Sept. 25: baseball's Phil Rizzuto is 88

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/rizzuto_phil.htm ^

[lunarbicep]

Phil Rizzuto
Philip Francis Rizzuto
Scooter

Induction Information
Elected to Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee in 1994, Born: September 25, 1917, in Brooklyn, New York

ML Debut: 4/14/1941
Primary Position: Shortstop
Bats: R   Throws: R   Primary Uniform #: 10

Played For: New York Yankees (1941-1942, 1946-1956)
Primary Team: New York Yankees

Post-Season: 1941 World Series, 1942 World Series, 1947 World Series, 1949 World Series, 1950 World Series, 1951 World Series, 1952 World Series, 1953 World Series, 1955 World Series
Awards: All-Star (5): 1942, 1950-1953; American League MVP 1950
 

Bio
Phil Rizzuto overcame his diminutive size to anchor a Yankees dynasty, helping them win seven of nine World Series during his 13 seasons, not counting three years lost to World War II. "The Scooter" was a durable and deft shortstop, skilled bunter and enthusiastic base runner who compiled a .273 lifetime batting average. A five-time All-Star, Rizzuto was named the American League's MVP in 1950 when he excelled with a .324 average, 200 hits and .439 slugging percentage. Upon retirement, he spent 40 years as a popular Yankees broadcaster.

Quote
"I have been in baseball for over, well for thirty or forty years at least and I'll be darned if I ever knew a ball player anywhere with the priceless, perfect dispostion of Rizzuto."
   — John 'Lollipop' Corriden

Did You Know... that Phil Rizzuto was the first mystery guest on the television program "What's My Line" when the show premiered February 2, 1950?

 

 

[lunarbicep]

pitcher Johnny Sain also turns 88 today

[Horatio Gates]

Holy Cow!

(I think that was Rizutto who used that one a lot.)

[melt]

Holy cow! I didn't know he was still scootin' along.
I've got two of his baseball cards that I bought at a show--- Bowman 1948 and Topps 1952.
Happy birthday to him and Johnny Sain!

[Cagey]

One of the classiest guys in Baseball. Thanks for posting this thread.

[RDTF]

When I lived in NJ the thing people loved about Phil was that he still lived in his same house in Hillside.

[Cagey]

And, he and Yogi owned a Bowling alley in Clifton where they'd both stop in occassionly.

Coincidentally, it was called Berra-Rizutto Bowling Lanes. (a yogisim)

[Cagey]

He was voted in to the Legends section of the Hall of Fame by the Veterans committee and never made the vote with baseball writers.

This is a funny piece from an interview by some sportswriters at the Hall of Fame done in 2000.

Q: When this recording artist named Meatballs did a song, was that really your voice?

Rizutto: MEATLOAF! He was Meatloaf! I gotta tell you, he tricked me into doing that. A lot of you people might not know that I'm a rock star. I'm labeled with "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." Don't let your kids hear it! Meatloaf would come to the stadium a lot. He came to me this one day and he said, "You know I've got an idea for a song and I want you in on it." I thought he had heard me sing in the shower or something, but it wasn't a singing part, it was a talking part. I love to sing. All Italians love to sing. We're not all good, but most of us are good. Anyway, he says, "I want to do this recording and I want you to talk." I said, "Okay, lets do it tomorrow." He got a recording session set up and when I got there it was just him and his agent. I said "Where's the band?" He said "Oh, don't worry about the band … we'll put it in later." So he gives me the script and I'm going through it and I said, "Why is every play a close play?" He said "Don't worry about it." So I did all of the lines and he said "When the song is finished and it's on the record, I'll send it to you." All of a sudden my son came home from college all excited. He said "Dad you're a rock star! Your on Meatloaf's album!" I asked him what he was talking about. I had forgotten all about doing this because it took about six months to get the album completed. This was one song out of a bunch that he had in there. So my son said, "Here, listen to this record." I'm listening to it and I made him play it about six times before I finally realized what was going on. I tell you it went over so big and people still ask me about it. Meatloaf wants me to go on tour with him. I want to tell you, I got letters from priests and sisters and school teachers asking "How could you lend your name?" I finally answered them all and told them that it was a big mistake.

[RDTF]

My FRiend so you live in Belmar? I like to think of it as my second home :-)

[Cagey]

I live a little south of Belmar. But your dad and my dad are from the same generation and my time spent in Belmar during my "formative" years are locked in a vault.

Jimmy Byrne's, the Erin Hotel, etc....

[RDTF]

Ahh yes. I first think of Casablanca, although that wasn't Belmar. But a definate Sunday stop. What was that place that had the stainless steel dance floor?

[Cagey]

What was that place that had the stainless steel dance floor?

I have no idea as the places I frequented during those years usually had rotted wood dance floors covered with cheap carpet.

Stainless steel dance floor? Was this during the disco era? LOL

[RDTF]

well that sounds like the Tropical Pub now :-) I could never figure out how folks went there for brunch on Sundays with the reek of beer from Sat nite everywhere.
Not exactly disco era for the place I am thinking of, the early to mid eighties.

[RDTF]

Just thought of it - 'Montego Bay'!

[Cagey]

You know, I can't say I've ever been there but now that song is jammin in my head and probably will be most of the morning. Thanks!

Come sing me Montego Bay.