The Stars of My Youth Are Dying in Droves

[SteveA]

Hall of Famer Don Sutton passes away at 75.

Of course most remember his Dodger career, but Oriole fans remember him beating Jim Palmer on the last day of the 1982 season in Earl's final game before his [first] retirement to win the AL East.

[Moose Milligan]

RIP Don Sutton.

[Frobby]

2021 is off to a tough start for Dodger fans.    

[OFFNY]

o

 

I was at a game at Shea Stadium in 1978 that became infamous. In the actual game, the Dodgers scored 3 runs in the top of the 9th inning to come back to beat the Mets by a score of 5-4. What none of us knew until after the game was that there was a fight in the Dodgers locker room between Don Sutton and Steve Garvey. Davey Lopes got hurt trying to break it up, and was subsequently scratched from the starting lineup.

 

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN197808200.shtml   

 

o

[Sports Guy]

And now Hank Aaron passes away.

[Moose Milligan]

RIP Hank Aaron.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

 

[SteveA]

For some reason, Hank Aaron hit me harder than some of the many others we have had in theh past year.   I heard on the car radio just as I was getting to work and I actually had to sit in the parking lot and compose myself a bit before going in.   I still remember watching him break the record on national TV when I was 10 years old.

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, SteveA said:

For some reason, Hank Aaron hit me harder than some of the many others we have had in theh past year.   I heard on the car radio just as I was getting to work and I actually had to sit in the parking lot and compose myself a bit before going in.   I still remember watching him break the record on national TV when I was 10 years old.

It’s not surprising this one is hitting so hard.    What Aaron accomplished was gargantuan.   And the way he conducted himself while doing it was extremely admirable.  There has never been a player I admired more for both his baseball skills and his personal dignity.   

[OFFNY]

o

 

Former Oriole Grant Jackson died.

Jackson pitched for the Orioles from 1971 through 1976, including the 1971 American League Championship team and the 1973 and 1974 AL East Championship teams.

 

‘He Never got Enough Credit’: Pirates Remember Unsung Hero Grant Jackson

(By Jason Mackey)

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2021/02/02/Grant-Jackson-Pirates-Game-7-winner-in-1979-dies-at-age-78/stories/202102020103

 

 

o

[SteveA]

On 2/2/2021 at 4:14 PM, OFFNY said:

o

 

Former Oriole Grant Jackson died.

Jackson pitched for the Orioles from 1971 through 1976, including the 1971 American League Championship team and the 1973 and 1974 AL East Championship teams.

 

‘He Never got Enough Credit’: Pirates Remember Unsung Hero Grant Jackson

(By Jason Mackey)

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/pirates/2021/02/02/Grant-Jackson-Pirates-Game-7-winner-in-1979-dies-at-age-78/stories/202102020103

 

 

o

He pitched for us for several years, then he went to the Yankees in the monster deal that brought us Dempsey, McGregor, and Tippy.

Then he came into Baltimore with the Pirates and was the winner in Game 7 of the World Series.

[LA2]

Jackson had an 18-year career! Obituary in the NY Times leads with his World Series-winning effort against the O's:

<https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/obituaries/grant-jackson-dead-coronavirus.html?pageType=Article&collectionName=Those+We’ve+Lost+to+the+Coronavirus&region=footer&module=seriesCollection_Band&label=Those+We’ve+Lost+to+the+Coronavirus&name=STYLN_elevate_series_collections&template=>

I remember Earl using him with confidence on those early-1970s teams.

[SteveA]

17 hours ago, LA2 said:

Jackson had an 18-year career! Obituary in the NY Times leads with his World Series-winning effort against the O's:

<https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/obituaries/grant-jackson-dead-coronavirus.html?pageType=Article&collectionName=Those+We’ve+Lost+to+the+Coronavirus&region=footer&module=seriesCollection_Band&label=Those+We’ve+Lost+to+the+Coronavirus&name=STYLN_elevate_series_collections&template=>

I remember Earl using him with confidence on those early-1970s teams.

I loved those days when you had guys in the pen who could go so many innings.   It wasn't unusual for Grant or Sammy Stewart or Tippy to go 3, 4, or 5 innings.   We always had guys who can do that.   I still remember Tippy had a near perfect 7 inning stint once and the Orioles came from way behind to win.   I want to say maybe he gave up something to the first batter then retired 21 in a row?   I'll dig around bbref for it when I'm not at work.

Now if you use a reliever for more than 1 innings, he's probably not available tomorrow.   And going 3 with a bullpen guy is considered cruel and unusual punishment.   Yeah, I know, they are throwing max effort, it's different, they aren't facing 7-8-9 hitters with .500 OPSs.   Skip the annoying facts, let an old guy pine for the good old days in peace please.

[Ruzious]

On 1/22/2021 at 1:35 PM, SteveA said:

For some reason, Hank Aaron hit me harder than some of the many others we have had in theh past year.   I heard on the car radio just as I was getting to work and I actually had to sit in the parking lot and compose myself a bit before going in.   I still remember watching him break the record on national TV when I was 10 years old.

For Braves fans it came in 3 - Niekro, Sutton (their lead tv broadcaster for many years), and of course national treasure Hank Aaron...  I share his middle and last names, and he was my first baseball hero and the reason to this day that I'm a Braves fan.  

[OFFNY]

26 minutes ago, Ruzious said:

 

For Braves fans, it came in 3's - Niekro, Sutton (their lead TV broadcaster for many years), and of course national treasure Hank Aaron ...... I share his middle and last names, and he was my first baseball hero and the reason to this day that I'm a Braves fan.  

 

o

 

Braves Country !!! Remembering Phil Niekro, Don Sutton, Hank Aaron

 

 

o