Knowing the pre-Miracle Met Gil Hodges

The man known as “Rabbit”
kept same smooth sig.
Every letter is legible!

Leading the 1969 New York “Miracle” Mets to a World Series crown wasn’t the first time manager Gil Hodges made dreams come true. With the Senators, Bob Saverine was one of those players he believed in.

What did Saverine remember about the man who gave him the chance to post career numbers?

“Gil gave me many opportunities to play, something that my other managers did not do. He was an intense person, wanting only to win games. He was a fine gentleman and a great manager. He had a great mind for baseball and its percentages.”

Pitcher Dave Baldwin’s 20-Inning ‘Save’ in 1967

From the pitcher’s own website:
“Dave’s now famous
Howdy Doody impression.”

Dave Baldwin proves that there’s life beyond baseball. Since retiring as a pitcher, he’s become a poet, academic (Dr. Baldwin holds a Ph.D in genetics), artist and author.

His memoir Snake Jazz (baseball lingo for a certain pitch) is something all fans should savor. How does it FEEL to be a major leaguer? Baldwin paints a complete picture. Every baseball bookshelf deserves Snake Jazz.

Speaking of painting, you can see his art on his website, too. You can order autographed copies of the book directly from Baldwin.

I asked Baldwin about his first victory in the bigs, a 20-inning affair in Minnesota that took just under six hours. It was a win, not a save. The save applied, as in “save face.” Baldwin shared:

“In that 20-inning game in Minnesota, I was trying to redeem myself after losing the previous game on a very stupid pitch. The longer an extra-inning game lasts, the more determined both teams become to win it.

Ken McMullen hit a home run to win the game, which put us over .500. I don’t remember how many fans were there at the end of the game.”

Tomorrow: Baldwin shares more memories of the 1967 Washington Senators.