Header - Baseball by the Letters

Month: September 2010

Giant Mike Sadek Homered for Dad

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Mike Sadek may have been as rare as an Elvis sighting in San Francisco box scores from 1973-81. However, his memories would put him on my list of all-star Giant storytellers.

First, I wanted to know if this Minnesota native was immune to cold-and-windy Candlestick Park. I’m still shivering over memories of my one blustery trip there. How did he feel?

“Cold and windy, but better than the minor leagues!”


The back-up catcher got a bonus in his 1973 rookie season. He became batterymate for future Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.

“Yes, it was a thrill to catch him. He didn’t have his best stuff, but he had great control.”


I expected Sadek to tell what kind of pitch he clouted for his first major league home run on June 19, 1977, versus Grant Jackson. (Thanks for the history, www.retrosheet.org) Maybe, he’d remember the final score. Instead, I received a classic tale.

“It took a few years for me to hit one and after I circled the bases and got to the dugout — there was one of my idols (since I was in junior high school) Willie McCovey — laying flat on the bench. Two guys were fanning him with towels.


He lifted his head and said, ‘I thought I saw Sheik (me) hit a home run!’

The biggest thrills for me was just getting there after six-plus years in the minor leagues — introducing my dad around (my biggest fan — my first-hit ball and my first career HR ball are buried with him.”

Tomorrow: learn about Sadek’s holiest of autographs.

Walter O’Malley Answered Autograph Requests

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When I found http://www.walteromalley.com/, I hoped the Dodger Hall of Famer’s legacy with collectors wasn’t too good to be true.

I asked Brent Shyer, Vice President of Special Projects for O’Malley Seidler Partners.

“Walter required that any letter received was answered promptly,” he said. “They were a friendly organization.”

Brent has seen the team president’s archives. The thin carbon copies of EVERY letter. O’Malley responded to regular autograph requests. He’d tackle fan feedback, too.

“I saw someone wrote to complain about an unruly fan in Ebbets Field,” Brent said. “Walter responded with a letter and two tickets to a future game.”

The website offers other gems of O’Malley fan interaction. Once, a boy wanted the Dodgers boss to know what happened in the parking lot after the game. The site offers O’Malley’s surprising reply to the young fan.

The perfect book showing the little-known side of O’Malley is Forever Blue: The True Story of Walter O’Malley, Baseball’s Most Controversial Owner,and the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles

From Brooklyn to Los Angeles, this is a well-researched look at the O’Malley-led team. For the whole story of the Dodgers, this is the book!
 
Meanwhile, write to your favorite team owner. Who knows? Your letter might be in a book someday!

Saying NO to Autograph Requests TTM

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“They’ll probably just sell the autographs on ebay.”

“They all write the same thing. It’s probably a form letter.”

“Why do they want MY autograph? They have no idea who I am.”


Your envelope has been opened. There are at least three major reasons why a signer may not pick up a pen and respond. He’s rehearsed all the reasons to say no.

How are you different? Why should that signer sign for YOU?

Before you gamble another stamp or risk a paper cut, make sure you can answer those questions.

Ex-Met Kevin Elster Keeps Mum On Autographs

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I ask questions. Sometimes, I get answers. Other times, just clues.

I wrote to infielder Kevin Elster to ask about his autograph rule. Each signature is $1, plus a SASE. Want your three cards signed? Better include $3.

Why so reasonable? Is the money going to a charity? Is the fee to discourage “collectors” from taking advantage of a kind signer? Has the “buck a sig” rule changed the quantity or quality of fan mail? Or, do collectors not even bother with letters, just sending their money to “purchase” autographs?

I wrote a praiseworthy, polite letter. I noted that $1 was quite fair. I think some retirees have penalty fees, hoping their high prices will discourage people from writing. Or, after watching ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, they believe every signature will turn to gold (no matter how unknown they were in their brief time in baseball).

The bad news about Kevin Elster? Not a question got answered. The good news? I received three autographed cards, a gesture I appreciate. I could have received my letter back unsigned, or no envelope at all.

I won’t annoy the Elster family again with a follow-up. Instead, I’ll just theorize on the kind response, which could have meant:

1. If we send the blogger an autographed card, he’ll tell others to send in a dollar for a signature.
2. What letter asking about autograph policy? I just saw the SASE, and grabbed some signed cards for the guy.
3. The poor fan didn’t have a card or a dollar, so he made up a story about a blog in hopes of getting a reply.

In the days ahead, I’ll keep asking questions to retirees about how they view autographs and collectors. Signatures are as much a part of the game’s history as any stat.

Does Jerry Casale Remember Ted Williams?

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You bet!

Jerry Casale sent a thoughtful letter addressing his debut, the integration of the Red Sox and one famous teammate.

“The first game I pitched in the bigs was my favorite. I hit a home run and struck out Roy Sievers three times, who was quite a hitter.
I was in heaven after every win.”


Casale was busy becoming Red Sox Rookie of the Year in 1959. Was the Red Sox integration a distraction, with media, pickets and the arrival of Pumpsie Green?

“I really never gave it any thought over Pumpsie Green. I think he was just another player on the team.”


Most of all, Casale took notice of the nearby superstar in the clubhouse.

“The second biggest thrill was playing with the great Ted Williams, as I had my locker next to his the last two years. He was a very special guy and I loved him. He helped me plenty.

Thanks,
Jerry Casale”


Thank you, Jerry. Thanks, too, to the dream team at http://www.retrosheet.org/. Check out the Casale player page. Jerry is a humble guy with superb handwriting. He didn’t include that his first-start dinger was a THREE-RUN BLAST! Plus, that one was of only FOUR career homers.