Baseball Passings 2020

[G-Fafif]

Don Larsen, he of the World Series perfect game, 90.

[G-Fafif]

“The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.”



https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/larsen-plays-perfect-game-world-series-1956-article-1.2382988https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/larsen-plays-perfect-game-world-series-1956-article-1.2382988



And the story behind that lede...

Joe Trimble, Dick Young's colleague at the Daily News, is sitting at his typewriter in the press box at Yankee Stadium, staring at a blank piece of paper. An hour ago Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the World Series and now the press room downtown is freaking out—where's Joe Trimble's story? "I'm blank," Joe Trimble says to Dick Young in a cold-sweat panic. "I can't write a word." Dick Young calmly rolls a piece of paper in his own typewriter, types out a sentence, takes out the paper and hands it to Joe Trimble. "The imperfect man pitched a perfect game." Forty-five minutes later, Joe Trimble's story is finished, it's the best story of his career, he wins awards for that story—and Dick Young never says a word.

https://thestacks.deadspin.com/dick-youngs-america-the-reactionary-who-changed-spo-862557756https://thestacks.deadspin.com/dick-youngs-america-the-reactionary-who-changed-spo-862557756

[G-Fafif]

Larsen was also the first pitcher to lose four games in a season to the Mets, going 0-4 to the 1964 club, which went 49-109 against all other NL pitchers.

[Edgy MD]

“The imperfect man pitched a perfect game yesterday.” https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/larsen-plays-perfect-game-world-series-1956-article-1.2382988https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/yankees/larsen-plays-perfect-game-world-series-1956-article-1.2382988 And the story behind that lede... Joe Trimble, Dick Young's colleague at the Daily News, is sitting at his typewriter in the press box at Yankee Stadium, staring at a blank piece of paper. An hour ago Don Larsen pitched a perfect game in the World Series and now the press room downtown is freaking out—where's Joe Trimble's story? "I'm blank," Joe Trimble says to Dick Young in a cold-sweat panic. "I can't write a word." Dick Young calmly rolls a piece of paper in his own typewriter, types out a sentence, takes out the paper and hands it to Joe Trimble. "The imperfect man pitched a perfect game." Forty-five minutes later, Joe Trimble's story is finished, it's the best story of his career, he wins awards for that story—and Dick Young never says a word. https://thestacks.deadspin.com/dick-youngs-america-the-reactionary-who-changed-spo-862557756https://thestacks.deadspin.com/dick-youngs-america-the-reactionary-who-changed-spo-862557756

The story of Dick Young never fails to fascinate.

[G-Fafif]

Hal Smith, the Pirate catcher whose eighth-inning three run homer in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series set the stage for Bill Mazeroski an inning later, 89.

[G-Fafif]

Former Royals owner David Glass, 86.

[MFS62]

=G-Fafif post_id=29552 time=1578704580 user_id=55]
Hal Smith, the Pirate catcher whose eighth-inning three run homer in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series set the stage for Bill Mazeroski an inning later, 89.

[G-Fafif]

George Nicolau, the arbitrator who ruled MLB owners were colluding to not sign free agents in the 1980s, 94.



https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/sports/george-nicolau-dead.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/16/sports/george-nicolau-dead.html

[G-Fafif]

G. Herbert Walker III, 88, son of the Bush connection to the Mets board in the Payson days.



https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/us/politics/george-herbert-walker-iii-dead.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/us/politics/george-herbert-walker-iii-dead.html

[stevejrogers]

Accomplished coach, who was last at Orange Coast College, John Altobelli, his wife and daughter perished in the same helicopter crash that took the lives of Kobe and Gianni Bryant.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28570865/orange-coast-college-baseball-coach-john-altobelli-helicopter-crash-victimshttps://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/28570865/orange-coast-college-baseball-coach-john-altobelli-helicopter-crash-victims



Met connection in that he helped Jeff McNeil back in 2012.

[G-Fafif]

Ron Swoboda, Jr., 53. Oof.

[G-Fafif]

Gil Conan, postwar outfielder, 97. Was the oldest living New York Giant. Only 16 of them remain. Played 13 games for them in 1955 and 1956.

[Edgy MD]

I missed Rocky Jr. How lousy. Big craft beer guy.

