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kairos12

(13,248 posts)
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 02:50 PM Apr 2020

Name the most memorable/greatest player you saw in his prime in person put on a show.

I would have to say it was Nolan Ryan. I think he struck out 15 or 16 the night I saw him.

Batters were looking back in the dugout with the face screaming how fast can I sit down look.

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Name the most memorable/greatest player you saw in his prime in person put on a show. (Original Post) kairos12 Apr 2020 OP
Roberto Clemente. Fortunate to see him play at the old livetohike Apr 2020 #1
+1 a great ballplayer and a great human being apcalc Apr 2020 #23
Skipped class from Duquesne University MyOwnPeace Apr 2020 #29
Great memories! He sure did run those bases like a livetohike Apr 2020 #30
Yep! MyOwnPeace Apr 2020 #33
Not a Yankee fan, but Loge23 Apr 2020 #2
Ted Williams. Wellstone ruled Apr 2020 #3
That is remarkable. kairos12 Apr 2020 #6
Next was Kirby Puckett, Wellstone ruled Apr 2020 #10
Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Joe Pepitone... SeattleVet Apr 2020 #4
Similiar here. GF took me to Yankee Stadium, many years. Always Fri Nite game. empedocles Apr 2020 #37
Factor in double digit steals and the Mick was unique empedocles Apr 2020 #43
Jeff Healey. One of the greatest guitar performances I've seen. blm Apr 2020 #5
Um - just noticed this was in Sports group. blm Apr 2020 #44
Most memorable? Cracklin Charlie Apr 2020 #7
That's a toughie gibraltar72 Apr 2020 #8
That would be Chainfire Apr 2020 #9
👍🏽 blm Apr 2020 #45
Al Leiter no hitter MaryMagdaline Apr 2020 #11
Never saw one in person. I gave tickets away once where the pitcher threw one. kairos12 Apr 2020 #13
Ouch! MaryMagdaline Apr 2020 #14
at dodger stadium when don drysdale set the consecutive scoreless innings record nt msongs Apr 2020 #12
My grandfather and i saw Roberto Clemente in 3 rivers stadium The Polack MSgt Apr 2020 #15
Not me, but my dad... sweetloukillbot Apr 2020 #16
I am lucky heather blossom Apr 2020 #17
In '61 or '62, I saw Stan Musial hit one out at the old original Busch Stadium Atticus Apr 2020 #18
Saw Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera all pitch in the same game Sedona Apr 2020 #19
I was at game six. kairos12 Apr 2020 #20
Me too! Sedona Apr 2020 #24
Sandy Kaufax . . . Journeyman Apr 2020 #21
Roberto Clemente in baseball, Dr J in basketball. apcalc Apr 2020 #22
Rickey Henderson stopwastingmymoney Apr 2020 #25
Does this count? leftieNanner Apr 2020 #26
Andre Dawson Was Always A Beast When I Saw Him at Cub Games Indykatie Apr 2020 #27
Tom Glavine game 6 1995 World Series jojog Apr 2020 #28
Frank Thomas... Moostache Apr 2020 #31
Nolan Ryan gopiscrap Apr 2020 #32
Shaquille O'Neal, 2000 Western Conference Finals, Game 7 John Fante Apr 2020 #34
While I saw Nolan Ryan make a strike out record broiles Apr 2020 #35
Brooks Robinson Va Lefty Apr 2020 #36
As a Reds fan I couldn't stand him because of the 70 World Series when nothing got kairos12 Apr 2020 #40
Yeah, I always felt the same about Jeter Va Lefty Apr 2020 #42
Andre's Galarraga's 6 hit game against Astros CanonRay Apr 2020 #38
Carlos Zambrano SheltieLover Apr 2020 #39
At a Tigers-Orioles game in 1983 hotrod0808 Apr 2020 #41

livetohike

(22,965 posts)
1. Roberto Clemente. Fortunate to see him play at the old
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 02:53 PM
Apr 2020

Forbes Field and then at Three Rivers. Loved watch him throw from right field and nail a runner. He was and will always be my favorite player.

MyOwnPeace

(17,275 posts)
29. Skipped class from Duquesne University
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:05 PM
Apr 2020

to go to Forbes Field - got seats in right field behind "The Great Roberto!"
Loved watching him throw those bullets from right field back to the infield - they were a white streak about 5 feet off of the ground!
And when he ran the bases he always ran out from under his helmet!

