Who Am I? & The Dedication & Re-creation of Butterball Field

[Zvon]

It's amazing that I still find new ones every day.



This is a nice one. This batch must be the earliest photos of the area. Or would Botz be even earlier?


Anyone have a 68 Mets yearbook? A better scan of that one^ would be most appreciated.


I wonder if this was out there at Huggins Field and if so what area?
I think it might be near the sign.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Hint: Four of these Mets already appeared in this thread.

Extreme left (standing) Don Shaw throws a hard high one and chooses this V-neck, raglan sleeve pullover knitted completely in ribbed stitch. The yarn is knitted worsted.

Extreme left (sitting) Sandy Alomar goes deep in the hole to field this Danish pullover with a patterned yoke. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is a mixture of wool and vinyon.

[Zvon]

Hint: Four of these Mets already appeared in this thread. Extreme left (standing) Don Shaw throws a hard high one and chooses this V-neck, raglan sleeve pullover knitted completely in ribbed stitch. The yarn is knitted worsted. Extreme left (sitting) Sandy Alomar goes deep in the hole to field this Danish pullover with a patterned yoke. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is a mixture of wool and vinyon.

I wish I had enough style and/or knowledge to keep that going, but I don't. I can add that next from the left is Harvey Haddix, whose taste in sweaters is as ugly as his mug.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Extreme left (standing) Don Shaw throws a hard high one and chooses this V-neck, raglan sleeve pullover knitted completely in ribbed stitch. The yarn is knitted worsted. Extreme left (sitting) Sandy Alomar goes deep in the hole to field this Danish pullover with a patterned yoke. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is a mixture of wool and vinyon.

Standing next to Alomar - coach Harvey Haddix calls for a hit and run in this classic cardigan with cables and two color ribbed band. Yarn is machine washable Orion acrylic.

Standing behind Haddix's left shoulder - Larry Stahl finds a perfect can of corn as he catches this wide turtleneck in an allover zigzagdesign. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is wool, mohair and vinyon.

Standing to Stahl's left - Don Bosch has to hustle to catch up with this comfortable coat sweater. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is machine-washable crylor and mohair. Extra fabric for the growing center-fielder to grow into.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: Extreme left (standing) Don Shaw throws a hard high one and chooses this V-neck, raglan sleeve pullover knitted completely in ribbed stitch. The yarn is knitted worsted. Extreme left (sitting) Sandy Alomar goes deep in the hole to field this Danish pullover with a patterned yoke. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is a mixture of wool and vinyon. Standing next to Alomar - coach Harvey Haddix calls for a hit and run in this classic cardigan with cables and two color ribbed band. Yarn is machine washable Orion acrylic. Standing behind Haddix's left shoulder - Larry Stahl finds a perfect can of corn as he catches this wide turtleneck in an allover zigzagdesign. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is wool, mohair and vinyon. Standing to Stahl's left - Don Bosch has to hustle to catch up with this comfortable coat sweater. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is machine-washable crylor and mohair. Extra fabric for the growing center-fielder to grow into.

Standing to Bosch's left - Bart Shirley defends the hot corner for this Scandinavian design on yoke, waist and sleeves. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is sport yarn.

Sitting to Shirley's left - Bud Harrelson pulls the perfect steal with an all-wool Aran pullover with six different patterns. Waist and cuffs are rib and cable; turtleneck is twisted ribbing.

Sitting to Harrelson's left - Jerry Buchek belts a grand slam homer with this classically simple V-neck raglan-sleeve pullover. Stitch is stockinette; yarn is machine-washable Orlon acrylic.

Standing behind Harrelson and Buchek - Tom Reynolds bounces a grounder to this diamond-design boat-neck pullover. Stitch is stockinette; yarns are knitting worsted and a mixture of mohair and crylor.

Standing over Buchek's left shoulder - Chuck Estrada no-hits this slip-stitch pattern pullover with wide boat neck and single crochet edging. Yarns are knitting worsted and mohair, wool and nylon.

[Edgy MD]

Buchek belts a grand slam while Reynolds is bouncing a grounder? I don't think so.

[Zvon]

Some new old pics of Butterball. I think. I looked last 10 pages back and didn't see these up here yet.

I should have noted the year. IIRC 1956. Not sure which mound this would be and those trees look awfully big. I think the next ones confirm its Butterball though. Or, actually, the first base area of Clendenon Field with Butterball in the distance.

Again, looks like more trees goin on back there. That should be Crystal Lake beyond. Look at the cars, man. Look at those cars! All shiny and new. Now the field in the distance does not look like a full infield setup. Maybe at this time that was just a big patch of dirt with a batting cage. I think this was before Butterball was a complete field, tho the perspective might just make it look that way.

A color look at the parking lot and that green structure. Again, bigger looking trees in the direct backround. Is that a garden back there? I don't think the green structure was part of the facility then. And it probably was torn down for the clubhouse. I don't see the water fountain. That bench should be close to the area Stengels' bench ended up, clubhouse behind it. Again, the perspective could be messin' with me. Wish we could see more to the left where the fence is.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Who is this one-time Met with no respectable Topps Mets baseball card?

[Zvon]

^That would be Wilmer �Vinegar Bend� Mizell. Mizell pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Mets before entering Congress, where he led the Republicans to victory six times in the annual Congressional Baseball Game.

This quiz is for Batmags only:
Who are these Met players and what's going on there?
For one zillion extra points, name the two businessmen.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Obviously, it was "Bill Cosby Sweater Day" at Shea Stadium.

