MEMORIES MAKE THE GAME SPECIAL BY BRUCE MACGOWAN
ONE OF THE GREAT PLEASURES OF WORKING IN THE MEDIA IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK BASEBALL ON A DAILY BASIS IN THE PRESS BOX WITH OTHER WRITERS, BROADCASTERS, SCOUTS AND FRONT OFFICE FOLKS. NO OTHER SPORT SEEMS TO LEND ITSELF TO THE KIND OF TALK WE HAVE IN BASEBALL DURING AND BEFORE A GAME, AND THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU HAVE TO ENJOY BEING AROUND THE PARK SO MUCH.
THE LEISURELY PACE OF THE GAME, THE MEMORABLE MOMENTS THAT SEEM FROZEN IN TIME, AND THE AMAZING EXPLOITS OF PLAYERS, BOTH LEGENDARY AND OBSCURE MAKE OUR NATIONAL PASTIME BOTH COMPELLING AND UNIQUE.
OVER THE YEARS, THE THING THAT I APPRECIATE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE ARE THE ASSOCIATIONS MADE AT THE PARK. HOURS BEFORE THE FIRST PITCH IS THROWN, PEOPLE LIKE MARTY AND MYSELF WANDER AROUND THE FIELD AND INTO THE TWO CLUBHOUSES IN SEARCH OF INTERESTING CONVERSATIONS WITH PLAYERS COACHES, MANAGERS AND FRONT OFFICE EXECS. SOMETIMES, SUCH AS THIS WEEKEND IN OAKLAND, A GROUP OF “OLDTIMERS” WILL SHOW UP FOR A SPECIAL EVENT, AND THAT’S A TIME WHERE WE GET TO NOT ONLY RELIVE SOME OF OUR GREAT MEMORIES, BUT LEARN THINGS WE MAY NOT HAVE KNOWN ABOUT FROM THE GUYS WHO WERE.
I REMEMBER ASKING FORMER GIANTS’ MANAGER ALVIN DARK ABOUT THE INFAMOUS
INCIDENT IN 1962 AT CANDLESTICK WHEN THE GIANTS GROUNDSKEEPER, MANNY SCHWAB, WATERED DOWN THE AREA AROUND FIRST BASE TO KEEP THE DODGERS SPEEDSTERS, PARTICULARLY MAURY WILLS FROM TAKING ADVANTAGES. DARK KNEW THAT THE UMPIRES WOULD ASK HIM TO BRING THE GROUNDSKEEPER BACK OUT TO PUT DIRT ON THE AREA AND STABILIZE IT, BUT HE HAD OTHER IDEAS. DARK INSTEAD HAD SCHWAB BRING A NOXIOUS COMBINATION OF WET DIRT AND SAND, A “MESSY GOOPY SOUFFLE” AS ONE WRITER PUT IT LATER, TO COVER UP THE WET DIRT, MAKING THE AREA AROUND THE BAG AN IMPASSABLE SWAMP. DODGER PLAYERS IMMEDIATELY PROTESTED, OUTFIELDER RON FAIRLY MADE FUN BY MAKING SOME “QUAK, QUACK” DUCK NOISES, AS IF
TO INDICATE THAT THE AREA WAS MORE SUITABLE FOR WATERFOUL, AND THE DODGERS CAME UNGLUED.
MAURY WILLS TOLD ME IN AN INTERVIEW LAST YEAR THAT HE WAS SO UNNERVED BY THE INCIDENT THAT HE NEVER COULD GET UNTRACKED AND WAS ACTUALLY THROWN OUT SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE WEEKEND. NOT
SURPRISINGLY THE GIANTS TOOK ALL THREE OF THESE CRITICAL MID SEASON GAMES, EACH WIN PROVING CRUCIAL AS THE GIANTS ENDED UP IN A TWO WAY TIE WITH LA AT SEASON’S END.
SHARING STORIES AND HEARING FROM THE LEGENDS AS WELL AS THE GUYS WHO TODAY PLAY THE GAME SO WELL IS A
SPECIAL PRIVILEDGE THAT I’LL NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED. I KNOW THAT BOTH MARTY AND I SHARE A SPECIAL AFFINITY FOR THOSE STORIES AND WE HOPE TO HEAR MANY MORE IN THE YEARS AHEAD. BRUCE MACGOWAN
KNBR RADIO SPORTS
0 comments
Bruce, Thanks so much for your friendship and for sharing our mutual enjoyment of the stories of the game.
Marty Lurie
thanks bruce. while it’s great that you folks in the
media have an advantage over us mere mortals
we still love to hash over stories about the players
and the managers of days gone bye. Fans love
this game beyond belief. Many of us hold season
tickets to the niners or raiders or warriors but
nothing is discussed like baseball. One may remember a Montana to Rice pass or maybe a season like 1984 but there are so many aspects
to baseball.
Jerry F
One of the “great pleasures” (to quote Bruce) of listening to Bruce (and Marty) is how they are willing to be fans and express the joy the game brings them without ego trips and without tearing other people down, as so often happens in sports talk and writing. Bruce, you may indeed be privileged, but you wear your privileges lightly, sharing them in a way that lets us experience them with you. Thanks for that.
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