OT Home Run Derby

[71buc]

Originally Posted by Bestdj777

Glad you posted. Would love to watch these. Love the corresponding cards as well.

Hank Aaron wins the competition and Mantle gets the cover of the DVD?

[corey dean]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Hank Aaron wins the competition and Mantle gets the cover of the DVD?

It isn't a round robin type tournament where one person is named the eventual winner. Instead, each week, the leading HR leader, (or one of the HR leaders) from each league compete head to head to win $2,000....the loser gets $1,000. The winner each week comes back to following week. Maybe a comparable comparison are current game shows. Like Jeopardy for instance, you keep playing until you lose. Aaron does go on a six week run tho. Volume 2 has Aaron on the cover. Volume 3 has Mays.

It's neat to see them up close and listen to them talk and see some of their mannerisms. Killebrew is a big boy, looks like he's been tossing pigs and cows around on a farm somewhere. Aaron looks real tiny, I guess you see most athletes today and just expect that they are all and have been huge and Aaron is just this tiny guy.

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by corey dean

It's neat to see them up close and listen to them talk and see some of their mannerisms. Killebrew is a big boy, looks like he's been tossing pigs and cows around on a farm somewhere. Aaron looks real tiny, I guess you see most athletes today and just expect that they are all and have been huge and Aaron is just this tiny guy.

One of the biggest surprises on visiting the Hall of Fame years ago was how small Aaron's 1974 (715th homer) jersey was. I was shocked and just kept staring at it!! It didn't look like a midget's (little person's?) uniform or anything, but it was noticeably small to me.

You nailed it. In our heads, these guys are all huge.

[Vintagevault13]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

One of the biggest surprises on visiting the Hall of Fame years ago was how small Aaron's 1974 (715th homer) jersey was. I was shocked and just kept staring at it!! It didn't look like a midget's (little person's?) uniform or anything, but it was noticeably small to me.

You nailed it. In our heads, these guys are all huge.

I believe his playing weight was around 180 pounds. This makes his accomplishments, especially the HR numbers, all the more impressive.

[brian1961]

I'm a native of the suburbs of Chicago, and Ernie Banks was our guy.

I looked it up. Ernie's playing weight was also only 180 pounds, and he stood 6' to 6'1". He would never be considered a hefty slugger. He was downright slender.

He had a great period of home run productivity until back problems sidelined him.

Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse used to comment once in a while about Ernie's wrists. I guess they were pretty remarkable.

Maybe it's a silly reference, but I remember the Hartland Statue company making Ernie comparatively small compared to most of the others.

Still, Mr. Aaron won the Derby, and deservedly so. I think there's a pretty good entry on the show in Wikipedia.

[the 'stache]

Hank Aaron was only 6' 180 lbs. He dispels the belief that only big guys can hit a lot of home runs. A great eye, great bat speed, and great mechanics make for great power hitters.

Or, if you're the Mick, you take all those things, and add in shoulders that could carry lower Manhattan, and forearms that look Popeye after eating his spinach.

ESPN/ESPN classic runs these occasionally, and if I see one of the episodes playing, I stop what I am doing, and watch.

Oh, how I wish this show existed earlier. How I'd have loved watching Ralph Kiner, Mel Ott, Ted Williams et all participate.

[Bestdj777]

Originally Posted by 71buc

Hank Aaron wins the competition and Mantle gets the cover of the DVD?

Well, no point in watching it now that I know how it ends