My First Friend in Heaven--Babe Ruth

        My First Friend In Heaven—Babe Ruth

by  Fritz Peterson

    

             Baseball fans all over the world look forward to “next year”.  Ask any Cubs fan.  Most are excited for the first pitch in spring training and then of the actual season.  I look forward to Heaven in that way and since I've already been to opening day as a member of the New York Yankees 9 times, there's nowhere higher to go on the earth than that so the next season I look forward to will be my first one in Heaven.  With that in mind, I am setting some goals now so I can be ready when the time comes.  I believe that ALL of us will be going to Heaven someday so I recommend going there with some specific goals in mind. 
          The first person I want to see won't be Abe Lincoln or George Washington or even Lou Gehrig for that matter.  It will be Babe Ruth.  I already knew Mickey Mantle when he was here because he was a teammate of mine from 1966-1968.  There will be plenty of time to reunite with Mickey at a later date since I'll have an eternity to do so.  Babe Ruth will be my first stop.
          I have a million questions I want to ask him especially since we were both left handed pitchers and both held the bat the same way when we in the batters box.  Although he hit 712 more home runs than me, I had a lower career e.r.a. at Yankee Stadium than he did.  The fact is, I had a lower career e.r.a. than any pitcher in the history of “The House That He (Ruth) Built”.  He may not like it that I came in ahead of him in the e.r.a. category but if he had spent his entire career pitching I think he could have beaten me in the e.r.a. category too?   He ended up 5-0 in only 31 innings pitching for the Yankees.  The Yankees correctly opted to take Babe off the mound so he could get more at bats due to his propensity to hit the “long ball”.  I'm glad that the Yankees knew better, they usually do.  Now we both have records we can be proud of. 
          The first question I will ask him will be about his wives, we both had two.  I'll ask him if he loved his second wife, Claire as much as I loved my second wife and what happened between he and his first wife, Helen Woodford, that broke up their relationship.  I suspect that it was Babe's carousing that did it but I'll ask to be sure.  They say there are always two sides to a story but in this one I think Babe might have stepped out too often on Dorthy??


                   

                                Fritz Peterson, Claire Ruth & Mickey Mantle at Old Timers Day 1968

Claire was the one who held the Babe in her arms when he took his last breath on earth.  She was a trooper!  Then, I'll ask him what he did on road trips.  There are so many stories out there about his extra curricular activities that I'm going to have to find out the truth.  I love the truth.  I expect to spend weeks listening to his war stories.  Guys tell guys the truth, unless they are politicians.  Babe wasn't a politician and knew very little about politics.  The one time he commented about politics was when someone asked him how he could ask for more money than the President (Herbert Hoover) of the United States got in 1929.  His answer was very interesting; “I had a better year than him. How many home runs did he hit?”   Babe had hit 54 home runs in 1928.

          Then I'll ask him the baseball questions like who was the toughest pitcher he ever faced and then did he really point to center field indicating that he would hit a home run there for a little boy in the hospital.  What was Ty Cobb like?  Then I will tell him about some of the practical jokes I did that he would enjoy like the Thurman Munson holster one and about Moose Skowran's pacemaker going to the Hall of Fame.  Babe was a great practical joker too.  I expect he'll tell me some of his best.
          Even though I'm sure he was sad that he was brought to an orphanage at the age of 7, I want to know about that experience because he made to most of it, something most people don't do.  He had fun in life.  I do too.  People say he actually lived like he had been here for 150 years although he died at the age of 53.  I'll tell him that he is one of the reasons that my wife and I party every single night.  We're trying to squeeze in a few extra years like he did.  On the other end of that is what Mickey Mantle told me after his baseball career was over about his lifestyle.  He said, “Fritz, if I knew I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself”.  At the time, none of the men in Mickey's family had lived longer than 40 years.  Mickey's dad died of Hodgkin's Disease when he was 39 years old  in 1952.  I really don't think Mickey would have lived differently knowing he would live till the age of 63 instead of 40.  Mickey had fun in his life although he suffered the last couple of years he played both from the pain he endured in his legs but even more-so because the Yankees had imploded from 1965 until he retired after the 1968 season.  Baseball was no longer fun for him and all of his friends had left.  Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Billy Martin all were gone before Mickey played his last game in 1968.  I had the pleasure of being the last starting pitcher for the Yankees the day he hit his last major league home run in September of that season off of Red Sox pitcher Jim Lonborg.  Mickey was a great teammate as I expect Babe Ruth would have been as well.

