Happy 90th, Willie

[Mikey]

Tomorrow (Thursday) Willie Mays turns 90.

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/05/spor ... ys-90.html

From the time I became aware of baseball until he retired in 1973, Willie was my sports hero. The guy was like a God to Bay Area Little Leaguers in the 60s.

Plus his birthday is just two days before mine. Back in the time, the only promotional give-away day at Candlestone (that I knew of) was bat day where they gave out official Louisville Slugger Little League bats to each kid. This always happened in early May, right around Willie's birthday, so my Dad would take me and three of four friends to the bat day game. I must have had five or six of those bats by the time I got done.

[Left Seater]

Happy early birthday Willie and Mikey for that matter.

Here’s hoping baseball can get back to the 2:15 length of games when Willie came in vs the 3 hour snooze fests we have today.

[Mikey]

Happy early birthday Willie and Mikey for that matter.

Here’s hoping baseball can get back to the 2:15 length of games when Willie came in vs the 3 hour snooze fests we have today.

Thanks, and I absolutely agree. I also miss starting pitchers who can throw a complete game, at least once in a while.

On July 2, 1963, Juan Marichal pitched a 16-inning shutout against the Milwaukee Braves, outdueling Warren Spahn, who pitched 151/3 scoreless innings before Willie Mays won it 1-0 with a home run. Marichal threw 227 pitches; Spahn threw 201.

Also check out Bob Gibson's 1968 stats. He threw 13 complete game shutouts.

Don't tell me those guys weren't throwing hard.

Yeah I know...OK Boomer...

[smackaholic]

Happy early birthday Willie and Mikey for that matter.

Here’s hoping baseball can get back to the 2:15 length of games when Willie came in vs the 3 hour snooze fests we have today.

Today’s relief pitcher duels has ruined the pace of the game.

If I here one more word about pitch counts and data based micromanagement of pitcher/hitter matchups, I’ll scream.

Maybe we should go to some sort of pitcher change limitations.


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[smackaholic]

Being not quite as ancient as Mikey, my primary memories of Willie were in the Mets/As WS in 1973, the first year I started seriously following sports.

That was not a good intro.

Willie was definitely past his expiration date.

I still remember the announcers commenting how sad it was to see the greatest CFer to ever put on a glove, flub that line drive hit his way.


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[Softball Bat]

Plus his birthday is just two days before mine.

You're turning 90 on Saturday?

Congrats!

[Wolfman]

Willie and I share the same day, but mine was 1939 and I'll be 82.

[Softball Bat]

Today’s relief pitcher duels has ruined the pace of the game.

If I here one more word about pitch counts and data based micromanagement of pitcher/hitter matchups, I’ll scream.

Baseball has been ruined.
It is sad, because growing up, baseball might have been my favorite sport.
It was right on par with the NFL

"Small ball," and all the nuance that goes with it, has been eliminated from the game.

The superimposed strike zone (and speed of pitch) graphic IS A TOTAL ABORTION.
UNWATCHABLE.
Makes me ill.


The baseball lords have felt a strong need to get with the ADHD times, and they have destroyed what has always made baseball different and great.
Short-sighted, money-grubbing idiocy.

They should have embraced the fact that their sport is different.


Times change, and the time will come again when people read books, actually sit and engage in conversations with their fellow man, and enjoy the mellow flow of the national pastime marathon.

Wait, baseball is -----> gone!



I'm just too old.

[Mikey]

Plus his birthday is just two days before mine.

You're turning 90 on Saturday?

Congrats!

I’m older than I look.

But younger than I feel...

[Mikey]

Times change, and the time will come again when people read books...

I like to read and do so almost every night. But I’ll have to admit it’s mostly on a Kindle these days. Does that make me a sell-out?

It’s a lot less painful than a hardcover book when you fall asleep and drop it on your face.

[Left Seater]

Happy Birthday Wolfman!

[Softball Bat]

Plus his birthday is just two days before mine.

You're turning 90 on Saturday?

Congrats!

I’m older than I look.

But younger than I feel...

Nice!

[Kierland]

Being not quite as ancient as Mikey, my primary memories of Willie were in the Mets/As WS in 1973, the first year I started seriously following sports.

That was not a good intro.

Willie was definitely past his expiration date.

I still remember the announcers commenting how sad it was to see the greatest CFer to ever put on a glove, flub that line drive hit his way.


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How do you feel about your orange god, way past his prime (1982?), fumbling over words and barely able to walk without falling flat on his stupid face? Fuck off t r a i t o r.

[Mikey]

Some good film here.

https://www.mlb.com/video/mlb-tonight-on-willie-mays

[ML@Coyote]

I grew up in Northern California, and all the kids on my street were Giants fans. But what stands out most from my childhood memories was the Marichal/Roseboro incident. I understand now that Mays was instrumental in calming down the ensuing brawl. He was always a class act.