[MFS62]

Roger Kahn, who wrote The Boys of Summer - 92.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/obituaries/roger-kahn-who-lifted-sportswriting-with-boys-of-summer-dies-at-92.html?fbclid=IwAR2wnk-ol0JBA3OlChT_lRSHWKCBmZNU22x7Z9n0VJ232u_JoH9UXISepUohttps://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/obituaries/roger-kahn-who-lifted-sportswriting-with-boys-of-summer-dies-at-92.html?fbclid=IwAR2wnk-ol0JBA3OlChT_lRSHWKCBmZNU22x7Z9n0VJ232u_JoH9UXISepUo



Later

[kcmets]

http://www.thecranepool.net/phpBB32/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29175http://www.thecranepool.net/phpBB32/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=29175

[G-Fafif]

Luke Gasparre, usher at Shea from beginning to end, then Citi's first decade, 95. A veteran of the Battle of the Bulge and friendly as all get out.

Edited February 13, 2020 by Guest

[G-Fafif]

[Fman99]

=G-Fafif post_id=31675 time=1581640020 user_id=55]
Luke Gasparre, usher at Shea from beginning to end, then Citi's first decade, 95. A veteran of the Battle of the Bulge and friendly as all get out.

[Edgy MD]

Sheesh, you remove a pinstripe for a guy like that.

[kcmets]

I think Mr. Gasparre kicked me out of some seats I tried to self-upgrade into at

Shea more than once. RIP, Sir!!

[Edgy MD]

The Battle of the Bulge was nothing compared to bouncing young KC back to the cheapies.

[G-Fafif]

Johnny Antonelli, ace for the 1954 world champion Giants, 89. The Mets picked him up prior to their first season, but he retired from the grind and returned to his native Rochester.



Only 15 New York Giants remain.



https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2020/02/28/johnny-antonelli-dies-new-york-giants-pitcher-world-series-hero-1954-rochester-ny-businessman/4902150002/https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/sports/2020/02/28/johnny-antonelli-dies-new-york-giants-pitcher-world-series-hero-1954-rochester-ny-businessman/4902150002/

[G-Fafif]

Terrible news for the Olerud family.

[G-Fafif]

Ted Cox, 65. Came out of the gate like Mike Vail for the 1977 Red Sox. Part of the trade that brought Dennis Eckersley to Boston from Cleveland the following year.

[G-Fafif]

Bill Bartholomay, Braves owner who took the franchise from Milwaukee and planted it in Atlanta, 91.



https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/former-braves-owner-bill-bartholomay-who-moved-team-atlanta-dies/B43tnVnOAgQbjNhi3ptEGN/https://www.ajc.com/sports/baseball/former-braves-owner-bill-bartholomay-who-moved-team-atlanta-dies/B43tnVnOAgQbjNhi3ptEGN/

[G-Fafif]

Jimmy Wynn, the Toy Cannon, 78.

[Edgy MD]

Terrific player. Drew 100 walks six times.



In 1969, he hit 33 homers (with the Astrodome as a home park), walked 148 times, stole 23 bases, and scored 113 runs. Somehow, he finished only 15th (a six-way tie for 15th) in the MVP voting. He didn't even make the All-Star team!

[Edgy MD]

Longtime reliever, 1980 All-Star, and White Sox broadcaster Ed Farmer passed away last night at 70.



https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71-A3%2BxXbgL._AC_SY445_.jpg>



A cause-of-death hasn't been released, but I know he had been fighting kidney disease in recent years.

[MFS62]

Longtime cyber friend (from FASTBALL.COM my first baseball website) and later personal friend, Jack Miller, 72 lost his fight with cancer on March 30 at his home in Canada.

A long time Blue Jays fan, he once admitted to me that Rey Ordonez was the best fielding shortstop he had ever seen. He also tried to convince me to like the DH, and we had some great arguments about it.

Gosh, I'll miss ya', Jakester.

RIP

Later

[Guest 41Forever]

Tigers legend Al Kaline.



A very nice man, active in the community.



Jim Kaat talking about facing Kaline on the Baseball Tonight podcast, said Kaline hit him like he knew what pitch was coming. Called him an underrated player.



https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2020/04/06/al-kaline-dies-detroit-tigers/505371001/?fbclid=IwAR1rLpoHy6P1Ta9J2l_lvDUIzgAFRaFZESAgVcQhsWbBx7UEwBLUiCJIwi8https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2020/04/06/al-kaline-dies-detroit-tigers/505371001/?fbclid=IwAR1rLpoHy6P1Ta9J2l_lvDUIzgAFRaFZESAgVcQhsWbBx7UEwBLUiCJIwi8