Ethan’s NY Sports Journal: Lost Sports Heros
Penned by Rye resident, Osborn Elementary graduate and incoming
sixth grader Ethan Sears, Ethan's NY Sports
Journal column will report on and analyze New
York metro sports teams. Today Sears takes a look at lost sports heroes. Sears is a two
time attendee of Sports
Broadcasting Camps.
What do you think of Ethan's NY
Sports Journal? Leave a comment below.
On Monday, Bobby Thompson passed away. In 1951, New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thompson hit the famous shot heard around the world against the Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca. Branca spoke at Rye Library earlier in the year. Thompson reportedly after the game was asked to go on a radio show and said no because he wanted to have dinner with his family. The man then offered him $1000 dollars and Thompson responded “For a thousand bucks the family can wait!” After the show he found his family waiting for him at the nicest place in town. (From “Once Upon a Game” by Alan Schwarz).
Sadly, another New York sports legend Tommy Henrich also died this year. Henrich, an ex-Yankee, made his mark in the 1941 World Series. In Game 4 of the Series the Yanks were down to their last out when Henrich came up against pitcher Hugh Casey. Henrich got two strikes on him and the Dodgers were one strike away from tying the Series at two games apiece. Hugh Casey than threw what seemed to be a sharp curveball (years later Casey admitted that it was an illegal spitball) that Henrich swung and missed. The game seemed to be over until Henrich realized that Dodger catcher Mickey Owen dropped the third strike. Henrich was safe at 1st and the Yankees went on to win the game and the Series.
Another legend to die this year was Yankee owner George Steinbrenner. In 1973 upon buying the team, Steinbrenner said, “We plan absentee ownership as far as running the Yankees is concerned”. That is definitely the understatement of the century. Steinbrenner lead the Yankees to seven championships, the latest one coming in 2009.
Also passing away this year was Yankee public address announcer Bob “the voice of God” Sheppard. The PA announcer at Yankee Stadium from 1951-2007, Sheppard was known as “The Voice of God” throughout Yankee Stadium. Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter has a recording of Sheppard saying “Now batting number two Derek Jeter, number two” played every time he comes up to bat.
Of course, all of these legends will always be remembered by baseball and by its fans.
What sports legend do you miss? Leave a comment below.
Great work, Ethan! Looks like we have a future NY Times Sports Reporter on our hands here in Rye!
I hope you were able to meet Ralph Branca earlier this year at the library. His talk was really something special.
Nice article!
P.S. There is no ‘p’ in Thomson.
Dear Publisher,
I have several questions in the interest of independent journalism.
Several months ago I approached this blog with information about a reception held at the home of Gary and Julie Killian.
Gary and Julie are long time Rye residents who have five children born in Rye and attending Rye schools.
Julie serves as a board member of New Yorkers for Growth, a bi-partisan PAC committed to conservative fiscal practices in state government.
The Killians hosted a reception for NYFG. In attendence were candidate for NYS Comptroller, and Scarsdale resident, HARRY WILSON, former NYS candidate for Governor and Comptroller JOHN FASO, Westchester County Executive ROB ASTORINO, candidate for NYS senator (for Rye) BOB COHEN and both our former mayor (and present counsel to our Senator SUZI OPPENHEIMER) STEVE OTIS, and our current mayor DOUG FRENCH.
Council member CATHERINE PARKER was in attendence as well as 60 or so Rye residents from across the political spectrum.
Despite this guest list of heavy hitters in New York State politics, all of whom were, or had been at one time, on the ballot in Rye, I was told by the publisher of this blog
(that’s you, Jay) that there was not a “Rye” angle. The fact that Gary and Julie live in Rye and the event was held in Rye was insufficient according to you, and the story never ran.
Now we have “Ethan’s Sports Journal”. You ask what I think of Ethan’s Sports Journal and you ask that I leave a comment “below”.
Here is what I think, only because you asked.
1) What kind of “comment” could someone possibly leave, other than a favorable one, on the efforts of the 11 year old son of the publisher?
There is no true anonymity because you have the IP address of anyone who posts. So I think it’s a little self indulgent, to say the least, to follow up each “journal” entry with “what do you think?”
2) The athletes, managers etc. written about in this “journal” have nothing to do with Rye at all. Apparently the fact that the child writing the article lives in Rye is sufficient, especially when that child is the son of the publisher.
3) There are myriad sources for baseball arcana on the Internet, but far fewer for information pertinent to Rye. In other words,what’s the point? If this was not written by your son would you find it at all relevant as a one time story, let alone run it as a regular series?
4) If you want to operate a vanity press that’s fine, many blogs are exactly that, but identify it as such. When you slant heavily toward your preferred candidates in local races it’s one thing, because bias is hard to prove.
When you write about the renovations on your own house – which incidentally raises questions as to whether the contractors and vendors give you service representative of what a typical homeowner in Rye can expect, or whether you in fact receive white glove service in return for a plug –
and when you present your son’s hobby as journalism, you’re leaping across the line of objectivity.
I just hope you don’t take up knitting or something. Even the thought of weekly pictures of scarves, mittens or, heaven forbid, ponchos, is too much to bear.
Charmain — you rock! I like a woman with balls. Wait…that came out wrong…not like a transvestite, but …attitude. Not that there is anything wrong with that…uh…I’m digging myself a hole here.