The True Book of Mostly Unrelated Stories

Do You Remember?
by John Mooy

As a boy in Marcellus, one of the great joys was our method of transportation which was the bicycle. And during the summertime we often rode with our baseball glove slipped onto the handlebar around town in search of a game of “workup.” Vacant lots were turned into “diamonds” and when enough young boys were there the game began. During those times we played without fancy uniforms and without adult intervention. It was the game in its purest form.  

Imitation as always was the most sincere form of flattery as we often indicated which player we would be impersonating in the day’s performance. It was a time when we could name all the best players, most of their statistics and the starting lineups for major league teams which in many instances changed very little from year to year. Being in Marcellus, one of our favorites was always Paw Paw’s own Charley Maxwell.  He threw with his left hand, batted from the left side of the plate and wore number 4 on the back of his uniform.

It was not uncommon in our games to walk up to home plate with a cracked bat repaired with a screw holding it together and covered with black electrical tape. The baseballs we used were often tattered with the cover falling off but that made little difference to us. We shared baseball gloves and our uniforms were a T shirt, blue jeans and a baseball cap with just the right “roll” on the bill of the cap.

All of this was a great way to spend days under the summer sun. The games typically went on until someone’s Mother hollered out that it was time for supper and the game was suspended until the next time.  

Those days in a word were “magnificent.” So much fun. All that was required was to show up and you could be a part of the day’s event. “Now batting, now pitching, a spectacular catch and the crowd went wild” were all part of our own personal broadcasting.

The names all come back so easily given they were such a part of our young lives:  Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle, Al Kaline, Harvey Kuenn, Jackie Jensen, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin, Nellie Fox, Luis Aparacio, Jim Bunning and two names we all knew but whose careers were already in the record books, Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.  

Very few players ever make the Major Leagues and that was part of the allure. And for anyone who ever played at that level that they would forever be known as a Big Leaguer.

So I searched my mind to think of some of the lesser known players who fit the description of never being big stars but nevertheless made the big stage.  

So here is a Detroit Tiger starting lineup of players you may never have heard of but all shared Major League experience.  

You ready? Here we go. Starting at catcher, Bob “Red” Wilson, on the mound Ned Garver, at first base Steve Bilko, on to second base Frank Bolling (Frank was actually a good player who was at second base with the Tigers for six seasons), shortstop Coot Veal (that’s quite a name) and at third base from Canada, Reno Bertoia. In the outfield starting from left to right we have Purnal Goldy, a short time sensation, in center field with a big chaw of tobacco was Bill Tuttle and in right field, always in right field, forever in right field, Albert William “Al” Kaline. Kaline replaced Bob Nieman and Don Lund who shared right field duties until Kaline arrived.  

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There you have it;  Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Marcellus. What could be better.

Have a great week Marcellus.
You’re the best. You’re in Marcellus,
where DIAMONDS are
forever.