Hal Newhouser

[Peter_Spaeth]

Odd thing for Ted to say because Boston had a fine ballplayer and regular .300 hitter, Johnny Pesky, at SS through the early 50s and Ted was good friends with Pesky I believe.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Odd thing for Ted to say because Boston had a fine ballplayer and regular .300 hitter, Johnny Pesky, at SS through the early 50s and Ted was good friends with Pesky I believe.

Pardon me if I correct you....Vern Stephens was the main SS for the Red Sox (1948 - 1952). Johnny Pesky played 3rd base.

TED Z
.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by tedzan

Pardon me if I correct you....Vern Stephens was the main SS for the Red Sox (1948 - 1952). Johnny Pesky played 3rd base.

TED Z
.

I was thinking of 46, the Enos Slaughter play, when he was definitely at SS, but you're right he moved over after 47. In any case, Vern Stephens had some HUGE years for the Red Sox in that time period, 130 RBI type seasons. 1ndeed, a 159 RBI season. I doubt Rizzuto would have been an improvement notwithstanding his intangibles.

[tedzan]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

I was thinking of 46, the Enos Slaughter play, when he was definitely at SS, but you're right he moved over after 47. In any case, Vern Stephens had some HUGE years for the Red Sox in that time period, 130 RBI type seasons. 1ndeed, a 159 RBI season. I doubt Rizzuto would have been an improvement notwithstanding his intangibles.

OK, I'm guessing that you are doubting that Ted Williams said what I said he said regarding Phil Rizzuto ? ?

That's your prerogative. However, I have no reason to have "fabricated" this. I had a very friendly conversation with Ted for about an hour. He did most of the talking
and I did a lot of listening.
The subject of Rizzuto came up when I told Ted that I grew up in Hillside, NJ two blocks of where Rizzuto lived. And, I was an avid Yankees fan. Ted, then, responded
with what I said in the above post. His comment did surprise me. But, Ted elaborated on the benefits of having a very effective lead-off hitter like Rizzuto.

Yes, Stephens had a "big bat" (he batted clean-up). But trust me, Ted Williams favored Rizzuto.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[Peter_Spaeth]

I don't doubt you at all Ted. Why would I? I just said it was an odd thing for him to say, given how the Sox were very well represented at SS.

[parker1b2]

Originally Posted by tedzan

OK, I'm guessing that you are doubting that Ted Williams said what I said he said regarding Phil Rizzuto ? ?

That's your prerogative. However, I have no reason to have "fabricated" this. I had a very friendly conversation with Ted for about an hour. He did most of the talking
and I did a lot of listening.
The subject of Rizzuto came up when I told Ted that I grew up in Hillside, NJ two blocks of where Rizzuto lived. And, I was an avid Yankees fan. Ted, then, responded
with what I said in the above post. His comment did surprise me. But, Ted elaborated on the benefits of having a very effective lead-off hitter like Rizzuto.

Yes, Stephens had a "big bat" (he batted clean-up). But trust me, Ted Williams favored Rizzuto.


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

Lived on Purce St in Hillside first 3 years of my life. 1977-1979ish

[insidethewrapper]

He probably always was a hard guy to sign a licensing agreement with. He had a bad temper and was not liked by many. I couldn't imagine someone asking him for permission to be in a set and offer him a few dollars. He would balk at that. My dad ( now age 96) played against him in American Legion ball before the Tigers signed him, and he stated he was "a jerk". He would throw his mitt on the ground and stare at any player who made an error when he was pitching. He was great during the war years when many great players were not on the rosters.

[PowderedH2O]

Roy Cullenbine would have liked to have half the amount of cards that Hal Newhouser had...

[MikeGarcia]

Originally Posted by insidethewrapper

He probably always was a hard guy to sign a licensing agreement with. He had a bad temper and was not liked by many. I couldn't imagine someone asking him for permission to be in a set and offer him a few dollars. He would balk at that. My dad ( now age 96) played against him in American Legion ball before the Tigers signed him, and he stated he was "a jerk". He would throw his mitt on the ground and stare at any player who made an error when he was pitching. He was great during the war years when many great players were not on the rosters.

.
"Newhouser actually pitched pretty well in 1942 and 1943, making the All-Star game both years, but the Tigers gave him very little run support, so his W-L record suffered. And this has nothing to do with his cards, but Newhouser was one of the meanest, most disliked players in baseball during his career, with a legendary temper."

..So then we can safely assume someone else selected his 'salutation' for him ?

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