HOW TO ST AY YOL'NG
season’ I think I shall vomit on my
shoes
SATCHEL PAIGE
IP
ERA
476 .3 20
BB
183
w
2»
L SV
31 32
ER
174
H
SO
290 429
Leroy Paige w as all angles a tangling
flu id deliberate pitcher many regard as
the game s greatest He played his first
organized game in 1922 when he was
sixteen He plaved his last three
scoreless innings versus the Athletics m
1965 at the age of 59 His life and
career is the stuff of legend probably
more so than any other player IPs
prime years were spent in North
Dakota, where he lived in a boxcar and
hunted lackrabbits to leed his lam ilv
The nebulous nature of his statistics
that lifebhxxl of the game has probably
contributed more than anything to his
saga, but most researchers agree on at
least some points
Satchel Paige worked in over 2.500
ball games over roughly 43 years often
pitching 125 games a year
He won 2000
He ,h r ew an e«t<mated 250 shutouts
and 45 no hitters
He was regarded at the lime by his
peers, press, and Ians as having the
most ferocious fastball of any man
afive Time has done little to dimmish
this perception
For some twenty year* he was a solo
barn stormer advertised as Satchel
Paige. World s Greatest Pitcher
Guaranteed to Strike Out the First Nine
Men Rarely failing this he made a
nice living for himself Often he would
wave his outfielders off the field and
then strike out the side keep m mind,
this was no charade of Globetrotters
type exhibition These home low n
duels betw-een the local boys with
visions of pro contract m their
Impression era eves and the outland
hired gun. were taken very seriously
If Paige didn t perform he w as out his
fee and occasionally had to leave town
after dark via side streets
In 1934 he assembled the Satchel
Paige All-Stars W'hich included Josh
Gibson. Judy Sweet Juice Johnson
Harry Williams and Cool Papa Bell
They played high talent exhibitions
along the West Coast manv against
major league all stars and won 128
while losing 2.3 One of these games
bears mention In Hollywood Paige
was opposed by the great Dizzy Dean
who was |ust coming off a 30 7 season
and a superb World Series w ith the
Cardinals Dean w as typical, giving up
one earned run and striking out I 5 of
the Negro League s best But Paige was
unflappable shutting out the major
leaguers and fanning 17 After the
game Dizzy Dean told the crowd of
reporters that Satchel Paige was the
best pitcher in existence Bill Veeck
later said it was the greatest game he
had ever seen
In 1935. new ly signed Yankee Joe
DiMaggio was playing w ith a team of
established major league stars around
his home town of San Fransisco The
Yankees, eager to see how their bonus
baby could hi, against the best cabled
Paige in L A where he was lounging
poolside After hearing the guarantee
Paige collared bis catcher Ebel Brooks,
and headed for Oakland There he filled
out.the Paige All Stars w ith three
urriK tin to« apkil
1 Avoid fried meats which angry up
the bkxxJ
2 If your stomach disputes you lie
down and pacify it w ith cool thoughts
3 keep the juice* flowing by jangling
around gentlv as you move
4 Go very light on the vices, such as
carrying on m society The social
ramble am t restful
5 Avoid running at all times
6 Don t look back Something might be
gammg on you
Mr E A
I agree I shall hurl w ith
thee I and every other Ian who can
sleep easy secure m the knowledge ot
the difference between Sraokev Joe
Wood in 1912 and Gator Ron Guidry m
1978 This inter league play rabble
semi pros and various petrilied high-
rousing must be nipped nipped in the
schoolers He struck out 15 gave up
three hits, and lost 2 I on a wild eyed bud Money surprise1 is the motive
here but enough is enough If any of
throwing throwing error DiMaggio.
you have rime for meanmglul
iSigned i Lerov Satchel Paige
after fanning twice and fouling out.
correspondence
I
have
addresses
finally bounced a single as davlight was
With manv thanks to Richard Donovan
fading The ecstatic Yankee scouts
Mr D L of Astoria complains Why
for much information
telegram med New York DiMaggio all
does
everyone
seem
to
think
baseball
in
QUIZ. AfoSUJf 8,5» Pfl IS
we hoped he d be Hit Satch one for
Chicago
is
blue
and
w
h
ite’
The
Pale
four
Hose still do play the game
Satchel Paige had a fastball (Long
Tom), an arm saving fastball 'L ittle
Mr D L
You are absolutely correct
Tom I an up shoo, (The Barber' a tv o -
The
While
Sox
deserve better Perhaps
hump blooper and a two motion
if the Cubs dressed their players m
hesitation pitch that must have been
short pants staged a Disco Riot of two.
