TwitterI Feel Old
26 Jun 2011
Sometime about 25-30 years ago I remember attending an Old Timer’s Day at Yankee Stadium. I remember the introductions and I remember not knowing anything about the guys they were introducing. Sure, when Mantle and DiMaggio were announced last (they were together) I knew what was going on, but most of it meant nothing to me because I didn’t recognize the players.
Today was different. A guy a few weeks younger than I am, Aaron Small, became an “old timer”. I knew almost all of the names and in my mind I could picture them all. I could see Oscar Gamble and his huge ‘fro parking one in right. Guidry using that effortless delivery to get another K. Bernie running like a horse around the bases. Strawberry’s amazing swing. Hayes squeezing a popup. Jackson uppercutting another ball. Barfield nailing another guy trying to advance. Mick the quick rounding third. Cone, Boomer, Lloyd, Nelson, Kelly…these were the guys I saw with my own eyes.
Old Timer’s Day represents the best things about baseball. Who was better- DiMaggio or Pujols, Jeter or Ripken, Mantle or Mays? Pick a side and make your argument, you may be right, you may be wrong, but no one can say for sure. Future generations will envy us because we actually saw Pujols, Jeter and Rivera play just like we envy those who actually saw Robinson, Williams and Mantle.
As James Earl Jones said in “Field of Dreams”
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good, and it could be again.
Somewhere out there is a 10-year old who will burst onto the scene in the 2020′s to challenge all the records. I can’t wait to see him and compare him to Pujols, Ripken, Schmidt….
Jun 27, 2011 @ 09:57:06
Somewhere out there is a 10-year old who will burst onto the scene in the 2020′s to challenge all the records. I can’t wait to see him and compare him to Pujols, Ripken, Schmidt….
Or her, right? Hey, a girl can dream!
Jun 27, 2011 @ 19:07:34
Nice post, Peter. 25-30 years ago, these guys were older than us. If I’d actually had the chance to meet them in person, I’d have addressed them as Mr. Gamble or Mr. Guidry. Now, as you wrote, we’re older than some of the old timers. Sigh. Baseball is magical, though — it makes you feel young again. You can site back, close your eyes and lose yourself in the game. It takes you back to a time when all you wanted was a sunny day, and maybe, just maybe, your favorite player hitting one out to win it.
Liza — you keep right on dreaming. That’s what baseball is for. My little sister loved to play ball. She played Little League baseball with the boys — and better than they did, too. The boys’ fathers hated her for that.
Jun 27, 2011 @ 19:09:11
The Yanks actually had a female prospect in the 1980s at the shortstop position. However, given the shift from the small Phil Rizzuto style shortstop to the Cal Ripken model, I doubt the first female player will be a shortstop.
I’m thinking the best hope is at pitcher — a knuckleballer or a submariner perhaps.
Jun 27, 2011 @ 19:17:41
Peter – for my oldest son’s baseball team 2 years ago, he was 11, I filmed and took pictures all season long and made a video at the end including video from the season ending pool party. Great parents, great kids, special team. Once in a kids’ run through little league. Anyway, I used the audio from that quote you have above in the opening of the movie I made. Had parents crying as we watched as a group.
Great quote.