Baseball..

No one fat is running with the Jack Rabbits from Long Beach Poly Espola. I was a freshman in high school and got the call up to play with the Varsity ((watch from the bench and learn)) in the annual Christmas tournament in Laguna and we got killed in the first round by Tony's High School. Back then their was no home cooking and you wanted to schedule the best teams, to get you ready for league. We got killed and then we got ready to get pounded in the South Coast league and the likes of Mission Viejo and Capo. We had no chance.

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Tony had strong legs and was a top top stud. RIP. He played whiffle ball and that's how he got good at hitting the ball. You guys, I was a really good baseball player. Tony didn't care what count it was and never tried to play, 'guess the pitch", he played, "hit the ball and put it in play." One of the greatest hitters of all time.

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espola said:
The "overweight basketball player" comes from a 1984 story by Nick Canepa, the SD Evening Tribune baseball columnist at the time. He was explaining why Gwynn did not play baseball his Freshman year at SDSU. The basketball coach thought he was overweight at 205 pounds and had him on a conditioning and weight-loss program that Spring, so no time for baseball.

Really.
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Well pictures and video tell a different story of a slender T Gwynn playing basketball. Maybe do more research next time instead of using the first thing you find on a Google search and believing it's gospel.
 
crush said:
No one fat is running with the Jack Rabbits from Long Beach Poly Espola. I was a freshman in high school and got the call up to play with the Varsity ((watch from the bench and learn)) in the annual Christmas tournament in Laguna and we got killed in the first round by Tony's High School. Back then their was no home cooking and you wanted to schedule the best teams, to get you ready for league. We got killed and then we got ready to get pounded in the South Coast league and the likes of Mission Viejo and Capo. We had no chance.

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We probably played baseball against each other at some point. We where always playing in the El Segundo tournament and normally played at least two OC teams in the playoffs.
 
Multi Sport said:
We probably played baseball against each other at some point. We where always playing in the El Segundo tournament and normally played at least two OC teams in the playoffs.
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Yes, we played in that tournament and one up in NorCal by Split Pea Soup. We never made CIF when I played. I did play at Troy my Senior year for half the season. I tried out at Fullerton JC and got gaslighted. I then walked on the basketball court and worked my ass off at tryouts. Coached like me and told me I could red shirt and be a pest at practice to the real players. My ego was a big no. I then played pick up at Cal State Fullerton and open gym nights. I played pick up with Ced. Anyway, my true love was and always will be baseball. I loved that game :) Hoops was my passion as well because I was a really good passer and worked super hard and sacrificed my body for my teammates. Anyway, I tried baseball one more time when I was 20. Semi-Pro league out in Ontario. I got a hit off retired pitcher from the big leagues and thought I could get drafted. It never worked out and I gave up the dream to be pro baseball player. Hoops I had no real chance. The Tel A Vision gave me the dreams to be a pro. Saturday morning baseball was what I dreamed of.

 
crush said:
Yes, we played in that tournament and one up in NorCal by Split Pea Soup. We never made CIF when I played. I did play at Troy my Senior year for half the season. I tried out at Fullerton JC and got gaslighted. I then walked on the basketball court and worked my ass off at tryouts. Coached like me and told me I could red shirt and be a pest at practice to the real players. My ego was a big no. I then played pick up at Cal State Fullerton and open gym nights. I played pick up with Ced. Anyway, my true love was and always will be baseball. I loved that game :) Hoops was my passion as well because I was a really good passer and worked super hard and sacrificed my body for my teammates. Anyway, I tried baseball one more time when I was 20. Semi-Pro league out in Ontario. I got a hit off retired pitcher from the big leagues and thought I could get drafted. It never worked out and I gave up the dream to be pro baseball player. Hoops I had no real chance. The Tel A Vision gave me the dreams to be a pro. Saturday morning baseball was what I dreamed of.

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Highlight for me was taking Ron Guidry deep on an 0-2 pitch. Loved playing, great memories and I still stay in touch with many of yhe guys I played with. A bunch of them went on to play in the show and some are still coaching.
 
Multi Sport said:
Highlight for me was taking Ron Guidry deep on an 0-2 pitch. Loved playing, great memories and I still stay in touch with many of yhe guys I played with. A bunch of them went on to play in the show and some are still coaching.
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That is a very nice and amazing all in one. I hated that guy but he was the best for some time. I struck Damon Berryhill out in whiffle ball at park night......lol!
 
crush said:
That is a very nice and amazing all in one. I hated that guy but he was the best for some time. I struck Damon Berryhill out in whiffle ball at park night......lol!
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I played with a bunch of guys from OC. Westminster, Ocean View, Cypress, Kennedy, and HB. I think we might have played Troy at some point.
 
Multi Sport said:
I played with a bunch of guys from OC. Westminster, Ocean View, Cypress, Kennedy, and HB. I think we might have played Troy at some point.
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You said over 60? What year and where? My foster mom had a grandson that was bullpen catcher for Dodgers and played at Lakewood in early 80s. You must be late 70s?
 
Multi Sport said:
Well pictures and video tell a different story of a slender T Gwynn playing basketball. Maybe do more research next time instead of using the first thing you find on a Google search and believing it's gospel.
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I am an SDSU alum and I have been hearing this story for years. Ted Leitner, one of Tony's broadcast partners, joked with him about it on a live radio game broadcast once, but I can't give a decent reference for that other than my ears.

