Roger Craig

[soupcan]

My dad is 71 and lives in Southern California.

Just got this email from him...

"I played golf with Roger Craig last week. He is 77 and has a ten handicap.

He related to me how it felt when he first came up to play in the big leagues. He said when he first walked into the locker room and met Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Pee Wee Reese and the rest of the team that he felt he did not belong in their circle, Nice guy".

Pretty cool, huh?

He has told me before that he had met the guy - I think Craig has a house near my dad's in the desert.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Three words: Did Scott cheat?

[Frayed Knot]

"I played golf with Roger Craig last week."

That's cool.


"He is 77 and has a ten handicap."

That's awesome!
He could be one of the relative handful of men who, on a good day, can 'shoot his age'.





* I'm Keef !!

[soupcan]

Edgy DC wrote: Three words: Did Scott cheat?

Excellent.

I'll pass it along.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Frayed Knot - "That's awesome!
He could be one of the relative handful of men who, on a good day, can 'shoot his age'. "

My 75 year old father shot a round of 74 three weeks ago. It was the first time he had ever shot his age. I thought it was great that he can still play the game he has always loved.

My father had a 0-2 handicap for most of his adult life, he now carries a 10-11 handicap.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Shooting your age is much rarer than a hole in one or a double eagle.

[MFS62]

Edgy DC wrote: Shooting your age is much rarer than a hole in one or a double eagle.

That sounds logical, but I'm not a golfer.
Are there any figures to back that up?
I wonder if that's also true for ex-pros. It seems that golf is something they can do with a reasonable amount of success into their later years.

Later

[DocTee]

Theoretically anyone can get a hole-in-one, but for an 18 year to shoot his or her age would require a dozen and a half of them. In one round.

[soupcan]

Dad's playing golf with Craig again this weekend.

If anybody has any questions for the guy I'll pass them along.

I've got the 'Did Scott cheat?' question lined up. Anything else?

As I recall it was Craig that showed Scott the split finger, but when was it? I don't think they were ever affiliated with the same team at the same time were they?

[Guest sharpie]

As I remember Craig was between jobs and during the offseason Scott got his learnin' from Roger.

[Guest AG/DC]

He started his Major League coaching career with the Astros in the seventies, i think, so he might have had some friends in the organization who asked him to tutor Scott.

[Frayed Knot]

I think it was when Craig was managing/coaching out in SF and the story goes that he and Scott met in the off-season at some point out in Cali.
The addition Ralph used to tell was that Craig warned Scott that he'd be accused of cheating if/when he used it ... then Craig was the first one to do just that the following season.

[stevejrogers]

For some reason I think Craig was with the Padres at the time.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Ask him what he recalls about swapping jerseys with Tracy Stallard in a failed attempt to end his losing streak in 1963. And when he finally broke his streak wearing No. 13, did he wear it for the rest of the year?

[Gwreck]

Didn't Roger Craig once miss a start because he cut his hand on his ladyfriend's bra?



Oops, perhaps we can leave that question out.

[soupcan]

Sorry this took so long -

My dad has been dealing with some health issues so the Craig stuff got put on the backburner for a while.

Just heard yesterday:

Edgy DC wrote: Three words: Did Scott cheat?

YES!!

He definitely cheated. He would glue a small circle of sand paper to the palm of his glove hand. When the catcher threw the ball back to him, he'd remove the glove and rub up the ball with both hands, scuffing it in the process.

When umps would check him, somehow he'd peel the sandpaper off his palm and stick it in his shirt.

Craig said he never got caught because Scott was so good at professing his innocence that the umpires believed him every time.

="John Cougar Lunchbucket"]Ask him what he recalls about swapping jerseys with Tracy Stallard in a failed attempt to end his losing streak in 1963. And when he finally broke his streak wearing No. 13, did he wear it for the rest of the year?

He said he remembered swapping the numbers but did not recall much else about it unfortunately.



I have to go out to San Diego week after this coming one, and dad said he would try to introduce me to Craig. If he does I'll bring up the jersey question again as well as as Gwreck's:

="Gwreck"]Didn't Roger Craig once miss a start because he cut his hand on his ladyfriend's bra?

[Guest themetfairy]

Soup - I hope your dad is doing better!

[Theoldmole]

Best wishes, also, to your Dad.

I'd like to hear more Brooklyn Dodger memories.

[seawolf17]

I'd like to hear more about Mike Scott, that lying, cheating bastard, and how he's going to publicly apologize for giving me apoplexy in the late innings of a game in October 1986.

[Guest AG/DC]

I like how the bra question stopped Craig in his tracks.

[Zvon]

soupcan wrote: ="Edgy DC"]Three words: Did Scott cheat? YES!! He definitely cheated. He would glue a small circle of sand paper to the palm of his glove hand. When the catcher threw the ball back to him, he'd remove the glove and rub up the ball with both hands, scuffing it in the process. When umps would check him, somehow he'd peel the sandpaper off his palm and stick it in his shirt. Craig said he never got caught because Scott was so good at professing his innocence that the umpires believed him every time.

This is the most amazing scoop a baseball message board has ever scooped since the dawn if the internets.

....seriously.

[soupcan]

Thanks for the nice wishes for my dad guys.


Scott gave us all major ajita in '86 and if the Astros had won, having this news confirmed now (not that Gary Carter and the rest of us didn't already KNOW) would've just eaten me alive I think.

If I get the chance to shake the guy's hand I'll press him a bit more on the jersey question and I'll definitely bring up the bra thing.

[metirish]

Missed this, best wishes to your Dad.