning my nose "up" as you say.  I'm just stating facts.  With the influx of south american players,central american players and asian players the game has improved somewhat.  But one must also remember up until the late 50s or early 60s the best of the best athletes played Baseball.  The 50s were the golden years of the NFL...just coming into it's own and the NBA in the 50s was almost an afterthought.

So again I suggest you read.  I watch baseball today for the love of the game.  But it's a dissapointment to the game I grew up with in the 50s and 60s.

Can you say Steroids and HGH? Can you say bunt in the American League?  Designated Hitter?  Sheeesh

[midnight Target]

So again I suggest you read. 

Nothing condesending there....

I've read plenty.

I saw Ernie Banks play and I saw Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale pitch. The 107mph pitch is probably a story considering No one has come close to that since the measuring devices have improved. No actual data exists for a measured pitch my Feller exceeding the low 90's. I'm sure he was faster than that, but like I said we will never really know. A quick read in the baseball almanac lists the fastest pitcher of all time as ??????.... they don't know. The fastest radar clocked pitch of all time was 104.8 by Joel Zumaya in October 2006.

BTW, I worked with Ann Koufax and Sandy back in the '80s. Nothing was more fun than to send some kid (young adults actually, they were all college student volunteers) wearing a Giants hat over to get Sandy's autograph. Koufax would just lay into the kid about his serious lack of judgment and poor choices in life until the poor kid was apologizing for being born.... then He would sign the hat and anything else. Sandy was a heavy smoker. He told me he would duck into the tunnel between innings and have a quick smoke.


This was interesting

Steve Dalkowski.

“To understand how Dalkowski, a chunky little man with thick glasses and a perpetually dazed expression, became a ‘legend in his own time’...”

— Pat Jordan in The Suitors of Spring (1974).

The fastest pitcher ever may have been 1950s phenom and flameout Steve Dalkowski. Dalkowski signed with the Orioles in 1957 at age 21. After nine years of erratic pitching he was released in 1966, never having made it to the Major Leagues. Despite his failure, he has been described as the fastest pitcher ever.

Ted Williams once stood in a spring training batting cage and took one pitch from Dalkowski. Williams swore he never saw the ball and claimed that Dalkowski probably was the fastest pitcher who ever lived. Others who claimed he was the fastest ever were Paul Richards, Harry Brecheen and Earl Weaver. They all thought he was faster than Bob Feller and Walter Johnson, though none of them probably saw Johnson pitch.

from http://www.baseball-almanac.com/articles/fastest-pitcher-in-baseball.shtml

[AWMac]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Nbkbss7i5s&feature=user

Best game ever!

 

Mac

[DieAz]

And if you're Korean, charging the pitchers mound, there is certain criteria you must do before taking a swing at the pitcher!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZSJJYbh9sU

IIRC
in certain Asian countries, it is the greatest of insults, to point the bottom of your foot at someone.
basically they are insulting each other.
what they did in the vid is highly offensive in some countries.

think it is something about, the bottom of the foot is the lowest part of the body and telling the other he is lower.
like saying to someone, you have more respect for a certain small ant than you do them.