Baseball happens! Here’s your weekly dose of joy:
Why do you like baseball?
Brilliant reader Mark: “The feeling of walking into Fenway Park and seeing the field for the first time… it’s certainly as close as you can get to a religious experience.”
Brilliant Reader Rod: “Being in downtown Cincinnati on opening day even if you don’t go to the game. Hope springs eternal – this will be the year they put it all together!”
Brilliant reader Tony: “Baseball stations, especially on the radio, making the crowd sounds the only thing you hear for a few seconds.”
Brilliant reader Ray: In September 1975, when I was ten, I went to the ‘Stick to see my beloved Giants play. Johnnie LeMaster made his debut against Don Sutton and blew a ball into centerfield, where the ball skipped past the outfielder and bounced back against the wall. The speedy rookie raced all the way home with an inside-the-park home run. LeMaster was a hero! But the tide would turn. Although he could take it short and had a cannon, LeMaster couldn’t hit a lick. Soon, frustrated fans started calling him Johnnie ‘Disaster’ and booed him mercilessly. One day, LeMaster showed up on the field wearing a jersey with the name “Boo” on the back. And again he was booed.
Joe: In May 1985, the Cleveland Indians traded for LeMaster after the team decided it needed to move Julio Franco from shortstop. LeMaster was 0-for-his-last-16 when the trade was made. “I know we’re losing something offensively,” Tribe general manager Joe Klein said. “But LeMaster is going to take care of the infield. We can’t give the teams 32 and 33 outs every game.”
Cleveland second baseman Tony Bernazard, who was benched to make room for LeMaster, said, “I have nothing against LeMaster … but who is he?”
LeMaster lasted 16 days in Cleveland, during which time he hit .150/.150/.150 and at one point was caught arguing with manager Pat Corrales at the airport.
“It wasn’t an argument,” LeMaster said. “It was a discussion.”
President Peter Bavasi intervened and demanded that the team trade LeMaster, this time to Pittsburgh. “I am responsible for the failure,” Bavasi said.
Fridays are clubhouse days here. The clubhouse is where the conversation begins – as we go a little deeper, wander down a few side roads, have a friendly argument, chat over the weekend and share some joy. Today we’re talking about part 2 of our Future Hall of Famers series – focused on the American League.
If you are a Clubhouse member, come on down; the door is open downstairs.
If you are a casual reader, thank you for being here. If you ever feel like joining us on Friday, not before moreexactly, but to be a bigger part of our world, we would love to have you.
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