Fan, ex-Met become pen pals decades later

[Benjamin Grimm]

Phil Mushnick, New York Post wrote: In 1969, Bill Parrinello, 12 years old and from Elmont, N.Y., wrote fan letters to his favorite Mets: Cleon Jones, Tom Seaver, Tommie Agee, Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles and spare outfielder Rod Gaspar, who in that championship season batted .228. The only return he received was an autographed picture of Gaspar, with a note of thanks. In 2005, Parrinello emailed this memory to The Ultimate Mets' Database message board. Last week, Parrinello received an email thanking him for his 2005 salute to Gaspar. It was from Rod Gaspar, now 76 and living in California. For real? Parrinello was dubious. He called the number Gaspar included. After swapping obscure details of the 1969 season, he knew it was the same Met he wrote to 53 years ago. They had a nice chat, Gaspar pleased to be remembered. Pen pals for life.

[whippoorwill]

That's so nice!

[metirish]

That's so great , UMDB bringing people together, very cool

[MFS62]

I'm fahklempt.

A nice story.

Good job, Ben.





Later

[batmagadanleadoff]

Phil Mushnick, New York Post wrote: In 1969, Bill Parrinello, 12 years old and from Elmont, N.Y., wrote fan letters to his favorite Mets: Cleon Jones, Tom Seaver, Tommie Agee, Bud Harrelson, Ed Charles and spare outfielder Rod Gaspar, who in that championship season batted .228..... In 2005, Parrinello emailed this memory to The Ultimate Mets' Database message board.

Gaspar may have batted only .228 in '69 but he did make the cover of Sports Illustrated that season, maximizing his only appearance in the '69 WS.



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Neat link to the UMDB in the NY Post.

[roger_that]

We tend to think of him as a fifth outfielder, which he was, but he actually began the year as their regular RFer, starting the Mets' 10 games in right field, and batting .286 in the first seven, giving us (me?) an aggrandized idea of what he could contribute. I don't remember if he got to show off his arm in those early games, but he definitely had the best throwing arm of the team's OFers that year, much stronger than Shamsky and Swoboda who played most of the RF in 1969.