some epic change up But it w as Long
and tanked a World Series people
Tom that could change the laws of
w o o l! p e ru t . e them differently But
physics Biz Mackey catcher for the
seriously I thank you for the lovely
Baltimore Elite Giants recalled that
letter replete w ith visions of the
Feller Grove, and Johnson had the
wicked hop on their Iastballs that made bleachers w ith Veeck s showers and
Ruth s between inning bar A future
them great pitchers but only Satchel
column may spotlight the 59 Go go Sox
could make it disappear
in your honor One question that
Yes. disappear I ve heard about
Satchel throwing pitches that wasn t hit rusty pipe in the scoreboard at the
Comiskey’ Just where did that thing
but that never showed up in the
GO’
catchers mitt nevertheless They say
the catcher, umpire and the bat boys
BRAIN FLOGGAOE
looked all over lor that ball but it was
( b i n i c i fs a v e a
gone Now how do you account lor
Who are these guys’
th a t’
Satchel Paige fmails entered the
I ) I think III use a 3 wood here We
Major Leagues as a rookie in 1948 40
were
talkin the game’ I hit almost
plus years old and won 6 and lost I
300 life, SB leader three times and
garnering several rixikie of the year
played m five decades'
votes He was elected to the Hall of
• * ’
«
Fame m 1971. and died june 8 1982 in
2► Nice hack. Orestes I think the guy
Kansas City The chapters of this legend
bv the barbeque needs medical
are many among them dodging
attention Which reminds me ol a
Maracaibo natives w ith blow guns,
nightmare day game at Shibe Park I m
playing as the hardball champion of
going with a driver Anyway. I m lacm
Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican
this cat I can, hit w ith a paddle.
Republic and a close escape from irate
New'combe maybe Second at bat. I foul
fans armed w ith machetes, and being
one off BOOM hits a Ian. sweet old
named Long Rifle in tribal legend by
lady break? her nose Awful 1 take a
the North Dakota Sioux I haven I the
strike then one outside then he jams
time space nor inclination to elaborate
me and I loul another one off. and
on these tales but I urge you. as a fan.
BOOM I clock this little old lady one
to do so Mythology is an indicator of a
more time as she s being earned out on
culture and Baseball is no diflerent
a stretcher And get this She s the
EAT
You could do n orse than to beg;r. w ..h
wife of the sports editor for the
MORE
Leroy Satchel Paige
Bulletin1 Talk about bad in k1 Quit
COOKIES
laughin am t funny, dammit
READER MAIL
‘T“ ',“ '
3 H m using my mulligan Here s a
Mr L S of Prineville writes I don t
sob story Game 4 of the Series we re
understand why so many non dome
up 8 0. I lose two balls m the sun. one
teams still play on turf, when so many
to Cochrane then one to some two year
plavers are suffering tu rf related
man named Mule, which ends up a
injuries With all that money in long
three run inside the park homer
term contracts is this wise’
Mr L S - The baseball heirarchy
never professed to be wise, or even
near a clue when it came to its butter
(the fans being ns bread) Artificial
tu rf causes and aggravates injuries,
changes the basics of our game and is
an aesthetic abdommation Fake grass
in baseball’ Why aren t we rioting in
the streets’
The Royals and the Cardinals have at
least a half ass explanation The Party
L in e -- Our clubs have a diverse
geographical fan base w ith families
coming from many miles We can t
afford ram outs
Look at the victims
Jackson Wilson. Oquendo. Davis, and
soon Who can afford th is’
Mr E A of Hillsboro queries Why
the constant meddling? Now we must
have mterleague play based on
regional considerations’ My Dodgers
plaving the Angels during the regular
41 Any (4 you guys seen my ba ll’ My
onlv claim to lame is the Giants traded
Willie Mavs for me
Cinnamon Rolls.
Pizza by the Sbca,
Muhin# Espresso,
and Cookies
:
230 N HEMLOCK
Ph. 436-2832
y
ARPENTRY
j im w e a t m e r s
5> I can two putt for a birdie here
Not bad for a Texas boy who went 3 for
4 pinch hitting in the Series to set a
record
Opening Day is April 5 Support your
favorite team If you don t have one
get one If you have doubts, talk to
Billy He w ill be happy to tell you why
Baseball is one of the finest things of
any summer Good luck, and Play Ball'
436*1885
t i c I N ( ( O BO M O FO -M #
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