OT: Famous Baseball Players You’ve Seen Play In Person

[Duncan Idaho]

Yup, living in the city of Groton now. Walking distance to Shenny & Par 4.

How great is that? Nice area.

 

[AD DB Burner]

How great is that? Nice area.

It is definitely something that I took for granted growing up. All it took was living in Willimantic while going to Eastern to realize how lucky I was. I told myself after that, for as long as I'm still living in CT, I will be living on the shoreline.

 

[Pgh2Storrs]

I saw someone mention earlier that they became a fan of a certain player because they hit a HR at a game they attended at an early age. That’s a fun sub topic: Who was a random player you became a fan of because they did something in a game you attended

As a kid I loved Gary Varsho. He was a bench guy for those early 90’s Pirates teams and I remember him hitting a HR in a game against the Phillies that I went to around my birthday. He became a favorite of mine that day

 

[MTHusky]

I saw Mickey Mantle's last World Series Home Run. It was against Barney Schultz who threw him a knuckle ball that didn't knuckle; he hit it off the facade in right field.

 

[storrsroars]

• 1999 NLDS Mets vs. Diamondbacks. A friend got last minute tix from his boss. I'm a Yankee fan, but it was a great game. We had seats about 20 rows behind the plate and we were sitting with Al Leiter's family. His wife was super nice and his brother Mark was pleasant, but wanted nothing to do with us (good decision by him). Leiter had a no hitter going and my very chatty friend points it out. I told him to shut up and he tells me it's stupid to think his statement can ruin the no hitter. I swear that it was the next pitch that gets ripped for the first hit. Leiter's wife leans over to him and says, "you're really not supposed to talk about it" and I thought Mark was going to kill him. Ended with a walk-off homer for the Mets to go to the NLCS.

I was in LF for that game. And even though we could see Finley clearly go over the wall, even we had no idea if he came down with Pratt's HR. Anyway, I was taking a new job in Quincy MA, so I knew that game would pretty much be my last at a NYC park for some time. And I knew I'd probably never go to Bobby V's again, so my gf (now wife) headed there afterwards. When BV held court it was in a small seating area in a raised area that held 3-4 tables. The place was crowded when we got there around 6-ish. But there were two open tables in BVs area, so we just sat at one. A little while later, BV shows up with Ralph Branca and a couple other guys and he's talking about every little detail of the game - it's Bobby V, after all, who doesn't know how to talk quietly. By this time, we realize we're not supposed to be sitting where we are (another waitress informed us, but there was no other table to move to, so she let us stay). I'm not one to ask for autographs (only once, when Nomar was sitting across from me on a flight from Dallas the night he hurt his arm, he signed my boarding pass), so we left them alone, but just listening to BV explain his thoughts during key moments was a blast.

 

[Palatine]

I sat behind Ted Williams during a spring training game.

 

[jibsey]

Yes. In the same outfield as Mantle. 1951. Boy am I old!

You're old but you just won! Now, anybody out there see Ruth or Gherig?

 

[Zanzman]

Highs and lows of a minor leaguer-
Highs -
1. Pitched against Fisk, Yaz, Rice, Lynn, basically everyone on the 75 world series team. Rod Carew, Ricky Henderson, Rusty Staub, Omar Moreno, Dale Murphy and a ton others I faced in spring training.
2. Pitched against Righetti, Blyeven, Len Barker, Mahler brothers (Rick and Mickey), Jim Beattie, Ken Clay, Ed Whitson, Al Holland.
3. Won championships in Carolina and International Leagues (Ben Mondors first year as Pawtucket owner - great man.)
4. Johnny Podres was my pitching coach. Ted Williams loved to talk about fishing and hunting.

Lows -
1. Salary stunk. Was making $1,200/month in AAA. Of course, big league minimum in 1977 was $19,000. Only get paid during the season.
2. Bus rides stunk. Our bus in the Carolina League had no AC or bathroom. 10 hour bus rides overnight were not a lot of fun.
3. In those days, the only days off were the major league all star game day and our league all star game. 140 games in basically 142 days. Better conditions now.

Wouldn't trade those years for anything, except maybe a better shoulder.

You know how many people would have loved to experience this

 

[60'sfan]

Two Ted Williams stories you may like.
Sitting in the dugout in spring training and Ted comes and sits beside me. Knew he was a big fisherman like me so I asked him about how they were biting. He went on a rant about tarpon for about 5 minutes. Out of the blue, he asked me what position I played. After I told him I was a lefty pitcher, he gets up and says, "I don't talk to pitchers." Gets up and leaves.

