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Wednesday, July 01, 2020

Four to Beam Down, 3 to Beam Up

Had to explain to Matthew about what always happened to the red shirt crew member who beamed down to the planet with Kirk, Spock, and Bones.
Sneaker # 42: Nike Blazers. Been looking for a pair of all black sneakers to wear to work. GQ recommended adidas with thick soles. Liked the Puma Sampsons better. Saw these for half price and decided to give them a try. I'll swap out the green strings for black. We'll see. Still might get the Pumas for my birthday.
JOE MEDWICK  [SABR Bio] a Hall of Famer, his nicknames seem to be polar opposites. "Muscles" and "Ducky". While playing for the A-level Houston Buffaloes, Medwick acquired the nickname Ducky.  Some say it was because he waddled like a duck when he walked.  His teammates picked up on it and started calling him Ducky or even worse Ducky Wucky.  Joe detested the name, but it caught on and for years sportswriters routinely referred to him as Ducky.  Medwick much preferred to be called Muscles and induced some of his teammates to use that appellation. He is still the last National League batter to win the Triple Crown. In 1937, Medwick had 31 HR, 154 RBI & hit .374. He was once taken out of a World Series game by the Commissioner. In the 6th inning of game seven of the 1934 WS, Medwick tripled off the centerfield fence, sliding into third spikes high. Whether he deliberately spiked DET third baseman Marv Owen is up for debate. Medwick claimed Owen stomped on his leg. Still on the ground, Medwick began kicking at Owen and fisticuffs erupted. Hall of Fame umpire Bill Klem broke up the tussle with neither player ejected, but Owen ignored Medwick’s handshake offer. In the bottom of the 6th, Medwick jogged out to his position in LF and was met by a salvo of fruit and soda bottles from the Detroit fans who were already in a foul mood because the Tigers were getting beat 8-0. This is when Commissioner Landis stepped in and had Medwick removed for (A) his own safety and (B) so the final three innings of a blow-out game could resume. The Cardinals won in a walk, 11-0. It was otherwise a great Fall Classic with multiple Hall of Fame players on each side.

WALTER JOHNSON [SABR Bio] as a young pitcher, he was barraged with farm animal sounds by the opposing Detroit Tigers as he warmed up for his first major league game. He had been pitching in the low minors in Idaho, so the Tigers’ bench jockeys imitated a cow mooing and shouted, "Get your pitchfork ready, Coach, he’s headed back…" All taunting stopped after the first pitch.

Ty Cobb described his first at-bat against Johnson: I watched him take that easy wind-up—and then something went past me that made me flinch. The ball came in so fast that I wondered if he had concealed a gun on his person. I hardly saw the pitch, but I heard it. The thing just hissed with danger." Despite the jeering, Johnson fared well in his debut—but as frequently happened pitching for the usually hapless Senatorshe dropped a close one. Cobb hit .366 in his career off Johnson (120-for-328)—quite amazing considering Cobb's average against all pitchers was a career .366.  Unlike most batters, Cobb could hit Johnson’s fastball. Johnson had more career wins against the Detroit Tigers than against any other team. Johnson had 66 win vs. DET.

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