By 1952, the Philadelphia A’s were in trouble. An American League mainstay, one of the league’s original franchises, for a while they were clearly the best team in baseball. They played in five of the first eleven World Series, winning three of them with a team managed and partly owned by
I saw a video with an interview of 98 y/o Bobby Schantz and he is still very sharp mentally and came across as delightful human being. I can’t remember where I found it, sorry. I don’t see it on YouTube.
That was great. I love how Shantz just casually mentions Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Hank Aaron as guys who gave him trouble during his career 🤣
He’s right, too. All of those guys hit over .300 against him. One guy he didn’t mention but probably should have was Bob Nieman. He faced Nieman 38 times and Nieman went 17-for-34 against him with four walks, five doubles, three homers and fourteen RBI.
I grew up hearing a lot about "little" Bobby Shantz because he was a hero of my father's. He was a NY Giant fan but followed Shantz closely and saw him pitch at Yankee Stadium. You also mentioned my father's other favorite non-Giant, Ferris Fain. He loved short players, underdogs, and lefties. And he loved Fain's name.
Of course, many young pitchers with early success suffered similar fates. Schantz is one of the worst examples. What might have been? Where have you gone, Gary Nolan?
I saw a video with an interview of 98 y/o Bobby Schantz and he is still very sharp mentally and came across as delightful human being. I can’t remember where I found it, sorry. I don’t see it on YouTube.
It might have been this one from Instagram. Seems like a pretty awesome guy. https://www.instagram.com/thebronxzoo_tbz/reel/C4riMzDBiy8/
That was great. I love how Shantz just casually mentions Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and Hank Aaron as guys who gave him trouble during his career 🤣
He’s right, too. All of those guys hit over .300 against him. One guy he didn’t mention but probably should have was Bob Nieman. He faced Nieman 38 times and Nieman went 17-for-34 against him with four walks, five doubles, three homers and fourteen RBI.
I grew up hearing a lot about "little" Bobby Shantz because he was a hero of my father's. He was a NY Giant fan but followed Shantz closely and saw him pitch at Yankee Stadium. You also mentioned my father's other favorite non-Giant, Ferris Fain. He loved short players, underdogs, and lefties. And he loved Fain's name.
Of course, many young pitchers with early success suffered similar fates. Schantz is one of the worst examples. What might have been? Where have you gone, Gary Nolan?