Your Qs For The 7 Decade Man?

[Slippery Pedro]

Our HMRSF has met a fellow baseball fan that has been on the horsehide trail for over 70 years. He's reportedly seen Ruth play in the 1920's.

HMRSF is interested in interviewing this chap - and, he is willing. But, Joce could use some help with the questions to ask. Any ideas/suggestions? Post them here. Thanks.

Hopefully, we can publish the interview on NetShrine.com when they're done.

[hmrsf]

Thanks for starting this Net. He was a player for the 'factory league' in Holyoke Mass. It was a popular competition between the local paper factory. He saw his first game in NY at Yankee stadium after his factory won the division.......will have to find out the date.....guess that was the prize for winning.

He tires quickly but perked up with my interest in his back ground and his insights on the game today. He also was interested in Netshrine so I will have to borrow a laptop and show him.

So please feed me question especially those concerning factory league and early Yankee history. Or even comparing legends that none of us were alive to see. ( Also he started a story about Jimmy Foxx and some church league but he faded....maybe due to the heat.)


Thanks. This is one opertunity that I do not want to let pass by.

Also I was thinking of taping the conversation......any other suggestions?

[Skip]

Definitely tape it. You'll be amazed what comes out of these things upon repeated listening. I have taped interviews with some of my grandparents that are very interesting.

[Slippery Pedro]

First Q from me: Do you remember how you were dressed when you went to see your first big league game?

[more questions to come later today........]

[BuzzBuzzard]

Sad but true story, a client's father is a man of a similar age who actualy played minor league ball in his youth, seen Ruth play, etc. I was about to approach the client about talking to her father about baseball, see if he was interested in NetShrine, etc. He passed away last Saturday.

[Slippery Pedro]

Bummer Buzz. More the reason why HMRSF should act quick, sadly.

Let's hear those questions!

[pathogan]

...please tape it, there are so many things that can come of it, and you dont have the furious need to write everything down thereby missing what hes saying...now to a question

can you describe the feeling in the stadium when Ruth came up to bat? Did Williams at bats evoke similar[if any] response? Thanks

[Skip]

Originally posted by pathogan
can you describe the feeling in the stadium when Ruth came up to bat? Did Williams at bats evoke similar[if any] response? Thanks
Now that is what I'd call a loaded question. Kill the [if any]. Add DiMaggio, Foxx, others? to the list.

[Skip]

I'd also like to know more about the Ruth/Gehrig "rivalry". Was there much to it? Did it seem real or mainly a media thing? Did Gehrig stay "above it all" as his legend seems to imply? At what point in a contemporary perspective did Ruth go from mega-athlete to caricature?

[SmedIndy]

Have him name the best "unsung" players he's seen?

And ask him about Denny Galehouse.

[KCBOOMER]

It would really if we something about this gentleman. How serious a baseball fan is he, what teams did he follow, did he go to many games prior to 1950, who are his favorite players, etc.

I guess a good question would be if he can recall his reaction and the reaction of others to Jackie Robinson.

[Slippery Pedro]

Originally posted by Skip
I'd also like to know more about the Ruth/Gehrig "rivalry". Was there much to it? Did it seem real or mainly a media thing?

In "All Roads Lead To October" there's a mention that Ruth hit on Mrs. Gehrig, Lou's wife, and that's what started the rub.

[Slippery Pedro]

Boomer beat me to the Jackie question...............

Next question from me: What's the one thing that you saw on a baseball diamond that, to this day, you can remember it like it was yesterday - and why?

[WiredTiger]

I would be interested in anything he has to say about the Tigers. Greenberg, Gehringer, Newhouser, Cobb, etc.

[Skip]

Originally posted by Slippery Pedro
In "All Roads Lead To October" there's a mention that Ruth hit on Mrs. Gehrig, Lou's wife, and that's what started the rub.
Never heard that before.

[sweaver]

I'd like to know how he thinks the game has changed, how the players and conditions are different now.

Went to a historical society meeting today. I can listen to those kinds of stories for hours. Whatever it takes to get him started, then let him talk.

[Slippery Pedro]

Another line of questioning:

1. When did you start playing baseball?
2. How often did you play when you were young?
3. Did you use any substitutes for equipment, like the ball or bat, and what were they?

[hmrsf]

Wow! This is better than I thought. His first game was the 1928 World Series. He was 14 years old and his factory league team was the Falco's.

The Industral league was big during that time. Winners went to NY for a WS game and bragging rights. It was also a big deal because 2 local boys played that series Durocher (NY), and Rabbit Mandevile (St L).

