While reading the various obituaries about former ballplayer and Cleveland broadcaster Mike Hegan, I kept thinking they omitted one of the great trivia questions; in 1973 who was the last player that made the final out in the original Yankee Stadium? Mike Hegan a fly ball to CF.
Mike Hegan, left, and his father, Jim, at spring training in 1962 Associated Press
Growing-up near Yankee Stadium afforded me the opportunity to hang out there and get ball [players (almost all would sign) autographs as they walked to the stadium from the, subway, their cars and [1]The Concourse Plaza. I remember those days and have some stories about a few encounters, but Jerry Colman was one of the good guys and would sign and sign gain. There was the usual small group of us that showed up most days, and after awhile the players would recognize you, and Jerry was one that not only recognizes you but also talk to you.
With his active career over I encounter Jerry Coleman in the 1958-59 again, back then for a few years the Yankees would bring up their triple A farm team from Richmond VA and have them workout on the ball field that is now 161 Street Garage. Living just up the hill from the ball field where we played baseball everyday, word spread the Yankees farm team was working out there. I cannot say how kids showed up, but it was a lot. Out of that sea of kids like me Jerry Coleman called me over and let me be the back up batboy told me, be alert, and do not get hurt. I can still see talking to me dressed so neatly and wearing brown and white loafers…
[1] APA: Concourse Plaza Hotel – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concourse_Plaza_Hotel The hotel was located within walking distance of Yankee Stadium, which was home to baseball’s New York Yankees and (until 1976) football’s New York Giants. Many star players from the home teams – including Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris of the Yankees and Frank Gifford of the Giants – stayed at the Concourse Plaza, and visiting players would also stay at the hotel.[2][3]Yankees Second baseman Horace Clarke was reportedly the last Yankees player to make the hotel his in-season residence during the 1960s and early 1970s.
On this day in 1974 Rheingold Beer announces it will close its Brooklyn-based plant. As a result, the brewery will be forced to end its 13-year relationship with the Mets as the team’s primary radio-TV sponsor.
This was my dad’s beer, and it got me into trouble big time once. Not because I was drinking under-age but because that empty bottle was worth a nickel. In the late 1950’s, the summer, I was 10 years old I started saving my allowance to buy tickets, to sit in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium, price of admission fifty-cents. One-time I needed one more nickel for a ticket and, sitting in the refrigerator was dad’s almost full quart bottle of Rheingold beer. Thinking dad would not notice I poured it down the drain and with that nickel in hand off to the game I went. That night at dinner dad asked “what happened to his beer”, mom did not drink beer, my older brother was at camp, and my sister was eight. Knowing I was in trouble I confessed that I poured it out for the deposit on the bottle. Next came “why”, and my answer only made it worst I needed to buy a ticket to see the Yankees. Dad always a calm man, told me I was too young to be going to Yankee Stadium alone, pulled my allowance of 25-cents a week for the remainder of the summer.
BALLPARK PRINTS 