Interesting article: back in the day model Christie Brinkley was enlisted by the Pinnacle baseball card company to take pictures of players for a special set of cards, including Chipper, Maddux, Klesko, Justice, and others.
GERMANY SCHAEFER [SABR Bio] was the Cubs’ third-baseman the very first time Tinker - to - Evers - to - Chance manned their famous positions together Saturday, 13-Sep-1902. According to a teammate, he once did much, MUCH more than just merely “calling his shot“. According to Davy Jones, Schaefer melodramatically predicted his pinch-hit, game-winning walk-off HR on 24-Jun-1906. Jones immortalized the tale in the seminal baseball book The Glory of Their Times like this: “Germany announced to the crowd: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, you are now looking at Herman Schaefer, better known as “Herman the Great”, acknowledged by one and all to be the greatest pinch-hitter in the world. I am now going to hit the ball into the left field bleachers. Thank you.’” Facing Chicago’s ace lefty Doc White, Schaefer proceeded to hit the first pitch into the left field bleachers for a game-winning homer. As he made his way around the diamond, Germany is said to have slid into every base, announcing his progress as if it were a horse race as he went around: “Schaefer leads at the half!” and so on. After hook-sliding into home, he popped up, doffed his cap, bowed, and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, this concludes this afternoon’s performance. I thank you for your kind attention.” Newspaper accounts of the game confirm the dramatic baseball details but only some of the fanciful embellishments offered by Jones.
Unlike most in his era, Schaefer smiled in almost every picture. He was one of the few who befriended the young rookie Ty Cobb. Teammates in Detroit in 1905, Cobb hit .238 during his abbreviated rookie campaign while Germany stroked .244. Cobb didn’t have many close friends on his own team, but the fun-loving and hard-playing Schaefer was one of the few. In a caption under Schaefer’s photo in Cobb’s 1961 autobiography, Cobb writes, “…He was my teammate and a great pal.” Schaefer is the only player to steal first base.
Weekend: we were dog-sitters. Anna went to Highlands NC for a pre-wedding event with friends. W&MC went to St. Augustine, where they didn’t get out much. Barney and Okie enjoyed their time together. They rarely wrestle any more.
Friday night Ceil cooked spaghetti, and tossed a salad. Watched a movie about the life of Christian singer Jeremy Camp, whose first wife died of cancer at the age of 23.
Saturday morning I stayed upstairs cleaning and dusting until 11:30 am. Did laundry and packed the car with items for Goodwill. Black bean quesadillas for supper.
On-line Sunday School and worship. We were watching Louie Giglio, who as usual was wearing a black t-shirt. Louie was waving his hands as he preached, and I noticed he had a hole in his right underarm. I think the camera people saw it as well, because every time he started to wave his arms the close-up would be swapped out for a more distant shot.
Fixed black bean quesadillas for lunch. Later W&MC picked up Okie. Pork tenderloin for supper, with baked potato medallions and tossed salad.
Forgot to watch the celebrity golf tourney at Lake Tahoe. Smoltz came close, but time after time his birdie putts just missed.
Braves announced they will not change their name. Good for them. Not so sure about the chop. Tonight the Braves intersquad game will be televised.
Taking two more vacation days tomorrow and Wednesday. Our customer is taking their two week shutdown two weeks early. Hopefully we can continue to get more old stuff cleared out at home.
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