Pablo, McGraw, Trum Field & a Guy Named Shanty

[bosoxmal]

Every time I read something about Pablo Sandoval I have to think of Shanty Hogan. High on my most favorite player list, I won’t bore you with starts, but he did hit over .300 about 5 times, and was a lifetime .295 hitter. He was from Somerville, as most of you know, and a 240 lb catcher for the Braves. When he showed up at Spring Training one year (while with the Giants) at 265, John McGraw had seen enough, and made him show his meal tickets when on a diet. Shanty fooled ‘em.. When his meal ticket said “spinach”, the waitress knew it rally meant “mashed potatoes”.

 

I was 6 months old when Shanty played his first game, and I was1- when I first saw him in a game at Braves Field. Two years later, I sat on the slats they called bleachers at Trum Field in Somerville, and listened to his routine. Shanty was a lovable comic-type guy who actually went into show business with a guy named “Cohen” (Sammy, I think) after his career ended They played vaudeville (or burlesque) as a stand-up comic team. On the road, they were Cohen & Hogan. When they played d Boston, they were Hogan & Cohen. After that Hogan would show up in the early summer evenings at at Trum Field or, as I once heard, at a field near Southern Jr. High. A few times during one of these pick up games, Hogn would come down between innings and tell me (I was a catcher) that I should be wearing a mask!

 

Too bad there aren’t any Hogans around these days. ESPn could than put on some real entertainment and get rid of the SC6 crap.