If he'd signed that paper... and given it to you... 😀😃😁

Awesome story!

That is awesome. I met Rickey Henderson at a baseball card show in Louisville, Kentucky in 1990.

I really envy you. Mays is my favorite ball player of all time. I have bragging rights to have met Ferguson Jenkins, Juan Marichal and Bob Feller.

cool story

With Willie it’s a shame he played the bulk of his career in a park like Candlestick where the wind from the bay could rob him of hits that would be HR’s in any other park. And by the time he got back to NYC with the Mets he was no longer the hitter he’d been before

You can, as I discovered two summers ago. The Cape Cod Baseball League is nearly 100 years old and still going strong. It's made up of top college players with the potential of making the majors. It's a developmental league affording the many scouts in the stands to see how players adjust to using wooden bats for the first time. Hundreds of players have made it to the majors: Kris Bryant, Frank Thomas, Carlton Fisk, Albert Belle, and Jeff Bagwell, to name a few. I didn't plan on attending any sporting event after covering games for nearly 40 years, but the CCBL changed all that. It was like going back in time. Admission is free (the guys in the bullpen pass the hat in the 5th inning). And, the games are played in a timely manner. There's nothing not to like. Check it out on Google.

Not even #2. Babe Ruth never saw the day he had all the tools and could do it all like Willie Mays.

Mays or Mantle.

All the tools, and a great heart

@@JoeKoOhNo ..... Had Mantle not blown his knee and maybe played more to his potential, you could say that, but Id say Bonds and Ruth were much more complete as players, than Mantle was..... maybe even DiMaggio too. The fact that Ruth woulda been a HoF pitcher, plus his hitting, base running etc... puts him in a league of his own.

its still bragging

@@jimmymags6516 no it not

@@luke-mm4hs YesItIs.

@@TheBatugan77 no it not

Yes it is no its not

LMAO!!

Leo got in arguments with Umps more than once. He was the Billy Martin of his era

Sounds just like Fergie. He was one of the best hitting pitchers I ever saw, along with Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale. Gibson and Drysdale would knock you down or actually hit you. They then had the courage to step in the batters box. No one messed with them. Drysdale was usually biggest guy on the field(6'6"), and Gibson was a former Golden gloves boxer!.

As you can guess from my previous comment, I'm NO fan of the DH. If you're going to throw at batters, have the guts to step in the batters box yourself!

Fergie was a better hitter than any pinch hitter on Cubs bench. He threw complete games constantly, never walked anyone, but gave up a lot of home runs.

Great pitchers give up home runs, just like great hitters strike out a lot. However those homers come usually with no one on base. You live by the fast ball, you'll occasionally get beat by your fast ball, both the pitcher and hitter's favorite pitch.

john list ~> He was a guest star on both Munsters and Beverly Hillbillies ☺

+WytZox1 and Mr. Ed too

I think the single biggest factor was he, rightly or wrongly, got on the bad side of Stan Musial. NOT blaming Mr. Musial, but I think that's what kept him out in his lifetime.

The reason he was NOT was he was hated by pretty much every player he ever managed and most of MLB. Leo was a notorious self centered, ego-centric, blowhard. Just repeating what I have studied about the guy.

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for commenting.

Some of the best days of my youth was watching the Cubs on WGN in the afternoon. Then the Braves at night on TBS. Both networks now suck.

Remember when you're watching today though...in 50 years, some of these guys will have the same legendary status. I'm glad I got to watch a lot of guys from the 80's/90s play. Griffey, McGwire/Sosa home run chase, Cal Ripken...that's a pretty short list but you get the point.

@@joeg5414 Go to Baseball Almanac and look at Willie Keeler's stats. He does not have many homeruns, but his stats are incredible and not too many people talk about him.

@@ryanthompsonthompson820 Interesting. There are a few videos on him but not much. I've been fascinated with baseball from like 1930 and earlier lately.

@@joeg5414 Willie Keeler played in the late 1800's.