Loge23

(3,922 posts)
2. Not a Yankee fan, but
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:03 PM
Apr 2020

I went to a game at Yankee Stadium many years ago with some friends. Ron Guidry was pitching.
He struck out 19 that night - an amazing performance that I was lucky to be at.
I am a Met fan. So in 1985 a young Doc Gooden was mesmerizing to watch - just unhittable. Between him and Strawberry, it was a thrill a minute when Doc was pitching and Straw ambled up to the plate. Straw used to bounce them off the old scoreboard at Shea - really something to see.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
3. Ted Williams.
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:05 PM
Apr 2020

May 1st or 2nd, 1959 Chicago,hit for the Cycle. After the game,the fellow who took us to the game was able to get us into the Locker room area and meet Williams and get our Programs Signed.

 

Wellstone ruled

(34,661 posts)
10. Next was Kirby Puckett,
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:12 PM
Apr 2020

whom many of us who lived in the Twin Cities,had the pleasure to meet on many a occasion. Puckett and Herbek would do our Park and Rec end of Season Baseball Dinners.

SeattleVet

(5,589 posts)
4. Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Joe Pepitone...
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:05 PM
Apr 2020

My grandfather used to take me to Yankee Stadium when I was a kid, so I got to see a lot of the greats in the early 60's.

empedocles

(15,751 posts)
37. Similiar here. GF took me to Yankee Stadium, many years. Always Fri Nite game.
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:28 PM
Apr 2020

All time great Mickey Mantle, [rare triple crown winner,1956 BA .353, HR 52, RBI 130. I remember the rising 'low roar' at the House that Ruth built, as he strode towards the plate.

[Only others were Williams and Hornsby]

blm

(113,819 posts)
5. Jeff Healey. One of the greatest guitar performances I've seen.
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:07 PM
Apr 2020

Les Paul had asked him to play for an event at HoB in LA, and Jeff promised to be there. Jeff’s mother passed away right before the event, but, Jeff played. Only a small circle of us knew his mother had just died.

He played as passionately and mournfully as I had ever seen. He was down on the ground and his fingers were dripping blood, but he didn’t let up. It was incredible, it was draining. I will never forget that night.

gibraltar72

(7,629 posts)
8. That's a toughie
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:09 PM
Apr 2020

Al Kaline made it look easy when it wasn't. Zeke could take over a game. Magic could dominate a game from any position. Larry Bird had icewater in his veins. Bird Fidrych probably put on the best show though.

 

Chainfire

(17,757 posts)
9. That would be
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:10 PM
Apr 2020

Carl Sagan, battling christian hecklers after a lecture in the 1980s. It was a performance I will never forget.

And, yes, he was a good sport, but he still sent the opposition away crying in their milk!

The Polack MSgt

(13,425 posts)
15. My grandfather and i saw Roberto Clemente in 3 rivers stadium
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:21 PM
Apr 2020

But i was 8 years old. I can't really count that

The most amazing performances were probably Albert Pujols

In 2005 I saw Albert go 3 for 3 with 2 walks - a double and 2 homers and made 2 high light reel plays at 1st to steal hits from the Phillies. The best baseball game played that I ever saw live and in person

In a completely different way, Pujols impressed me a few years later.

In 2009 a fan in Pittsburgh fell onto the field near 1st base. He was attending the game with his son, who had Down's Syndrome on his son's 21st birthday.

Here is the story
https://www.stltoday.com/news/fan-feels-uplifted-after-fall-man-who-toppled-onto-playing/article_a5c37b06-cbd0-53ef-b8ec-1b26bf40ba29.html

sweetloukillbot

(12,600 posts)
16. Not me, but my dad...
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:27 PM
Apr 2020

Saw Sandy Koufax throw a no hitter that was one batter shy of perfection (1 walk, I believe he said, in the 9th)

heather blossom

(174 posts)
17. I am lucky
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:29 PM
Apr 2020

I saw Hank Aaron hit HR 695 and 696 in Shea Stadium. I was lucky enough to see the 1969 Mets play 5 times. Saw the great Tom Seaver &Nolan Ryan as a rookie. Saw Roberto Clemente play. Saw Nolan Ryan as a Texas Ranger. I got to see Adrian Beltre get hit #3000.

