From an athletic stand point the best athletes all played baseball back then. In this generation Willie Mays would have been an All-Pro QB and Jackie Robinson would have chosen the NFL after playing for UCLA. I think the loss of innocence in today sport is a primary reason for the longing of the good ole days. Today, we are so saturated with sports and our heroes are found to be at times despicable people who will do anything to win. That generation didn't make the millions on top of millions that folks do now either. The children of that generation worshiped those players unlike any others. WE won't see that ever again, especially in Baseball. Whether the players were latin, african American, or white, they were adored by an entire nation.

(09-23-2015 04:46 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  From an athletic stand point the best athletes all played baseball back then. In this generation Willie Mays would have been an All-Pro QB and Jackie Robinson would have chosen the NFL after playing for UCLA. I think the loss of innocence in today sport is a primary reason for the longing of the good ole days. Today, we are so saturated with sports and our heroes are found to be at times despicable people who will do anything to win. That generation didn't make the millions on top of millions that folks do now either. The children of that generation worshiped those players unlike any others. WE won't see that ever again, especially in Baseball. Whether the players were latin, african American, or white, they were adored by an entire nation.

Good points. Particularly on the aspect of how things are different with salaries now.

And now that you say that another big difference is the media. Don't be fooled thinking those guys were choir boys back then. You just didn't have the internet and news media to show us who they really were.

Nice job raising some really good points. It is interesting to think about what changes have taken place. Some good some not.

(09-23-2015 05:06 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 04:46 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  From an athletic stand point the best athletes all played baseball back then. In this generation Willie Mays would have been an All-Pro QB and Jackie Robinson would have chosen the NFL after playing for UCLA. I think the loss of innocence in today sport is a primary reason for the longing of the good ole days. Today, we are so saturated with sports and our heroes are found to be at times despicable people who will do anything to win. That generation didn't make the millions on top of millions that folks do now either. The children of that generation worshiped those players unlike any others. WE won't see that ever again, especially in Baseball. Whether the players were latin, african American, or white, they were adored by an entire nation.

Good points. Particularly on the aspect of how things are different with salaries now.

And now that you say that another big difference is the media. Don't be fooled thinking those guys were choir boys back then. You just didn't have the internet and news media to show us who they really were.

Nice job raising some really good points. It is interesting to think about what changes have taken place. Some good some not.

Back then, the press would have ignored a lot things as none of their business - drunkenness, infidelity, domestic abuse, etc. The idea was that these were private issues. Politicians benefitted from the same hand's-off approach - everybody knew about Harding's, FDR's, and Kennedy's infidelities, and it was all wink, wink, nod, nod, boys will be boys. probably knew about J Edgar, too, although these days that would earn him a medal.

(09-24-2015 07:54 AM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 05:06 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 04:46 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  From an athletic stand point the best athletes all played baseball back then. In this generation Willie Mays would have been an All-Pro QB and Jackie Robinson would have chosen the NFL after playing for UCLA. I think the loss of innocence in today sport is a primary reason for the longing of the good ole days. Today, we are so saturated with sports and our heroes are found to be at times despicable people who will do anything to win. That generation didn't make the millions on top of millions that folks do now either. The children of that generation worshiped those players unlike any others. WE won't see that ever again, especially in Baseball. Whether the players were latin, african American, or white, they were adored by an entire nation.

Good points. Particularly on the aspect of how things are different with salaries now.

And now that you say that another big difference is the media. Don't be fooled thinking those guys were choir boys back then. You just didn't have the internet and news media to show us who they really were.

Nice job raising some really good points. It is interesting to think about what changes have taken place. Some good some not.

Back then, the press would have ignored a lot things as none of their business - drunkenness, infidelity, domestic abuse, etc. The idea was that these were private issues. Politicians benefitted from the same hand's-off approach - everybody knew about Harding's, FDR's, and Kennedy's infidelities, and it was all wink, wink, nod, nod, boys will be boys. probably knew about J Edgar, too, although these days that would earn him a medal.

