Baseball as it was

[SWC75]

I loved finding historical sports clips on You-Tube, especially if they were created at the time, either as a live broadcast or a documentary done at the time. I thought I'd create a thread for such things regarding baseball. I was born in 1953 and am thus fascinated with the materials that covers the 50's and 60's, when I was grown up. I'll post one a day for a while.

Here's one from 1958 featuring the Chicago White Sox and Johnny Callison, their top young prospect of the time. Johnny was later traded to the Phillies, where he became one of the best players in the National League in the 60's, hitting a walk off home run to win the 1964 All Star game among other accomplishments. Here he is as a wide-eyed teenager getting his chance at the big leagues.

Johnny Callison - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SWC75]

A similar documentary from the Detroit Tigers in the same year. They don't focus on one player, through.

 

[SWC75]

 

[SWC75]

 

[CA Monk]

All good stuff. Love old time baseball when most of the players had off season jobs and the fields looked like sandlots.

 

[CA Monk]

I loved finding historical sports clips on You-Tube, especially if they were created at the time, either as a live broadcast or a documentary done at the time. I thought I'd create a thread for such things regarding baseball. I was born in 1953 and am thus fascinated with the materials that covers the 50's and 60's, when I was grown up. I'll post one a day for a while.

Here's one from 1958 featuring the Chicago White Sox and Johnny Callison, their top young prospect of the time. Johnny was later traded to the Phillies, where he became one of the best players in the National League in the 60's, hitting a walk off home run to win the 1964 All Star game among other accomplishments. Here he is as a wide-eyed teenager getting his chance at the big leagues.

Johnny Callison - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

The attendant music really sets the tone and the era. It's exciting.

 

[SWC75]

 

[SWC75]

The used to call the Senators the "Nationals", even though they were in the American League

 

[SWC75]

Then they became...

 

[SWC75]

1961 Baltimore Orioles Paul Richards Big League Manager (Kinescope B&W)

1962 Baltimore Orioles "The Orioles In Action" Highlight Reel

 

[SWC75]

 

[CA Monk]

Spent way too much time watching these.
Can't help it.
Different era.
Different ethos.

 

[SWC75]

Spent way too much time watching these.
Can't help it.
Different era.
Different ethos.

That's what I like about it.

 

[SWC75]

I loved finding historical sports clips on You-Tube, especially if they were created at the time, either as a live broadcast or a documentary done at the time. I thought I'd create a thread for such things regarding baseball. I was born in 1953 and am thus fascinated with the materials that covers the 50's and 60's, when I was grown up. I'll post one a day for a while.

Here's one from 1958 featuring the Chicago White Sox and Johnny Callison, their top young prospect of the time. Johnny was later traded to the Phillies, where he became one of the best players in the National League in the 60's, hitting a walk off home run to win the 1964 All Star game among other accomplishments. Here he is as a wide-eyed teenager getting his chance at the big leagues.

Johnny Callison - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

"Remembering Johnny Callison"

Join baseball historian John Rossi and Moviehouse Productions host “Radio” Rick Spector for “Remembering Johnny Callison”.When one had “choose up” baseball g...

www.youtube.com

 

[OrangeXtreme]

 

[SWC75]

Whitey should have been the Mets manager after Gil Hodges died. Love Yogi, but Whitey was a better manager and had paid his dues with the team.

 

[SWC75]

 

[SWC75]

Milwaukee Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers 9/29/59

 

[CA Monk]

Milwaukee Braves at Los Angeles Dodgers 9/29/59

What was the left field foul pole distance? Was it even 200 feet?

 

[SWC75]

What was the left field foul pole distance? Was it even 200 feet?

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Take a look at Duke Snider's power output from 1958 on to see what happened to left-handed power hitters in the Coliseum:

Duke Snider Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com


I've never understood why baseball has irregular outfield dimensions and why centerfield has to be farther than right and left field. When a batter gets the good wood on the ball, it tends to do to right or left field, not to center. A football field, a hockey rink or a basketball court have standard dimensions, at least at the professional level. Some say it's 'charming ' that each baseball stadium has different dimensions but is it charming that Felix Mantilla hit 54 home runs in 320 games for the Red Sox and 35 in 620 games for Braves, Mets and Astros combined?

Félix Mantilla Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Félix Mantilla. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

 

[SWC75]

Vintage Dodgers

This popped up on You-Tube: color home movies of "Camera Day" at Dodgers' home games from 1960-62. That's the last two years in the LA Coliseum and the first year in brand new Dodger Stadium. I like the fact that it has angles you don't normally see on TV or in old newsreels, especially showing...

syracusefan.com

There are five guys on that list still living and the youngest is 81 years old. (Depending on who is #29).

Larry Burright, Doug Camilli, Sandy Koufax, Ken McMullen, Joe Moeller

Here is the roster for the 1962 Dodgers with their numbers. There is no #29:

1962 Los Angeles Dodgers Roster | Baseball Almanac

A 1962 Los Angeles Dodgers roster with with player stats, uniform numbers, salaries, and Opening Day data by Baseball Almanac.

www.baseball-almanac.com

And yet he appears at 13:38. He's a black player. That's all I've got on him.

By the way, I had some soft jazz music playing in the background as I re-watched this. It seemed to fit:

 

[CA Monk]

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Take a look at Duke Snider's power output from 1958 on to see what happened to left-handed power hitters in the Coliseum:

Duke Snider Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com


I've never understood why baseball has irregular outfield dimensions and why centerfield has to be farther than right and left field. When a batter gets the good wood on the ball, it tends to do to right or left field, not to center. A football field, a hockey rink or a basketball court have standard dimensions, at least at the professional level. Some say it's 'charming ' that each baseball stadium has different dimensions but is it charming that Felix Mantilla hit 54 home runs in 320 games for the Red Sox and 35 in 620 games for Braves, Mets and Astros combined?

Félix Mantilla Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Félix Mantilla. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

Crazy.
Baseball is also the only sport, I think, where the Manager wears a uniform for some reason. Baseball has a lot of quirks like that.

 

[phillydad]

Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Take a look at Duke Snider's power output from 1958 on to see what happened to left-handed power hitters in the Coliseum:

Duke Snider Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com


I've never understood why baseball has irregular outfield dimensions and why centerfield has to be farther than right and left field. When a batter gets the good wood on the ball, it tends to do to right or left field, not to center. A football field, a hockey rink or a basketball court have standard dimensions, at least at the professional level. Some say it's 'charming ' that each baseball stadium has different dimensions but is it charming that Felix Mantilla hit 54 home runs in 320 games for the Red Sox and 35 in 620 games for Braves, Mets and Astros combined?

Félix Mantilla Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com

Check out the latest Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More of Félix Mantilla. Get info about his position, age, height, weight, draft status, bats, throws, school and more on Baseball-reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

I always understood the reason for the irregular dimensions was because many of the stadiums had to fit in tight urban neighborhoods. All those stadiums were torn down and MLB went cookie cutter. Then they were replaced by more irregular dimensions inspired by nostalgia.

 

[SWC75]

I always understood the reason for the irregular dimensions was because many of the stadiums had to fit in tight urban neighborhoods. All those stadiums were torn down and MLB went cookie cutter. Then they were replaced by more irregular dimensions inspired by nostalgia.

Even the cookie cutters had a longer distance to center field than right or left.