Three Base Hits — Happy Father’s Day

Leading off, I couldn’t resist revisiting one of my favorite announcer lines of all-time in honor of Father’s Day.

Of course it is from the one and only Ralph Kiner, who along with Lindsey Nelson and Bob Murphy cemented my lifelong addiction to the New York Mets back in the ’70’s.

One Father’s Day in years past, after a few beers in the booth (back when such behavior was considered charming, if not necessarily encouraged), Ralph passed on a little good cheer to his listeners with the following (and I won’t have it word for word, but you’ll get the idea):

“On this special day, I just want to say to all the fathers out there, Happy Birthday!”

Thank you, Ralph. Thank you.

Second, I saw on Facebook this morning that Ron LeFlore (then of the the Expos) led the majors in stolen bases with 97 in 1980 (while missing a bunch of games due to injury)! How’d I miss this?  Apparently his teammate Tony Scott swiped 63 more to set the record for a pair on the same club.  Tony Scott?  Anyone? Anyone??

Wow, 160 stolen bases between the two of them and I barely remember LeFlore as an Expo (he’ll always be a Tiger to me), and only faintly recall Tony Scott. Let’s chalk that one up to the ’80’s and other activities that obviously preempted my intensity of baseball fandom for a couple of years.  Need to do some research and read up.

Lastly, the Mets won a game and scored more than three runs last night!  The way things have been going of late, that’s worth a pause and celebration all it’s own. Canyon of Heroes, here we come!