BASEBALL CELEBRATES LIFE OF TRAILBLAZER IRVIN
HALL OF FAMER AND FORMER NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYER DIED IN JANUARY AT 96-By Mark Newman / MLB.com
Though you can’t see or touch me, I’ll be near,
And if you listen with your heart — you’ll hear,
All of my love around you soft and clear.
SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. — Monte Irvin was remembered with an inspirational “Celebration of Life” on Saturday morning at the South Orange Performing Arts Center, in the community where the Hall of Famer, Negro Leaguer, war veteran and New York Giants trailblazer grew up. Those apt verses from a poem were on the back of a program given to attendees whose lives he touched before his passing on Jan. 11 at age 96.
Giants president Larry Baer, whose club is in New York for a series against the Mets, was on hand to speak and called the celebration “a history lesson of America.” National Baseball Hall of Fame president Jeff Idelson told guests that “of all the talented men who made the perilous trip from the Negro Leagues to the big leagues in the late 1940s, Monte may have been the best.” Former National League president Bill White, Irvin’s former roommate, entered quietly and said he “had to be here.”
Speakers also included 1948 Olympic medalist and friend Herb Douglas; Rutgers professor Art Berke; Essex County executive Joseph DiVincenzo, who promised a seven-foot Irvin statue coming to the area in the near future; and Irvin’s daughters, Pat and Pam. But there was one especially notable face missing from this event, and there was good reason for it. Irvin’s protege and former Giants roommate, the great Willie Mays, wrote a letter and gave it to Baer to bring and read aloud — explaining that the Say Hey Kid is simply not ready to let go.
“You’re all going to hear a lot of things about Monte Irvin today,” wrote Mays, 84. “There is much to be said. He was a good man, a good father, a good baseball player, a great friend. You might all even think that you know all of the stories about Monte and me; that he was my first roommate, that he paved my way, that we were friends, good friends, and even that we opened a liquor store together. But I am not writing these words to repeat what you already know. I am writing these words first for his family, Pat and Pam, and then for the rest of you so that you will understand why I could not join you today.
“Monte came into my life at the beginning of my professional baseball career. I was very young, but like most youngsters, I thought I knew everything! Of course, I didn’t. But I wasn’t really open to learning. You could have put the smartest man in the world in front of me when I was young, and I’d have just turned up my nose and said, ‘Yeah, but can he hit?!’
“Monte let me know that he knew the things that I didn’t want him to know; the things I tried to hide or keep to myself. He knew when I was unsure of myself. He knew when I’d made a mistake, even when no one else could tell. He knew how to stay quiet when his presence was enough and he knew how to speak his mind when I needed talking to.
“Monte was wise and generous and as tough as they come. He was all the things you’ve heard, and he was more. There will never be another Monte Irvin.
“So you see, I just couldn’t be there today. I am not ready to say goodbye. Give me some time. I want to keep Monte alive in my mind.”
Irvin’s spirit was alive in the auditorium, as the “kilowatt smile” — Pam’s words — loomed overhead.
Love around you soft and clear. Continue reading →

A full house of NY/SF Giants fans attended our meeting last night with SF Giants Beat Reporter for MLB.com Chris Haft. Chris spoke for 50 minutes about everything Giants baseball, past and present. We thank him and Jay Goldberg, proprietor of the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse www.bergino.com, for making it a special evening.

