Posted on 10/09/2013 9:43:52 AM PDT by Luke21
Andy Pafko, a Wisconsin native who eventually got his wish to play for the Milwaukee Braves and became a fan favorite, died Tuesday at 92 in a nursing home in Stevensville, Mich.
Beyond playing for the Braves during their glory days in the late 1950s, Pafko played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1945 World Series, the last year the Cubs made it that far. He also played left field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and stood with his back against the wall at the Polo Grounds as Bobby Thomson hit the "shot heard 'round the world" to give the New York Giants the National League championship.
Andy Pafko, a Wisconsin native who eventually got his wish to play for the Milwaukee Braves and became a fan favorite, died Tuesday at 92 in a nursing home in Stevensville, Mich.
Beyond playing for the Braves during their glory days in the late 1950s, Pafko played for the Chicago Cubs in the 1945 World Series, the last year the Cubs made it that far. He also played left field for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951 and stood with his back against the wall at the Polo Grounds as Bobby Thomson hit the "shot heard 'round the world" to give the New York Giants the National League championship.
Read more from Journal Sentinel: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brewers/wisconsin-native-andy-pafko-was-a-local-hit-b99116416z1-227003211.html#ixzz2hFBD4wAB Follow us: @NewsHub on Twitter
(Excerpt) Read more at jsonline.com ...
Sorry about the double up. Been a while since I started one off here.
Obituary: baseball player dies at 92
FReep Mail me if you want on, or off, this Wisconsin interest ping list.
“One more throw....”
Baseball as a road to God.
RIP Andy Pafko.
He had a fireball arm and at one time was also a pitcher. Remember him well.
Oddly enough, it was just last week that I had looked him up on Wikipedia (didn’t know if he was still alive at the time). Although I was never a fan of the Cubs or the Braves, I had a soft spot for him - my first baseball mitt was a thoroughly-beat-to-hell Andy Pafko model. I was really pleased to learn what a class guy he was.
My late father was a huge fan of Andy’s. I wrote him and asked for an autograph for my dad’s 73rd birthday back in 2000. He signed a couple of Mr. Clean Proctor and Gamble ads that he posed for in Milwaukee. It was my dad’s last birthday, and Andy helped make it special. He was a good guy and always great favorite. RIP.
Andy is well remembered in his hometown of Boyceville, Wisconsin. He was a “small town boy” ... who never lost it. RIP, Andy. Go with God.
I met him on one of those rare occasions the Cubs and White Sox played at Sox Park.. I was a dedicated Sox fan, but just loved Andy after having him stop and sign all of our programs..
We were all just a bunch of little kids, and wearing White Sox caps, but he smiled and answered all of our stupid questions.. Quite a guy indeed, and he will be missed at least by guys like me.. :)
He lived a long life and I hope his passing was as swift and sure as he was in the field. Guys like him knew what he meant to youngsters, back in the day when we thought that ballplayers were ten feet tall.
Luke, I lived about 3 blocks from Sox Park and went to all the games that we could, which was almost all home games after school.. We never had to pay, because the Stadium knew we couldn’t afford it and we loved the grandstand and made a lot of noise..
WE also had an empty lot not far from the park, and on several occasions a few of the White Sox players came to that lot and schooled us and actually played on our teams, against one another..
It became so common that they knew us by name.. OMG, we were, to say the least, thrilled.. :)
What memories! I saw them all play at Milwaukee County Stadium.
Great uncle to my former supervisor, now friend.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.