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2/12/2007
Lew Burdette Was My Hero
So many pressing issues – West High School, primary elections, health care solutions, the governor’s budget (oh my)… the war, Iran, North Korea….and on and on. But today, I thought some of you might reminisce with me just a bit about Lew Burdette – and just a bit about that grand ol’ game. Burdette’s death last week at age 80 awakened latent smiles for me – and I’ve been enjoying basking in them the last few days.
Lew Burdette. One of the greats of those World Series years, the 1957 and 1958 Braves. (the Milwaukee Braves, that is, just in case you’re under 45!). Aaron. Mathews. Adcock. Spahn. Del Crandall. Johnny Logan. Red Schoendienst. Billy Bruton. So many memories. Adcock – that’s a special one. Joe Adcock was my mom’s favorite Brave. I don’t know if I ever knew why. Big, bold first baseman – that’s a good reason! One day I came home from second or third grade and mom was jumping up and down all by herself in front of the tiny black and white TV, screaming at Joe to hit the ball (he was being intentionally walked). It was really make or break – was it the last game in one of those World Series?
Those were pretty special years for me. My family surely didn’t have much money. And I was lucky enough to go to the ball field once a season – tickets for a game were a prized birthday gift. I think it was just dad and I that would go – none of the other kids. (I’m not the only kid who thought the Star Spangled Banner ended in “home of the Braves” – was I?)
Any chance I got, I listened on the radio – falling asleep to Earl Gillespie was my special time.
These guys were super stars – but not millionaires, that’s for sure. In the many tributes last week, I learned Lew Burdette worked at Miller Brewing Company during the off seasons. Picture that today.
And they were real heroes. Lefty Spahn and right-hand hurler Burdette. (And Eddie Mathews because he was so cute.) No relievers in those days. Just tough it out and do it. And play the game because you love it so dearly.
Childhood memories that become a little rustier with each passing year. Thank you Lew Burdette. You surely could win games. Thanks for being such a big part of my love affair with baseball. I surely do miss it – an affair no longer the same……
COMMENTS
Thanks for sharing the memories, Jo. Mine are pretty similar. I was partial to Warren Spahn as a fellow southpaw, though my real hero was Hank Aaron. My brother and I used to argue about Aaron vs. Mathews. My mom's favorite was Andy Pafko, because he came from her hometown of Boyceville (where not a lot of people are from). I remember one time we were in the bleachers and actually got to talk with Andy when he was (for some reason) sitting in the bullpen. Those were sweet, innocent times.
Terry Dawson (Mon Feb 12 14:03:04 2007)
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