[batmagadanleadoff]

^That would be Wilmer �Vinegar Bend� Mizell. Mizell pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Mets before entering Congress, where he led the Republicans to victory six times in the annual Congressional Baseball Game. This quiz is for Batmags only: Who are these Met players and what's going on there? For one zillion extra points, name the two businessmen.

That's Bosch, Stahl, Harrelson, Reynolds and Haddix. The execs are Bill Groome and W. Page Thompson, who are present in conjunction with the Woman's Day magazine Mets Sweater Promo of 1967.

I have that picture. I was saving it for a rainy day. I'll give you a chance to get back the zillion points you owe me: What color is Larry Stahl's sweater.

I owe you a clapper for Mizell, which I'll withhold until this business about the zillion points is resolved.

[ashie62]

The two suits look right out of Madmen..

[Zvon]

^That would be Wilmer �Vinegar Bend� Mizell. Mizell pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the New York Mets before entering Congress, where he led the Republicans to victory six times in the annual Congressional Baseball Game. This quiz is for Batmags only: Who are these Met players and what's going on there? For one zillion extra points, name the two businessmen. That's Bosch, Stahl, Harrelson, Reynolds and Haddix. The execs are Bill Groome and W. Page Thompson, who are present in conjunction with the Woman's Day magazine Mets Sweater Promo of 1967. I have that picture. I was saving it for a rainy day. I'll give you a chance to get back the zillion points you owe me: What color is Larry Stahl's sweater. I owe you a clapper for Mizell, which I'll withhold until this business about the zillion points is resolved.

Damn. A zillion points. I should have known you had that picture. Baaaaatmags!
Is this a trick question?
Now do you mean the color I'm seeing, or the actual color. Because I see black and like, dark gray, but that's a black and white photo. So the color I see or the actual color?

Stalling for time while I google Larry Stahls sweater.

[Zvon]

I can tell you that the stitch is stockinette; yarn is wool, mohair and vinyon.

[Zvon]

I'll have to go with black and red for a zillion, Bats.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Zvon wrote: I'll have to go with black and red for a zillion, Bats.

Howd'you figure that?

[Zvon]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Zvon wrote: I'll have to go with black and red for a zillion, Bats. Howd'you figure that?

It's a logical assumption based on the hues of grey in the photograph.

[batmagadanleadoff]

SNY now showing some B&W film footage from the Spring of '62 featuring Ralph and Casey being interviewed at the Sadecki Spot at Butterball Field, (pre-cage area in background).

[Zvon]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: SNY now showing some B&W film footage from the Spring of '62 featuring Ralph and Casey being interviewed at the Sadecki Spot at Butterball Field, (pre-cage area in background).

I saw that. I don't get SNY but David Rothenberg was nice to share the footage on fb.
I have to admit, I got a little excited when I saw the background. A wind was blowing...I had never seen the Sadecki Spot IN ACTION.

The stands directly behind Ralph were a surprise. I would have thought they weren't there til the mid 70's.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Zvon wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: SNY now showing some B&W film footage from the Spring of '62 featuring Ralph and Casey being interviewed at the Sadecki Spot at Butterball Field, (pre-cage area in background). I saw that. I don't get SNY but David Rothenberg was nice to share the footage on fb..

Image? Link?

[Zvon]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: SNY now showing some B&W film footage from the Spring of '62 featuring Ralph and Casey being interviewed at the Sadecki Spot at Butterball Field, (pre-cage area in background). I saw that. I don't get SNY but David Rothenberg was nice to share the footage on fb.. Image? Link?

I'll have to hunt it down. Pretty sure it was David. I hit a lot of links yesterday. Anything Ralph I checked out, thru all media outlets I frequent (ha,like 3 including the pool). But links led to other links and I viewed a lot of Kinerstuff. I'll track it down.

[Zvon]

I scrolled down pretty far and I'm not finding it- it was on the TRUE NEW YORK METS FANS page.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Baseball card collectors of a certain age might think that I once played for the NY Mets. I didn't. Who am I?

[Zvon]

Who else was in the Agee deal? I have to go look at my baseball cards.

Buddy Booker?

[Zvon]

Is this shot from the fields in St. Petersburg (Miller Huggins/aka/Butterball and Clendenon Fields: I doubt there was ever a hotel like that around there)? Could this be Al Lang Field (more hotels are in that area I would think).

I'm reading a Met book that says when the team first got to St Petersburg in '62 the hotel they were set to use would not accept colored people so they had to find another. They were going to stay at the Soreno Hotel. They ended up staying at the Colonial Inn. It would be kool if that hotel in the pic was one of those two.

[Benjamin Grimm]

[Zvon]

Wow, thank you. So it is neither. And the Colonial was a hotel/motel, when you could call em both.

The more I look at the structure behind Neal the more I think that it's a haunted motel.

[Edgy MD]

The Soreno looks as much like a prison as a Florida hotel.

The Mets were the first baseball team integrated from day one.

[Zvon]

Edgy MD wrote: The Soreno looks as much like a prison as a Florida hotel. The Mets were the first baseball team integrated from day one.

I wonder if that was done as a moral choice or a P.R. choice? Did that go unnoticed back then (the hotel thing)? Maybe, simply a logical choice (because they would want the team together in one place)?.

[batmagadanleadoff]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Baseball card collectors of a certain age might think that I once played for the NY Mets. I didn't. Who am I?

Stumper.