Wednesday, July 15, 2015
The All-Time Fantastic Four -- Living Legends of Baseball
Tucson Old Timers (TOTS)
60-and-over baseball
The American League won the 2015 Major League Baseball All Star Game 6-3 last night in Cincinnati.
AL dominates again.
The night's best moment happened before the first pitch when the All-Time Fantastic Four -- the Living Legends -- were introduced: Johnny Bench, Hank Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays.
What a moment!
Bench is the youngster. The man is 67. He's younger than me!
Koufax is 79, Aaron 81 and Mays is 84.
I spent my youth in front of the television set watching the above four perform on the baseball diamond.
I would love to go back and start all over again. I'd give anything to be a wide-eyed kid again, sitting on the living room floor, tuned into the family's Zenith television set...and watch every play unfold while listening to Dizzy Dean and Tony Kubek dissect every play...every catch by Mays, every exploding curve ball by Koufax, every moon shot by Aaron and the movement and artistry by Bench behind the plate.
But most of all, I would love to have that moment in time back...that special moment when the major league game was over and I would say "goodbye" to my folks and head for the sandlot to meet up with my buddies to play the game of baseball.
Nothing has changed. I'll grab my gear this morning and head for Udall Park, to the baseball field south of the senior center to meet up with my buddies, all members of the 60-and-over Tucson Old Timers.
Special Note: Actually, I was 22 years old when Johnny Bench made his debut in the majors in 1967. But I was still a kid...and in awe of my baseball heroes.
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Yogi Berra is still alive with his ten rings! He should of been included! Mike Schmidt, Bob Gibson, others?
ReplyDeleteSometimes it's hard to pick just four...but you're right, Yogi was one of the best and he had the best quotes, too. The TOTS have their living legends as well...how about Floyd Lance, Billy Heiny, Jerry Smarik and Brad Tolson...how's that for a Fantastic Four.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great four, but even then you would be leaving some out: Jerry Hamelin and Art Radke come to mind. And those that have passed on: Joe Tappero and Ed Rife. But you are the historian, you can think of worthy teammates.
ReplyDeleteGreat four--but any time you try to make a number of something--some deserving will be left out--Jerry Hamlin and Jim Pagels--both have done much to promote the TOTYS and been positive examples to all of us. (Not to mention you and Conrad! And you know many more.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes right down to it, we're all Legends. That's why I try to write about everyone on the TOTS...there's a story in all of us.
ReplyDelete