baseball tourist
09-06-2009, 01:00 AM
Did a little bit of junking today and found a really exciting item (for a Vancouver baseball collector like me anyway) - a 1968, Vancouver Mounties, team-signed, trophy (half) bat, mounted for display.
I have seen these before - one at Nat Bailey (formerly Capilano) Stadium in the museum area and another in the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Max, do you have one of these? If so, from what year?
The bat, a Jim Driscoll LVS, cut in half, length wise and mounted, has 24 autographs, including - Mickey Vernon, "Woody" Huyke, Steve Boros, Vern Handrahan, Bob Duliba, Wayne Norton, Gil Blanco, Ossie Chavarria, Jim Dickson, Jim Driscoll, Marcel Lachemann, Rene Lachemann, Tony LaRussa, George Lauzerique, Bob Meyer, Joe Nossek, Don O'Riley, Gerald Reimer, Richard Rowe, Ramon Webster, Don Yingling, Roberto Rodriquez
The ironic thing is that I just learned of a unique story from the '68 Mounties' season, while enjoying Max and Jennifer's hospitality, as they hosted a BBQ at their lovely home, after the most recent SABR meeting here in Vancouver.
I struck up a conversation with another visitor to the event - journalist and author, Len Corben. Len's book entitled "Instant Replay" : A Century of North Shore Sports Stories, containing 100 stories from 100 years - all from his Vancouver newspaper career -writing a North Shore Outlook column of the same name. Each story has a Vancouver, North Shore connection.
I purchased a copy of Len's book and later that weekend, read one of Len's stories about another SABR member (and guest at the BBQ) - Kit Krieger, who while working in the visiting clubhouse (and batting practice pitcher) for the Mounties in the late '60's , talked his way into starting the last game of the season for the last place Mounties, against the Hawaii Islanders. Kit, who is a great fellow in his own right, may very well be a member of this board, and as such can straighten out any errors in the story - hadn't pitched professionally before, signed a one-day contract, and started the game. Here is a recount of the event from Tom Hawthorn's Blog:(http://tomhawthorn.blogspot.com/2008/12/mickey-vernon-baseball-player-1918-2008.html)....
"In 1968, the minor-league Vancouver Mounties were suffering on the field and at the turnstile. Ernest (Kit) Krieger, the attendant for the visitors' clubhouse, convinced Mr. Vernon to allow him to take to the mound. After observing him in batting practice, the skipper agreed to the stunt. The teenager fared surprisingly well, surrendering a lone run to Hawaii before being pulled after three innings. He even recorded one strikeout. After the game, a Vancouver victory lasting just 64 minutes, the starting pitcher returned to his usual duties, including handling the soiled laundry of the players he had just faced. Mr. Krieger went on to become a high-school teacher and, eventually, president of the B.C. Teachers Federation"
I have seen these before - one at Nat Bailey (formerly Capilano) Stadium in the museum area and another in the BC Sports Hall of Fame.
Max, do you have one of these? If so, from what year?
The bat, a Jim Driscoll LVS, cut in half, length wise and mounted, has 24 autographs, including - Mickey Vernon, "Woody" Huyke, Steve Boros, Vern Handrahan, Bob Duliba, Wayne Norton, Gil Blanco, Ossie Chavarria, Jim Dickson, Jim Driscoll, Marcel Lachemann, Rene Lachemann, Tony LaRussa, George Lauzerique, Bob Meyer, Joe Nossek, Don O'Riley, Gerald Reimer, Richard Rowe, Ramon Webster, Don Yingling, Roberto Rodriquez
The ironic thing is that I just learned of a unique story from the '68 Mounties' season, while enjoying Max and Jennifer's hospitality, as they hosted a BBQ at their lovely home, after the most recent SABR meeting here in Vancouver.
I struck up a conversation with another visitor to the event - journalist and author, Len Corben. Len's book entitled "Instant Replay" : A Century of North Shore Sports Stories, containing 100 stories from 100 years - all from his Vancouver newspaper career -writing a North Shore Outlook column of the same name. Each story has a Vancouver, North Shore connection.
I purchased a copy of Len's book and later that weekend, read one of Len's stories about another SABR member (and guest at the BBQ) - Kit Krieger, who while working in the visiting clubhouse (and batting practice pitcher) for the Mounties in the late '60's , talked his way into starting the last game of the season for the last place Mounties, against the Hawaii Islanders. Kit, who is a great fellow in his own right, may very well be a member of this board, and as such can straighten out any errors in the story - hadn't pitched professionally before, signed a one-day contract, and started the game. Here is a recount of the event from Tom Hawthorn's Blog:(http://tomhawthorn.blogspot.com/2008/12/mickey-vernon-baseball-player-1918-2008.html)....
"In 1968, the minor-league Vancouver Mounties were suffering on the field and at the turnstile. Ernest (Kit) Krieger, the attendant for the visitors' clubhouse, convinced Mr. Vernon to allow him to take to the mound. After observing him in batting practice, the skipper agreed to the stunt. The teenager fared surprisingly well, surrendering a lone run to Hawaii before being pulled after three innings. He even recorded one strikeout. After the game, a Vancouver victory lasting just 64 minutes, the starting pitcher returned to his usual duties, including handling the soiled laundry of the players he had just faced. Mr. Krieger went on to become a high-school teacher and, eventually, president of the B.C. Teachers Federation"