Comments on: Ghost runners https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/ A U.S. Webzine: 2010-2013 Thu, 21 Jun 2012 11:02:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: David https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-118 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 20:50:28 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-118 Oh, and I failed to mention the most commenly used name of all(in my family that is). In 1992 my sister Becky was having her 1st child, a boy, and she was searching for names. My suggestion at the time as a 15 year old Tigers fan was that of my favorite player at the time………..and now we have had a Cuyler Raudman in the family for 18 years…..thanks Milt, you fleet footed center fielder you.

]]> By: AVGW https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-116 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:31:57 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-116 In reply to Tim Carmody.

Maybe I should write about baseball facial hair. Le sigh :)

]]> By: Tim Carmody https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-115 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 19:26:54 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-115 In reply to David.

I have memories of ALL these players. Jim Walewander, for instance, hit his first major league home run in a game subbing for Lou Whitaker, but an adolescent fan reached over from foul to catch it and the home plate ump ruled it a foul ball. Walewander trotted around all four bases anyways.

Frank Tanana used to throw a great floater, sometimes called an ephus pitch. He was a fireballer in his twenties, a crafty lefty by the time he got to the Tigers.

Chet Lemon was a great center fielder, but ended his career in right when his wheels started to go. Nobody had up-the-middle defense/offense strength like the Tigers in the 80s (Parrish, Whitaker, Trammell, Lemon).

I met Matt Nokes at a baseball card store signing in 1988, and he was surprisingly small. He had the very bad luck of competing with a roided-up Mark McGwire in 1987, and Benny Santiago in the other league who had a better glove/arm.

One of my favorite Tigers was Nokes’s backup, Mike Heath, who also subbed as a utility infielder.

But the very best Tigers had mustaches, like 19th-century gunslingers: Dave Bergman, Tom Brookens, Willie Hernandez, Parrish, Dan Petry, Dave Rozema, Jack Morris, Gibby, Larry Herndon, Milt Wilcox, etc.

]]> By: AVGW https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-113 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:06:26 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-113 In reply to David.

Well now I’m blushing! The story is this: my brother and father made me into a hardcore sports fan, and my father taught us all to play when we were tiny-tinys. I grew up watching the Tigers and have the fuzziest memories of the 84 series (I’m 30). Maybe next week’s column should be about WHY we all love baseball?

I miss Matt Nokes, too, especially because he never got his due — he should have been Rookie of the Year, but no one gave him the love he deserved because he was a Tiger. Also, he can fly a plane!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Nokes

]]> By: David https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-112 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:58:49 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-112 Of corse i have already read your article on nicknames, I had no choice, I found myself intrigued (after reading ghost runners) as to find out exactly what the stroy was behind this woman who has the nerve to be such a big Tigers (or baseball in general) fan. The game has lost a huge number of male followers since my childhood (I am 33) let alone having some woman capture my attention so well with an article she has written about the greatest game ever played. Of course I am kidding, and I really appreciate your love and knowledge of the game. Will be reading your 3rd article soon, but maybe I’ll just save it for tomorrow so I can have something to look forward to.

P.S. I miss Matt Nokes

]]> By: AVGW https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-109 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 17:07:12 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-109 In reply to David.

Thanks for the feedback, David. I’m a professional writer by trade, hence your comment is accurate. Glad you enjoyed the piece and hope you keep coming back for more — there are a few back columns up, too, including my column last week about nicknames, and why modern players seem to be missing out on the great monikers like “The Sultan of Swat.” Would love to hear your thoughts on great baseball (and sports in general) nicknames.

Other great names of Tigers: Frank Tanana (my brother and I called him Frank Banana sometimes) and Chet Lemon (Chet Lemon Meringue Pie). Looking back, we were oddly obsessed with food, apparently.

]]> By: David https://idlermag.com/2010/09/14/rounding-third-september-14/#comment-108 Tue, 14 Sep 2010 16:00:50 +0000 http://idler-mag.com/?p=401#comment-108 love the idea of this article, as I am the self proclaimed greatest Tigers fan of all time, and enjoy very few things more than my annual contest with my little brother throwing out former Tigers names until are brains are fried. Inevitably there are always a few laughs when names like our mothers favorite Nate Snell is brought to the table always followed by a Skeeter Barnes or the duct taped windows of Jim Walewander. Its right about then that we go on a binge of throwing out names like Scott Livingston, Chris Pittaro, Torey Luvello, Mark Salas, Brian Hunter, but whats reaaly funny is how some players seem to always go back to back, like Chris Brown, and Kieth Moreland. Simply some great times, and your article brought me back to them, however, I did think some parts of this story were hard to understand, as if the writer was just trying too hard to make this blog sound way too “proffesionally written”…….the idea was great and I loved reading it, but keep it simple.

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