For some reason, this reminds me of something...


"That ain't Chuckie's game. Chuckie hacks."

Bill Lee is fucking awesome, what's the problem here

Bill Lee probably wouldn't give a fuck what smitty thought of him. Dick Allen was a whiny baby, but so is Kyle Kendrick. And the joke is always on him, too.

Bill Lee is actually pretty awesome -- just like PTK. The kid does make a pretty good case for the Dick Allen in that he is on my list for guys I almost voted for for BSG H of F.

tommorrow I'll add a few more. I have them almost ready.

Tenured Vulture is -- Dom DiMaggio. "The Little Professor."

Joe's brother was a heckuva ballplayer. He didn't hit with his big brother's power, but he was a valuable player for a long time through the forties and into the fifties. Playing for the rival Red Sox, Dom was very fast, a very fine CFer with a strong arm, and a very good hitter.

He was a very fine lead off hitter. He retired with a .383 OBP. And he hit enough doubles and triples to compile a respectable slugging average.

He began his career in the PCL, which was an independent league and guys went to MLB only when their club sold them there. Dom was big league ready before making his MLB debut; lost a couple of years to the war; and was still a capable player when he retired.

He was a seven time All Star and one of the better Cfers of all time.

I'll be nonplussed if I wind up on this list in any way, shape, or form.

Another intellectual, phdave, is Jim Brosnan -- "The Professor."

Brosnan was a good pitcher in the 50s and early 60s. He had lot of good years, including 1961, when he was a key member of the NL Champion Reds.

Mainly a reliever, he was effective pretty much every year from '54-'63. An educated man, he was well known for having books in his locker rather than the hunting and fishing magazines found in his team mates' lockers. They were pretty hard books too with hardly any pictures. He read them too.

He wrote a book in 1960, a diary of the 1959 season. Called The Long Season, it preceded Bouton's Ball Four by several year. A very good read, Brosnon pulled no punches in his disdain for announcer Harry Caray among other interesting insights into the life of a big leaguer.

He wrote another book called The Pennant Race, about his season with the pennant winning Reds but I've never read that one.

Why didn't he like Harry Caray?

Whenever I see Uncle Milty's avatar I think of the 60s anbd when I think of the 60s I think of:

Johnny Callison.

Callison was a big hero in Philly during the decade. He would have been the MVP in '64 if the Phils hadn't Bunning and Shorted their way out of the pennant. He was the MVP of the All-Star Game after clouting the famous walk off homer off of The Monster Radatz.

Callison was't really big but he was a toolsy guy, He hit for very good power, was an outstanding RFer whose arm rivaled Clemente's. He hit a lot of triples so he ran faster than you'd think.

He, along with Allen, were the hitting stars on the team. He was many fans favorite player.

After his playing days he tended bar and endeavored in various business interests in the Philly area. Not sure if he ever received chipless cookies from anyone.

Monkeyboy wrote:Why didn't he like Harry Caray?

He thought he was a second guessing SOB. Caray was the Cardinal announcer when Brosnan pitched for St. Louis. Caray was like a fan and criticized players even when he didn't know what he was talking about. Drove Brosnan crazy.

Interesting. Thanks.

Uncle Milty wrote:Thanks, smitty. Heart warming to know you think I could triumph over The Monster.

p.s. My avatar's from 1972.

Callison could crush a fastball.

1972 was part of the 60s wasn't it? Anyways, it looks like one of those elementary school pictures we had taken every year when I was a youngster.

Uncle Milty wrote:
p.s. My avatar's from 1972.

the shirt collar's a dead giveaway

I've always thought of smitty as Bobby Schantz. Crafty little lefty who started and relieved. MVP with the (Philadelphia) A's (smitty lives in an AL town). Fields his position well (8 time Gold Glove winner). Member of and witness to '64 team.

I couldn't be more pleased.

smitty wrote:

swishnicholson wrote:You can quit before my Travis Lee comparison comes up. I won't mind.

You're Honus Wanger.

I mentioned it in the H of Fame discussion thread or somewhere.

Has all the tools, a big hitting middle infielder when his contemporaries were glove men. An old timer who plays the modern game. One of the absolute all time greats, an original Hall of Famer. Although an old time player, his skills were way ahead of his time. He hit for power and got on base and was an exceptional fielder.

A class act as well as a great player. He didn't smoke, unusual for the time. His objection to smokes led to a halt to the production of his baseball card, which led to very few being made and the value of them to reach ungodly proportions. (The card was made by a tobacco company).

He was noted for his fitness. A class act all the way.

You're too kind.

But I'll accept that some times I can be a valuable card.

I always thought of swishnicholson as Swish . . . Ah, never never mind.

JFLNYC wrote:I've always thought of smitty as Bobby Schantz. Crafty little lefty who started and relieved. MVP with the (Philadelphia) A's (smitty lives in an AL town). Fields his position well (8 time Gold Glove winner). Member of and witness to '64 team.

Good one!!!

Swish had someone else in mind in the first H of Fame thing that went nowhere a while back.

swishnicholson wrote:
Oh yeah, Smitty too, who often says what I'm thinking but using things like, you know, facts and stuff.

I've run out of HOF player analogies though, so he'll have to be Steve Hovley.

I think swish was on to something there. Good old Orbie.

At this point, I'm convinced Smitty is Joe Schultz

philliesphhan wrote:At this point, I'm convinced Smitty is Joe Schultz

What a time to pound some Budweiser with pals!!!