Sedona

(3,818 posts)
19. Saw Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens and Mariano Rivera all pitch in the same game
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:35 PM
Apr 2020

and...

it was game seven of the 2001 World Series.

Just wow. I was in the upper deck on the third base line.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ARI/ARI200111040.shtml

kairos12

(13,248 posts)
20. I was at game six.
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:37 PM
Apr 2020

Game 7 is still one of the highlights of my sporting life. Mark Grace leading off the 9th was the right man in the right place against the only man sent to the HOF on a unanimous vote.

Sedona

(3,818 posts)
24. Me too!
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:57 PM
Apr 2020

Sat next to the D'backs bull pen and had a conspiracy if Byung-hyun Kim started warming up we were jumping in to kick his ass.

It was the beer talking and with a 13 run lead at the top of the seventh we were off the hook.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/587262-2001-world-series-yankees-hero-byung-hyun-kim-signs-a-deal

It was freaky both nights with Guiliani and McCain there.

Wild night.

( I was SO in love with Mark Grace, what a hottie!)

Journeyman

(15,144 posts)
21. Sandy Kaufax . . .
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:47 PM
Apr 2020

I liked Ryan. Saw him pitch a one hitter. But in his prime, there's never been another like Kaufax.

stopwastingmymoney

(2,143 posts)
25. Rickey Henderson
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 03:57 PM
Apr 2020

May 1, 1991 in Oakland breaks the all time stolen base record

Also, in the course of looking up that date, I found that Rickey was the batter for Nolan Ryan’s 5000th strike out 😀


leftieNanner

(15,697 posts)
26. Does this count?
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:00 PM
Apr 2020

I trick-or-treated at Willy Mays House in San Francisco. He gave out whole Hershey bars (we always remember the important details, don't we?).

Saw him play a few times at The Stick too.

Moostache

(10,163 posts)
31. Frank Thomas...
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:08 PM
Apr 2020

The Big Hurt in 1992 was other-worldly...he was insanely talented and went largely unnoticed outside of the South Side...

The irony of the White Sox finally winning the series in '05 when he was essentially a non-factor was a cruel twist of fate, but those early 90's Sox teams with Thomas, Ventura and Co. were some of my favorites to see.

John Fante

(3,479 posts)
34. Shaquille O'Neal, 2000 Western Conference Finals, Game 7
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:14 PM
Apr 2020

Shaq was named MVP after turning in one of the greatest individual seasons in NBA history. He was utterly dominant.

His performance in game 7 wasn't memorable, but the game itself was - the Lakers trailed the Blazers by 15 points in the 4th quarter before mounting a furious comeback and winning. That game took years out of my life and I lost my voice screaming so much, but man, was it sweet in the end.

broiles

(1,400 posts)
35. While I saw Nolan Ryan make a strike out record
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:18 PM
Apr 2020

the most memorable performance was an at bat by Mickey Rivers who fouled off so many pitches the pitcher wore out and Mickey got a hit. The pitcher was taken out.

Va Lefty

(6,252 posts)
36. Brooks Robinson
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:26 PM
Apr 2020

Far from his prime, in fact by 1977 he had been reduced to part time player. In April I was at Memorial Stadium and saw Brooks hit his last hr, a 3 run walk off in the 10th to beat the Cleveland Indians 6-5 in the 10th. I cut the boxscore out of the paper and carried it in my wallet for 25 years or so until it fell apart.

kairos12

(13,248 posts)
40. As a Reds fan I couldn't stand him because of the 70 World Series when nothing got
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 04:48 PM
Apr 2020

past him. He was a helluva player.

Va Lefty

(6,252 posts)
42. Yeah, I always felt the same about Jeter
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 05:39 PM
Apr 2020

Seemed like every time the O's played the Yankees Jeter beat us.

hotrod0808

(323 posts)
41. At a Tigers-Orioles game in 1983
Tue Apr 7, 2020, 05:30 PM
Apr 2020

I saw Alan Trammell go 3-4 with two stolen bases. Same game, Lou Whitaker hit a 3-run bomb. They scored 14 runs that game. I think Petry was on the mound?

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