Gaylord Perry died this AM @ 84

[Cobra Mgr]

I told this forum before how he was one of my favorite players when I was growing up. Cause he was from my hometown of Williamston, NC. I actually got to meet him when I was about 10 or 11. Cause he was at the corner gas station near my apartment. I pedaled my bike back home in a flash to find something to get his autograph with. I was so excited because he was the first famous person I ever got to speak too.

Gaylord Perry gone @ 84.

[Ty Cobb]

"Three hundred wins is nothing to spit at."

Was there ever a better line delivered at a HOF induction speech?

Rest in peace, Gaylord...

[zappa1]

I loved his remark about putting a man on the moon before he hit his first homerun.
RIP. His brother, Jim, wasn't too bad a pitcher, either.

[monkeyman576]

Between 1973 and 1975 he gave up 87 home runs but still gave up but still won 57 games.

[Syd Thrift]

I poured out a jar of Vaseline for him.

I do have to say, I’ve never quite understood why guys like him are seen as rascals and a fun part of the game whereas Bonds is considered a world class jerk for cheating his own particular way. I’m at a point to where I personally don’t think much of Bonds but I don’t really think much of Perry either. Bonds at least cheated in a way that wasn’t occasionally disgusting.

[Amazin69]

I'd argue that pumping chemicals into your body is far more "disgusting" than possibly having a dab of Vaseline here and there.

Of course, what I really hate Bonds for is the armor, which let him take a "stance" where his hands were literally in the strike zone, without fear of (IMO justified) retaliation. But that may be another discussion.

Never forget, the Mets saved Gaylord's career. If we hadn't kept battling and battling in that 22-inning game in 1964, he wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to show what he had discovered. (Or so the story goes…)

[Syd Thrift]

The league should have cracked down on the body armor, it’s true. They also took waaay too long to crack down on plate collisions, but is it cheating if the league outright lets you do it?

I find rubbing Vaseline that you hid in your armpits on baseballs to be pretty damn gross, a lot grosser than juicing (which, at least I don’t have to look at the syringe marks when he plays). YMMV I guess…

[mytreds]

Originally Posted by Amazin69

I'd argue that pumping chemicals into your body is far more "disgusting" than possibly having a dab of Vaseline here and there.

Of course, what I really hate Bonds for is the armor, which let him take a "stance" where his hands were literally in the strike zone, without fear of (IMO justified) retaliation. But that may be another discussion.

Never forget, the Mets saved Gaylord's career. If we hadn't kept battling and battling in that 22-inning game in 1964, he wouldn't have gotten the opportunity to show what he had discovered. (Or so the story goes…)

Again, modern players wear arm guards, leg guards, knee guards, elbow guards, face guards, ankle guards……really don’t know why you’re complaining about Bonds.

He stood there over the plate his entire career. If you had watched him you’d know.

RIP Gaylord Perry

[Syd Thrift]

I personally probably have a greater disdain for the body armor than for the steroids, weirdly enough. I think it’s possible to take ROIDS in moderation and if anything they are a net enhancement. Also, I think people greatly overestimate what steroids can do for you. In the context of working out they allow you to come back from injury and fatigue more quickly. Right now I’m trying to transition from a 3 day to a 4 day workout and I haven’t been able to because my glutes and hams are just plain not recovering quickly enough (I’ll figure it out eventually with lower weights and the fact that I won’t be working “new” body parts). If I took steroids, they’d bounce back quicker. Bonds, whatever else you might say about him, had an absolutely insane workout regimen. Multiple major leaguers, successful ones at that, tried to join him but couldn’t keep up (Game of Shadows mentions Gary Sheffield in particular).

This is also a big thing for guys coming back from injury and I for one would love it if there could be an exemption for guys in that situation. Who wants a guy’s career to be defined by injuries he sustained?

The body armor stuff changed the way the game was played. I’m not super big on pitchers throwing at guys but it served a purpose and when the umps aren’t making no-calls when a guy leans into a pitch (by the letter of the law you have to make an effort to get out of the way), the inside strike stopped being a thing for a while. The game has since limited the use of that stuff and with it the inside strike has returned. Here, too, I’m not giving this as a reason Bonds should be out of the Hall, but it’s a thing that made me dislike him.