I think when anyone hearkens back to the good ole days, I can be one of them, they aren't necessarily celebrating the causes of such a simplified world view as much as the world view itself. We live in a world today where we are over saturated with scandals, crime and sordid affairs. We have become numb to them and so they have increased in frequency and strength. All these forms of communication and social media have increased the output of information but affected our capacity to discern the pertinent parts. I mean just think of how well fans of a 14 team conference spanning from El Paso, TX to Norfolk VA can share every minute detail of information on each of their beloved teams with one another. The social aspects of each generation must be viewed from a lens of context based on the norms and practices of that day and era. Even our generation will be judged harshly for their views 50 years down the road.

(09-23-2015 11:30 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  A classic example of what a baseball player should be. Even as a yankee hater, I respected him so much! RIP Yogi.

He was of a different generation.

You didnt have as many Yankee haters back when Reggie Jackson was batting and Yogi was coaching. Reggie had attitude but he backed it up, 563 home runs before the era of juicing.

(09-23-2015 04:27 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  I wasn't necessarily trying to make it a race thing. Was just curious. MLB was never less than 80% white during Yogi's 18 years and was 90% or higher for a good portion so make it whatever you want it to be.

What else other than the three things below are different now vs that era...
1. The mound was slightly higher
2. MLB was just beginning to desegregate
3. And there were few Latin players whereas there are many now.

If not that then his post implies this generation of players such as Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, etc., etc., can't hold up to that generation. If it's about talent I would beg to differ. If it's something else other than those three I mentioned above I would love to know what they are.

IMO, the biggest difference today is the people don't value baseball in the same way they did back then. But that doesn't really have anything to do with that generation of players and is more about the fans than it is the baseball.

There was no free agency, you took whatever was offered or you didn't play, Berra never made more than $65,000 in a single season.

He will be terribly missed.

(09-24-2015 08:26 AM)voss749 Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 11:30 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  A classic example of what a baseball player should be. Even as a yankee hater, I respected him so much! RIP Yogi.

He was of a different generation.

You didnt have as many Yankee haters back when Reggie Jackson was batting and Yogi was coaching. Reggie had attitude but he backed it up, 563 home runs before the era of juicing.

George Steinbrenner and ESPiN made me a Yankee hater. It often feels like you can only watch the Yanks or the Sox if you are watching baseball on ESPiN.

We'll miss ya, Yogi!

(09-23-2015 01:27 PM)pilot172000 Wrote:  Duke Snider
Don Newcombe
Warren Spahn
Sandy Koufax

Could be added to that list too !!

Can't leave the M & M boys off the list. 115 homers in '61.

(09-23-2015 03:54 PM)Woody Woodrum Wrote:  "I really didn't say everything I said," Yogi Berra said in his book, "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say everything I Said," in 1998.

Don Larson throws the perfect game, and Berra - the catcher who leaped into Larson's arms at the end of the game, to reporters crowded around his locker,

"So, what's new?"

On a visit to Italy to his families village of Malvaglio, Berra took in opera of "Tosca" at La Scala,

"It was pretty good. Even the music was nice."

When his wife asked Yogi where he wanted to be buried, in his hometown of St. Louis or in his residential area of Montclair or back in New York City,

"I don't know. Why don't you surprise me!"

When a member of the press asked about his promotional deal with "Yoo-Hoo," if that was hyphenated, Yogi said,

"No. It's not even carbonated."

And how did the man who inspired the cartoon character of Yogi Bear, and also was the drive-in movie promoter of "Yoo-Hoo" for all my years of going to the drive-in here in W.Va. say about getting ready for a game?

"I take a two-hour nap, from 1-to-4."

I always wondered if that was true. If so, I assume Boo Boo was his buddy Rizzuto.