@@ryanthompsonthompson820 Nobody had many HRs when Keeler played. And while he may not be talked about much today he is in the HOF. And his MLB career was from 1892-1910. He retired with a .341 lifetime BA. And it was his MLB record for longest hitting streak (45 games) that Joe DiMaggio broke in 1941 when he hit in 56 straight games.

Yes Mr.Kline the golden era !

Yep I absolutely hate when people try to discount there accolades, nothing bugs me more this is the golden era for sure

Today is truly the $$$$Golden age for the players.

+Will Drucker ~> Leo once asked why he always argued with umps even tho they'd never change their decisions he replied that "Because next time he'll be more careful in his decision." Really?!?!? ☺

+WytZox1 of course, it's a head game. it happens in all sports, in different ways. players, coaches and managers try to get any edge they can and many believe that chirping or arguing with the officials will give them some type of advantage. there are some who go the other way and are very polite and respectful to the officials. either way, sports officials are human beings and it is possible to influence them either way. just take a look at former umpire joe west. worst umpire I have ever seen, and he would deliberately antagonize players and coaches.

Steve Swangler ~> Casey Stengel as Yankees and later Mets mgr would be seen on the field holding his arms up with hands far apart as he appeared to be arguing with umpire yet he was never thrown out of the game. He later explained to media that he was just telling the umpire how after the game he knew where they could catch some fish "this big." ☺

yup

Don't believe that. Most of his former players hated him. Proof ??.....even Ernie Banks could not stand him, and Ernie liked everyone.

Except that Cobb was just as big a butcher in the OF as Teddy Ballgame. Best lefty hitter ever? Well he's in the top three with Ruth and Williams.

Not even close

Ty Cobb hitting magician 🎩

I'll bet you Cobb got rid of his legs and not the diabeetus

@@r3tr0actiongamer24 I don't know whether I should disapprove cuz I'm laughing. 😏

It’s always the scary neighbors who have the best stories

Been following baseball since 1970 but I do not remember Durocher managing the Astros...

@@bobbysands6923 Yes Leo managed the Astros the last month of 1971 and all of 1972. He thought Cesar Cedeno could be the next Willie Mays. But he was not the only one who thought that.

That's got to be worth a fortune today!

+Scott Reed And Ruth could not? He pitched, hit home runs, hit triples, stole bases, stole home once, and had a hell of an arm from the outfield.

Sure he could, but you'd have to admit he wasn't nearly the threat on bases and in the field that Mays was. The Babe, though, was the most dominant player of all time.

Scott Reed Indeed, and of course, it's hard to argue against Willie Mays.

THe only thing missing from WIllie`s career is 2 full seasons in his prime...due to military service...wonder what his numbers would have ended up at had he not missed them...baseball history is a fantastic subject for those of us who love it...

At the age of 40 Mays batted .271. Despite only playing 136 games he lead the league in walks with over 100 and OB%. Batting averages only tell half the story. Willie was a complete player.

Thank you too!

Thank you too!

Leo could be a charmer when he wanted to. Much like his friend, Frank Sinatra.

Wow ❤️ that story & funny

I went to a book signing with Ernie not long before he passed and he told that story@@loydkline

I agree. But I don't fault Durocher for his obvious bias. Here's an interview I did with Mays long after he retired. Willie was both honest and humble. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mqqpe9Ciy5bMp5c.html

seriously? a made up story about Ty Cobb, when asked about Lou Gehrig, "quiet, he smoked a pipe. went to bed early" there was nothing here that baseball fans didn't already know.

Thank you too!

Leo actually saw all those guys play.....not that his opinion counts....

I tend to agree. You measure an athlete by how they competed, and no two reigned over their eras like those two.

Ruth mays Aaron teddy mantle Cobb bonds Gehrig Johnson robinson

@@nicholasschroeder3678 Aaron hit 755 home runs versus 714 for Babe Ruth..... The difference is Hank Aaron had about 4000 more at bats than Ruth.

