Phil Rizzuto has died!

[RoLo]

Tuesday 2:15pm

Phil Rizzuto lived across the street from my brother George in Hillside, New Jersey (Westminster section).

Moments ago the press was over at my brother's house asking him a barrage of questions about his neighbor Phil.

When I was young boy living in Hillside, NJ (during the 50s), there were "THREE" New York baseball teams:

New York Yankees (Yankee Stadium) - Brooklyn Dodgers (Ebbets Field) - New York Giants (Polo Grounds).

I've been to all of them of course, but I was a dyed-in-the-wool New York Yankees fan.

When the Dodgers and Giants pulled out of New York I stopped following baseball.

Phi Rizzuto was a little Yankee nicknamed "Scooter" for his ability to steal bases. He was the uncontested greatest Shortstop

in baseball, and for all I know, he may still hold that title. The Scooter played alongside the greatest Yankee team ever,

Just for kicks, I'm going to try to re-create the Yankee team of the 50s (any help is welcome):

JOE DIMAGGIO Center Fielder

PHIL RIZZUTO Shortstop

YOGI BERRA Catcher

HANK BAUER ?

JERRY COLEMAN First Baseman

JOHNNY MIZE ?

GENE WOODLING ?

VIC RASCHII Pitcher

ALLEY REYNOLDS Pitcher

BOB PORTERFIELD Pitcher

WHITEY FORD Pitcher

ELSTON HOWARD

MICKEY MANTLE Center Fielder

BILLY MARTIN Second Baseman

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

QUOTE FROM ROLOPhi Rizzuto was a little Yankee nicknamed "Scooter" for his ability to steal bases.  He was the uncontested greatest shortstop  

in baseball, and for all I know, he may still hold that title

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO BREAK THIS TO YOU   EVER HEARD OF OZZIE SMITH   greatest ss, hands down

However Mr.Rizzuto was a great short  and a wonderful announcer,, coming form a Met fan 8-)

[RoLo]

Muddy,

During the mid-50s (I was about 12 years old), Phil Rizzuto was the greatest shortstop throughout HIS era in baseball.

What came later is a whole other ballgame.

BTW: Ozzie Smith was born in 1954, so if he made the Big Time by 1959, he was only 5 years old!

                                         

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

ROGER I have to ammend my statement , as I was just reminded the greatest Short Stop of all times was a Chicago cub named Ernioe Banks then comes Ozzie Smith I STAND CORRECTED

PS ROGER  I AM IN BROOKLYN AND IT JUST CAME AS A BULLETIN ON TV it is a sad day MR>RIZZUTO did pass away in a nursing home in N>J> my prayers of thanks for his presence in my favorite sport and sympathy for his family, and teamates

[RiskKid.]

From another Yankee fan, I remember him most as an anouncer "that ball is going, going, going.....its GONE". I of course know he was a great Yankee SS but in the early 60's (when I was 8 - 12 years old) I remember many nights listening to him on my transistor radio while in bed......and my folks only thought I was going to sleep! He will be missed....he may not have been the greatest announcer but he was my favorite.

[RiskKid.]

Here's a call He announced that will bring a smile to some of us old timers given all whats happening today.....kind of a blast back to times that may have at least been perceived as more innocent:

"Here's the windup, fastball, hit deep to right, this could be it! Way back there! Holy cow, he did it! Sixty-one for Maris! And look at the fight for that ball out there! Holy cow, what a shot! Another standing ovation for Maris, and they're still fighting for that ball out there, climbing over each other's backs. One of the greatest sights I've ever seen here at Yankee Stadium!"

[RoLo]

Here's a call He announced that will bring a smile to some of us old timers given all whats happening today.....kind of a blast back to times that may have at least been perceived as more innocent:

"Here's the windup, fastball, hit deep to right, this could be it! Way back there! Holy cow, he did it! Sixty-one for Maris! And look at the fight for that ball out there! Holy cow, what a shot! Another standing ovation for Maris, and they're still fighting for that ball out there, climbing over each other's backs. One of the greatest sights I've ever seen here at Yankee Stadium!"

That's Too Kool 8-)

I can't remember Maris's first name, I keep forgetting it ;D

Roger

[MitchIsFishin]

Muddy, glad you're here, but I HAVE to correct you on something. I've seen Luis Aparicio play, Ozzie play and by far, hands down, best SS EVER: Omar Vizquel. Sorry man...........

[Raul]

Hank Bauer - Right fielder

Johnny Mize - first baseman

Gene Woodling - fielder ( left mostly )

Elston Howard.- catcher & left fielder

[RoLo]

Hank Bauer - Right fielder

Johnny Mize - first baseman

Gene Woodling - fielder ( left mostly )

Elston Howard.- catcher & left fielder

Thanks Raul

By the way, most people know that Jackie Robinson was the first black man in baseball,

but not as many know that Elston Howard was the first black New York Yankee.

In the 1950s, there was a very popular kids game in Jersey we called "Shooting Cards".

A simple game, you hold a baseball card between your thumb and forefinger and flip it against the baseboard.

The idea was to get a "leaner" that rested between the wall and the floor, or to get a "topper",

a card that lands on one of your opponents cards (okay stop laughing, this was the pre-computer era).

Back then, a pack of 5 baseball cards and a slice of gum cost a buffalo nickel.

The goal of us kids of course was to collect the whole set of baseball cards. Between what I bought

and what I won "shooting cards", I had the entire set of 1952 baseball cards less about 5 or 6 cards!!

After I was married a few years, I was visiting my mom and went downstairs to rummage through my old hunting den.

Though I found a lot of stuff that I'd forgotten about, I could not find my "valuable" set of 1952 baseball cards.

You guessed it, to my mother it was just a cardboard box full of old baseball cards :'( (Oh The PAIN!).

Roger

[Guest the_muddy_man]

Muddy, glad you're here, but I HAVE to correct you on something. I've seen Luis Aparicio play, Ozzie play and by far, hands down, best SS EVER: Omar Vizquel. Sorry man...........

ALL GREAT ss'S BUT FOR MY MONEY OZZIE WAS THE BEST EVERYDAY SS I HAVE SEEN I WAS VERY YOUNG AND GOING TO GAMES AND CAUGHT THE TAIL END OF BANK'S CARRER, BUT A COUPLE OF MY UNCLES REMINDED ME