Even though I have shown myself to be correct, I don't expect you to acknowledge it. That's not what you do. Instead, I expect I will be hearing this same lie from you for years, just like all the others.
 
crush said:
You said over 60? What year and where? My foster mom had a grandson that was bullpen catcher for Dodgers and played at Lakewood in early 80s. You must be late 70s?
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Don't make me that old.. I'm an early 80s guy. I knew guys over at Lakewood. Coach Herbold was well known at Lakewood even at CSLA.
 
espola said:
I am an SDSU alum and I have been hearing this story for years. Ted Leitner, one of Tony's broadcast partners, joked with him about it on a live radio game broadcast once, but I can't give a decent reference for that other than my ears.

Even though I have shown myself to be correct, I don't expect you to acknowledge it. That's not what you do. Instead, I expect I will be hearing this same lie from you for years, just like all the others.
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Proven yourself correct.. to yourself. I guess the pics must be of some other T Gwynn then. Go expose yourself to someone who cares. I don't...
 
<<
Gwynn, of course, has heard sniping about his weight since he was a point guard at San Diego State. But at his heaviest, in 1989, he won his fourth batting title with a .336 average.

“The thing that gets me,” said Gwynn, “is that people think I can hit 80 points higher if I lose 30 pounds. Come on, I’ve been pudgy my whole career, and I’ll always be that way. I’ve never been the most svelte athlete in the world. They call me, ‘Pudge, Snack Bar, Bowling Ball,’ everything in the world.
>>

www.latimes.com

WORTH HIS WEIGHT : Fans Knock His Girth, but Gwynn Keeps Hitting

Tony Gwynn was sprawled on the couch in his cramped hotel room.
www.latimes.com www.latimes.com
 
espola said:
<<
Gwynn, of course, has heard sniping about his weight since he was a point guard at San Diego State. But at his heaviest, in 1989, he won his fourth batting title with a .336 average.

“The thing that gets me,” said Gwynn, “is that people think I can hit 80 points higher if I lose 30 pounds. Come on, I’ve been pudgy my whole career, and I’ll always be that way. I’ve never been the most svelte athlete in the world. They call me, ‘Pudge, Snack Bar, Bowling Ball,’ everything in the world.
>>

www.latimes.com

WORTH HIS WEIGHT : Fans Knock His Girth, but Gwynn Keeps Hitting

Tony Gwynn was sprawled on the couch in his cramped hotel room.
www.latimes.com www.latimes.com
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Lots of pudgy athletes. Pudgy does not mean overweight.

Pudge Rodriguez was not overweight.
Cecil Fielder was.

But keep trying. I'm enjoying the show...
 
Multi Sport said:
Don't make me that old.. I'm an early 80s guy. I knew guys over at Lakewood. Coach Herbold was well known at Lakewood even at CSLA.
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Cool story about my foster nephew. Dude was second string catcher for the Legend Herbold. It's 1981 and MLB went on that horrible strike. I had every baseball card around and played all the time and went to Angels games all the time and I was still dreaming pros bro. Bob Welch wanted to stay in shape so he went down to Lakewood high school one day to find a catcher to pitch to. First string catcher was also the Prom King and he was too busy that day to catch Welcher so Todd volunteered his time to catch a major leaguer. Dreams do come true :) They became friends. Bob got him a job cleaning the clubhouse at Chavez during the home games. Tommy loved his hard work ethic and hired him to catch down at Vero beach in 82'. He kicked ass down there and he got hired full time and was the right hand bullpen catcher to Mark Cresse for a long time and threw some BP. Cresse loved my mom and got us some good tickets bro because my mom was a great cook, the grandma so to be speak of the team and the team loved her. I got to see the game where Clarke hit the home one off Needafewer. I sat on the field that game and was very pissed off. I was cray cray about winning back then. I also got invited to sit with Fred Rogan during Kirk's big home run but I was at church and too far a way to make the game. My mom was there and she bribed her favorite ticket master guy with peanut brittle and he gave her two seats that got open at the last minute, on the filed with the press. I missed that home run and every time I see it I wonder what that would have been like to see that live. I still get the goose bumps. The A's were favored to sweep the Doyers.

 
Multi Sport said:
Lots of pudgy athletes. Pudgy does not mean overweight.

Pudge Rodriguez was not overweight.
Cecil Fielder was.

But keep trying. I'm enjoying the show...
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He's also talking about baseball. He wanted to play in the NBA. Yes, pudgy is tough for hoops, unless your big center or power forward. Baseball, you can be a little thick and that's ok. Espola is a hard evaluator.
 
crush said:
He's also talking about baseball. He wanted to play in the NBA. Yes, pudgy is tough for hoops, unless your big center or power forward. Baseball, you can be a little thick and that's ok. Espola is a hard evaluator.
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During the strike year, Summer of 81, my team played the Korean National Team at SCs Rod Dedeaux field. Ron Cey, Tim Wallach and Rick Monday were there taking BP. Rick was hitting bombs into the parking structure, absolutely crushing it.

We lost to the Koreans but I have amazing memories of that game. It was the first time I ever saw the "wave" being done in the stands. The Korean crowd was doing it. One of our players flied out but on his return to the dugout ran in front of the pitcher and flipped him off. He grabbed his gear, ran to the lockers and left. Gone.

After the game the Korean players gathered on the mound and sang their National Anthem. I looked at everyone and said we need to do the same thing. I walked out and at first only a few guys joined me but then everyone, including the coaches, came out and sang. It was great. My Dad took some great pics of that day.
 
crush said:
He's also talking about baseball. He wanted to play in the NBA. Yes, pudgy is tough for hoops, unless your big center or power forward. Baseball, you can be a little thick and that's ok. Espola is a hard evaluator.
Click to expand...
Yea.. Es a tool. A useless tool at that..
 
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