@@robgeorgia8801 Agreed. Ruth was a better peak player. I would compare Ruth/Aaron to Chamberlain/Jabbar. Along with Williams, Aaron was the most consistent power hitter for the longest. Mays fizzled out at the very end. I really know little of post 80s players

msw600 He hit the ball 8 blocks and off his head

Thank you, for all those who did and didn't see that episode of the Munsters. Brings back memories of my childhood. Lol

what would Herman's nickname have been, if they had signed him up?

wilson blauheuer Monster Mash(er)..... and he would have his own walk up music.

Don't forget Jethro Bodine.

@MANCHESTER UNITED That may be so, but here in the US I think most people view soccer as a good starter sport where 5 and 6 yr old boys can kick a ball around, prepping themselves to play "real sports" in the future.

That's a great point and insight.

I loved how Leo was portrayed in "42," even though I didn't believe it. Hahahaha

@M much easier sport to play.anyone can run and kick...catch a screaming liner...hit a 95mph fastball...throw a 95mph fastball?..this is for elite athletes..jus not enough in other countries

Sorry, this is all the video I have and I doubt the halftime show was ever aired by the network. They always go back to the studio during halftime in the NFL, unlike some college games of days gone by.

Barry Thomas only for a short time in spring training. Durocher was suspended for the year by Commissioner Happy Chandler. Clyde Sukeforth was Jackie Robinson's first mlb manager, for two games, before Burt Shotton took over.

You win the 2018 Meaningless Shit Award. :)

beakt you have to look at who's telling the story.

You can hear that there's an edit after he says, "first base" at 0:49. It might be that some pertinent info was cut out. @fntime You win The 2019 Dick-head Award.

@@fntime If you love baseball ( and it seems you don't) then this information is not meaningless.

leo was blacklisted from the American league in 1929 for stealing from his teammates.

❤️ to see the negro league baseball players vs oldies major league baseball ⚾️ players f from early 1900/ 1930s like satchel paige & Josh Gilson etc etc

i saw mays, on tv, get that first hit, off warren spahn, over the polo grounds roof

I agree. I also recommend "Lords of the Realm", a history of the game and how Marvin Miller turned the tables on the owners by torpedoing the reserve clause and bringing about free agency.

@@bradpalmer7944 I was about 12 years old when that happened but I was a massive baseball fan from birth. Curt Flood is the name I will never forget I'm from Chicago. I've been a big fan of yours for many years. I will definitely check out that recommendation. Another good baseball book I read was about baseball during the Ragtime era. But Leo's book is my favorite

That was an impressive “pack”

Pretty good for back in the days when strength training wasn't a thing.

What was Ruth like? Did she say?

@@ShunyamNiketana You know Ruth grew up in a kids home. He was picked on because of his looks. This drove him to become one of the greatest, if not the greatest of all time.

Hornsby is top 5 five all time.

Hornsby Bend, a small community just southeast of Austin, is named after his family.

Rogers is one of the all time best.

Hornsby is the greatest righthand hitter and N.L. ballplayer ever.

i saw it...over the left field roof. (on tv) PAT BONNER

Ruth had a keg...

Modern day players didn't invent muscles,lol

Gehrig was ripped, a strong son of a bitch. It takes alot of strength to knock in 185 RBI in one season.

@MANCHESTER UNITED F.C soccer is popular because it's an easy game that almost anyone can play. You don't need to. E able to catch, throw, strike, or tackle anyone. Don't get me wrong it's a great game because of those things, but it doesn't take the same level of skill as baseball, football, basketball, tennis, Rugby, etc.

@M And the majority of Americans can give a rats azz about soccer. The only kids in America that play soccer are the ones not good enough for the big 3 sports. Baseball, Basketball and Football.

So did Cobb. It's been a long time.

Probably true.

He did not hit for average and he did not dominate. He is 188th on the all time B.A. list. He broke no offensive records, and did not finish first in any offensive category.

ANYBODY with a lifetime average of over .300 for 20 years or more, hits for average! He is the only player in MLB history with 7,000 outfield putouts! Your RACISM and JEALOUSY is front and center!

