Gotta like a guy that recognizes Cool Hand Luke quotes.

There might be a faint pulse in this old post.

I'm shakin it boss, I'm shakin it.

Wigs, Are the Braves turning into a farm system for the Dodgers??

Keith, you blew it. I survived the Florida trip. This well written blog is still here. I had our gracious Atlanta host read it. She thought that you were a little rough on me. I told Janice not to worry. Our friendship is still in tact.

Now it behooves me to respond to some of remarks you made.

1. Stingrays can be dangerous.

2. If there had been eels at the Aquarium. I would have caught them. I also think Jack would have taken them off the hook for me.

3. The walk we took through the battlefield was a little tedious. I had some knee problems. But Keith, your heartrate was twice mine.

4. You may have worried about me getting through the narrow passages at Rock City. Never once was I concerned. I had a human go-gage named Keith three feet in front of me.

5. The Dodgers won two out of three.

6. The entire trip was a winner!!!

I LOVE THIS TOPIC-- I listen to that FREED game on the radio that night.. ( as I do most games) and yes it was a once in a life time event.

I was looking for some info on Chief Wahoo and came across this page concerning social issues with the name and mascot of the Cleveland Indians.

http://www.shipbrook.com/jeff/ChiefWahoo...

Select view the proposal to see a solution to the problem.

GCPatriot asked about Roger Freed: "I wonder what he is doing these days?"

Unfortunately, Roger Freed died very young, at 49, from heart problems. he was definitely a power hitter. He hit 42 homeruns for the Denver Bears back in 1976. His Manager with the Bears was Vern Rapp, the Reds old skipper, who was replaced by Pete Rose. Vern later Managed Roger with the Cardinals. Here is an excerpt from an article by Bob Costas:

"I am going to talk about one specific night in 1979. The Cardinals played an extra-inning game against the Astros at Busch Stadium, and the Cardinals had a part-time outfielder named Roger Freed. Freed was the quintessential "everyman." He looked like a guy from a weekend softball league, and was a very clumsy outfielder, but he had some power. Vern Rapp had been his manager in the minor leagues and he helped pave the way for Freed to come to the Cardinals. He didn't cut a dashing figure, he didn't have much finesse in the outfield, but he was a fan favorite, and one year he hit close to .400 as a pinch hitter. The Cardinals are losing 6-3 going into the bottom of the eleventh. The Cardinals load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning against Joe Sambito, who was then the best left-handed reliever in the National League.

Freed comes off the bench to pinch hit. Not many fans were even in the ballpark

at that point. The paid attendance was only 6,349. It was during a kind of lull in the Cardinals' fortunes; they weren't really a contender, and it was before Herzog got there. There might have been 900 people in the park, or even fewer, still around by the time Freed comes to bat. In this sort of impossible everyman's "Casey at the Bat" situation, he lines a home run over the left centerfield fence . . . a two-out, pinch-hit grand slam that turns a three-run deficit into a 7-6 win and is clearly the single greatest moment of Roger Freed's life, or at least his baseball life. Stuff like that may happen to Barry Bonds with regularity, but it didn't happen to Roger Freed that often. Roger Freed actually passed away a few years ago. I'm sure he replayed that night in his head every day of his life thereafter. It was just so classic and so unexpected. The fans just loved this guy so much because he was so unassuming and just happy to be in the big leagues. Freed cut such an unlikely figure on the field, and Sambito was pretty close to untouchable at that point. I can still see him rounding the bases and the combination of excitement and surprise on the faces of the fans. Even some people in the press box were kind of highfiving over the kind of joy of it all. That's a memory that sticks out for me, that I think a lot of people are not likely to mention."

I remember at trip to Bush Stadium years ago, probably as a Little Leaguer, when we saw basketball Hall of Famer, Dave DeBusschere pitch a game. They had to delay the game at one point when he ripped his pants open and had to go change.

No, and I've seen it a half dozen times at least. Also, when Roy Hobbs smashes the lights in The Natural, that may be my favorite baseball movie scene.

Anthony Razor Shines was the third base coach for the White Sox last year and was recently named manager of the Phillies Class A ball club, the Clearwater Threshers.

Razor is a family name, his Grandpa was a Razor, likewise his Dad and now his son. I couldn't help it, I had to look it up.

I also found an article about Razor pitching one inning for the Expos in a blow-out loss to the Cards. If you like baseball, you'll really enjoy this old (2001) article on Razor, as manager of the Kannapolis Intimidators.

http://www.salisburypost.com/2001april/0...

