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An hour to spend with a baseball figure

infielddadinfielddad10,000+ posts
To follow up on justbaseball's thread, I wonder if the answers might be different if you were offered the opportunity to sit and talk for one hour with any person associated with baseball. Who would you choose? Still Babe Ruth?...or would people like Branch Rickey, Leo Durocher, Billy Martin, Denny McClain, Pete Rose, Shoeless Joe, Bill Buckner, George Steinbrenner, Mookie Wilson and many, many others come into the equation?
I know for me spending an hour would be different than who I would love to have autograph an item. Given one hour to talk with any single person, I think I would pick Pee Wee Reese. Admittedly the "Boys of Summer" influences that thinking but he seemed to be a person of great integrity, tremendously respected by most every teammate, played in some of the greatest and most memorable games ever, played when baseball integrated, when the Dodgers moved from Brooklyn, and was a great player...willing to admit he did not want the final out of the 1955 series hit to him.
This is a little like "Field of Dreams" so if you got to have a baseball dream, who would be in it and why?

'You don't have to be a great player to play in the major leagues, you've got to be a good one every day.'

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O Orlando1,000+ posts
An hour alone with a ballplayer? Mark Mulder springs to mind, but I may be answering a different question.... Wink

Actually, I'd choose Jack Buck as the ultimate Insider Fan to talk with. His views on the history, development and changes in the game over most of the 20th century (knowing they'd be touched by his intense love of the game), would be riveting.
ClevelandDadClevelandDadHSBBWeb Administrator
I love this question and do believe there is a distinction from getting one's autograph. Babe Ruth is my pick as best player. However, the one hour is hands down Ted Williams. Anybody read his book the Science of Hitting? More powerful than the mechanics of hitting he outlined was his mental approach to hitting. He said that's all they did back then was talk and practice hitting - until your hands bled and he loved it. Who was his most respected hitter? Rogers Hornsby. What was the number one piece of advice Williams gave which he got from Hornsby? Find a good pitch to hit. I would love to have gone fly fishing with Ted Williams.
justbaseballjustbaseball10,000+ posts
For me it would be Joe Morgan for no other reason than he was my baseball hero/idol as a kid. I did meet him once briefly (couple of minutes) and he was extremely kind and gracious.

Another one that I would have said 2 years ago was "9" from Stanford. But I got that meeting(s) for several hours over the recruitment process. Absolutely fascinating person. Will never forget it.

My other childhood hero/idol was Jim Plunkett. I have his autograph too. Never met him although I've been at tailgate parties right next to him. Son has met him and really liked him as well.
Last edited by justbaseball
TRhitTRhit10,000+ posts
An hour with a baseball figure--- I have but one-John Gentile(God Rest His Soul)--played in the Brooklyn Dodger chain up to Triple AAA--was my LL coach and also a Dodger scout for many moons--taught so much baseball I cannot remember it all--if you talked with him,you learned things that you did not know even existed in the baseball world

At my late stage in my life I still hear his voice !@!1
Last edited by TRhit
Dad04Dad045,000+ posts
quote:
Holden posted: Bill Lee


Yes...Bill Lee. Anyone who has seen him interviewed would need to hear more. A very unique baseball player.

Here is a portion of a chat he did awhile back.

From UMass: Could you tell us a little more about the trips to Cuba that you make?

Bill Lee: I take American ball clubs that want to go down and play Cuban all-star teams, but you have to leave your equipment behind for the teams you play against. It costs about 1/3 of a fantasy camp and you have three times as much fun. We run through Canada mostly. Montreal-Havana, $350 round trip Canadian dollars. You get picked up by a bus loaded with beer and rum, and you just head out into the island and there is a game to be found everywhere we go. Feel free to bring everything you ever wanted to throw away and just give it to the Cubans. I gave a boy his first pair of shoes and you don't know how happy that will make you feel. A little old lady -- I gave her a dress -- she asked for a dress and I made a point of going back a year later and giving her a dress. Why are we so afraid of people who have so little?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/your_turn/news/2000/08/03/chatreel_lee/
Last edited by Dad04
URKillingMeBlueURKillingMeBlue1,000+ posts
Great question.

I vote Paul Molitor, just to see if he is as cute in person as he seemed like on the field 'back in the day' (and yes, I do have a signature -- on his glove, actually), Joe Morgan, because I would have liked to ask him more questions the day he asked to 'play through' when I was hacking my way through a golf course several years ago, and Bob Euker, because I learned to love baseball listening to him call the Brewer games when I was in college. I'm not sure what I would ask my all-time favorite ball player, another #9, actually, Sal Bando, as I am afraid my bubble will be burst... Smile
Rock 44Rock 44100+ posts
Tony LaRussa would be my pick if i was talking about baseball. But if i just wanted to meet someone and chat with them it would be...

Mark McGuire. I want to know if he took steroids or not. Growing up he was my favorite baseball player. He has hall of fame numbers but because he was suspected of steroids after he retired he might not make it to the hall.
hokieonehokieone5,000+ posts
Good answer JT, but for me, Buck O' Neil. I was absolutely fascinated by his stories in the Ken Burns series. What a fascinating and sweet guy, with a wealth of little known stories to tell.

Number 2 would be my all time hereo, Willie Mays. His love for the game was so overwhelming that he cried when he had to retire. He would've played for a bag of peanuts, money was never an issue.
hsbsblfanhsbsblfan10+ posts
I am in a position where I have spoken to many, many ballplayers (especially old-timers), and Thurman Munson was my step-fathers cousin. But, I have to say that my favorite ballplayer to sit and talk to (and my son agrees 100%) is Pete Rose. He has great stories, very funny guy, and is great to the kids. AND, a great ballplayer.
justbaseballjustbaseball10,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by URKillingMeBlue:
I'm not sure what I would ask my all-time favorite ball player, another #9, actually, Sal Bando, as I am afraid my bubble will be burst... Smile


UKMB - I got to talk to him (Sal Bando) for a while on the phone about 2 years ago. Maybe for a half hour or so...very nice guy although I had to tell him I didn't care too much for him when he and the A's beat my Reds. I still have the original phone message saved. Cool
Last edited by justbaseball
URKillingMeBlueURKillingMeBlue1,000+ posts
quote:
Originally posted by justbaseball:
quote:
Originally posted by URKillingMeBlue:
I'm not sure what I would ask my all-time favorite ball player, another #9, actually, Sal Bando, as I am afraid my bubble will be burst... Smile


UKMB - I got to talk to him (Sal Bando) for a while on the phone about 2 years ago. Maybe for a half hour or so...very nice guy although I had to tell him I didn't care too much for him when he and the A's beat my Reds. I still have the original phone message saved. Cool


JBB - Okay, NOW I am really envious... egypt
I would love to hear what he had to say (btw, didn't his brother play for the Reds?).... bear1

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