Header - Baseball by the Letters

Ted Williams

Three Lessons From Former Players

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Who needs fortune cookies? The hobby has been sending me messages! Such as…

1. This hobby is humbling: When Mark Dewey replied politely, he began his letter, “Dear Mr. Owens.” People called my Dad MISTER. That means I’m old?!?

2. Count your hits, not your misses: This coming week, I’ll share a fantastic reply from RICH Billings, the 1970s catcher. He made an incredible observation about Ted Williams. What I’ll try not to bemoan is how the envelope looked like an origami project run amok. Mister Billings had enclosed a card. Not since I put dupes in my bike spokes has such a result been seen. Nonetheless, I’m grateful to the Postal Service. This was my first disabled list envelope in eight months.

3. Don’t believe every card you read: If any of you write to Billings, note that he is not a DICK. The 1971 Topps card reproduced his signature as RICH BILLINGS. Still, Topps insisted on identifying him as “Dick.” Billings signs his autograph as “Rich.” Even his return address label confirms his first name of choice.

Readers: what lessons have your TTM responses taught you?

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.

Joining the 1953 Detroit Tigers

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Third baseman John Baumgartner really existed.

No baseball card documented this fact.In fact, few photos of any form may exist of the seven-day big leaguer. However, the Alabama native lived a dream for one week with the 1953 Detroit Tigers.

How did he find out? Baumgartner wrote me:

“On the way north from spring training, I had a good night with one home run and one double. I did not have a Major League contract before that game. My contract was waiting at the hotel desk for me when I came in. I signed it and took it to the G.M. room. I didn’t even look to see how much I would be paid. It was my Major League contract, something I had wanted all my life and I was beyond happy!”


From the always-awesome http://www.retrosheet.org/, I found the rookie treated a hometown crowd to a three-hit day against the Cleveland Indians. He remembers it all, even laughing about some of the outcome.

“One of the hits was up against the left center field wall. I thought it was out but it hit the top of the fence and I was held to a single. Embarrassing!”


In his battle to win a job, Baumgartner didn’t forget to appreciate his surroundings.

“I thought Briggs Stadium was beautiful. Ted Williams hit one out of the stadium, over the fence, over the second deck and over the press box going around right field. The ball went over the road outside the stadium and through a window of the bldg. there. It was so marked when I was there.

“My career in baseball lasted six years. It was all I ever wanted it to be — to do — I loved it and had a wonderful time playing.”


Full of gratitude and free of regret. John Baumgartner and his all-star attitude offer autograph collectors a noble name worth collecting.

Taming The Temper of Ted Williams

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Broadcaster Bob Wolff excelled as a journalist, maintaining objectivity while enjoying friendships with players. That tightrope walk worked even with Ted Williams. Without Wolff’s intervention, Williams may have become the first silent star, a 1950s predecessor to Steve Carlton.

Wolff wrote:

“Ted Williams was an individualist — and such a great hitter that, when he took batting practice before a game — players on both sides would pause what they were doing to watch him in action. If he didn’t do well, being anxious to perform well, I let him cool off before making a connection with him. When Ted got into a problem in Boston and was booed there for criticizing some press members and fans, he vowed never to do another interview. He had promised me that he would go on with me in his next trip to Washington and I mentioned his promise to him when he came to town.

‘Ted,’ I said, ‘you promised to do an interview with me, but as a friend, I’ll forget that if you want to back out. You see, my job, if you go on, is to ask you about the incident in Boston. That’s my responsibility as a reporter. If I don’t do that, my management will get on me for not doing what I should do. But as a friend, I’m giving you the choice to back out — so it’s up to you.’

Ted said, ‘I’ll be there with you and ask anything you want.’

Ted did the show, said he felt remorse about his actions and said he had exploded because some of his critics had given untrue versions of his good relationship with his team. he concluded his interview with me by saying, ‘and Bob, I’m delighted to go on with you because you’ve always been so fair to me.’

I think today’s journalists, if they took the time to understand him, would have received the same treatment. He was a likable guy who loved speaking baseball, not controversy.”


I can’t wait for Wolff’s new book: Bob Wolff’s Complete Guide to Sportscasting: How to Make It in Sportscasting (With or Without Talent)

Nelson Chittum’s Three-Year Adventure

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Pitcher Nelson Chittum packed a fair share of history into a three-year career.

His first pro season produced a 23-7 record and California League Rookie of the Year status in 1956. Chittum debuted with St. Louis in August, 1958.

When asked about Stan Musial, Chittum wrote:

“Stan was a great player and a very outgoing person.”

Chittum didn’t add about Musial’s penchant for forgiveness. Chittum earlier told the fantastic website www.baseball-reference.com that, upon failing to cover first base on a bunt, Musial told the young hurler, “Don’t worry about it, kid.”

Swapped to Boston in the off-season, Chittum paid immediate dividends: a 3-0 record and 1.19 ERA.

From being a teammate of a St. Louis superstar, Chittum became another supporting cast member for Ted Williams.

“Ted was also a great player and really an outgoing person only to other ballplayers,” Chittum noted. “He did not like sports writers.”
Chittum was in uniform July 21, when teammate “Pumpsie” Green ended the last chapter of baseball’s segregation. Boston became the last club to use African-American talent.

The color barrier came down after former manager Pinky Higgins vowed he’d field an all-white lineup as long as he had anything to say about it. Higgins was replaced less than a month before Green’s debut.

“I did not know how Higgins felt,” Chittum added. “Pumpsie was a really nice person.”

Three history makers in three years. Chittum remembers and appreciates them all.