OT: Don Larsen Dead
- Thread starter Mikemarc
- Start date
But he lived to 90 and the signature moment of signature moments. Zap may recount his father's recollection as he caught the game.
RIP
We will miss you Don!
On Yogi’s return to Yankee stadium after a 14 year hiatus...Don and Yogi borrowed David Cone’s and Joe Girardi’s gloves to reenact the 1956 perfect game.
Then Cone and Girardi proceeded to perform a perfect game!
On Yogi’s return to Yankee stadium after a 14 year hiatus...Don and Yogi borrowed David Cone’s and Joe Girardi’s gloves to reenact the 1956 perfect game.
Then Cone and Girardi proceeded to perform a perfect game!
I love when Zap recounts a personal slice of American history on this venue. Don and David Wells. Both from San Diego. Both threw perfectos for the Yanks. Does it get better than that?
Sad fact about Larsen. On the 50th anniversary of his perfect game you’d think he was at a big Yankee celebration, right? Nope. He was in Livingston for a ribbon cutting for a new field - he got a couple of bucks and needed the money. RIP
My family has a strange/cool connection to Don Larsen:
so my grandfather and his brother were at the perfect game..and like a handful of fans, ran onto the field immediately after the final out.
In the legendary clip of Yogi jumping into Dons arms, you can see my great uncle in a trench coat celebrating along with the yanks. Anyhow amidst the craziness, dons hat comes off and is caught by my great uncle. Don is ushered off the field before my uncle could give It back, and he ended up with the hat.
He attempted to contact don and yankees..and was finally able to. Didn’t want any money, but had one request from don. My family owned a sporting goods store in town, and only request is he would make an appearance at the store, show up and pick up the hat. Unfortunately Don could never make it..but had no issues with a fan Keeping that hat..which was displayed in our family store until it closed in 1994. My great uncle died in 1993, and his kids donated it to Cooperstown in 94.
so my grandfather and his brother were at the perfect game..and like a handful of fans, ran onto the field immediately after the final out.
In the legendary clip of Yogi jumping into Dons arms, you can see my great uncle in a trench coat celebrating along with the yanks. Anyhow amidst the craziness, dons hat comes off and is caught by my great uncle. Don is ushered off the field before my uncle could give It back, and he ended up with the hat.
He attempted to contact don and yankees..and was finally able to. Didn’t want any money, but had one request from don. My family owned a sporting goods store in town, and only request is he would make an appearance at the store, show up and pick up the hat. Unfortunately Don could never make it..but had no issues with a fan Keeping that hat..which was displayed in our family store until it closed in 1994. My great uncle died in 1993, and his kids donated it to Cooperstown in 94.
After the perfect game's conclusion,Dick Young stared as his typewriter for 20 minutes before penning this for his opener:The imperfect man pitched a perfect game.
He was alluding toward Larsen's penchant for the night life,once crashing an Oldsmobile into a telephone pole.
Six years to the day after the perfecto,he was the winning pitcher for the Giants in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium,getting the win on Chuck Hiller's grand slam.
He was alluding toward Larsen's penchant for the night life,once crashing an Oldsmobile into a telephone pole.
Six years to the day after the perfecto,he was the winning pitcher for the Giants in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium,getting the win on Chuck Hiller's grand slam.
The guy Larsen fanned for the last out,Dale Mitchell,had perhaps the most unusual stat season in 1949 by hitting 16 doubles,23 triples,but only three home runs.Outside of the dead ball era,those marks have never been approached.
I checked Wikipedia about 10 minutes before the news came out.I had checked stiffs.com earlier to see how many points the winner of 2019's contest had gotten.I never enter,BTW.
all i can say is OMG! a True National Treasure!!
Two legends inspiring two players to perform at the highest level!
Great stuff.. Thanks Zap!
Beancounter-
I understand the optics and your perception about this, but realize this was Don’s life, he had his agents in NY and they could book him for ceremonies, speaking engagements and memorabilia shows every day of the week
This is how Don made his money and quite honestly he loved it...for years he would stay at my parents house in Montclair when he came north
When he wasn’t traveling he lived in Haden Lakes and loved it.
I only collected two baseballs in my life, one by my idol Mickey, and the other your Dad and Don Larsen.
At 73 now a lot of great Yankee memories.
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Some cool pics I found while reading about this story: Owner of the store Joe to the left of Yogi Berra. Dennis Zanone between Joe and Yogi. Co-Owner Tony, center. Young boy – Joe’s son Gary. Far right in suit is sports writer Dick Young
In no way am I criticizing Don for doing this. I was more disappointed that the Yankees, with all of their history and money, didn’t do anything significant with him that day. He deserved a day.
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Some cool pics I found while reading about this story: Owner of the store Joe to the left of Yogi Berra. Dennis Zanone between Joe and Yogi. Co-Owner Tony, center. Young boy – Joe’s son Gary. Far right in suit is sports writer Dick Young
I have a copy of that photo with yogi, but not sure the background of it. I know yogi came to the store a few times...not sure that appearance had anything to do with that hat.
my father remembers my grandfather selling yogi a Lionel train set..which were nearly impossible to get at the time
My father went to the game. I have the box score, tickets ($7.50 each) and the program. Now a family heirloom.
If I'm not mistaken I believe Larsen and Wells attended the same high school.
Don Larsen also won the 3rd game of the 1958 world series by shutting out the Milwaukee Braves in Yankee Stadium. The Braves went into the game leading the series two games to none, and so Larsen's performance was really important to the Yankees.
Don’s nickname was Stork Camden, he had a crazy wind-up and delivery with arms and legs going everywhere, when he came to the Yankees they taught him a no wind-up tight delivery...after Don became accustomed to it he developed pin-point control and excelled in big games
Yes, I remember he was a no wind-up pitcher. It seems to me that was much more rare then than it is now, but perhaps I'm wrong. I also remember that he liked the night life and drove a car into a lake during one Yankee spring training (1958, I think).
Don could put em down with anybody.
Not once did he ever not admit it or attempt to quit.
He was never mean or nasty and was always able to keep his commitments, he literally drank all day everyday and lived a long, happy life.
Smoked like a chimney also...lol
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