Mr. Erskine was among the nicest baseball players I have ever met. A kind gentleman.
He spoke at the Pee Wee Reese chapter of SABR, Mr. Reese was there, along with Ed Stevens. Ed was the Dodgers' first baseman in 1946. Mr. Rickey asked Ed about playing in Montreal in1947, because Jackie Robinson was going to be with Brooklyn in 1947. Ed knew that. But Ed thought that Jackie would be at 2nd base... Mr. Rickey explained that for the first year, Jackie would be at first, so as to avoid potential problems with collisions during double plays, force plays, and stolen bases. Mr. Rickey promised Ed he'd be back in Brooklyn at first base in 1948. Ed played in Montreal, and at the end of the season Rickey sold him and another player to the Pirates. That day, talking about that, everyone paying attention could tell that Ed remained disappointed in that.
Mr. Erskine's book Tales from the Dodgers Dugout was a fun read for me. Well written, and well remembered.
Erskine, Reese, and Stevens... they were ballplayers, kind gentlemen, and ballplayers.
|