Say Hey!! Say Willie!!

The cover man for this Time magazine in 1954 turns 81 today!

Willie started with the Giants in New York playing center field.





When the Giants went to San Francisco, Willie went with them.

Willie would go back to New York to finish off his career as a Met.

The Say Hey Kid is still very loved in the Bay Area to this day.



In my opinion, this is a must read for any fan of baseball.



Imagine these three in the same outfield, GREATEST EVER!!

While everyone will remember "The Catch,"

I still believe that Willie should be remembered as the face of West Coast Baseball. He was the first BIG star to come out in 1958.



Happy 81st Birthday to one of the greatest players in the history of the game.

SAY HEY!!

Another year of a great

I know it's late in the day. I wanted to wish a Happy Birthday to one of my favorites. Dale Murphy turns 56 today. Dale grew up a few hours away in Portland. I loved watching Dale and the Braves on the old SuperStation WTBS. Big Birthday wishes to a Braves great and one of my favorite players to collect.

I missed it-- for 500

I can't believe I saw it until it was too late. I had forgotten that yesterday was the birthday of one of my favorite players. Yesterday would have been the 72nd birthday of the late great "Pops".

 It is hard to believe that Willie has been gone from us for so long. I think this a great way to celebrate post #500 in honoring a man that I missed most of his career, but he inspired me to watch and become a baseball fan. I dedicate this momentous post #500 to you "Pops", may you rest in peace, and thank you for the ball that I got to watch you play.

78 never looked so great!

I wanted to make sure to send out Happy Birthday wishes to one of my favorites from the past.

It was on this day in 1934 that the greatest home run hitter was born. Hank was a great player, but was also a very gracious person who never focused on himself. He was one of the best people to break the Babe's record given the racial tensions in this country still in 1974.

While he won't be with us forever, we should all thank him for his accomplishments and the way he changed the face of baseball. Happy Birthday Hank!!

Probably the greatest outfield of all time!!

Joining the club

That's right! It looks like I'm joining the club of older people. That is not meant as an insult to anyone. My wife and my son tease about turning 40. Now all my friends can laugh at me too. I thankfully don't feel old today. I'm looking forward to continuing the ride. The first 40 have been so far, let's see where this thing takes me...

A day late

I didn't post it yeaterday because I spent the day with him. I must be getting older, because my boy is growing up. I'm officially the father of a teenager now. My son turned 13 yesterday. I am very proud of the great young man he has become.

It has been a fun ride so far to see him grow from infancy to the grown up and sometimes testy man he has become. I'm excited to see what the next few years hold in store while he continues to grow up before he leaves to go out on his own. He is also excited to know that he shares his birthday with Dustin Pedroia, Boog Powell, and Diego Segui of Pilots and Mariners lore.

Happy Birthday Andrew!!

Fly, Fly Away

As the late great Dave Neihaus would say. Which is exactly what I'm going to do in a couple hours. If anyone out in the blogland cares that I'm gone. Flight leaves at 6 AM for the wine country of Northern California for the wife's birthday. I won't be back until Monday night, so I will be back at the seat at my office desk probably Tuesday morning. Have a great weekend everybody, I know I will.

71 for a guy from '71

And he also played in '79. On this day in 1940, Wilver Dornel Stargell, more well known as Willie was born in Earlsboro, OK.

Willie was a Pirate from 1962 until 1982. He would be elected to the Hall of Fame in 1988. "Pops" was the father of the 1979 team. He would pass on April 9, 2001 due to a stroke from his failing kidneys. One of his most famous quotes was, "the umpire says play ball, not work ball."

Willie and the 1979 Pirates were my first team and the reason I fell in love with baseball. We miss you Pops, and Happy Birthday!

G'day Mate!

I wanted to send a Happy 27th Birthday to my favorite now ex-Mariner Ryan Rowland-Smith. I really wish the Mariners would have re-signed him for this year to see if he could bounce back. I hope the Astros fans will take good care of him in Houston. He is a good pitcher, and a great guy off the field. Let's just hope he doesn't have to spend the season in Oklahoma City instead. Happy Birthday Mate!! You'll always be my favorite Aussie.
Update: As an apology to Jonathan @RGB Cards, I will clarify that RRS is my favorite Aussie baseball player. You will always be my favorite Aussie blogger.

Happy Birthday!!

Today is the day my son turns 12. He loves his baseball. I was able to pick him up a 2001 Topps reprint of Jackie Robinson's '52 Topps card, and he loved it. For his baseball team this year he wore 42 to honor Jackie. He also found out that Mom and I are taking him to Fenway Park to see the Mariners take on the Red Sox in Boston next week. We were able to take him to the old Yankee Stadium two years ago before it closed. It is my hope to get him to all the historic parks soon. Happy Birthday kiddo!!