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Eugene Church · 06-29-2019, 11:43 AM

I grew up in the 50s... and really got into baseball... I knew the starting lineups and pitching rotations for all 16 teams (thank goodness, there was no free agency, so the rosters didn't change much year-to-year).

I also was an expert on the Southern Association...knew all the lineups and pitching rotations... lived in New Orleans and Mobile... followed the Pelicans and Bears in the newspaper and also attended games at Pelican Stadium and Hartwell Field... for three years was a clubhouse boy and ball boy down the right field line in Mobile (wow, lucky me... got paid a dollar a game)... got to know future MLB players Gary Bell, Bill Dailey, Dick Brown, Don Demeter and Gordy Coleman pretty well.

One night I got to be the visiting team batboy... didn't know it then, but I got to talk with future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew prior to each at bat... really was a quiet nice guy... Gary Bell was on the mound... he and Bill Dailey are my all-time favorite Mobile Bears... Bell fanned 18 batters that night... he got Killebrew the first three times on strikes... as he was getting ready to face Bell a fourth time, Killebrew asked, "Danny, what do you think I'm going to do this time"... I just shrugged my shoulders, not knowing what to say... Killebrew said, "I'm gonna get three quick swings and call it a night."... Bell struck him out a fourth time... the Cleveland Indians called Bell up the next day and he began a solid 12-year career in the Majors.

Gary Bell made the AL All-Star team four times... posted a 121-117 record in his career with a 3.68 ERA... played 1958 to 1969.

Sadly, I just saw my good buddy has now passed away at the age of 82... I hadn't heard until I looked up his record in the Baseball-Reference.

Also followed the Pacific Coast League, American Association, International League and Texas League, but not in detail... could only follow them in The Sporting News... and I was aware of the other minor leagues in Class A, B, C and D.

This was a very special period in my life... that's why I also play 1950s style baseball.

06-29-2019, 11:43 AM	#18
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,876	I grew up in the 50s... and really got into baseball... I knew the starting lineups and pitching rotations for all 16 teams (thank goodness, there was no free agency, so the rosters didn't change much year-to-year). I also was an expert on the Southern Association...knew all the lineups and pitching rotations... lived in New Orleans and Mobile... followed the Pelicans and Bears in the newspaper and also attended games at Pelican Stadium and Hartwell Field... for three years was a clubhouse boy and ball boy down the right field line in Mobile (wow, lucky me... got paid a dollar a game)... got to know future MLB players Gary Bell, Bill Dailey, Dick Brown, Don Demeter and Gordy Coleman pretty well. One night I got to be the visiting team batboy... didn't know it then, but I got to talk with future Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew prior to each at bat... really was a quiet nice guy... Gary Bell was on the mound... he and Bill Dailey are my all-time favorite Mobile Bears... Bell fanned 18 batters that night... he got Killebrew the first three times on strikes... as he was getting ready to face Bell a fourth time, Killebrew asked, "Danny, what do you think I'm going to do this time"... I just shrugged my shoulders, not knowing what to say... Killebrew said, "I'm gonna get three quick swings and call it a night."... Bell struck him out a fourth time... the Cleveland Indians called Bell up the next day and he began a solid 12-year career in the Majors. Gary Bell made the AL All-Star team four times... posted a 121-117 record in his career with a 3.68 ERA... played 1958 to 1969. Sadly, I just saw my good buddy has now passed away at the age of 82... I hadn't heard until I looked up his record in the Baseball-Reference. Also followed the Pacific Coast League, American Association, International League and Texas League, but not in detail... could only follow them in The Sporting News... and I was aware of the other minor leagues in Class A, B, C and D. This was a very special period in my life... that's why I also play 1950s style baseball. Last edited by Eugene Church; 06-29-2019 at 12:20 PM.