Posted By:
Ted ZanidakisOK guys, listen to some straight talk from Richie Ashburn
Andrew, you especially will like this.....Back in 1997 Richie was signing at a
Holiday Inn show in Cherry Hill, NJ. I knew he loved to engage in BB trivia;
so, I waited to the very end of the signing session so I could spend some
time talking with him.
I had him sign a color photo of him executing a perfect drag bunt. He liked
the photo as it depicted the ball on his bat at the split moment of contact.
We started talking "trivia" and I asked him how fast did go down the line to
1st base. He said he was timed at 3.0 seconds. So then, I asked him if he was
the fastest back in the '50s. He replied....No....that he and Mantle were
timed by the sportswriters, and with Mantle batting left-handed, they both
reached 1st base in exactly 3.0 secs. And then, he said that at the start of
every season the sportswriters would repeat this test. And, again they would
both reach 1st in 3.0 secs. after hitting the ball.
Richie Asburn was a real gentleman. And, I have never forgotten how truly
professional he was that day......soft-spoken, but very sincere and very
enthusiastic about everything he told me.
03-27-2006, 06:17 PM
Mantle vs Mays....Runs Produced Index
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