Saturday, January 19, 2008
More Lee Action
So horrible that that's the way it was back then. And still today in many places.
Other things I learned from Bill:
Roger Clemens had a homer-sexual relationship with Dave Stewart. (The pitcher, not the guy from the Eurythmics.)
It's better to play baseball than to have a fantasy team and be sedentary.
People spend too much time with their fists closed, and not enough time with them open.
"You shouldn't convict Pete Rose for betting on baseball...you should convict him for not betting on baseball."
Don't give up. Don't hang your head. You will fail. But keep trying.
Darrell Johnson, manager of the '75 Sox, "slept with his clothes on more than anybody--even John McNamara." He didn't even show up to several games that year until after they were over--coach Don Bryant ran the show.
The reason he signs his autograph with the word "Earth" comes from being called Spaceman so much.
Saying "I am a socialist" in a Knights of Columbus won't get you kicked out. On this night, anyway.
He also told one of my favorite, though disappointing, stories of all time, which I remember him telling on TV when I was little: In game two of the '75 World Series, during the rain delay, Johnny Bench said, to a television audience of millions, that when play resumed, he'd look for a slider down and away from Lee, and take it to right field. So everyone knew. Except Lee. Had anybody told him, he wouldn't have thrown that pitch. But he did. Bench doubled to right, knocking Lee out of the game, and starting the Reds' ninth inning rally that would win the game. Of course, as Lee points out, the manager shouldn't have let him sit through a rain delay and stay in the game, having just thrown eight innings.
Oh, another funny thing from that night: When Gedman was signing my ball, he saw what Lee wrote on there and asked "did you ask him to write that on there?"
My pics and description of the night are here.
Oh, and it's that time of year again. You know exactly what I'm talkin' about. The Canadian Blog Awards. Joy of Sox looks to defend his crown as best sports blog. Vote for Joy here. Round one ends Monday so get your vote in and get him to the finals. Thank you. Looks like it's one vote per round, but we Americans know a little about rigged elections, so if you can find a way to vote multiple times, go for it. At the very least, you can vote from different computers.
Comments:
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My favorite thing was when some Little League coach asked what you say to a kid who just doesn't have what it takes. And then all three of them described coaches and gym teacher who told THEM that. And Oil Can said his major league manager (who did he say, Jere?) told him to forget being a pitcher. Answer to the question: NEVER TELL A KID ANY SUCH THING. (Though Bill did add that if a kid has the drive it takes, you'll never convince him to give it up.)
Little League has too much of a History Of Playing FAVORITES, anyway, what, with the "Little League Fathers", who're the Equivalent of today's "Soccer Moms From Hell", anyway:
I knew of a Couple from East Glendale, Queens, who used their power of Exclusion, on many more talented young lassies, so their daughter could be a Cantor @ Sunday Masses;
Unfortunately in this Game Of Favoritism, their daughter sang like a Cat On A Fence, annoying people to no end. It was NOT a pretty scene.
I knew of a Couple from East Glendale, Queens, who used their power of Exclusion, on many more talented young lassies, so their daughter could be a Cantor @ Sunday Masses;
Unfortunately in this Game Of Favoritism, their daughter sang like a Cat On A Fence, annoying people to no end. It was NOT a pretty scene.
That video is priceless. For some reason, the one from your 1st post wouldn't play all the way through for me. :(
Lee is a real character, I've never seen him in such a open, non-structered environment. And I already thought Boyd was great. I'd love to see a video of that whole night!
From your post I gather Lee said something like "Don't give up. Don't hang your head. You will fail. But keep trying."
At the end of every practice my little leaguers (who I never discourage, by the way) get a "thought for the day), much to their dismay most of the time. One that I re-use every year is from Satchel Paige - "Never let your head hang down, never give up, never sit down and grieve.
Find another way." I wonder if Lee was himself inspired by that one somewhere along the line.
Paige also said "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching" and "Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines" among many other gems.
Lee is a real character, I've never seen him in such a open, non-structered environment. And I already thought Boyd was great. I'd love to see a video of that whole night!
From your post I gather Lee said something like "Don't give up. Don't hang your head. You will fail. But keep trying."
At the end of every practice my little leaguers (who I never discourage, by the way) get a "thought for the day), much to their dismay most of the time. One that I re-use every year is from Satchel Paige - "Never let your head hang down, never give up, never sit down and grieve.
Find another way." I wonder if Lee was himself inspired by that one somewhere along the line.
Paige also said "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching" and "Don't pray when it rains if you don't pray when the sun shines" among many other gems.
Wow - right AFTER I posted that last comment referring to Lee's quote and Satchel Paige, I went back and followed some of the You-tube links to other Bill Lee interviews. I REALLY like this guy. And he does mention Paige in one of those segments as being one of his all-time idols!
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