June Pick Ups

[CobbSpikedMe]

Hi Brian,

I love the 1967 Punch Outs, nice Mays examples and congrats on completing the variations.

[profholt82]

I stumbled across this one recently on the ebays by happenstance. Being of Hungarian descent myself, I've always had a soft spot for Mr. Hrabosky. And when I saw that he actually signed this one as "The Mad Hungarian," I just had to have it.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by profholt82

I stumbled across this one recently on the ebays by happenstance. Being of Hungarian descent myself, I've always had a soft spot for Mr. Hrabosky. And when I saw that he actually signed this one as "The Mad Hungarian," I just had to have it.

I always liked Al as a pitcher, but puzzled about his monikering himself as "Hungarian," since his surname seems to me to be closer to Ukrainian. But, eastern European borders being what they were for more than a century or two, I guess anyone in this country can identify with any country they wish to regardless of linguistic categorizations.

[profholt82]

Originally Posted by Volod

I always liked Al as a pitcher, but puzzled about his monikering himself as "Hungarian," since his surname seems to me to be closer to Ukrainian. But, eastern European borders being what they were for more than a century or two, I guess anyone in this country can identify with any country they wish to regardless of linguistic categorizations.

Perhaps he's Hungarian on his mother's side.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

We had Al along with Ferguson Jenkins this past March for one of the events celebrating our Historic Baseball Trail in Hot Springs. Both were perfect gentlemen and great representatives of the game. Al signed every item with the "Mad Hungarian" tag.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by profholt82

Perhaps he's Hungarian on his mother's side.

Yeah, quite possibly, but what seems more likely to me is a similar misapprehension in other immigrant families from eastern Europe. At the end of the 19th century, a lot of small countries were subsumed under the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and their citizens, regardless of actual ethnicity, were all lumped together as "Austro-Hungarians." As a kid, I had the false notion that my grandfather was "Hungarian," and it wasn't until well into adulthood that I learned from research he was a Ukrainian speaking Rusyn from another part of the "Empire." "Hrabosky" is from an eastern slavic root word, "hrab-," meaning "brave" or "related to brave," whereas the Hungarian language is Finno-Ugric and not slavic. I apologize for the pedantry and would not have hijacked the thread if June were not now over.