BASEBALL, HISTORY FANS FLOCK TO CARL HUBBELL’S FORMER HAWORTH HOME
BY ANDREW WYRICH
HAWORTH – The promise of getting a glimpse into the history of the country’s national pastime brought Don Sheridan, 57 of Emerson, to the home of former New York Giants pitcher Carl Hubbell on Sunday – and he didn’t come empty handed.
Sheridan brought a 1939 Carl Hubbell baseball card and donated it to the Friends of the Haworth Library, who hosted an all-day event to honor the former Giants player who lived in the borough from 1946 to 1950. Now Sheridan could contribute to others learning about the game, and its star players, in the future.
“I love baseball, and I came because I wanted to hear about the time when there were the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees all in one city,” he said.
Baseball enthusiasts like Sheridan, borough residents and even a distant relative came to Haworth on Sunday to celebrate the accomplishments and playing career of Hubbell.
Several events were planned by the Friends of the Haworth Library on Sunday – which the Borough Council proclaimed “Carl Owen Hubbell Day” – including an open house of the home the hall of famer resided in on Haworth Avenue, a lecture by a baseball historian and a display of New York Giants memorabilia that included several signed baseballs and other items related to Hubbell.
The Friends of the Haworth Library organized the event after the San Francisco Giants donated $500 to help finance a new addition to the Haworth Municipal Library in honor of their former pitcher who famously used a screwball to strikeout batters during his 16-year career. After retiring in 1943, Hubbell also worked as the director of the Giants’ farm system, even after the franchise relocated to San Francisco in 1958.
“He is one of Haworth’s most famous residents,” said Beth Potter, president of the Friends organization, adding that he served on the borough’s recreation commission during his time as a resident. “We feel like he may have fallen out into the baseball mist, so to speak, but when you read more about him, you realize he was an amazing player.”
Hubbell may be most remembered for his performance at the 1934 All Star Game at the old Polo Grounds, where he struck out future Hall-of-Famers Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin in succession.
But he was certainly not a one-game wonder. At the end of his career, Hubbell had won more than 250 games, had an earned run average under 3.00 and struck out 1,600 batters, according to BaseballReference.com , a popular baseball statistics website. He was also voted most valuable player in the National League twice. Once he began running the organization’s farm system he oversaw the signing of Willie Mays and other great Giants players. Continue reading →

Greetings!! Our 2nd NYGPS meeting of the year will take take in 2 weeks, on Thursday, April 28 at 6:30PM, at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse. Chris Haft, author (This is Our Time!!) and SF Giants Beat Reporter for MLB.com, will be stopping by to discuss the current team and also delve into the history of the franchise as well. Chris is a wonderful reporter who can be followed at https://twitter.com/sfgiantsbeat. His articles appear regularly on the SF Giants official website. Come and join us for a wonderful evening talking Giants Baseball with a most knowledgeable reporter. Please RSVP me with your intentions as time is of the essence. Thanks as always to Jay Goldberg for hosting us at the clubhouse. This will be a very busy week for the Giants Franchise. See below:
APRIL 24-Carl Hubbell Day-Haworth NJ Library
APRIL 28-Chris Haft-NYGPS Meeting Speaker
APRIL 29-Giants versus Mets Citifield
APRIL 30-Monte Irvin Celebration of Life-South Orange, NY
APRIL 30-Giants versus Mets Citifield
MAY 1-Giants versus Mets Citifield

Hope to see you there!!!

HAWORTH TO CELEBRATE “CARL OWEN HUBBELL DAY”
BASEBALL HALL OF FAMER AND FORMER RESIDENT
Two of our members to speak, Peter Laskowich & Jerry Liebowitz!!
Baseball Hall of Famer Carl Hubbell was called the “Meal Ticket” for the New York Giants during the 1930s, or sometimes “King Carl.” He helped take the Giants to three World Series. In the 1934 All Star Game he struck out five future Hall of Famers in a row, starting with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. He was the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1933 and 1936. And from 1946 through 1950, he and his family lived in the small Bergen County town of Haworth, New Jersey (at the time he was developing the Giants farm system).
Carl’s old team, now the San Francisco Giants, recently honored his time in Haworth with a $500 contribution to the Haworth Library’s building fund—enough to memorialize the pitcher’s name on the library’s Donor Wall. Up until that donation, probably only the town historian and the people who live in the Hubbells’ former home knew of his time here. While everyone in town knows that actress Brooke Shields once lived here, and some may know that General Henry Robert, who wrote “Robert’s Rules of Order,” had a Victorian house on Sunset, the Giants’ donation was a big surprise to local folks who had no idea that the town had been home to a resident truly in a “league of his own,” a man famous for what was called a “baffling” and “devastating” screwball. The Giants’ donation created so much local interest that the Friends of the Haworth Library decided to celebrate Hubbell’s legacy and residency with a special day.
To that end, the Haworth Borough Council has passed a resolution officially making Sunday, April 24, “Carl Owen Hubbell Day.” At 1:30 PM the Hubbell family home, 474 Haworth Ave., will be open to see, and a video there will showcase Hubbell’s baseball career. At 2:30 at the Haworth Library, 300 Haworth Ave., New York baseball historian Peter Laskowich will talk about the place of the Giants, and Hubbell, in baseball history, and Jerry Liebowitz, with the New York Giants Preservation Society, will show off his collection of Hubbell and Giants photographs and memorabilia. Additional photos have been sent by Carl Hubbell’s two sons, Carl, Jr., and James, who now live in the Midwest. Finally, at 4 PM, when the speakers are finished, there will be a showing of the 1953 movie Carl made with Edward G. Robinson and Vera-Ellen, “Big Leaguer” (it was the first movie directed by Robert Aldrich, who went on to make “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane” and “The Dirty Dozen”). Peanuts and Cracker Jacks will be served.
For more information on “Carl Owen Hubbell Day,” contact Beth Potter, president of the Friends of the Haworth Library, at 201-384-1020 (or Beth’s cell, 201-723-6289).

