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GENE OLIVER, JIM ABBOTT & a QUIZ
GENE OLIVER
I've often wondered why local hobby shop
owners and card show sponsors don't use the opportunity to reach out
to bring some of the local ex-ballplayers back into the public eye. I
remember writing to the Quad Cities Gene Baker, who along with Ernie
Banks was the first black ballplayer to play for the Cubs. He played
for the Pirates as well. When I asked him why I'd never seen him
signing at any of the baseball card events in the Quad cities, his
reply was "No one has ever asked me." That wouldn't be true anymore.
The Cubs make a valiant effort to bring back as many of their ex
players as possible to the annual CubFest in Chicago.
Gene Oliver, who lived in Rock Island,
Illinois, was another ex Cub (and Cardinal too) whom I carried in my
baseball totebag for years on the off-chance that I might catch him at
a Quad Cities game. After all, he used to manage there. I never saw
him there though, and my luck through the mail had been equally
fruitless. I don't know Mr. Oliver well enough to state this as fact,
but my first mail request to ask him to sign a couple of cards saw the
cards come back unsigned. Undaunted, I sent him a short letter
accompanied by a post card, asking him if he charged a fee to sign his
cards, and if so, what it was. I said that if he'd prefer not to
sign, just let me know as well. I promised not to bother him again if
that was the case. I got back the postcard signed, but with no
further information. Not exactly what I wanted, but true to my word,
I never wrote to him again. Some of the players from his generation
are somewhat bitter about the huge salaries that players are getting
nowadays compared to how little they made in their glory years. Some
simply resent (and rightfully so) the "entrepeneurs" who turn around
and put the signed card on EBay. In my opinion, trading autographs is
an integral part of collecting, like swapping baseball cards with
friends. Selling signatures isn't. But I digress. Anyweay, I
managed to get three Gene Oliver Cardinal cards signed for my
scrapbook; one through R. J. Smalling, and two thanks to a friend who
got them signed for me at the Cubs Convention.
Sadly, I've had to remove Gene Oliver's cards from my totebag. He
died recently (March 3rd) and was laid to rest in services at St. Pius
X Catholic Church in Rock Island. Don Doxie wrote a wonderful article
about him in his "Viewpoint" column in the Quad City Times. What were
most moving were the tributes to the man and the number of ex-Cubs
from those teams in the late 60s who made the trip to the Quad Cities
to attend his funeral. Randy Hundley was there. He remembered how
Gene first scoffed at the notion of a fantasy baseball experience that
would allow fans to play with and learn from former major leaguers.
Eventually though, after seeing how much the fans enjoyed it, Oliver
became an integral part of hundley's fantasy camp. Hundley's
nicknames for his friend were "beef" or "Beefalo," gentle tweaks about
his size. Glenn Beckert and Larry Biitner joined Hundley as
pllbearers, and Ferguson Jenkins was in attendance as well. Another
pallbearer, a circuit court judge who knew Gene from when Oliver
worked as a bailiff at the Rock Island County Court house, paid home
to his hard work, emotion, competitiveness, drive and passion for the
game. The most fitting tribute was at the end. Members of the church
choir, and even one of the attending priests, slipped on Cub hats, and
they and the audience sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as the casket
was rolled out into the hearse. Judging from the regard that his
friends had for him, Gene Oliver must have been quite a man. I wish I
could have met him.
JIM ABBOTT
Galesburg recently host a "Jim Abbott Day"
to celebrate his coming to the community to participate in a
fundraiser for a local sports program. A motivational talk and a
chance to get his autograph was reasonably priced, so I dragged my
ever patient wife Nancy with me.
