Sunday, January 18, 2015

The Dog Days Of Winter...Pitchers And Catchers Report In Less Than A Month!

TheSolsticeIsAMonthInTheRearView
WindowVille


Don't know about you but these days spring training is on my mind.

For all kinds of reasons, including the chance to get a free breakfast from the Colorado Rockies.

Seriously though, one of the things I love about going to spring training, Cactus League division, is heading out to the minor league camps to watch all the old guys/stars from days gone by hanging around the orange groves doing stuff like hitting fungos into the high desert sun and throwing batting practice gopher balls from behind wire mesh screens.

****

Speaking of old guys....

Here's Luke Appling hitting a quasi-legitimate big league home run during a 1982 old timers game at JFK Stadium in Washington off of Warren Spahn.

The kicker here is that Mr. Appling was 75 years young at the time.





________
The irony?....During a big-league career that spanned 21 seasons Appling only hit 45 home runs, total... His best year was eight.
The take home message?...As a young man (i.e. during his playing days) Appling was known as 'Old Aches And Pains' because he was always complaining about this or that minor ailment...Ha!


.

1 comment:

Sd said...

Me to! May be going down to see some games and watch student doctor son at work in Chandler. Retirement (with a pension) is getting good!