@@williamhendershot54951st in most homeruns hit in extra innings, ALL-TIME! 1st to steal 300 bases and hit 300, 400, 500, and 600 plus homeruns!

@@keithleverette8235 Ruth and Cobb both have more records than Mays.A lot more. By the by, just because a black fellow is not selected, does not make one a racist. Just look in your mirror if you want to see one.

Ruth and Cobb played against some of the weakest athletes in sports history! Records are as tainted as they were! 😄😂😝😅

If he did, I never heard about it, but it seems like the most logical approach to me considering Mays' speed on the base paths.

I believe he did.What he told Mays was to shorten his stride at the plate and to only think of hitting the ball "solid".

This was in 1954 in a tight pennant race. Leo felt Willie could help the team more by hitting for average and getting on base.

Yes, Mays was on a record-breaking HR terror by mid summer, when Durocher told him to favor base hits. I don't know the numbers off hand, but after July he hit only about one quarter of his season's HR total, though he ended up with a BA of .345.

He was correct.

Not better than Ken Griffey, Jr!

He was and is a moron,like you.

That’s baseball logic, thank you for that comment. Mays greatest ever, that he ever saw

@@johncraftenworth7847 Jr was great, but he wasn't the Say Hey Kid.

Ray Mond Reiser was said to be one helluva ballplayer.

Reiser was the fastest base-runner in the Majors while he was playing healthy.

Mantle was really set back early in his career by a torn ACL. The surgery, and rehab was archaic compared to today's. He tripped on a sprinkler in the outfield,and tore his knee up. He still had a great career, but he had almost unlimited potential before that Injury. He wasn't hyped up much early in his career in New York because he took over centerfield for Joe DiMaggio who was beloved in Bew York because he was a great Italian American Yankee. Mantle was a country kid from Oklahoma, and New Yorkers didn't warm to him till he was just too good to ignore, and started playing ball with the media. Probably the most talented 5 tool baseball player ever though. His speed was off the charts before the knee injury. He was easily the fastest player in baseball, and strong as an ox.

+Bill Flower ~> The "reason" for Mays' greatness was mentioned on an episode of Bewitched AND he was mentioned in the song Centerfield by that Creedence Clearwater guy. ☺

I believe what you say may be true,Bill.There was a baseball stats keeper who said 45 balls of willies were blown back into play in a single season at candlestick...and with the 2 seasons missed you can be sure the records would have fallen.I wonder what would have happened if Ted Williams had not missed because of military service.

Bill Flower How about the wind blowing in from Left Field in Candelstick? He was the greatest Five tool player in history. Still the best I ever saw!

DiMaggio missed three years to the military right in his prime..28, 29, 30 ...He was great..Top five all time in my opinion

Bill Flower mays could not do it all,he was overrated-how is hitting .302(good for 177th on the all time list)hitting for average?.300 is a good average,not great.he was not great at everything. .302?no.

Many have said the same. Sparky Anderson comes to mind.

GEORGE HALAS has a great anecdote on Ty Cobb about a run-in he had with Cobb during Halas' short stint with the Yankees. It begins at 13:10. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/n9SjhsJ_qsXKZp8.html

So funny how much people make of steroids or the Astros camera cheating when when all the old time "classy" players cheated like crazy.

@@ourvaluesarewhoweareinadem4093 Stealing signs is as old as life itself. Steroids is in a different category entirely. So is high tech cheating. AI will create a whole new dimension.

@@anonymike8280 So it was totally cool back when teams had guys in the stands stealing signs and using hand signals to get the signs to the batter? But if you use a cell phone it is somehow total moral bankruptcy? And steroids is somehow different from the meth they used in the 50s, 60s, and 70s and the cocaine they used before that? Idiot.

Leo is delusional, just like you are.

Doug Montgomery then 6 straight winning seasons on the Northside clown.

WytZox1 nope but 2016 we shut everybody up.

Mantle definitely was, and probably a little better even. A torn ACL was career ending for most players in the 50s, and 60s, but Mantle kept playing well.