The program began with a movie about his
life. For those of you who don't know, Jim Abbott was born without
one of his hands. Despite this seemingly insurmountable handicap to a
professional career in athletics, Jim never let his handicap deter
him. He learned to pitch while balancing his glove on the nub of his
handless arm, then quickly flip his glove to his other hand to be
ready to field if he had to. And yes, he had to. Some coaches as he
was working his way up the high school and semi-pro ladder would try
to take advantage of his handicap. One had the first six batters to
face him bunt to see if they could rattle him. He persevered, and
eventually went on to have an outstanding college career in Michigan,
and then excel with Team USA. He was drafted by the Angels, and did
well enough for the Yankees to trade to acquire him for their team.
With the Yankees, he experience both joy and disappointment; the
indescribable joy of pitching a no-hitter in the majors and the
frustration of a 2- 18 season before the Yankees let him go. He
talked about what a letdown that was, and how he worked hard to get
another chance to pitch in the majors. He impressed the White Sox
enough to have them give him a minor league contract, and then about
how much more it meant to him to make it to the majors again.
Perseverance was the theme of his talk, and it was well done. Not
preachy, just filled with a lot of anecdotes from human experience
that gave it a genuineness and honesty that made listening to him
enjoyable.
SOME GUYS HAVE NO LUCK AT ALL
Think you've had a bad day. I just
finished reading a baseball book (The reason I can't give you the name
of it yet is that I'v going to use some info from it for the quiz that
follows. A couple of ballplayers stories give them a legitimate
reason to curse fate. "Are there any other reasons to quit smoking?"
Sherman "Roadblock" Jones could cite one. Sceduled to pitch the
second game in Mets history, "Roadblock," while attempting to light a
cigarette on a flight to St. Louis, saw his matchbook catch fire, a
fire which burnt his face and caused his start to be scratched. When
he recovered enough to pitch, he lost his first four decisions, and by
mid-May was no longer on the Mets roster. Ron Wright made it to the
majors for one game. In his three at bats, he struck out, hit into a
triple play, and hit into a double play. In three at bats he made six
outs. A more frustrating career line I've probably yet to hear of.
I MIGHT HAVE TO AMEND MY VIEWS ON RYNO
Ryne Sandburg is managing the Peoria
Chiefs this year. No, his agent isn't shadowing him. Actually,
Sandburg's been personable and makes an effort to sign before every
game. Usually for about 10 minutes before an away game, and for 15-20
before a home game. I managed to get his Hall of Fame postcard signed
when he came to Burlington, and on my only trip to Peoria thus far
this season, he signed a double-sided 8x10 collage that I put together
with pictures of him and his Midwest league debuts in Burlington,
Davenport and Peoria.
QUIZ TIME
Three Prizes. To be awarded in order of who gets back to me
first, second and third with the right answer.
1st Prize Just Minors Justin Maxwell autograph insert, Tri Star
Travis Snider autograph insert(Blue Jays 1st rounder) and Matt
Antonelli autograph insert (Padres 1st round draft pick
2nd prize TriStar Pedro Beato autograph insert, 04UDSP John
Mayberry Jr signed blue jersey card (I got this one signed in person
when he was with Clinton) and a Team USA Jonah Nickerson signed card
(2006 College World Series MVP). I got this one signed this year.
He's with West Michigan.
3rd Prize TriStar Kyle Burke and Bryan Morris autograph inserts,
and Just Minors Darryl Jones (the Cardinal farmhand) autograph insert.
Okay. What do you have to do to win. No,
I don't want your firstborn child or anything like that. Just answer
these 3 questions ALL THREE!
1. Only player to homer in both his first
major league and first All Star at bat?
2. Only team to reach (and win!) the World
Series having given up more runs during the season than they scored?
3. Only U.S. President ever pictured on an
All Star program?
The first three individuals to
contact me with the correct answers to all three questions were....
David Kemp, Plano, TX
Tom Myers, Vernon Hills, IL
Steven Lee, Los Angels, CA
Thanks to all who gave it a shot.
The correct answers were...
Terry Steinbach
87 Twins
FDR
Thanks for reading and have fun with
the hobby. I sure try to.
Rich Hanson
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