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Take notes, Mitch Williams! Hall of Famer Johnny Mize dissed Lenny Dykstra first

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Is that from sliding, Len, or from attending another event with Mitch Williams?
Is that from sliding, Len, or from attending another event with Mitch Williams?

Go, Mitch Williams!

These verbal smackdowns versus Lenny Dykstra give me hope the former pitcher might loosen up this year on FOX Game of the Week. 

I don’t think Williams is the first to tee off on Dykstra. I wrote years ago about spending an afternoon with Hall of Famer Johnny Mize at an autograph show. 

He was peeved at Dykstra’s behavior toward fans when they headlined the same event.

I’ll never forget “The Big Cat” launching a one-sentence dismissal, putting the hammer to “Nails.”

For those of you who missed it the first time, enjoy Mize at his best here:

An open letter to the Baltimore Orioles

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A hobby hero? By Keith Allison on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as "Caleb Joseph") [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
A hobby hero? By Keith Allison on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as “Caleb Joseph”) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Dear Orioles:

Your team has been through a lot this year. Your city, too!

Here’s just a friendly reminder of an opportunity you might be missing:

Caleb Joseph

The viral video shows the catcher signing imaginary autographs at that infamous game.

I’ve been looking for the media to follow up all week. Give the slow-moving journalists a hand.

Show the whole team signing real autographs for real fans.

Encourage your catcher to say why autographs matter.

Have him tell the world why fans matter.

Former umpire Bill Valentine gone at age 82

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Here's the former A.L. ump in 2007, as a VP of the Arkansas Travelers minor league team. By michael cossey from North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America (The Man Himself) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Here’s the former A.L. ump in 2007, as a VP of the Arkansas Travelers minor league team. By michael cossey from North Little Rock, Arkansas, United States of America (The Man Himself) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Umpires are great storytellers.

Bill Valentine proved that with an awesome response in 2010.

Players offer just one side of the story from baseball’s past.

Get the umps while you can.

Giants broadcaster Lon Simmons gone at age 91

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From a 1971 magazine ad for Giants flagship station KSFO. Check out Lon's baseball memorabilia in the background! By KSFO [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
From a 1971 magazine ad for Giants flagship station KSFO. Check out Lon’s baseball memorabilia in the background! By KSFO [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I remember the kind, detailed reply from announcer Lon Simmons. 

Three blog posts were needed to share all of Lon’s memories.

Want to collect great stories? Find the broadcasters. 

Meanwhile, enjoy this great retrospective from fans who remember the voice of the Giants.

An open letter to Kurt Bevacqua

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Bevacqua2
Found at author Dan Epstein’s BIG HAIR AND PLASTIC GRASS site. He wrote the ultimate tribute to 1970s baseball. Check him out!

Dear Mr. B —

I just saw your latest TTM autograph price list form letter. (By the way, I  freelance edit. The letter is riddled with problems.)

Do you really have worries about “ensuring the authenticity” of your autograph? The price list says so. I guess last year’s rate of $7 per autograph didn’t provide enough security against autograph forgers? Does the autograph broker provide a certificate of authenticity with each signature?

Back to 1984: I wish you would include photos of what the $500 World Series baseball inscribed with “Padres MVP” looks like. This fee astounds me. I just saw on eBay a ball signed by the whole Padres team (from 1984, when you must have felt differently about autographs, for $395).

Once, I appreciated your championship bubble-blowing talents, sir. Now, I worry if you’ve simply blown it. 

Sincerely,

Tom O.