Header - Baseball by the Letters

Month: February 2011

Marlins Voice Dave Van Horne Reveals Origin of His Signature Homer Call: “Up, Up and Away!”

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In my eyes, Dave Van Horne is a Hall of Famer.

Ford Frick Award winner Van Horne is being honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. No, he is not an inductee. He will not have a plaque. However, I still think he has a Hall of Fame voice. I’ll never condemn a broadcaster who signs “HOF” with his award-winning year after.

For someone thinking that a Frick winner is common, consider this: the award began in 1978. Only one man has been honored each year. I think this puts Van Horne in select company.

Van Horne has been a baseball broadcast tradition since 1969. He sent me a reply I’ll treasure. I consider it a preview of the acceptance speech he’ll be making in Cooperstown later this year.

I asked the man who called the first Montreal Expos game in 1969 about his first place of employment, Jarry Park:

“A very unique ballpark, built in the corner of a huge municipal park facility, just north of the downtown area, north of Mount Royal. It really didn’t compare to other ballparks of that time (1969) but I guess, in a way, it was not unlike Colt .45 Stadium.”

Van Horne solved one mystery, in part.

“‘Up, Up and Away’ began in the 1970 season. ‘Stole’ the line from the 5th Dimension hit song. I don’t remember the first time I used it, but it probably would have been after a home run by Bob Bailey, Mack Jones, Coco Laboy or Rusty Staub. I’m just guessing here.”

Everyone ALWAYS asks baseball insiders to name an all-time all-star team. I wanted Van Horne to tell me the “go to” players who helped him take care of his business. In short, an all-time INTERVIEW team!

“Best interview subjects over the years. There was so many. Staub, Bobby Wine, Gary Sutherland, Ty Cline, Ron Fairly, Ron Hunt, Gene Mauch, Cal McLish and many other Expos. Making the short list of non-Expos: Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Willie Stargell, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Phil Niekro, Jerry Reuss, Steve Garvey, Willie McCovey, Tommy Lasorda, Danny Murtaugh, Felipe Alou, Buck Rodgers and many, many others to numerous to mention here.”

Could you tell someone why you’re a baseball fan? Let this award-winning Marlins ambassador go first. Sense the gratitude and awe in Van Horne’s heart-felt assessment of the sport:

“I’ve always loved the game. I’ve enjoyed being in the company of so many wonderful people, on and off the field. Every day, every game, a new adventure. No one knows what’ll happen one pitch to the next. Strong, fast, gifted athletes playing a game that requires the mastery of so many skills; who could ask for anything more than to be able to watch them play the game, every day, every season, for a 43-year career (and counting).”

To borrow from another hit song, in Van Horne style, I second that emotion.

Tomorrow: Pat Gillick, baseball’s newest Hall of Famer, shares his roots.

Marlins Voice Dave Van Horne Reveals Origin of His Signature Homer Call: "Up, Up and Away!"

by

In my eyes, Dave Van Horne is a Hall of Famer.

Ford Frick Award winner Van Horne is being honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame this year. No, he is not an inductee. He will not have a plaque. However, I still think he has a Hall of Fame voice. I’ll never condemn a broadcaster who signs “HOF” with his award-winning year after.

For someone thinking that a Frick winner is common, consider this: the award began in 1978. Only one man has been honored each year. I think this puts Van Horne in select company.

Van Horne has been a baseball broadcast tradition since 1969. He sent me a reply I’ll treasure. I consider it a preview of the acceptance speech he’ll be making in Cooperstown later this year.

I asked the man who called the first Montreal Expos game in 1969 about his first place of employment, Jarry Park:

“A very unique ballpark, built in the corner of a huge municipal park facility, just north of the downtown area, north of Mount Royal. It really didn’t compare to other ballparks of that time (1969) but I guess, in a way, it was not unlike Colt .45 Stadium.”

Van Horne solved one mystery, in part.

“‘Up, Up and Away’ began in the 1970 season. ‘Stole’ the line from the 5th Dimension hit song. I don’t remember the first time I used it, but it probably would have been after a home run by Bob Bailey, Mack Jones, Coco Laboy or Rusty Staub. I’m just guessing here.”

Everyone ALWAYS asks baseball insiders to name an all-time all-star team. I wanted Van Horne to tell me the “go to” players who helped him take care of his business. In short, an all-time INTERVIEW team!

“Best interview subjects over the years. There was so many. Staub, Bobby Wine, Gary Sutherland, Ty Cline, Ron Fairly, Ron Hunt, Gene Mauch, Cal McLish and many other Expos. Making the short list of non-Expos: Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Willie Stargell, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, Phil Niekro, Jerry Reuss, Steve Garvey, Willie McCovey, Tommy Lasorda, Danny Murtaugh, Felipe Alou, Buck Rodgers and many, many others to numerous to mention here.”

Could you tell someone why you’re a baseball fan? Let this award-winning Marlins ambassador go first. Sense the gratitude and awe in Van Horne’s heart-felt assessment of the sport:

“I’ve always loved the game. I’ve enjoyed being in the company of so many wonderful people, on and off the field. Every day, every game, a new adventure. No one knows what’ll happen one pitch to the next. Strong, fast, gifted athletes playing a game that requires the mastery of so many skills; who could ask for anything more than to be able to watch them play the game, every day, every season, for a 43-year career (and counting).”

