My wife had knee replacement surgery Monday at Arkansas Surgical Hospital , and Johnny was here for the 5 year celebration(article in today's paper)of the hospital's opening. He is representing a company called Stryker, who makes replacement parts for the body(no, they don't make replacement parts for that, even though Johnny said he has an 8 month old son). Johnny is wearing one in his hip. In fact he said he has had both hips replaced, but the latest one three months ago is an improved one, which he said he shouldn't have to have replaced for over a hundred years.

Each doctor got to choose one patient for him to visit. My wife's doctor chose her. He came in the room and visited with her(us)for about ten minutes. We took some pictures, and he autographed a ball for her. He is representing a company called Stryker, a company that makes replacement parts for the body(no Doc, they don't make things, even though Johnny said he had an 8 month old son), and Johnny is wearing one of Stryker's products in his hip. He seemed like a nice guy. I have been to the Hall of Fame before, but never had met a Hall of Famer. And he's about as old as I am. That made me feel good that Doc and I aren't the only ones over 60.

Sweet. I'm quite sure that I've never met a HoF'er. Did you get a pic with him..?

(05-07-2010 10:04 AM)Scotto Wrote:  Sweet. I'm quite sure that I've never met a HoF'er. Did you get a pic with him..?

Yes, got a picture with him, a picture of my wife with him, and a team picture of Bench, my wife, myself, and the surgeon, Dr. Hefley. And it was also on channel four news at 10 pm.

(05-07-2010 10:04 AM)Scotto Wrote:  I'm quite sure that I've never met a HoF'er.

I don't think I have, either. Closest I have come is probably Glenn Cunningham, the famous miler who was burned as a child and came back to win a medal in the Olympics. He was a guest speaker before the Booneville Marathon one year.

I've seen Brooks Robinson and George Kell at events , but never met either. And as a kid, I watched Brooks Robinson playing Legion ball at Lamar Porter Field. He's six years older than me. Probably not many left who can say that.

(05-07-2010 01:12 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  I've seen Brooks Robinson and George Kell at events , but never met either. And as a kid, I watched Brooks Robinson playing Legion ball at Lamar Porter Field. He's six years older than me. Probably not many left who can say that.

Reminds me of the good old days when athletes were role models. Maybe it wasn't always deserved but I can't remember ever reading anything negative about Johnny Bench or Brooks Robinson. Definitely never heard of them being in a low rent hotel room, with a 16 year old runaway who was forced into prostitution.

(05-07-2010 01:19 PM)mjs Wrote:  Reminds me of the good old days when athletes were role models. Maybe it wasn't always deserved but I can't remember ever reading anything negative about Johnny Bench or Brooks Robinson. Definitely never heard of them being in a low rent hotel room, with a 16 year old runaway who was forced into prostitution.

Yes, you didn't hear much in those days, I don't know if we didn't have the so many of the lower class, way over paid athletes in those days like we do now. Perhaps, it was that we also didn't have 24 hour cable news either in those days. I heard Bench on the Buzz yesterday morning, and Justin Acre asked him about his great teammate Pete Rose, who he is still very good friends with. Acre asked whether or not Rose should be allowed in the Hall of Fame. Bench said that sometimes you have to be responsible for and pay for your mistakes.

(05-07-2010 02:34 PM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(05-07-2010 01:19 PM)mjs Wrote:  Reminds me of the good old days when athletes were role models. Maybe it wasn't always deserved but I can't remember ever reading anything negative about Johnny Bench or Brooks Robinson. Definitely never heard of them being in a low rent hotel room, with a 16 year old runaway who was forced into prostitution.

Yes, you didn't hear much in those days, I don't know if we didn't have the so many of the lower class, way over paid athletes in those days like we do now. Perhaps, it was that we also didn't have 24 hour cable news either in those days. I heard Bench on the Buzz yesterday morning, and Justin Acre asked him about his great teammate Pete Rose, who he is still very good friends with. Acre asked whether or not Rose should be allowed in the Hall of Fame. Bench said that sometimes you have to be responsible for and pay for your mistakes.

From what I hear from some of the seasoned folks in my family, there was no cable sports channels, entertainment news, youtube, etc. Many of the athletes in the old days were alcoholics, playboys, and not what you consider stellar citizens behind the scenes. Athletes (jocks) didn't just become big egos overnight.

(05-07-2010 08:37 PM)LR Alum Wrote:  From what I hear from some of the seasoned folks in my family, there was no cable sports channels, entertainment news, youtube, etc. Many of the athletes in the old days were alcoholics, playboys, and not what you consider stellar citizens behind the scenes. Athletes (jocks) didn't just become big egos overnight.

I usually agree with most things you say Alum, and I think that we get MORE news today because of the 24 hour cable channels, and yes there were the playboys, alcoholics, and the less than stellar citizens playing sports then. But, while most of the players while making better salaries than the average American workers in those days, weren't getting the obscene salaries that many of these jerks are getting today, and they don't know how to handle it.

Back in the days before the players union, the big stars like Stan Musial, and Ted Williams were making the big bucks($100,000)in the 50's and 60's, and the rest were making much lower salaries. Thus, those players had jobs in the off season, where they supplimented their salaries so they could survive for the whole year. So, most kept their noses pretty clean.

You never heard anything about Musial, Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mayes, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle ever doing much of anything more sinful than drinking or smoking. You never heard of a player raping or abuse of women. Now you're seeing some of this behavior way too often from our over paid athletes. I beleive in athletes getting paid well for their services, but no way should a uneducated kid with more money than brains deserve to be paid more than a skilled and highly educated doctor.