I also asked him why not the Red Soxs? It appears the Polish working class were big Yankee fans and the Irish were Soxs fans.He did not attend a lot of games, times were tough during this time period.

I plan on sitting with him after my professional relationship ends.


Keep the Questions coming. I will bring all of them to him. Thanks guys....this is incredible!!

[TGwynn19]

I would ask him if he thinks the caliber of baseball is better or worse now. Could Ruth hit 60 now, could Bonds hit 73 then? Did Bob Feller throw harder than Randy Johnson? I know that is the one thing that I wonder most about.

[johnny]

Something along the lines of this...Did he ever sit close enough to the field to hear the players talk? Any interesting stories concerning that? Who was most friendly towards the fans?

[Slippery Pedro]

HMRSF, you mentioned (in a PM?) that he was 90. If he was 14 for the 1928 WS, then, he's probably 88 - FYI. Just in case you may include his age in your write-up.

More questions:

How do you feel about night baseball?
Do you think there are too many teams these days?
Any thoughts on Bud Selig?
Were baseball players "rougher" in the past?
Ever been to Spring Training? If yes, when and what was it like then?
Do you remember the first game you saw on TV? What type of experience was that?
Any thoughts on baseball reporting now versus, say, in 1935?
Do you think BuzzBuzzard should get over the whole we must contract thing?

OK, just kidding on the last one.

[BuzzBuzzard]

Originally posted by Slippery Pedro
Do you think BuzzBuzzard should get over the whole we must contract thing?

OK, just kidding on the last one. Even if I have to be the lone voice, I will be heard!

[hmrsf]

My intake says he is 90. (DOB in 1911)


I don't know if I misunderstood or if he is foggy on the date. Maybe he started at the factory league at 14 and they won the championship another year but he was adement about being at the 1928 WS.

I checked an old baseball encyclopedia and he was correct about Durocher and Rabbit.

[Slippery Pedro]

Originally posted by hmrsf
My intake says he is 90. (DOB in 1911)

I don't know if I misunderstood or if he is foggy on the date. Maybe he started at the factory league at 14 and they won the championship another year but he was adement about being at the 1928 WS.

I checked an old baseball encyclopedia and he was correct about Durocher and Rabbit.

If the DOB is 1911, then he would have been 17 in 1928. Makes more sense - if he was that good a player at 14, he would have been in the bigs! :D

[hmrsf]

He never said he was a good player. He just played for his factory and later a church league. Remember the times we are talking about. ( he called himself a guy who was good enough to fill in any position and even pitch if he needed to.)

He loved baseball and feel in love with a team after seeing his first professional game. He said he was very lucky to attend that WS game. There was no extra money laying around. The factories were real competative just for the chance to see a professional game.

[hmrsf]

Pushing this one up.

My professional time is coming to an end and we set up a meeting 5/6.


Any more ???'s

I asked a few more on the sly today. He reported that players from the factory recieved better jobs and better pay. Good way for an imagrant to get a leg up.

[Skip]

Just ask him does he care about baseball the way he used to. Try to get him to adjust for age/energy factors. And get some why's and why not's. Also, relate that to his caring about other sports (i.e. WWF doesnt count :) )

[BuzzBuzzard]

Ask him the greatest LF in history question. It would be interesting to hear someone of that generation's take on Bonds/Williams

[Slippery Pedro]

Does he think Babe Ruth could have been black?

Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame?

Why does he think baseball went so long before players stopped leaving their gloves on the field?

What's his favorite baseball movie and why?

How would he feel about a woman playing MLB?

Have him describe the wackiest thing he ever did while sitting in a ballpark.

[KCBOOMER]

Originally posted by Slippery Pedro
Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame?


Asking about Joe Jackson would be better. Maybe his whole take on the Black Sox would be worthy of discussion.

[Fuzzy Bear]

I would like to know what Ruth was like on the basepaths and in RF. Was he fast? Was he a good outfielder? Too many of the film clips show only a fat guy in a HR trot. Ruth certainly wasn't a young player with old player skills; he'd have been done by 32 in those days. I really would like to know about his baserunning and defense, and whose baserunning and defense it might be comparable to today.

[hmrsf]

Asked the "Could Babe Ruth have been black" question. Did not go over well at all.

" I saw Ruth Play with both the Yankees and the Boston Braves. Never once did I see him without his hat on, How the hell should I know?" "You got that question from a computer?"...."Ruth Black? No.....How the hell do I know? They really asking that now?Must be the TV?" TV makes things look funny."


OK, no more questions for the day. Thanks Net fro that one.

:(