Minnie Minoso RIP

[Northern Star]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12403240/minnie-minoso-first-black-mlb-player-chicago-dies

[a700hitter]

http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/12403240/minnie-minoso-first-black-mlb-player-chicago-dies

 

He was old when I was a kid. RIP

[Spudboy]

He had a cool name.

[a700hitter]

He had a cool name.

 

I wonder if his dad's name was Biggie Bignoso?

[seabeachfred]

His real name was Orestes "Minnie" Minoso and he broke in with the Cleveland Guardians in 1951 only to be quickly traded to the White Sox where he hit about 326 and should have gotten Rookie of the Year honors. As it was the writers gave that award to Yankee third baseman Gil McDougald who hit 20 points less and hit with less power and less run production. Go figure.

[Spudboy]

His real name was Orestes "Minnie" Minoso and he broke in with the Cleveland Guardians in 1951 only to be quickly traded to the White Sox where he hit about 326 and should have gotten Rookie of the Year honors. As it was the writers gave that award to Yankee third baseman Gil McDougald who hit 20 points less and hit with less power and less run production. Go figure.

 

Racism?

[seabeachfred]

Racism?

 

In this case I'd say you were on the right track. Minoso was definitely the better ballplayer that season, but the Yankees were the lords of baseball and who knows how many writers they had in their pockets and if some of them harbored some feelings towards black and foreigners. It wasn't so rare back then.

[cp176]

In this case I'd say you were on the right track. Minoso was definitely the better ballplayer that season, but the Yankees were the lords of baseball and who knows how many writers they had in their pockets and if some of them harbored some feelings towards black and foreigners. It wasn't so rare back then.

 

 

Minnie Minoso was a fine player. One of the great baseball names.

[Ogden]

Racism?

 

 

Possibly but it's hard to comprehend today how big the Yankees were back then. It was like the Yankees were the Google of their day and everybody else (with the possible exception of the Dodgers) were Dogpile or Duck Duck Go. The baseball world revolved around the Bronx. I guess I'm just echoing what Fred said in another post.

 

I loved the old Latin players back then. Minnie, Clemente, Tony Oliva, Orlando Cepeda, El Tiante, Marichal. They all had flash and style. They were never boring.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Ogden

[Youk Of The Nation]

He was old when I was a kid. RIP

 

Wait, there was baseball when you were a kid?!

[cp176]

Wait, there was baseball when you were a kid?!

 

I don't know what he is talking about. He is older than I am and I remember the Cuban Comet just fine. I'm just a youngster.

[cp176]

Possibly but it's hard to comprehend today how big the Yankees were back then. It was like the Yankees were the Google of their day and everybody else (with the possible exception of the Dodgers) were Dogpile or Duck Duck Go. The baseball world revolved around the Bronx. I guess I'm just echoing what Fred said in another post.

 

I loved the old Latin players back then. Minnie, Clemente, Tony Oliva, Orlando Cepeda, El Tiante, Marichal. They all had flash and style. They were never boring.

 

 

Add the Giants to that list with the Dodgers. Boston's annual experience drove me into the arms of both the Dodgers and the Giants back in the early 60's. gave me something to cheer for. Anybody who could beat the Yankees. I was 9 when Mazeroski hit the homer for the Pirates in 1960.

[Bellhorn04]

I wonder if his dad's name was Biggie Bignoso?

 

LOL Or if any of his children or grandchildren live in Micronesia?

[a700hitter]

Wait, there was baseball when you were a kid?!

It was in its early stages. The catcher stood about 6 feet behind the batter and cought the pitches barehanded after they bounced a few times.

[a700hitter]

Add the Giants to that list with the Dodgers. Boston's annual experience drove me into the arms of both the Dodgers and the Giants back in the early 60's. gave me something to cheer for. Anybody who could beat the Yankees. I was 9 when Mazeroski hit the homer for the Pirates in 1960.

 

My cousin, a lifelong Yankee fan vomitted for a week after Maz hit that Homer. I have always had a soft spot for Maz.

[seabeachfred]

Possibly but it's hard to comprehend today how big the Yankees were back then. It was like the Yankees were the Google of their day and everybody else (with the possible exception of the Dodgers) were Dogpile or Duck Duck Go. The baseball world revolved around the Bronx. I guess I'm just echoing what Fred said in another post.

 

I loved the old Latin players back then. Minnie, Clemente, Tony Oliva, Orlando Cepeda, El Tiante, Marichal. They all had flash and style. They were never boring.

 

Ogden, I lived in New York back then and I can tell you the Brooklyn Dodgers had a terrific baseball team---six pennants in ten years and two they lost the last game of the year. Yet they ere always looking up at the Yankees after the WS save for one year. Yes, you're right, the Yankees were the lords of baseball and as arrogant, conceited and uppity as you could imagine. Hell, their GM, George Weiss could lowball players in contract talks and say you'd make up for a lesser salary with your WS check.....and damn, if that didn't happen seemingly every year. From 1947-1964, the Yankees won the AL Pennant 15 years out of 18 and added 10 WS titles. I always got the impression that when the awards were going to be picked their guys would win because of the prestige and importance they commanded. I despised them.

[Ogden]

Fred, when I was very, very, very young Vin Scully lived with his mother about 1/2 mile from me. She stayed there even after he went to LA until she passed away. He often came back to visit her and a couple weeks ago I saw an old picture of him visiting with kids at our school playground back in the 50s. I also remember Red Barber coming to my church as a lay preacher every once in awhile.

 

The Dodgers were the neighborhood team and the Yanks were the rich kids team. It wasn't so much the players that embodied those personas, it was the ownerships and front office. If Stoneham hadn't agreed to go with O'Malley to the west coast, I would have loved to see how things would have evolved over the years with the 3 teams in NY.

[seabeachfred]

Fred, when I was very, very, very young Vin Scully lived with his mother about 1/2 mile from me. She stayed there even after he went to LA until she passed away. He often came back to visit her and a couple weeks ago I saw an old picture of him visiting with kids at our school playground back in the 50s. I also remember Red Barber coming to my church as a lay preacher every once in awhile.

 

The Dodgers were the neighborhood team and the Yanks were the rich kids team. It wasn't so much the players that embodied those personas, it was the ownerships and front office. If Stoneham hadn't agreed to go with O'Malley to the west coast, I would have loved to see how things would have evolved over the years with the 3 teams in NY.

 

I don't know who told you about how the teams were described but you are spot on with your analysis. Most of the mucky mucks with the fancy clothes and job titles who thought they were better than the rest of us seemed to gravitate towards the Yankees. Not everyone mind you, but pretty much on line. Brooklyn was the team of the neighborhood, the steel workers, construction personnel, barbers, plumbers and electricians, and, believe it or not you could often tell these types apart. One of the reasons I turned bitterly against the Dodgers when they moved to California is that they took on a Yankee persona. They refused to go by the "Bums" anymore, and rather than play in a baseball setting as the Giants did in SF they chose to play in a monstrosity of a football and track venue that was only good for baking clay in the heat of the summer. Those two Dodger teams bore no resemblance to one another and I am now so grateful that I was able to find the Red Sox while I was still young enough to enjoy it, and to tell the truth if the old Dodgers and Red Sox were to play today I would be rooting for the Sox.

[Ogden]

No one told me about how the teams were. I lived it since my Mom was born in Brooklyn and my grandfather played semi-pro occasionally at Ebbets Field.