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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Seeing Mr. Spahn's name reminds me of the emails I get from Baseball Library, about today in baseball type stuff.


A few weeks ago some writer was spouting off about how baseball players weren't heroes, how the guys who hauled a handicapped co-worker down the steps on 9-11 were heroes, but ball players weren't. How no ballplayer would compare to what those co-workers did.

I emailed the writer. (Of course, to no avail.) I suggested that before he spouts off that no baseball player has ever been a hero, that he should consider the military service record of Mr. Spahn. A Bronze Star for bravery, multiple Purple Hearts, was awarded a battlefield commission, he fought at the Battle of the Buldge.

I watched for a few days to see if the writer backpeddled any. He didn't. Not even an email. I'm afraid to check to see if he is in the BBWA so he can vote for HOF elections. I suspect he is, and that partially explains why it is such a screwed up place.


At any rate, I consider Clemens a good pitcher. Not great. But very good. I can't imagine he's among the top 100 in complete games. I'm pretty sure Cy Young is first. Johnson should be in the top ten. That Powell guy who pitched in both leagues in St. Louis finished most of his games, he should be way up there. I liked Bob Gibson, I bet he's got more complete games than Clemens... but of course Gibson was one of the great starting pitchers of all time, in my mind.