I'm sure there are other jobs that should be included there also, but doctors come to my mind first, because of their abilities to improve the quality of lives. and their life saving skills.
There is no profession in my mind that is as important as the practice of medicine. Just my opinion though.

(05-08-2010 10:20 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(05-07-2010 08:37 PM)LR Alum Wrote:  From what I hear from some of the seasoned folks in my family, there was no cable sports channels, entertainment news, youtube, etc. Many of the athletes in the old days were alcoholics, playboys, and not what you consider stellar citizens behind the scenes. Athletes (jocks) didn't just become big egos overnight.

I usually agree with most things you say Alum, and I think that we get MORE news today because of the 24 hour cable channels, and yes there were the playboys, alcoholics, and the less than stellar citizens playing sports then. But, while most of the players while making better salaries than the average American workers in those days, weren't getting the obscene salaries that many of these jerks are getting today, and they don't know how to handle it.

Back in the days before the players union, the big stars like Stan Musial, and Ted Williams were making the big bucks($100,000)in the 50's and 60's, and the rest were making much lower salaries. Thus, those players had jobs in the off season, where they supplimented their salaries so they could survive for the whole year. So, most kept their noses pretty clean.

You never heard anything about Musial, Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mayes, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle ever doing much of anything more sinful than drinking or smoking. You never heard of a player raping or abuse of women. Now you're seeing some of this behavior way too often from our over paid athletes. I beleive in athletes getting paid well for their services, but no way should a uneducated kid with more money than brains deserve to be paid more than a skilled and highly educated doctor.

I'm sure there are other jobs that should be included there also, but doctors come to my mind first, because of their abilities to improve the quality of lives. and their life saving skills.
There is no profession in my mind that is as important as the practice of medicine. Just my opinion though.

I understand what you saying but I think the majority of the athletes today and in the past are/were good citizens. The sad thing is you won't hear what the good role model athletes are doing in their respective communities. Babe Ruth was one of the greatest baseball players but didn't he go into the stands one time to try to fight a fan? Didn't he punch an umpire in the face? I don't really hear people call him a thug. I'll just leave it at that. But I'm with you that no person should think they are above the law because they are a celebrity.

(05-08-2010 01:45 PM)LR Alum Wrote:  

(05-08-2010 10:20 AM)LRTrojan Wrote:  

(05-07-2010 08:37 PM)LR Alum Wrote:  From what I hear from some of the seasoned folks in my family, there was no cable sports channels, entertainment news, youtube, etc. Many of the athletes in the old days were alcoholics, playboys, and not what you consider stellar citizens behind the scenes. Athletes (jocks) didn't just become big egos overnight.

I usually agree with most things you say Alum, and I think that we get MORE news today because of the 24 hour cable channels, and yes there were the playboys, alcoholics, and the less than stellar citizens playing sports then. But, while most of the players while making better salaries than the average American workers in those days, weren't getting the obscene salaries that many of these jerks are getting today, and they don't know how to handle it.

Back in the days before the players union, the big stars like Stan Musial, and Ted Williams were making the big bucks($100,000)in the 50's and 60's, and the rest were making much lower salaries. Thus, those players had jobs in the off season, where they supplimented their salaries so they could survive for the whole year. So, most kept their noses pretty clean.

You never heard anything about Musial, Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Willie Mayes, Hank Aaron, and Mickey Mantle ever doing much of anything more sinful than drinking or smoking. You never heard of a player raping or abuse of women. Now you're seeing some of this behavior way too often from our over paid athletes. I beleive in athletes getting paid well for their services, but no way should a uneducated kid with more money than brains deserve to be paid more than a skilled and highly educated doctor.

I'm sure there are other jobs that should be included there also, but doctors come to my mind first, because of their abilities to improve the quality of lives. and their life saving skills.
There is no profession in my mind that is as important as the practice of medicine. Just my opinion though.

I understand what you saying but I think the majority of the athletes today and in the past are/were good citizens. The sad thing is you won't hear what the good role model athletes are doing in their respective communities. Babe Ruth was one of the greatest baseball players but didn't he go into the stands one time to try to fight a fan? Didn't he punch an umpire in the face? I don't really hear people call him a thug. I'll just leave it at that. But I'm with you that no person should think they are above the law because they are a celebrity.ii

Oh, I think you are right that the majority of the athletes of today are good citizens, but I think that there are more bad apples out there today. True, Ruth was quite wild, having lived in an orphanage from the age of five until he signed with the then minor league Baltimore Orioles. He was quite a drinker, and a hell raiser, but he was never accused of raping women or slapping them, around. He loved kids and he visited children's hospitals and orphanages, and I have read that many Christmas' he would go to the orphanages and give every kid a pair of shoes, and visit hospitals without calling the press for a photo opt. He never forgot where he came from. Since we've always had alcohol around, evidently it must be the drug culture that is making so many of today's athletes do stupid things. Again this is just MY opinion.

(05-07-2010 08:37 PM)LR Alum Wrote:  From what I hear from some of the seasoned folks in my family, there was no cable sports channels, entertainment news, youtube, etc. Many of the athletes in the old days were alcoholics, playboys, and not what you consider stellar citizens behind the scenes. Athletes (jocks) didn't just become big egos overnight.

I think you are right about that. Little has changed. It is just that now they are on national TV.