(OT) Death Notices

[BostonRoss]

Gee no mention of the former first lady, Betty Ford.

Who's she? Was she related to Curt Ford?

Actually, I noticed that, too. She had an interesting life. RIP.

[rbm-de]

**One more regarding Wes Covington (RiP).

Saturday, June 1, 1963, Cubs @ Phillies. Covington, a lefty batter who Mauch normally benched when LHPs were on the mound, played against Dick Ellsworth, who, IIRC, was on his way to a 22 win season.

Ellsworth surrendered 1 hit in the Cubs 2-0 win. That hit was a bunt single by ol' #43 himself.

The first - and only - time I saw him even try a bunt.

What got Wes out of Philly? Some comments were attributed to him in a late in 1965 season interview. The Phillies were expected to atone for 1964, but fell out of the race in early September. Covington supposedly remarked that the main reason for the 1965 failure was that Mauch had lost control of the team...that main players were ignoring him, even when Gene blew a fuse.

Covington to the Cubs for Doug Clemens wasn't an even trade. Clemens, again IIRC, was one who changed to a Cub suit in the Brock for Broglio deal. But, Wes was later dealt to the Dodgers, and he ended with the 1966 NL Champions, which isn't a bad way to go out.**

[gmwannabe]

good ole wes. his sidekick was tony gonzalez in center. i forget who was the other outfielder. but they could hit pretty well. and i can still see wes at the plate. taking his practice swings and then getting into the box ready to hit. when the pitcher started winding up wes would drop his bat parallel to the ground before he swung. i have never seen it since. rip to an oldie but goodie.
gm

[wcoastphan]

good ole wes. his sidekick was tony gonzalez in center. i forget who was the other outfielder. but they could hit pretty well. and i can still see wes at the plate. taking his practice swings and then getting into the box ready to hit. when the pitcher started winding up wes would drop his bat parallel to the ground before he swung. i have never seen it since. rip to an oldie but goodie.
gm

Johnny Callison?

[California_Dreamin]

It certainly was Johnny Callison. Covington played LF, Gonzalez was in CF and Callison was in RF. They were all left handed hitting, but ironically it was not a problem then because both Gonzalez and Callison hit lefties better than they hit righties. They also had righties Don Demeter and Roy Sievers on the club in 1962-63. Those were good teams, fun teams and with lots of power.

By the way, the story about Covington's bunt against Ellsworth is true but it is not quite true that he never tried to bunt. It was well known then that you didn't throw at Covington because if you hit him then the next time he came up he would try and drag bunt so the pitcher would have to cover first base. Covington hoped to cause a collision with the pitcher by doing this.

So many Covington stories. One other interesting one was that Covington was one one of the players who went out and purchased hunting rifles while in Houston in mid September of 1964 with the World Series money they thought they were going to get. Ironically, they were scolded by Callison for spending money they didn't have yet and Covington reportedly laughed at him.

Callison was correct of course.

[saycheese]

Sherwood Schwartz creator of "Gilligans Island" and the Brady Bunch has died at age 94

philly.com/philly/entertainm ... =124488834

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

Two very corny shows but I loved them as a kid.

[bkeich]

Sherwood Schwartz creator of "Gilligans Island" and the Brady Bunch has died at age 94

philly.com/philly/entertainm ... =124488834

I agree that these are corny shows, but there was a time for almost all of us that we watched them often. He was the king of the sitcom / family show for a time, one could fairly say an entertainment king at one time.

His discussions of his troubles with Tina Louise (Ginger) and Robert Reed (Mr. Brady) are pretty much legendary TV actor vs. producer conflicts.

[rbm-de]

**CD - True about John Wesley's HbP retaliation philosophy. But that TV game in 1963 was the only bunt attempt that I saw him try.

And true, the 2 seasons leading up to 1964 were enjoyable. But, that 81-80 finish in 1962 was not a good as it seems. Take out the 14-4 vs. those 120 loss Muts, and the 17-1 vs. the Colt .45s, and the team was 50-75, playing .400 ball. Played horribly vs. the Giants and Dodgers...in fact, they were 0-9 in the 1st edition of Dodger Stadium.

BtW, not to bring up bad memories, but we're approaching the 50th anniversary of the 23 game losing streak. **

[California_Dreamin]

rbm-de...oh I disagree, that 81-80 finish in 1962 was amazing because in 1961 they WERE the Colt 45's and Mets. A 47-107 record, and earned on merit...and as you mentioned, a 23 game winning streak. By the way, one of my favorite Phillies, Johnny Buzhardt, won the game before the streak started [4-3 vs the Giants] and won the game that ended the streak 7-4 against the Milwaukee Braves.

To win 34 more games in one season was truly amazing. Not only that, but they did it with a 19-7 run to end the season. And that '62 team was very good by the end of the season...Mahaffey, Bennett, Short and Mclish were solid starters, Baldschun was a great reliever, and the team had 4 players who hit 20 or more home runs...Callison, Gonzalez, Sievers and Demeter. Covington also hit 9 and Dalrymple hit 11. Those numbers would look very good on the 2011 Phillies.

[Skerik]

RIP Amy Winehouse.

....color me extremely unsurprised by this one.

[LoneStarPhan]

Sadly, not a surprise.

[Squire]

Yes she was a mess. But also a really unique talent.

[schillingfan]

Yes she was a mess. But also a really unique talent.

I always pictured her as Janis Joplin redux. 27 is so young.

[LoneStarPhan]

I first went to WRAMC over 38 years ago - the little old red brick building with the circle in front. Years later, the big new hospital. Over many years, I had regular contact with folks there and coordinated a program where future Army docs went there for a few weeks in the summer. They usually were housed in the (infamous) Walter Reed Inn, but later in the Malogne House. I am always sad to see the closing of such facilities but times move on.

[SCPhillyPhan]

Yes she was a mess. But also a really unique talent.

I always pictured her as Janis Joplin redux. 27 is so young.

I knew Joplin, Morrison and Hendrix were all 27 when they died. Reading one of the Winehouse articles I also learned Cobain and Jones were 27 when they died, and now too Winehouse. Strange. And sad. Standard deal with the devil? RIP Ms. Winehouse.

[Skerik]

Yes she was a mess. But also a really unique talent.

I always pictured her as Janis Joplin redux. 27 is so young.

I knew Joplin, Morrison and Hendrix were all 27 when they died. Reading one of the Winehouse articles I also learned Cobain and Jones were 27 when they died, and now too Winehouse. Strange. And sad. Standard deal with the devil? RIP Ms. Winehouse.

....and Robert Johnson, and many, many more.

The 27 Club.

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

Former Yankee Irabu found dead

According to this story out of Japan, police are investigating the death as a possible suicide.

[MichaelJackSchmidt]

'Police Academy' Star Bubba Smith Found Dead at Home

[kalasfan]

Jani Lane, Ex-Warrant Lead Singer.