         As I said in my book, “Mickey Mantle is Going to Heaven”, I really miss Mickey and with all the reading I've done about Babe Ruth, I miss him too even though I didn't know him. Having met his wife Claire at several Yankee Old Timers Games before she died in 1976 I feel like I'll have a little “in” with the “Bambino” when I finally see him. He was so much of baseball and so much a Yankee it will be a real honor! I just hope the movie that Warner Brothers is making about me is better than the one Twentieth Century Fox made of Babe called “The Babe Ruth Story” in which William Bendix played Babe Ruth. Babe hated the movie and watched only half of the premiere before going back into the hospital where he ended up dying a couple of weeks later. Babe had been hired as a “technical adviser” by Twentieth Century Fox to show Bendix how to swing a bat like he did. He couldn't do it. Warner Brothers has hired me as a consultant for my movie that will be called, “The Trade”. I have confidence that Ben Affleck will do a better job playing me than William Bendix did of playing Babe Ruth. Anyway, I'm interested in seeing who my new wife will be in the movie. The ones I've seen on the internet that are interested in doing it sure look pretty! I may have to come out of retirement like Andy Pettitte did??

Fritz Peterson

fritzpeterson19@gmail.com

         

Thurman Munson's Holster

                                  

                                    Thurman Munson's Holster

by Fritz Peterson

The Yankees were on a road trip to Texas in 1971 where Thurman found a holster he liked in a magazine in the visitors clubhouse at Ranger Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Thurman had to have it. He filled out the magazine form but realized that he didn't bring his checkbook with him on the road-trip. The form he filled out said that cash wasn't to be sent in the envelope, checks only. One of the players told him he would write the check out to the holster company as Thurman was heading out to the field for batting practice. I saw it happen. The player then gave the envelope to the clubhouse manager, Joe Macko, who was to mail it the next day. I walked over to Joe and said I'd mail it at the hotel when we got back to the hotel after the game. He gave it to me.

I did mail it that night in the hotel mail box but before I did I decided to make a few changes 'for' Thurman. I changed the length of the holster from 12 inches to 3 inches. I also changed the texture of the holster from a rough leather grain to a black, satin matte finish. I also decided to make it a left handed holster rather than the right handed one Thurman wanted. Lastly, I had to shorten the length of the belt that came with the holster from a length of 38 inches to one that was 28 inches. That way he couldn't have used the belt for anything other than maybe a wide watchband or something. I resealed the envelope and dropped it into the mail box and waited patiently for the order to be filled. Thurman was so excited I heard him telling the guys in the clubhouse what he had ordered.

I always got to the clubhouse before most of the players so I could sort through the mail and stuff that came in. I felt that anything that came into the clubhouse was “fair game”, my game. I saw the box from the holster company that we were all waiting for and told everyone what it was. I made sure that they all knew that they couldn't tell Thurman what I had done but should just casually watch as he opened his grand prize from Texas.

The package was waiting for him on his locker stool when he got to the clubhouse that day. I saw a big smile on his face as he began to open it. I hid around the corner of the clubhouse door since I knew Thurman would look to see me when he saw what was in the box. I was known to do such things. With others quietly peeking as he opened the box, he pulled it partially out of its box and quickly pushed it back in realizing there was a big problem. Nothing was right! It was 3 inches long with a black satin finish with a 28 inch black satin finish belt not to mention that is was left handed. Thurman waited until the other players went out for batting practice and brought the package to our clubhouse man, Pete Sheehy, asking him to send it back to the company with a note asking the company to send him what he originally wanted. Of course, I saw him bring it over to “big Pete” (as we called our clubhouse man that had been around since Babe Ruth's days).

