Somewhat Succinct, “STICKING” One In There vs Systemic Racism, However, This Is About Coincidences And Children– I Have Mucho Of The Former, None Of The Latter

Somewhat succinct, I start with the up and coming Oakland A’s (Jackson, Rudi, Bando and Campaneris among others are in the lineup) at Boston vs the Red Sox, on June 15, 1969. A human walk on the moon (Had “Blue Moon” Odom arrived on the A’s scene yet?) was 5 weeks away.

Here’s the “STICK IT,” On the superb podcast “Renegades” with Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen, Bruce asks how a country that sent a human to the moon could be so deep in and guilty of systemic racism?!!

A superb broadcaster, Ken Coleman asks Johnny Pesky, known more as the Red Sox shortstop, about an aspect of playing third base, which Pesky did and in fact did so in the fateful last two games of the 1949 season when the Yankees won both to win their 15th A.L. Pennant, the first of 5 straight, 14 in 16 seasons with the first 5 also culminating with subsequent World Series wins.

After the third base reference, I think of my interview with Phil Rizzuto, a great and certainly key member of those Yankees’ teams, that I conducted at his charity golf event, not long after the Red Sox ended an 86 year title drought.

Phil assured me he was “cool” with the likes of John Pesky, who was on the field, that title clinching night in St. Louis at age 85, and the Red Sox, finally winning it all.

It was not long after on the referenced June 1969 telecast, that Mr. Pesky cited his old teammate Billy Goodman, Phil Rizzuto and the White Sox’ Nelson Fox, as being superb bat manipulators.

It was also the day of the  Father/Son Game that June day at Fenway and Dick “Ducky” Schofield, who was in the 17th of his 19 big league seasons and the Bo Sox shortstop, has a son who impressed in the game.

He is Dick Schofield, who went on to a 13 year big league career, that included a one out hit to right that sent Rob Wilfong (how easily Mr. Wilfong could have been an Angels’ hero that fateful game 5 Sunday afternoon in 1986 at Anaheim!!) to third, as the potential pennant winning run, this after the much discussed and to me Shakespearian/Tragic “all it encompasses,” Dave Henderson 2RHR off Donnie Moore, that transformed the Red Sox situation from being one strike away from a 5 game ALCS loss into a 1 run top, of the 9th lead.

Finally Ken informs the audience that Carl Yastrzemski Jr. who was known as Mike, told him that the man called “Yaz,” his father, the great player, Carl Yastrzemski, was his favorite.

Pesky and Ken Coleman praise his swing. He played in the minor leagues and sadly died at age 43. His son Mike is currently playing for the San Francisco Giants.

Imagine, it is Saturday into Sunday, the coincidences and no children. Those of you who do have children, please, despite any angst or worse, appreciate that you do have them. That goes double regarding parents!!

 

John Pesky, often called “Mr. Red Sox,” pictured above