Brooks, Eddie and Kevin- Connections
Brooks also provided the inspiration to write this piece, ironically tying three baseball people together that deserve to be recognized in the game, not solely for what they accomplished in the game, but for the people I witnessed or knew about in my own baseball world and provided a day(s) of enjoyment. Many times, just good stories-and we need those.
Even if you are not a baseball fan, I think it's a good read. I think it's rewarding to hear or read something favorable about all people, but especially those involved in athletics now. If it's junior high, sandlot, high school, college, amateur leagues or professional ball maybe it counters some of the bad that oozes in to our daily lives.
These three gentlemen are maybe connected in a somewhat around about away, but it makes sense to me and they all bring back good memories and/or good thoughts about right now,
Brooks Robinson made his ML debut for the Baltimore Orioles in 1955 and his last ML appearance with the same club in 1977. He was an 18 time All-Star, won two World Series and was the American League MVP in 1964. He ended his career with 2,848 hits and 268 homers and won 16 Gold Gloves. He was inducted in to the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Brooks celebrates his MVP award with his family in 1964
Baltimore played in three consecutive World Series- losing to the Mets in '69, beating the Reds in '70 and losing to the Pirates in '71. The A's then went on their run winning three straight in '72, '73 and '74.
The Reds lost in '70 and '72 then won two straight in '75 and '76.
Three straight titles now with the before mentioned roadblocks plus multiple playoff series is almost impossible.
"Thanks Brooks Day," brought over 51,000 to the hometown stadium in September '77. The next night the Orioles drew 3,325 fans.
Eddie Watt spent most of his big league career with the Baltimore Orioles playing in the big leagues from 1966-1975. If Brooks was at one end of the spectrum Eddie may have closer to the other end, yet he played a prominent and sometimes overlooked role with the Orioles success. He was awarded for his contributions, selected to the Orioles' Hall of Fame in 2000.
Eddie became a pitching coach with Houston after his playing career and that's really when the Pransky part of the story began. My two nephews came down to Saint Cloud, Florida to vacation for a week in February. Shane was probably 12 and Brett was 10. I lived about three miles from the Astros spring training complex where Eddie was a minor league instructor.
Before our initial visit we sat in my living room, brought out all of my baseball cards and began to put together all of the Houston players and coaches we might see at the complex.
We had a substantial pile of Terry Puhl, Kevin Bass, Billy Doran and other Astros cards ready to go.
Anyone who ever collected baseball packs of cards knows there is usually one player or coach you usually found in your pack almost every time you opened one and it wasn't Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays or Sandy Koufax. One of my frequent acquisitions was Minnesota's Tom Brunansky. Tracy Jones of the Reds was another.
And, we eventually discovered we had probably 12-15 cards of Eddie Watt, both as a player and a coach. We had twice as many Eddie cards than anyone else.
We went to the stadium early, probably a little after 8:00 for the 9:00 workout. I recall making the boys French Toast and awakening them to my version of David Bowie's "Young Americans." They didn't like my culinary or vocal skills.
We'd pull in to the parking lot each day and as we walked to toward the cloverleaf of practice fields we always saw Eddie sitting alone on a bench outside the locker room entrance. He was one of the first staff members to come out so the boys would take a couple of his cards and approach him.
Shane and Brett were always polite and Eddie was always gracious, seemingly surprised that these two youngsters would have some of his cards.
We did that for three days in a row and I think Eddie always enjoyed and may have looked forward to it each morning. I always stayed away from the kids and let them do their thing. I was just happy they had a good time with it. Eddie probably signed hundreds of cards during his career and now we had about 15 of them.
Some notes about Eddie as the 24 year old reliever was putting some good numbers together. Eddie was a starter in the minors, but found his value with the Orioles as a late inning relief man. Eddie was from Lamoni, Iowa, about two and a half hours from where we live now. Graceland College is located in Lamoni. No, it wasn't named after Elvis!
As the boys grew older, every once in a while we would talk about those autograph days and Eddie's name would always surface. Brett, who was now a very good writer thought about writing a story about his Florida spring training experience as a youngster.
