44 years later...

PeteBooth · #1 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 09:05am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I was watching MLB Network's showing of the 1965 WS Game 7, where Koufax threw a complete game shutout on 2 days' rest.

Most of the differences between then and now were mechanical, like the funny way umpires called outs and safes and how U2 was always outside the diamond. And of course, the plate guy was from the AL and wore a balloon and all the umpires wore coats and ties. And U1 always called plays on the run and was really, really close at first base.

The one difference in how the game was played/called that struck me was the handling of the check swing. It appears that back then the criteria for a swing was "if the plate umpire thought he swung" and the guy on the plate last night used "if he didn't go all the way around, it wasn't a swing."

One batter, on two consecutive pitches, offered (2009 interpretation) and the plate guy called the pitches balls. No complaining, no gestures, no nothing. Koufax simply got the ball back and prepared to throw his next pitch. Which, in that game, was 90% likely to be a fastball that he blew past everyone.

Oh, and Vin Scully was on the game, and he was just as good then as he is now, 44 years later.

Rich did you notice anything different about the zone back then vs. today's zone? In watching games from years past it seems as though they called a higher strike and also below the knee as compared to today.

Pete Booth

Kevin Finnerty · #2 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 09:21am

That series permanently hooked me on the game and introduced me to two of my lifelong baseball heroes, Harmon Killebrew and Don Drysdale.

mbyron · #3 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 10:57am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

That series permanently hooked me on the game and introduced me to two of my lifelong baseball heroes, Harmon Killebrew and Don Drysdale.

Trivia alert!

The MLB logo features the profile of Harmon Killebrew.

Rich · #4 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 11:03am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbyron

Trivia alert!

The MLB logo features the profile of Harmon Killebrew.

That's a myth. The logo was designed in the 60's by Jerry Dior and nobody has ever specifically been identified by MLB or Dior as a model.

Dior claims he had no model and the silhouette was of no one in particular. Look here:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122453063968851133.html

The NBA silhouette logo was created to look like this one and that one was modeled after a player -- Jerry West.

mbyron · #5 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 11:06am

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Dior claims he had no model and the silhouette was of no one in particular. Look here:

Sure he's going to say that. If he didn't, Killebrew's heirs would be suing for a cut.

Rich · #6 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 11:12am

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbyron

Sure he's going to say that. If he didn't, Killebrew's heirs would be suing for a cut.

A cut of what? MLB hasn't even acknowledged he did the art work. (Maybe they have by now.)

Ump Rube · #7 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 11:19am

If you are looking for an interesting read on the subject of the MLB logo, one of the Page 2 writers for ESPN.com did a peice on it here: Uni Watch: Intelligent design - ESPN Page 2

It is part of column he writes called Uni-Watch. It is rather interesting, and fun to read. Here is also a column on Ump Unis: ESPN.com: Page 2 : Uni eye for the ump guy

Kevin Finnerty · #8 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 12:15pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichMSN

That's a myth. The logo was designed in the 60's by Jerry Dior and nobody has ever specifically been identified by MLB or Dior as a model.

Dior claims he had no model and the silhouette was of no one in particular. Look here:

The Man Behind the MLB Logo - WSJ.com

The NBA silhouette logo was created to look like this one and that one was modeled after a player -- Jerry West.

It's funny how easily some are led to believe what they believe.

johnnyg08 · #9 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 01:37pm

Not a lawyer, but if he's an employee of MLB, MLB could probably use any player image they wish to market their product...so I don't think he'd be entitled to any type of royalty since it's not really intellectual property...but who knows.

SanDiegoSteve · #10 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 01:42pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnnyg08

Not a lawyer, but if he's an employee of MLB, MLB could probably use any player image they wish to market their product...so I don't think he'd be entitled to any type of royalty since it's not really intellectual property...but who knows.

I'm pretty sure that this is incorrect. The players work for MLB, but are not owned by MLB. Slavery was outlawed during the Lincoln administration.

Rich · #11 (**permalink**) Tue Jun 23, 2009, 09:28am

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteBooth

Rich did you notice anything different about the zone back then vs. today's zone? In watching games from years past it seems as though they called a higher strike and also below the knee as compared to today.

Pete Booth

The zone was higher, just as low, and certainly a nice big corner on the outside. What I noticed mainly, was that everyone swung at the high fastball. Otherwise they'd be taking a strike.

Pitching and umpiring are different. High pitches are considered mistakes (by everyone) and timing, angle, and distance seem to be things that only started to be taught with the advent of the modern umpire schools, although the Denkinger missed call looked a lot like how every call was made at first in this series.

The plate guy was Ed Hurley, working his final game in the big leagues. He came up in 1947 and appeared on What's My Line during the 1953 World Series. He was also the plate guy when the midget Eddie Goedel batter for Bill Veeck and the St. Louis Browns.

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