(09-23-2015 04:27 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  I wasn't necessarily trying to make it a race thing. Was just curious. MLB was never less than 80% white during Yogi's 18 years and was 90% or higher for a good portion so make it whatever you want it to be.

What else other than the three things below are different now vs that era...
1. The mound was slightly higher
2. MLB was just beginning to desegregate
3. And there were few Latin players whereas there are many now.

If not that then his post implies this generation of players such as Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, etc., etc., can't hold up to that generation. If it's about talent I would beg to differ. If it's something else other than those three I mentioned above I would love to know what they are.

IMO, the biggest difference today is the people don't value baseball in the same way they did back then. But that doesn't really have anything to do with that generation of players and is more about the fans than it is the baseball.

DH

As a player, Yogi was with Yankees 18 seasons, playing in 14 World Series and winning 10. Truly phenomenal. I'm not sure how many World Series he coached in, but was the manager in 2, one each with the Mets and Yankees.

(09-25-2015 10:30 AM)stodgdog Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 03:54 PM)Woody Woodrum Wrote:  "I really didn't say everything I said," Yogi Berra said in his book, "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say everything I Said," in 1998.

Don Larson throws the perfect game, and Berra - the catcher who leaped into Larson's arms at the end of the game, to reporters crowded around his locker,

"So, what's new?"

On a visit to Italy to his families village of Malvaglio, Berra took in opera of "Tosca" at La Scala,

"It was pretty good. Even the music was nice."

When his wife asked Yogi where he wanted to be buried, in his hometown of St. Louis or in his residential area of Montclair or back in New York City,

"I don't know. Why don't you surprise me!"

When a member of the press asked about his promotional deal with "Yoo-Hoo," if that was hyphenated, Yogi said,

"No. It's not even carbonated."

And how did the man who inspired the cartoon character of Yogi Bear, and also was the drive-in movie promoter of "Yoo-Hoo" for all my years of going to the drive-in here in W.Va. say about getting ready for a game?

"I take a two-hour nap, from 1-to-4."

I always wondered if that was true. If so, I assume Boo Boo was his buddy Rizzuto.

There was a lawsuit over it, that Yogi later dropped. It came out years later that Hannah Barbara did in fact model the character after him. M&M boys truly amazed in 61.

(09-25-2015 11:20 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 10:30 AM)stodgdog Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 03:54 PM)Woody Woodrum Wrote:  "I really didn't say everything I said," Yogi Berra said in his book, "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say everything I Said," in 1998.

Don Larson throws the perfect game, and Berra - the catcher who leaped into Larson's arms at the end of the game, to reporters crowded around his locker,

"So, what's new?"

On a visit to Italy to his families village of Malvaglio, Berra took in opera of "Tosca" at La Scala,

"It was pretty good. Even the music was nice."

When his wife asked Yogi where he wanted to be buried, in his hometown of St. Louis or in his residential area of Montclair or back in New York City,

"I don't know. Why don't you surprise me!"

When a member of the press asked about his promotional deal with "Yoo-Hoo," if that was hyphenated, Yogi said,

"No. It's not even carbonated."

And how did the man who inspired the cartoon character of Yogi Bear, and also was the drive-in movie promoter of "Yoo-Hoo" for all my years of going to the drive-in here in W.Va. say about getting ready for a game?

"I take a two-hour nap, from 1-to-4."

I always wondered if that was true. If so, I assume Boo Boo was his buddy Rizzuto.

There was a lawsuit over it, that Yogi later dropped. It came out years later that Hannah Barbara did in fact model the character after him. M&M boys truly amazed in 61.

Always thought is was over pick a nick baskets...

If Yogi where an announcer today he would probably say, "It aint over - till the video review is over."

(09-24-2015 09:06 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(09-24-2015 08:26 AM)voss749 Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 11:30 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  A classic example of what a baseball player should be. Even as a yankee hater, I respected him so much! RIP Yogi.

He was of a different generation.