Thanks again ol Simmons, had a wonderful evening of conversation. Your blogs seem to find ways to move me to type. Very unlike me, but it is exactly what i need, gracias. I would love to hear what some of your readers fave moments from the world of baseball are. These comments give me faith that people still have a love for this game somewhere deep within. Some days I feel like i am the only one who still loves the game. I know You and I would both love to hear about everyones early ball story and the associated feelings. The game could use a few feel good stories now. Thanks ahead of time.

Thanks for the clarification about the fields.

They are replacing Jet / Cooper Stadium in Columbus with Huntington Field. It will be ready for the 2009 season, and I expect it to be pretty nice.

Toledo has a nice pen for its Mud Hens, which is close to a real nice zoo.

I remember Crosley Field, and we went to games later at Riverfront. I gave it all up after Rose was banned.

Baseball is definitely America's favorite pastime (at least it is for me). My Dad and Grandpa used to take me to Indians games at the old Bush stadium. I remember the Indian would come out of the teepee and light fireworks after an Indian hit a homerun. My friends and I would always take our gloves in hopes of getting the best souvenier possible, a game ball. After many summers of attending a couple of games a year, I finally caught a one-hopper off the bat of Roger Freed. He was a huge player and a real power hitter. The next pitch, he hit it out of the park, clearing the left field scoreboard and onto the street. To my surprise, when he finished running the bases, he came over to me and my family, about two rows up on the third base line, and asked if he could sign the ball I had caught. I wonder what he is doing these days? I appreciate the AAA farm system and the committment of Indianapolis to baseball. Many childhood memories and teenage dates were made there.

The new Victory field has much of the same feel of Bush Stadium without the giant steel beams blocking the view and now without the dancing and pyrotechnic Indianapolis Indian.

Victory Field and Bush Stadium are not the same places. Although the new Victory is about as beautiful of a stasdium as i have seen. The old Bush was on around 14th and Michigan. Structure still stands, although there is talk of demolishing the old place. They put an open wheel race track there a few years back. Recently the place has fallen into a serious state of disrepair. Hopefully they save some of the history of the place as it is about ready to be turned into a tech park. I would love to buy the 20 cement blocks that they painted Roger Maris mural on and put it in my back yard, what a memory. Robato I remember the day we took your fathers Hank Aaron ball and played a little catch, needless to say when we lost it he was a little perturbed. Those post game cruises were a huge part of my childhood. It taught me a lot, our fathers had a wonderful way of getting their point through. We were lucky to have such good coaches.

No, nobody will touch our 10 year old dominance. Fear, mostly of your fastball, 75 MPH , won most of those games, we all were just along for the beautiful ride. Great memories, thanks.

Rambler, I might have to oil up the glove also...Remembering back to the Little League years, there were many games of catch to be had. Myself on the mound, and you behind the plate. I often wonder if any team since then went undefeated the way those Indians did???16-0, and 14-2 was enough to make us Kings back then. Little League baseball meant something then, our fathers made practices fun, made the games great, and the post game rides were also great. I can still feel myself dosing off in the back of a brown, or yellow pick-up, and then hear that precious clang of a street-sign. Im pretty sure that if I could go back in time, that I would want to be eleven again...

Good post Simmons, sounds like a trip I would have loved to been along for. Mention of the Chattanooga Lookouts got me thinking how much I love to go to minor league games. Don't get me wrong, I love baseball at all levels, but the minor league atmosphere just seems about as pure as it gets. Baseball has rightfully gotten a black eye recently, soured many people from a beautiful game. Memories of watching games at old Bush Stadium are some of my earliest and fondest. In the early and mid 70's my dad and I would get there every chance we could, he being a Reds fan loved watching their prospects, I loved everything about the place. The excitement outside the gates, going through the turnstiles and immediately getting hit in the face with smells only a ball yard could produce. To this day anytime i smell peanuts or hot dogs, i think of Bush stadium. My father taught me alot about finding/making the perfect ball park dog. He also taught me to keep the score book in the programs, probably so he could watch the game and enjoy a beer, but I would pore over that score sheet like it was the most important thing in the world to me. At that time it was, I got lost in all of those numbers and was so proud at the end of the game when it was complete. This probably was my introduction to numbers, something I am still fascinated with today. The hand painted murals in the mezzanine of players past, the musty bathrooms, the tee-pee in center field, such great memories. On the ride back home Dad would quiz me about the box score, and I was so happy that i had my reference sheet that i had worked so diligently on, to answer all his questions. Baseball and in particular going to games with my father are some of the best memories I have, and I cherish those. When I hear another story about steroids and all that is wrong with the game today, it hurts, for some reason I take it personally. It feels like my fondest childhood memories have been cheapened somehow. But through it all I still love the game, and always will, those memories are special and nothing will take them away. Ive rambled a bit here, thanks for the opportunity to reminisce, Baseball season is just around the corner, I can almost smell the hot dogs thinking of that. I think I might just go oil my old glove up.