Happy Holidays! If you wish to attend you need to call in and speak to Amanda Parker. Click on photos for contact information and address of event. Don’t e-mail her. There is limited seating (300), so act quickly. If you are not on the list, you will not be let in. They have assured me of that!! The Giants will be taking on the Mets at 4PM that afternoon.

Joe Garagiola passed away today at the age of 90. His death brings down the number of living NY Giants to 22. Here is a link to his passing.http://www.sfgate.com/…/Remembering-Joe-Garagiola-hanging-w… It is followed by the list of remaining NY Giants along with their birthdays.
■Foster Castleman 1954-57 B: 1/1/1931 INF
■Joe Margoneri 1956-57 B: 1/13/1930 LEFTY PITCHER
■Joey Amalfitano 1954-55 B:1/23/1934 INF
■Bill White 1956 B: 1/28/1934 1B
■Red Schoendienst 1956-57 B: 2/2/1923 INF
■Al Worthington 1953-54, 1956-57 B: 2/5/1929 P
■Ron Samford 1954 B: 2/28/1930 SS
■Johnny Antonelli 1954-57 B: 4/12/1930 LP
■Jackie Brandt 1956 B: 4/28/1934 OF
■Ed Bressoud 1956-57 B: 5/2/1932 SS
■Willie Mays 1951-52, 1954-57 B: 5/6/1931 OF
■Ozzie Virgil 1956-57 B: 5/17/1933 INF
■Gil Coan 1955 B: 5/18/1922 OF
■Harvey Gentry 1954 B: 5/27/1926 ?
■Wayne Terwilliger 1955-56 B: 6/27/1925 2B
■Pete Burnside 1955, 1957 B: 7/2/1930 P
■Daryl Spencer 1952-53, 1956-57 B: 7/13/1929 INF
■Windy McCall 1954-57 B: 7/18/1925 LEFTY RELIEF
■Billy Gardner 1954-55 B: 7/19/1927 2B
■Ray Crone 1957 B: 8/7/1931 P
■Roy Wright 1956 B: 9/26/1933 P
■Mike McCormick 1956-57 B: 9/29/1938 LP
Gil Coan is the oldest living member of the New York Giants (93), while Mike McCormick is the youngest at 77.

Our 1st NYGPS of 2016 took place Wednesday, January 20th at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse in lower Manhattan. Over 30 people listened to David H. Lippman and Nicholas Diunte talk about their contributions to the SABR Anthology: The Team Time Won’t Forget, the 1951 New York Giants
http://www.amazon.com/Team-That-Tim…/…/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0…
Lippman spoke about the 50th anniversary of Bobby Thomson’s Shot Heard ‘Round the World, while Diunte spoke about pitcher George Spencer. Both men then took questions on the entire book. A wonderful night concluded with NYGPS Member Jerry Liebowitz conducting a Trivia Contest on the nicknames of the members of the NY Giants. Winners received an authentic signed photo of Bobby Thomson. Thanks to Jay Goldberg for opening his clubhouse to the NYGPS.http://www.bergino.com/