I convinced big Pete to give me the box and that I'd take care of it. Right. I did. I sent the company a letter alright but it was one that I made up supposedly written by Munson saying that he was elated to get his holster but had one problem--the holster was a left handed one instead of a right handed one. I told the company that since I (Thurman) wanted to keep the holster and wanted to know if they had a booklet about learning how to draw (a gun) left handed. I also told the company that I (Thurman) would like to represent their company and possibly do a commercial for them since he was a “New York Yankee”.

The letter was mailed out and I put the box in my locker for safe keeping. The wait was on again, for the mailman.  A week later I spotted the letter from the holster company. All hands on deck! The guys quietly watched again as Thurman saw the letter taped nicely on the top of the original box with the holster on it and opened it. Not only hoping that his original order finally got to him, he was hoping that maybe a letter offering him a contract to represent their company was there as well. Once again, Thurman's holster dream would be on hold. Same left handed holster in the box, belt and all and a letter saying that the company loved his interest in doing a commercial for them but at that time they weren't doing endorsement deals with athletes. 0 for 2. Thurman brought the box back to big Pete and told him to send it back to the company with a little note in it asking for his money back. Guess who saw him do it, again? Right, I did.

By this time, big Pete was on to me but quietly liked it. He had a great sense of humor. I asked him if I could take the box home with me over the winter. He went along. It was late in September and we might not have time for anymore correspondence before the season ended. The holster had a nice rest in DeKalb, IL for the winter.

Could you possibly imagine what was waiting on Thurman's locker stool when he walked into spring training in 1972 in Ft. Lauderdale? You're right, it was “little lefty” in its original shipping box. Strike three! I finally told him he had been “had”. He loved it! Pride and all. It wouldn't be the last time.

PS: I'm working on ex-Yankees now. Moose Skowron and Clete Boyer have been hit. There will be more. Watch out Blomberg!

Fritz Peterson
fritzpeterson19@gmail.com

The Bleacher Creatures Vs. The Bleacher Bums

The Bleacher Creatures Vs. the Bleacher Bums—5/11/12

by Fritz Peterson

  A few years ago I went to a Cubs game and chose to sit in the bleachers with “real people”. The seats that my friend and I chose happened to be where the “Bleacher Bums” sit. They are Chicago's counterpart to the Bleacher Creatures of Yankee Stadium. My buddy (Keith V.) and I had a great time watching fanatic Cub fans have a blast. Many of them were yuppies doubling as Bleacher Bums. Half of the Bums were on cell phones completing business deals and all sorts of things. It was a work day but their first priority was the game. Most mixed in a little business as well. Their third priority was drinking tons of beer. Keith and I tried keeping up with them for a while but they were younger and in better drinking condition than us.

During the experience we witnessed a couple of young ladies a few rows behind us pulling their tee shirts up to the delight of all of the Bleacher Bums who chanted, “do it again, do it again”. They did—until security got there and ended the free strip show. Everyone booed as the queens were escorted from the ballpark.  Not knowing the routine in the bleachers, Keith and I ran out of beer. We didn't know it but vendors stopped selling beer after the 7^th inning stretch. My party was over and I left the park to go home. What's a ballgame without beer! I always liked leaving games early anyway avoiding most of the traffic after the game. My friend stayed and found out how the Bums kept their “glow” going through the last couple of innings. It's called a “flask”. A few of the Bums shared their Jack Daniels with my buddy when he purchased a couple of diet cokes. The concession stands are still allowed to sell soft drinks and food to fans no matter how long the game goes, just not alcohol—the only thing that counts.

I got home (about an hour from Wrigley Field) and got a call from Keith—his car had been stolen! Actually what was stolen was Keith's memory. With all the Jack Daniels he consumed during the last two innings of the game he forgot where he had parked. He really did. He even called the Chicago Police Dept. to report the theft. The police never found the car, Keith did--the next day. In a dream he thought he remembered where he had parked down by Lake Michigan. A friend drove him down to the ballpark the next day and sure enough, it was there.