You didnt have as many Yankee haters back when Reggie Jackson was batting and Yogi was coaching. Reggie had attitude but he backed it up, 563 home runs before the era of juicing.

George Steinbrenner and ESPiN made me a Yankee hater. It often feels like you can only watch the Yanks or the Sox if you are watching baseball on ESPiN.

There was a time between the Yankees World Series appearances in '64 and '76 when the Yankees were owned by CBS. They didn't field good teams during those years but were on TV a lot, with Dizzy Dean and Pee Wee Reese doing the commentary. CBS capitalized on their name but to the detriment of the quality of the team. After Mantle retired after the '68 season, their only superstar was Bobby Murcer, who was and still is my favorite player. Thurman Munson came along a few years later and the Yankees started building the team that would dominate for a few years. Murcer was truly a great ballplayer, but was unfortunately traded prior to the great teams the Yankees had in the late '70s. He eventually returned to the Yankees after All Star seasons with the Giants and Cubs and remained with the club as a broadcaster until his death a few years ago.

(09-25-2015 11:48 AM)doughtyrowdy Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 11:20 AM)pilot172000 Wrote:  

(09-25-2015 10:30 AM)stodgdog Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 03:54 PM)Woody Woodrum Wrote:  "I really didn't say everything I said," Yogi Berra said in his book, "The Yogi Book: I Really Didn't Say everything I Said," in 1998.

Don Larson throws the perfect game, and Berra - the catcher who leaped into Larson's arms at the end of the game, to reporters crowded around his locker,

"So, what's new?"

On a visit to Italy to his families village of Malvaglio, Berra took in opera of "Tosca" at La Scala,

"It was pretty good. Even the music was nice."

When his wife asked Yogi where he wanted to be buried, in his hometown of St. Louis or in his residential area of Montclair or back in New York City,

"I don't know. Why don't you surprise me!"

When a member of the press asked about his promotional deal with "Yoo-Hoo," if that was hyphenated, Yogi said,

"No. It's not even carbonated."

And how did the man who inspired the cartoon character of Yogi Bear, and also was the drive-in movie promoter of "Yoo-Hoo" for all my years of going to the drive-in here in W.Va. say about getting ready for a game?

"I take a two-hour nap, from 1-to-4."

I always wondered if that was true. If so, I assume Boo Boo was his buddy Rizzuto.

There was a lawsuit over it, that Yogi later dropped. It came out years later that Hannah Barbara did in fact model the character after him. M&M boys truly amazed in 61.

Always thought is was over pick a nick baskets...

:) Mr Ranger, Sir

(09-25-2015 10:35 AM)stodgdog Wrote:  

(09-23-2015 04:27 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  I wasn't necessarily trying to make it a race thing. Was just curious. MLB was never less than 80% white during Yogi's 18 years and was 90% or higher for a good portion so make it whatever you want it to be.

What else other than the three things below are different now vs that era...
1. The mound was slightly higher
2. MLB was just beginning to desegregate
3. And there were few Latin players whereas there are many now.

If not that then his post implies this generation of players such as Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, Clayton Kershaw, etc., etc., can't hold up to that generation. If it's about talent I would beg to differ. If it's something else other than those three I mentioned above I would love to know what they are.

IMO, the biggest difference today is the people don't value baseball in the same way they did back then. But that doesn't really have anything to do with that generation of players and is more about the fans than it is the baseball.

DH

I can't believe nobody has yet mentioned the advent of closers and set-up men in pitching rotations. In the era that Berra played a pitcher tossing a complete game was not the relative rarity it is today. Another big difference was the use of substances to enhance players production, deaden their pain, or increase their longevity.

The above mentioned was definitely overlooked. I collect T206 baseball cards from the 1910s. Those guys pitched 20 to 30 complete games a season. Jack Chesbro pitched 48 complete games out of 51 en route to a 41 win season in 1904. There is no way that will ever be broken.