Grandad, Are You Old? …

One of my grandchildren, sitting on my lap some time ago, was staring at me before innocently asking, “Grandad, are you old?”

“Goodness, no,” I replied.  “I’m just an old timer.”

Which led me to think … Old Timers Game, Atlanta, 1975.  And, a prized possession, the picture of me and Joe DiMaggio together in a dugout at now demolished Fulton County Stadium.  Joe DiMaggio, popularly known as Joltin’ Joe and The Yankee Clipper.  The picture (above), neatly framed by my WW, sits on a shelf in a corner of my office; I call it my ego corner.  That’s me on the left, replete with hair over my ears, extending a pen and baseball for DiMaggio to autograph.  The camera also caught DiMaggio’s trademark tip of his hat.  A sports writer from Sumter, S.C., snapped the picture and mailed it to me weeks later.  I did not know he took it, and I could not thank him enough.

The 1975 Old Timers Game featured a lot of former baseball stars.  They were “former” even back in 1975.  Most have dozed off and woke up in heaven, as I would tell my grandkids.

Joe DiMaggio, Red Schoendienst, Pee Wee Reese, Hoyt Wilhelm, Larry Doby, Ralph Branca, Luke Appling, Johnny Vander Meer – they were all there.  They are all together today, probably playing catch in baseball heaven.  With them upstairs is Bill Skowron, Ken Boyer, Bob Turley, Tito Francona and several others who played in that three-inning game 43 years ago.  I know of only two who are still awake here on earth – Bill Mazeroski and Bobby Richardson.

Being on the field with these greats – prior to the actual game, of course – was unforgettable. This might be boring stuff unless you are a baseball buff.  If you are into baseball, you might know that Pittsburgh’s Mazeroski hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in the 1960 World Series to beat the Yankees (and Richardson).  And, Richardson – from Sumter and a former University of South Carolina baseball coach – set a major league record with six runs batted in against the Pirates in one game in that same World Series.  That record still stands although it has been tied by two other players.

The other Old Timers were quite distinguished, too, probably more so.  DiMaggio, of course, had at least one hit in 56 consecutive games, a record that still stands in the major leagues.  Most baseball experts say that record never will be broken.  Pitcher Vander Meer had back-to-back no-hitters for the Cincinnati Reds, a feat never equaled.  Ken Boyer had a grand slam in the 1964 World Series that highlighted the Cardinals’ series win over the Yankees.  And, so on … if they had not accomplished something truly remarkable, they would not have been honored as an Old Timer that day.

It was Richardson who was the star among stars in the 1975 Old Timers Game, not that it mattered.  My much faded play-by-play notes, now 43 years old, show that he opened the game with a single on the first pitch, stole second and later scored.  He also scored after a double in the third inning and his team won the abbreviated game 3-1.  And, that didn’t matter either.

What mattered was baseball fans had a chance to see some of the all-time greats of the game.  Most are no longer are here, and memories of them have faded, but the Old Timers enjoyed being there for their fans in the twilight of their lives.

I know because it takes an Old Timer to know an Old Timer.