I always wanted to compare that experience with a similar one with the “Bleacher Creatures” in the Yankee Stadium bleachers. I finally got to do it on May 12^th, on a Friday night, May 12, 2012. My night was arranged by a Bleacher Creature, Marc Chalpin, who I got to know during Yankee Fantasy Camp in November, 2011. We met at Bald Vinny's T-Shirt Stand at 5:30 pm where Marc gave me my ticket. I got 2 tickets from the Yankees for the two friends I came to the game with, John T. and Tony F.. John is my attorney and Tony is a postman and my illustrator for my books and things. We went into the stadium a half hour before the game started to witness something called “roll call”, something the Bleacher Bums don't do in Chicago. (One up for the Creatures). It was a blast! After the first pitch, the Creatures start yelling the names of all of the position players (except the catcher) one after the other. They start with the center fielder, then the left fielder, then the right fielder, and then into the infield. The right fielder, Nick Swisher is the best (whose dad I know—Steve). The Creature's shout each players name until he acknowledged their overtures. Most of the players let the roll callers know they've heard them by waiving their gloves. A few have their own signature responses. Swisher salutes, Curtis Granderson likes to emulate Fred Sanford having a heart attack and Brett Gardner has his own muscle flexing pose. The roll calling is unique in all of sports having been thought up by our very own Bleacher Creatures of Yankee Stadium! ESPN says the roll calling is one of the coolest things in sports. It is!

Marc Chalpin introduced me to many of the Creatures--from all walks of life. I told my friend Tony that I was determined to stay until the last out of the game, something I have never done since retiring from baseball in 1977. I usually like to get out early to avoid traffic, but not that night. I'm glad I didn't leave, there was a lot to do, and see after roll call that night.

I only had one beer in the stands that night. It's too expensive ($10.00 a beer) and you can only buy one at a time making it really inconvenient, and expensive to buy a buzz. If the cost were reasonable I'd normally try to have one an inning. I took the night off of “oiling” that night and am glad I did. I didn't want to miss an inning of the Creature experience. I met the “Cowbell Man” (Milton),who will soon become a grandfather at age 41, the “Stat Man” (who has kept a scorecard for every game he's ever attended for the last 30 years or more) and many of the other Creatures.

There was no business conducted with cell phones that night. “Business” is not a priority with the Creatures, unlike the Bleacher Bums. To the Creatures, baseball is first, followed closely by “oiling” (drinking). All you see in the Creature section are some fans using their Blackberries to find swear word translations to yell at outfielders who are not citizens of the States. On the 12^th of May the derogatory comments and translated swear words in Japanese were aimed a Ichiro Suzuki, a frequent target over the years of the Creatures. Several comments turned his head. The reason the Creatures use translator on their Blackberries is that swearing in English is no longer tolerated by Yankee security personal. It's still best that children not sit in the Creature section!

At the beginning of the game there are quite a few seats available in the section where the Creatures sit. I found out why by the 5^th inning. A good number of the creatures “tail gate” about three blocks from the stadium starting a couple of hours before the game and continuing well into the game. They “oil up” at the tail gate party before coming to the Stadium. They start rolling into park from the 3^rd inning on saving a ton of money rather than spending $10.00 a beer at the concession stand. In the old days many could smuggle in alcohol but things have tightened up (security wise) at the Stadium. I personally think it is a travesty what they charge for beers at ballparks. Don't they make enough everywhere else? How about the Yankees getting rid of A Rod's 30 million dollar contract and selling beer at $5 a pop to the “real people”?

Mike Bonner of the Yankees knew I was going to be sitting with the Bleacher Creatures that night and sent his crew down to film me being out there with them in the 7^th inning. It was fun saying hi to the fans on the big screen with the Creatures and my buddies surrounding me. It felt like one big family. It was actually two families; it was a little family, the Bleach Creatures inside the bigger Yankee family. When the game ended it turned out to be the most fun I've ever had at a ballpark other than the night I won my 20^th game at Fenway Park in 1970. Thanks Marc, Mike Bonner, the Yankees, John T. and Tony F. for being part of such a great experience. Bleacher Bums who? The Bleacher Creatures win, hands down!

P.S The Bleacher Creature's invited us to join them again sometime this season. We accepted! This time the day will begin at the Bleacher Creature tail gate party. If we don't make the game—oh well! Go Yankees!

Fritz Peterson

fritzpeterson19@gmail.com