Satchel Paige
Growing up I was fortunate to see some really great hitters, and on occasion some very fine pitchers. Since designated hitting was not yet in vogue, pitchers struck out a lot. Dean Chance, who was famous for it, ended up with a batting average of .66, which was probably comparable to my own except I couldn’t pitch, and I wasn’t in the Major Leagues.
My dad loved baseball as well and used to tell me that the greatest pitcher he ever saw was Satchel Paige during his years in the Negro League.
Tom Simard 
That’s a pretty cool memory for your dad to have had. Given some of the things you’ve said about your old man, it sounds like he had a LOT of stories to tell.
I once had the opportunity to face a former MLB pitcher (and I should qualify that by saying this guy had played in a couple games in the majors, for the Expos, I think). He threw three pitches. I sat down. That was my one time facing a former major leaguer.
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I’ve got to smile at your use of old man. My dad was famously calm – but that was a term that used to really get his goat!
Lots of stories. It helped the times as well: the Great Depression, and WWII.
I can’t imagine facing a MLB pitcher – a bit gun shy after a fastball slammed into my nose. What was the occasion?
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And what a fantastic name too.
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It does have great sound to it.
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awe, you struck a cord here, I love baseball!
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It’s a wonderful game. My favorite sport by far.
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I wasn’t a huge baseball fan until I moved to Boston ten years ago. It’s hard to live in a baseball town and not fall for the game. Now that I live in London, I miss baseball.
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I always liked the Red Sox. I can still remember vividly listening to the 7th game of the World Series on the radio while I was in Munich in 1986. I fell asleep with Boston in the lead 3-0. I was more than a little surprised the next day to disccover they hadn’t won.
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So, Tom, can you recommend a book about Satchel?? Would love to dive into his biography? Would love to get one for my brother! Also, and as always, thank-you so much for liking my posts “Rosebud”, “Thin Ice”, “Millipede”, “Camel Cricket”, “Boggy Waters”, and “A Choice Boat…”. Have a great weekend (and really, being the bookworm you are, if you know of one book about Satchel that’s better than others, would appreciate your feedback).
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While I haven’t read any biography on him, I’ve been toying with getting If You Were Only White by Donald Spivey. Here’s a review: http://tinyurl.com/aobrbww
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