OT: For the old timers or maybe really old timers on the last of "The Boys of Summer"

[rudad02]

Terrific pair of articles in todays NYT sports section on Carl Erskine, the great Dodger pitcher & the last of "The Boys of Summer" at 96 yrs of age. Going to receive the Buck O'Neil Lifetime Achievement Award at Cooperstown.

One of the pieces speaks to his thoughts on Musial, Aaron & Mays.

 

[Plum Street]

There were a couple good books on them . And the HBO special was fantastic . I look on max from time to time and can never see it . Although, they seem to have the giants-dodgers one there, which is also great. Erskine has a road in Brooklyn named for him I believe

 

[JDNB]

Living in Central Jersey, myself, and friends use to go to Ebbets Field a lot, especially on Sundays when there were DH. This was around 56-57, just before they moved. Of course I remember Hodges, Robinson, Reese, Cox, Snider, Roy C, Erskine etc. that gave me the opportunity to see the other players of that age, like Mays, and Musial. I know I am old, but it don’t seem that long ago.

by the way you could get a beer .35, and a hot dog .25, for 60 cents.

 

[rudad02]

Living in Central Jersey, myself, and friends use to go to Ebbets Field a lot, especially on Sundays when there were DH. This was around 56-57, just before they moved. Of course I remember Hodges, Robinson, Reese, Cox, Snider, Roy C, Erskine etc. that gave me the opportunity to see the other players of that age, like Mays, and Musial. I know I am old, but it don’t seem that long ago.

by the way you could get a beer .35, and a hot dog .25, for 60 cents.

Lived in Brooklyn all through the 50's. The Dodgers were like a religion. Carl, or "Oisk" as he was known, had a great overhand curve ball.

 

[hoquat63]

Went in to see all the NY teams when I was a kid. Father was Dodger fan, brother a Yankee fan and I was a Giant fan. Once we planned to see the Dodgers but didn’t go. Did see Mel Parnell pitch a no hitter at Fenway when we were visiting my grandmother in MA.

 

[rudad02]

Went in to see all the NY teams when I was a kid. Father was Dodger fan, brother a Yankee fan and I was a Giant fan. Once we planned to see the Dodgers but didn’t go. Did see Mel Parnell pitch a no hitter at Fenway when we were visiting my grandmother in MA.

Wow. Parnell was a real good lefty for the Sox if I remember correctly.

 

[DJ Spanky]

Did see Mel Parnell pitch a no hitter at Fenway when we were visiting my grandmother in MA.

Wow. Parnell was a real good lefty for the Sox if I remember correctly.

My dad was a Diehard: wish he was around to ask him about Parnell.

I just looked him up and saw this blurb:

Parnell enjoyed his best season in 1949 when he went 25–7, leading the league in wins, complete games (27) and innings (295+1⁄3), and finished second with a 2.77 ERA. He was the starting pitcher for the American League in that year's All-Star Game and was selected again in 1951.

27 complete games! Imagine that in today's game?

 

[rudad02]

My dad was a Diehard: wish he was around to ask him about Parnell.

I just looked him up and saw this blurb:



27 complete games! Imagine that in today's game?

Back then guys finished games & pitched on three days rest. Different game altogether.

 

[oldtimer67]

Grew up in PA, but in 1957 at 14 years old saw the Dodgers play at Ebbetts Field. Was against the Braves and all their great players. Braves won unfortunately.

I still remember my first impression walking into Ebbets. At that time a lot of games were on TV but they were all black and white. As we walked towards our seats I got my first view of the field, and my immediate reaction was "wow, it's in color." I still remember all the vivid colors from the green grass to the ads on the outfield walls. Seems like a naive reaction today, but it was real at the time.

 

[rudad02]

Turned 15 in Dec of '57. Very close in age. Ebbets was great. Small ball park. You were right on the action--could hear a lot too. And there was always bench jockeying.

 

[e5fdny]

Always get this one confused with “Summer of ‘49” by David Halberstam.

 

[retired711]

My dad was a Diehard: wish he was around to ask him about Parnell.

I just looked him up and saw this blurb:



27 complete games! Imagine that in today's game?

Yes, but the Yankees won the pennant anyway. The Red Sox were a game away from the pennant both in 1948 and 1949 -- and of course those were the days when only pennant-winners went to the World Series. David Halbertam's Summer of '49 is well worth reading -- he wrote it when many of the players could still be interviewed.