My girlfriend (now wife) comes to Winter Haven, but since there are 5 minor league fields, she has no idea where I am. She finds me and I ask if she had any trouble. She said a nice older man in a uniform asked her if she was lost. She told him that her boyfriend was in AAA, but she didn't know which field, so he offered to help. I asked her who it was, and she said it was that nice older man over there. I laughed and said, "do you know who that is?". She had no idea it was Ted Williams. Her father couldn't believe it when she told him later that night.

Here's another Ted WIlliams story. I worked at Winchester in New Haven in the 70's. Ted Williams had retired by then and was working for Sears as their sports PR guy. We supplied firearms to Sears so they would often send a rep to tour the factory and attend our management meeting. One year we were delighted to find out that it would be the Splendid Splinter himself.
When he arrived, our HR manager took him for a factory tour. Most of the employees in the shop were African-Americans. When Ted would arrive in a department he would be inundated with autograph requests. Often the employees would hand him some currency and ask him to sign it. After a while, Ted turned to the employees and said with his less than subtle voice, "Where do you n-----s get all this money?" Our HR manager was appalled but the employees just laughed. Only Ted could have pulled that off.
Later that evening, at the management dinner Ted was fielding questions. Someone asked him if he thought that anyone would ever hit .400 again. He said if it happened it would have to be someone with great speed who could beat out some infield hits. I interrupted and pointed out that he had hit .388 at the age of 38 in 1957. His response was interesting. He said that year was very unusual. He and Mantle were both hitting on the .360's at mid-year and from that point on, almost everything he hit seemed to drop in. Another 10 hits or so and he would have hit .400. It was a great evening for a stats nerd like me.

 

[jibsey]

You know how many people would have loved to experience this

That's great Zanz! Yes we all wonder what it's like to be good enough to go up against these guys. Just to be in that position you must have been a great player. The worst major leaguers are still great players. It's a freaking hard game I know. You musta got close to that big league chance. Those are some incredible names on your list.

 

[John Greene]

You're old but you just won! Now, anybody out there see Ruth or Gherig?

I was in 3rd grade at the time. 1951 was the only year they played together. "Joe D" was the man but us
kids really wanted to be "theMick"

 

[jibsey]

I was in 3rd grade at the time. 1951 was the only year they played together. "Joe D" was the man but us
kids really wanted to be "theMick"

Mick was quite the hero to have in the 50’s.

 

[Improviser]

Every Yankee from about 1978 to 2010 and I probably saw most of the American League stars (and many of the Nationals) during that time. I haven't gone much lately. Most memorable games and opponents:

• Game 4 of the 2001 World Series. Strange and sad times in NY/NJ, dramatic 9th inning and finish. Just so emotional
• Doc Gooden No-Hitter in 1996. I went with a few friends after school ended for the year. We sat in the bleachers. We knew there was a weird buzz, but because there were some walks/errors, and you can't see the scoreboard from the bleachers, we had no idea Doc was pitching a no-hitter until like the 6th inning. Then it was awesome.
• 1999 NLDS Mets vs. Diamondbacks. A friend got last minute tix from his boss. I'm a Yankee fan, but it was a great game. We had seats about 20 rows behind the plate and we were sitting with Al Leiter's family. His wife was super nice and his brother Mark was pleasant, but wanted nothing to do with us (good decision by him). Leiter had a no hitter going and my very chatty friend points it out. I told him to shut up and he tells me it's stupid to think his statement can ruin the no hitter. I swear that it was the next pitch that gets ripped for the first hit. Leiter's wife leans over to him and says, "you're really not supposed to talk about it" and I thought Mark was going to kill him. Ended with a walk-off homer for the Mets to go to the NLCS.
• Bo Jackson. I saw him as a teenager when he was at his biggest. We had seats right above the visitor dugout and we were friendly-heckling him (the Yankees were mediocre then) and we were pretty sure he grinned a bit. I'm sure I'm misremembering the exact timing, but first he went over the fence to take away a Yankee homer. Then he comes up the next half-inning and rips a homer. We gave him a polite "golf clap" standing O and he pointed up at us. What a freakin' talent.

 

[Mr. French]

I seen so many play and met many in person, especially Red Sox because my father was close to Walt Dropo (UConn frat brother/house mate 2 years)
I talked UConn basketball on the field during pregame with Greg Maddux at BankOne (now Chase) Ballpark in Phoenix before a Braves/Diamondback game in August 2001.
I am a huge Cubbies fan so it was a thrill, but most importantly, I was wearing a UConn 1999 championship TShirt with a Cubs hat, and he wanted to talk UConn basketball. He is a college basketball junkie and loves Jim Calhoun.

