March Pick-Ups

[Volod]

Originally Posted by theseeker

The Cubs desperately were looking for a solution to their only weakness, CF, throughout the '69 season. They traded Brock because they felt the only position he could play was LF, manned by sweet swinging Billy Williams.

Typical shortsighted Cubbie thinking. As Bill James would later show, Brock's offensive contributions, as one of the games greatest leadoff hitters, in that stacked lineup would have more than made up for his notoriously weak arm, while playing CF. Besides Williams could have moved to 1B with Brock sliding over to LF after Banks retired.

Yet, the '69 season is still looked upon with fondness for Cubs fans despite the August collapse. Growing up in suburban Chicago, that season is my first sports memory. I've managed to collect a insane hoard of memorabilia from that season since then-- the Jewel picture set, mugs, 8x10 autos........everything except for those cheesy facsimile autograghed balls they sold at Wrigley Field. I bought several on Ebay being sold as 1969 balls that ended up being 1967, 1970, 1971

Right, still have poignant memories of that '69 folderoo season. As a college student in Indiana and a Cubs fan since they hired Durocher, was waiting for WS ticks to be published so i could drive up and watch a couple games in Wrigley. Man, was i bummed when they collapsed - especially when the gd Mets jumped over the corpse. I believe Brock nursed a grudge against the Cubs, maybe thought they didn't give him a good chance. Recall him during '69 sneering at them and blasting Santo for that "bush-league" trick he had of clicking his heels after a Cubs win.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by Volod

Right, still have poignant memories of that '69 folderoo season. As a college student in Indiana and a Cubs fan since they hired Durocher, was waiting for WS ticks to be published so i could drive up and watch a couple games in Wrigley. Man, was i bummed when they collapsed - especially when the gd Mets jumped over the corpse. I believe Brock nursed a grudge against the Cubs, maybe thought they didn't give him a good chance. Recall him during '69 sneering at them and blasting Santo for that "bush-league" trick he had of clicking his heels after a Cubs win.

Brock has a grudge against the Cubs to this day, you would think that he would grateful about being traded away by them. To be fair to John Holland, he did pull the trigger on some very good trades for the Cubs, Fergie Jenkins with the Phillies, Randy Hundley and Bill Hands with the Giants, Larry Jackson with the Cardinals, drafting Glenn Beckert from the Red Sox, but his legacy will always be the Lou Brock trade.

[ALR-bishop]

Cliff---I was unaware Brock had hard feelings towards the Cubs. How has that been demonstrated ? Given his subsequent successes it would seem petty for him to carry some grudge against the Cubs....other than the feeling any Cardinal fan harbors about them

Some of my favorite baseball games over the years were Cub/Cardinals games. I attended games in all 3 "Bush" stadiums.. And despite the rivalry I don't recall any real ugly incidents such as occurred in the LA/SF game not long back.

And, before Harry went over to the dark side we once had both he and Jack Buck doing games

[Robextend]

Thanks Al!

A couple Sterling Sports pickups:

[jb217676]

Nice cards Rob! Here's a Boggs RC.

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by ALR-bishop

Cliff---I was unaware Brock had hard feelings towards the Cubs. How has that been demonstrated ? Given his subsequent successes it would seem petty for him to carry some grudge against the Cubs....other than the feeling any Cardinal fan harbors about them

Some of my favorite baseball games over the years were Cub/Cardinals games. I attended games in all 3 "Bush" stadiums.. And despite the rivalry I don't recall any real ugly incidents such as occurred in the LA/SF game not long back.

And, before Harry went over to the dark side we once had both he and Jack Buck doing games

Granted the pictured article is from 1977, but this is an excerpt from an article written July 14, 2010 in Chicago Sports Memories: ' "If I'd been here [in Chicago]," Brock later said, "the Cubs would have won the pennant in '68 and '69." He was being immodest, but he was probably right. '

[ALR-bishop]

Thanks for posting that Cliff

[Volod]

Yes, great reading - the old rotating coach system, what an innovative stroke of genius. Can't recall who those guys were - was Charlie Grimm on that staff?

[ALR-bishop]

He sure was a imposing figure on his 1960 Topps card

[Cliff Bowman]

Originally Posted by Volod

Yes, great reading - the old rotating coach system, what an innovative stroke of genius. Can't recall who those guys were - was Charlie Grimm on that staff?

He was, but he was never the "head coach" under that system. There were twenty four coaches during the "College of Coaches" experiment from 1961 through 1965, with six of them being "head coach" at various times.

[Volod]

Originally Posted by Cliff Bowman

Brock has a grudge against the Cubs to this day, you would think that he would grateful about being traded away by them. To be fair to John Holland, he did pull the trigger on some very good trades for the Cubs, Fergie Jenkins with the Phillies, Randy Hundley and Bill Hands with the Giants, Larry Jackson with the Cardinals, drafting Glenn Beckert from the Red Sox, but his legacy will always be the Lou Brock trade.

....no Frank Lane was he. Now let me sob in my beer about trades made from my local team by the Trader. Trying to think of one that actually helped - someone other than the Yankees, that is.