WILLIE MAYS REMEMBERS MENTOR MONTE IRVIN
With audio!! (SEE LINK BELOW)
Hall-of-Fame center fielder Willie Mays was once quoted as saying, “I think I was the best baseball player I ever saw.”
But when it came to life off the field, the legendary player credits his former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Monte Irvin with being his teacher. Irvin died Monday at his home in Houston at the age of 96. Mays, now 84, spoke to NPR’s Kelly McEvers about the man he described as a father figure.
“He taught me a lot things about life,” Mays said. “I already knew how to play the game, but sometimes you need a little more. You need to know how to treat people. You need to know how when you hit a home run, you run around the bases — you don’t stop and show anybody up. Thinking was more important to him than just playing the game.”
For much of his career, Irvin played in the Negro leagues with the Newark Eagles. When he finally reached Major League Baseball in 1949, two years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, he was already 30 years old. Still, his skill was undeniable.
“He had what I call a very good arm, ran very good, good hitter and most of all thinking,” Mays said. “He was a good thinker in the outfield and that sometimes is overlooked.”
When Mays entered the MLB in 1951, he joined Irvin on the New York Giants, where, he said, the older man’s guidance was invaluable.
“When I came up in ’51, Monte taught me a lot of things about life in the big city — well, I call it the Big Apple, New York. I learned very quickly because I had to play the games in the Polo Grounds,” he said. “So Monte was there playing alongside of me at all times, and it was just a wonderful feeling to have someone in the outfield with me to make sure I didn’t make a lot of mistakes out there.”

Mays, Irvin and Hank Thompson went on to form the first all-black outfield in Game 1 of the 1951 World Series against the Yankees. It was a huge moment for baseball. For Mays? Not so much.
“To me it wasn’t, because I knew those guys … it wasn’t anything different. It made me proud to be a part of that particular unit at that particular time.”
When Irvin was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973 he acknowledged that he “wasted [his] best years in the Negro leagues.”
But he added: “I’m philosophical about it. There’s no point in being bitter. You’re not happy with the way things happen, but why make yourself sick inside? There were many guys who could really play who never got a chance at all.”
It was this thoughtfulness that stuck with Mays. When asked about what he will miss about Irvin, Mays said simply, “the man.”
“He was a guy that was sort of like my father. … There was a park by his house there, we would go out and just talk, nothing specific, just talk, mostly about life.”

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/13/462945783/willie-mays-remembers-mentor-monte-irvin?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=storiesfromnpr

HALL OF FAMER, TRAILBLAZER IRVIN DIES AT 96
Fourth African-American to play in big leagues helped many during game’s integration
By Richard Justice and Chris Haft / MLB.com | 3:15 PM ET
Monte Irvin was a mentor to Willie Mays and a friend to Ted Williams. He was in the Polo Grounds’ home dugout when Bobby Thomson hit the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” and was visiting Havana when the Cubans ran out a hotshot pitching prospect named Fidel Castro.
Irvin’s long, wonderful life was the stuff of dreams, a uniquely American story and an enduring testament to talent, perseverance, grace and dignity. Perhaps it is the greatest tribute to this remarkable man, who died Monday night in Houston of natural causes at age 96, that he’ll forever be remembered as much for his decency and sense of humor as for his amazing skills.
“Monte Irvin’s affable demeanor, strong constitution and coolness under pressure helped guide baseball through desegregation and set a standard for American culture,” said Jeff Idelson, president of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. “His abilities on the field as the consummate teammate are undeniable, as evidenced by World Series titles he contributed to in both the Negro and Major leagues, and a richly deserved plaque in Cooperstown. He was on the original committee that elected Negro League stars to the Hall of Fame, something for which the Museum will always be grateful.”
• Baseball world remembers Monte Irvin
In the 1940s, Negro League owners had recommended to Branch Rickey, then the Dodgers’ president and general manager, that Irvin would be a perfect candidate to break Major League Baseball’s color line, which Jackie Robinson did in 1947. Looking back on the subject years later, Irvin simply didn’t believe he would have been ready after having just served three years in the Army.
“I don’t have any regrets,” Irvin said in 2010. “I couldn’t aspire to becoming a Major Leaguer because the door was closed. Jackie Robinson is the real hero and the real pioneer. I was just so happy he was successful, and it made it much easier for all of us who came after him.”
But Irvin played a significant role in the integration of MLB, mentoring many of the African-American players who were breaking into the big leagues in the 1950s. He was the fourth African-American to play in the big leagues, following Robinson, Larry Doby and Hank Thompson.
He made his debut with the New York Giants at age 30 in 1949, two years after Robinson debuted with the Dodgers. Along with Mays and Thompson, he was a member of the game’s first all-black outfield in 1951. Mays joined the Giants that season. Continue reading →