To borrow from another hit song, in Van Horne style, I second that emotion.

Tomorrow: Pat Gillick, baseball’s newest Hall of Famer, shares his roots.

Cub Rich Nye Shines On TV For Family

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“I truly loved playing
the game.”

Sometimes, a win is more than just the “W” in the box score or a bump in the standings. Sometimes, the victory comes in sharing with your family, Rich Nye reminded.

“You mentioned the “Game of the Week.” I remember it well. It was the first time my parents (on the West Coast) had a chance to see me pitch in the majors. It was against Cincinnati and I pitched into the 8th inning and got the victory. I didn’t get nationally interviewed but I was quite pleased with the performance.”

I was surprised to see, when I printed a piece of stationery for Nye,
that he amended my notation of “9/9/67 – Struck Out 10 Giants in Complete Game Win.” Nye added:

“and accounted for the winning run.”

Seeing that Nye was born across the bay in Oakland, and that he sparkled in Candlestick Park, it’s easy to imagine him tipping his cap to friends and family.

(Hurray for http://www.retrosheet.org/, offering details!)

Nye’s early success was shared with receiver Randy Hundley. The pitcher painted a full portrait of the catcher.

“Randy Hundley was the only catcher at the time who caught with one hand and he had a shotgun for an arm. He instilled confidence in the young pitching staff and was our team leader.

Randy had a habit of getting in a ‘rut’ (some call it a rhythm) and occasionally appeared to be thinking about his last at-bat rather than the 2-2 pitch he was suggesting to Aaron or Mays.”

Nye’s career was curtailed by a rotator cuff injury in 1970. His time on the mound was more than a job, it seems:

“My life in baseball was too short to be sure. I truly loved playing the game. As I got older, I started playing Men’s Senior Baseball and continued that until I was about 53 years old. My team won two ‘World Series’ during those years. I finally had to stop because the joints no longer wanted to comply with my wishes — they hurt too much.

Tom – thanks for asking. It’s always fun reminiscing.

Rich Nye”

Tomorrow: Hall of Fame announcer Dave Van Horne traces the origin of his trademark call!

Jack Brickhouse Sought Cub Rich Nye’s Wit

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This 1989 Pacific set
gave Brickhouse his due!

The best baseball letters I receive redefine eras. The most memorable missives are more than punchlines, answering trivia questions such as “Toughest hitter? Hank Aaron.”

Pitcher Rich Nye, flashing superb storytelling skills, shared one much-needed reminder for me.
Cubs announcer Jack Brickhouse was a real journalist.

By the 1970s, when I was watching the Cubs via WGN-TV syndicated broadcasts, Brickhouse seemed quite low-key for me. Later, compared to Harry Caray, my memory of Brickhouse turned into a cold bowl of oatmeal. The difference? Brickhouse loved the Cubs, too. However, he kept on being a reporter (instead of pure cheerleader).

Brickhouse started on radio in 1934. He started at WGN in 1940. Brickhouse did EVERYTHING — not just baseball. He is a Radio Hall of Famer. Likewise, he appreciated that Nye brought an unusual perspective to the game.

Nye wrote:

“In 1967, the Cubs had the typical mix of old and young. Along with myself there was Ken Holtzman, Joe Niekro, Bill Stoneman, Gary Ross, Alec Distaso, Frank Reberger and maybe a couple of others who were vying for a place on the team. We were led by crusty old Leo Durocher, who had little regard for a college-educated player.

We were, however, well accepted by the media and especially Jack Brickhouse took a shine to me and had me on his show several times. He wanted to talk about my days at Cal in the 1960s when the student body was in an uproar. He knew he would get an articulate interview.”

I learned about DOCTOR Nye’s second career in this fascinating 2008 Sun-Times blog post.

Tomorrow: Nye recalls batterymate Randy Hundley and the feeling of winning on national television.  

Recalling Astro Jerry DaVanon’s Battle Cry

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That was his sig,
and his smile!

“Not in the face! Not in the face!”

— Arthur

Guilty confession. I’ve loved the animated series THE TICK. If I was a costumed crime fighter, I’d wind up being another Arthur, a Tick sidekick.

Where did the super-hero find inspiration? In this case, his battle cry of catch-phrase seemed may have originated with utilityman Jerry DaVanon.

I remember seeing the Houston Astros play an exhibition game in Des Moines, Iowa. DaVanon emerged from the clubhouse to the usual throng of gymnastic autograph seekers hanging from the railings, looking down on him.

DaVanon used the Arthur-like cry when scorecards buzzed too close to his head. Giddy kids (and greedy adults) often think that memorabilia shoved as close as possible to a signer’s nose will get autographed next.

So, DaVanon shouted those four words of warning. Fans recoiled. The Astro restored his personal space and exhaled. Signing continued.

Today’s signers may quit without a word. Be aware that not every player may be giving out second chances. Baseball may be running out of Jerry DaVanons