This makes me so happy - Greg Maddux is my favorite pitcher of all time and one of my 2-3 favorite players of all time (Andruw Jones and Mantle, though I’m young so I never saw or watched Mantle live).

Obviously, Jim Calhoun is my favorite coach of all time. So I’m thrilled about this story.

Biggest regret? Being 4 hour drive from Cooperstown and not going to see Maddux get inducted with Glavine a few years ago. Huge Braves fan from the start of my baseball life in the early 90s to today.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

Anyone out there see Joltin Joe play?

No but I was at the last ever Joe DiMaggio day at Yankee Stadium, 1998 I believe. His last public appearance. I was just a young in but my dad made sure I remembered it

 

[HCCForever]

Great thread. I have seen many famous players on the field.
My greatest game memories were Righetti's no hitter. I am a Sox fan but still I feel fortunate to be at the game. It was a very hot afternoon game and cap day as well.
I was also at Yaz day as well as the last game Yaz played. Yaz was my childhood hero along with Johnny Unitas. My brother and I drove down to Memorial Stadium in Baltimore to see Yaz play his last year. He got on base either a walk or hit and was then promptly picked off. I thought that was pretty cold by the O's pitcher.
I was also at Tony C night. What Tony C. could have been?
I was also at the ALCS 1999 Pedre vs Clemens. What a performance by Pedro. The fans were rabid that day and wanted Clemen's blood.

 

[HCCForever]

I sat behind Ted Williams during a spring training game.

This reminds me of the question that Stuttering John of the Howard Stern TV show asked Ted Williams if he ever passed gas while batting.

 

[Improviser]

In September 1958, I went to a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. What a couple of games and what surprises. I actually saw Willie Mays drop a fly ball! But he did not disappoint because he hit plenty of homers and stole lots of bases. Roberto Clemente was a rookie that year and he made lots of errors and struck out a lot. Who would have guessed he was a future all star from his terrible performance that day. This was the year before the move to Frisco and before Marichal and the Alou Brothers, and Cepeda. Bill Rigney was the manager. I looked up a year ago which players were still alive. I recall Jackie Brandt was still living then.

 

[Zanzman]

In September 1958, I went to a doubleheader at the Polo Grounds. What a couple of games and what surprises. I actually saw Willie Mays drop a fly ball! But he did not disappoint because he hit plenty of homers and stole lots of bases. Roberto Clemente was a rookie that year and he made lots of errors and struck out a lot. Who would have guessed he was a future all star from his terrible performance that day. This was the year before the move to Frisco and before Marichal and the Alou Brothers, and Cepeda. Bill Rigney was the manager. I looked up a year ago which players were still alive. I recall Jackie Brandt was still living then.

Actually close but giants played in San Fran in 58 so u maybe thinking 57 but Clementes rookie year was 55

 

[Sachem]

Summer without baseball just feels wrong. I know this seems a bit weird but spring to me is the final four on cbs. Summer to me is also a cookout watching the NBA Finals and of course Fall to me is football on a cool sunny sunday afternoon. These things all take me back to my childhood when life was easy.

Absolutely, NBA/NHL playoffs every other night, highland park burgers and Muckies hot dogs on the grill while watching my yanks dump on the Sox!! hopefully the MLBPA will figure this nonsense money issue out. We shall see..

 

[Improviser]

Actually close but giants played in San Fran in 58 so u maybe thinking 57 but Clementes rookie year was 55

Thank you for the correction. I should have researched it better. But, Clemente really did play a bad game that day. The Giants had a player, Hank Sauer who for that year was a power hitter and he whacked a few into the stands that day.

 

[Sachem]

My mom taught AJ Pollock at RAHM. I checked out a game.

Pollack was the best thing to happen to Steiner, I was so psyched for him. Who’s your mom(does this thing have a DM?) and it’s RHAM

 

[jibsey]

I saw Willie throw a clothesline from center to home at Shea. Ball seemed about 4 feet off the ground the whole way. Koufax pitching against the Mets was a special experience, they couldn’t hit him, nobody could.

 

[uconnfan68]

Anyone out there see Joltin Joe play?

Missed him, saw Willie, Ted, Yogi, and Mickie.

 

[Spaceman213J]

I saw all of the Red Sox players from the mid 80's through around 2000. Got to see Reggie Jackson, Cal Ripken Jr. and a few others play at Fenway. Also, saw the 84 Olympic team.
Since moving to VA, I've had the opportunity to see Mookie, Bogaerts, Ellsbury, Devers and a few other young Red Sox play for Salem.
Bogaerts absolutely crushed a homer in a game against the Nationals high A team, Potomac.

Also, got to see Jayson Werth on multiple rehab stints, and the great Kolbrin Vitek.