He called Eddie about 8-9 years ago and Eddie spoke pleasantly to him and included some good baseball stories including the time he picked up a signed Brooks Robinson glove for his grandchild.
As he watched his grandson play in a pickup game, Eddie asked him about Brook's glove. His grandson replied that the glove was in use- as second base. The Hall-of-Famer's autographed glove was now being used as second base, stepped on and kicked around, but in the eyes of the youngsters serving a valuable purpose. Yikes!
Eddie is now 82 years old. He was 38-36 in the big leagues with a 2.91 E.R.A. He won a World Series Championship with the Orioles in 1970. He appeared in 411 games in the major leagues.
Kevin Lester
The first person I contacted after I heard of Brooks Robinson passing was my friend Kevin Lester. I was quite certain that the only time that I saw Brooks play was in an Old Timer's Game in Buffalo back in the early 80's.
I knew Brooks hadn't been out of the major leagues that long because I recalled he had a couple of hits in the game (Brooks retired in '77) Kevin confirmed that the game was played at War Memorial Stadium in 1984. Kevin would have known because he played in the game.
Larry Doby hit two home runs in the game for the American League stars, one off Warren Spahn and another off Johnny Sain.
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When I was scouting I used to tell young catching prospects if they wanted to stay in the game for a long time the best way was to refine their catching skills. If pitchers like throwing to you, you'll have a job year after year. I didn't really mean that they might play in major league old-timers games or in one of the great baseball movies of all time, but in Kevin Lester's situation that was what took place.
I attended this 1984 classic with my parents and Ed Harrington. Note the crowd size- 26,434.
I was in my final season as the baseball coach at Saint Bonaventure in 1984. Kevin had graduated before I arrived on campus so I never met him until 1993-1994 when I was scouting a Buffalo Bisons game. Kevin was the official scorer for the Bisons, but that was one of the many hats he wore during the years.
When we met for the first time in the Bisons' press room eating area, a 40 year friendship was initiated and continues to this day. I loved working games in Buffalo-I was only a 90 minute drive to my parents' home in Buffalo, I knew the Buffalo area well and Kevin and I could talk Saint Bonaventure, baseball and family endlessly.
Kevin established a tradition for us. Whenever I came to town to start covering a series we would go to the press box and call Fred Handler, Kevin's coach with the Bonnies and my mentor, friend, and the baseball coach I succeeded at Saint Bonaventure. We'd talk to Fred before each opening game. It was always a true delight and a happy time for all of us.
Kevin is a member of the Western New York, the Buffalo Bison and the New York State Hall of Fames.
Kevin's bat leads the Bonnies to a win.
Kevin with Robert Redford. "The Natural" was filmed at War Memorial Stadium.
Jumping back to that 1984 Old Timers Game, Kevin stated; "Yes, it was very special. USA Today was just getting started about that time and I was interviewed by a reporter and he asked me how I felt playing with and sitting in the dugout with Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers. I looked down the dugout and I said I felt like the pope sitting with the 12 apostles."
The next day there was a picture in USA Today of me catching while Willie Mays was batting and they had my quote in the paper about the pope comment. I got several calls from friends throughout the country.
Brooks had a double and a home run using my bat. He wanted to buy if off me, but I told him it was my last one, and I asked him to sign it and he did."
This may not be the easiest clip to read, but it sums up what made all of these events possible for Kevin: FAMILY. Kevin and his wife Janet had three sons, Michael, Pat and Kevin Jr. plus eight grandchildren. Janet died from cancer in 2010. I did not know until one of my scouting trips to see the Bisons. Kevin and Janet were married for 39 years and provided a wonderful life for their children,
I guess this story is about connections. Brooks is attached to Eddie and Kevin. Eddie is connected to Brooks and me (and my nephews) and Kevin is affixed to Brooks and me.
My relationships with Brooks, Eddie and Kevin are all different, but all meaningful. What they share is how much they have contributed to others. We can simply say they are all good guys.
