tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post7018498919369554821..comments2009-08-18T13:35:17.902-05:00Comments on wezen-ball.com: McLain, Mantle, and Grooving One Inlarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17314820003835656973noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-49148963504755804982009-07-09T11:08:27.294-05:002009-07-09T11:08:27.294-05:00In Mantle's book My Favorite Summer: 1956 he s...In Mantle's book <i>My Favorite Summer: 1956</i> he says that there was a catcher (I believe Joe Tipton) who loved watching him hit home runs. One day this catcher asked him what type of pitch he wanted and called for it just so he could watch Mantle hit a homer. If you count that one as illegitimate too, Mantle's still tied with Foxx.<br /><br />In that same book he talks about how he, Billy Martin and Whitey Ford were "the Three Musketeers." According to Mantle, when Martin got traded to the Athletics it just so happened that they were playing the Yankees the next day and Ford was pitching. Ford agreed to tip Martin off to a pitch as long as he promised not to hit a home run. Competitor that he was though, Martin hit a homer. I'm not sure how true this story is, since a trip to the archives reveals that Johnny Kucks was pitching for the Yankees that day, not Ford, but Martin did indeed hit a homer in that game. Perhaps Kucks agreed to tip him off?<br /><br />I think that by sharing these stories Mantle suggests that giving one's opponents a little help occasionally wasn't uncommon or considered dishonest in those days. Perhaps to some degree they viewed themselves as men playing a boy's game and were just having fun out there. I doubt any of them did that stuff in close games or ones that had a significant bearing on the pennant race.Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05881613487139006347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-30241174886995105452009-07-08T16:43:52.066-05:002009-07-08T16:43:52.066-05:00This story reminds me of Brett Favre falling at Mi...This story reminds me of Brett Favre falling at Michael Strahan's feet to give Strahan the NFL sack record back in 2002. Players are people, too, and will no doubt help their friends out from time to time. In fact, I think this story is more closely analogous to the accusations of A-Rod tipping pitches to opponents in blowouts than anything Manny supposedly did.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8308814967611371361.post-50868155419421579292009-07-08T10:08:40.484-05:002009-07-08T10:08:40.484-05:00Interesting post.
In regard to what McLain did, I...Interesting post.<br /><br />In regard to what McLain did, I have no problem with it. Mantle had done so much, and if one home run was going to make him happy after he had hit so many, then so be it. It wasn't as if he was not going to be a Hall of Famer if he didn't hit one more home run. He was a HOFer before that. All that did was put him a little higher on a list that ultimately means little considering how it measures the performances of players in different eras as if they were the same. <br /><br />But steroids could theoretically make someone a HOFer when they should have just been a pretty good player. Steroids are more than just an isolated incident. McLain and Mantle was just an isolated incident. Sure, there have been more of those, but each player is benefiting only once or twice in their careers whereas steroid users are benefiting for an unknown amount of time.<br /><br />I know you weren't going down the steroids road, but I was trying to make a point. Isolated incidents that have no bearing on winning a game, a series, or a World Series isn't a big deal. If the game were tied, I doubt McLain would have tossed the cookie. Rules are designed for a reason, but there are always exceptions. You keep the rules because they apply 99.99% of the time. <br /><br />But if a "rule-bend" affects the outcome of a game, series, or World Series, it probably is not a "rule-bend" that should be allowed. Steroids and PED's aren't innocent isolated incidents. They are a premeditated decision to affect the outcome of games, seasons, and careers.tHeMARksMiThhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16445834941960575715noreply@blogger.com