Same here. Just saw the news. Willie Mays was an amazing player. I don’t really watch baseball but everyone who does told me that Willie Mays was a different breed. He was sensational. May he rest in peace.
Having seen and enjoyed both, I've got to hand the win to the Simpsons episode. I just recently rewatched it after 20 years and I just couldn't stop laughing. I am simply amazed at how many jokes they fit into every minute of that episode. None of it was typical familiar character humor, just off the wall jokes. Pitt the Elder, sideburns, nerve tonic, the cops arresting Sax, Smithers hunt nationwide search, wonderbat, I can't even list them all.
My favorite baseball song from 1981. During the STRIKE, it was perfectly timed for those who remember those halcyon days of the late-'50s and early-'60s when most of them were playing! Except for The Whiz Kids ('50), before my time, and Williams retiring ('60) and in the AL, which I didn't follow, except at World Series time!
The initial pic of The Duke, [empty space airbrushed out] then Willie, and Mickey was originally with #5 Joe DiMaggio. Terry saw the four together, and was inspired to write the song, but couldn't work in Joe D., so he left him out of the song!
I saw Willie Mays rob a guy of a base hit in short center field in the Polo Grounds in New York in 1956 or 57. One of my earliest memories. I was 8 or 9 years old.
The Duke’s last year 1964 he played for SF Giants. He lived down the street from us in Fremont. We became so close he would take my brother & I to the Giants games in his Port Hole Thunderbird. One time while I visited him & he said I looked skinny so his wife Bev made me a sandwich with chips & soda. Then he asked how my swing was? So he grabbed a bucket of baseballs & we drove to my LL Field & he threw me BP! The memories of The Duke were outstanding! Once we took his kids with our family in our Station Wagon to The Fremont Drive Inn to watch the Beatles movie Hard Day’s Night. What a nice man!
The Giants used Duke in a game for which he wasn't eligible:In the next to last game in 1964,he pinch hit but the Giants lost anyway.Had they won,they would have had to replay the game on the Monday following the season's end if they were in a playoff with other teams.
"The Whiz Kids, Ted Kluszewski, Roy Campanella, Bobby Thomson, Yogi Berra, Stan "The Man" Musial, and Bobby Feller. The Scooter, Sal "The Barber" Maglie, and the Don "Newk" Newcombe..." Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson, Ralph Kiner, Eddie "The Midget" Gaedel, The Thumper (Ted Williams), and Mel Parnell, Ike (#34), and #40, and the grand old man [after Connie Mack], Casey Stengel. They're all gone now, except for Reggie Jackson, George Brett, Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Steve Garvey, and Rod Carew!
Duke Snider never got the recognition he rightfully deserved, the 3rd-best CF in NYC in his era, simply because the two ahead of him were perhaps the two greatest of all time at that position. Also, his defense was vastly underappreciated; the first Gold Glove Awards were in 1957, when he was 31. Willie Mays won twelve straight, the Duke was always 2nd. My favorite all-time player, R.I.P. Duke.
It's not that the original song is bad. It's just that The Simpsons version is more well-known. There's also a lesser-known version from Saturday Night Live that was done around the time that Joe Piscopo and Eddie Murphy were the only reason to watch the show.
I remember this was released in the Summer of '81, the year of the strike. We were so sad as little kids that we didnt have our heroes to watch during summer vacation. Then, this song came out, and it was like an adrenaline shot. We absolutely loved the song. For, a little while it made you forget the strike, and made us happy. So happy.
I always remember this song from the Simpsons. It’s done by Terry Cashman as well. He just changed the names for the MLB guys in the episode. lol episode was from 1992
can you provide us a short story about your dad and his love of baseball. We are sharing stories in prep for our local baseball night at Volcano Stadium in July.
RIP Dad, listening to this song always brings me back to when you coached me for 15 years in this wonderful game you showed me, showing me not to turn my body catching haha always had to learn that lesson the hard way...miss that man.
They actually got Terry Cashman to write and sing "Talkin' softball." Cashman has reworked this song several times over, but "Talkin' softball" is the most famous rework of the original.
Brings joy and tears to my eyes!!! Respect to all those greats and especially rip to recently dearly departed"The Legendary hammerin' Henry ("Hank" Aaron respect, respect, respect!!! Condolences to his family, friends and fans, around the world!!!
I remember this song during the 1981 strike, I wish I had got to see Willie Mays in his prime, I got to see him play during the early 70s when he was just a shadow of his former self. I grew up in Ohio during the 70s watching the Big Red Machine and got to see Pete Rose, Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench during their prime years. The 1976 Reds was the greatest team that I have ever seen in my life.
I'm from Australia but this made me fall in love with baseball ❤️👏🏾 I'm going US soon lol watch the Dodgers hopefully its opening day got folks in San Diego
I’m Australian and played this on my phone out loud in the way to Hudson Valley on the Train. Never liked cricket. Glad it’s dying in my country. Kids nowadays have rejected it. It’s only baby boomers that are interested anymore
This song brings back so many memories to when I was playing baseball as a kid. Every game I played they will play this song while we were warming up. Ahh good times
Same here man. I’m only 26 but it brings back some of the best memories of my life. Growing up at the little league fields, wiffle ball with my brother in the front yard, pick up games, wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
My father and I watched baseball games all the time when these guys were playing. It was our way of connecting and I will always fondly remember those days.
Terry Cashman was a good friend of Jim Croce. Introduced Jim to the record company that released ' You don't mess around with Jim ' Jim Croce's 1st hit.
Reminds me of warming up in HS ball. I remember the first time I had it. People still had a chance or so I believed and the world was full of wonderment. Long live baseball in the hearts of men and long live nostalgia
great video great memories. I can actually say that , growing up in the bronx during the fifties, I was fortunate to go to games at yankee stadium, polo grounds and ebbetts field to see all 3 play. Of course at age 12 when I found out the Giants were moving to CA, I cried. thanks for the viewing
This comment was so long ago so I'm sorry to resurrect it lol. However, I always appreciate when Baseball fans who were able to experience the golden era share their perspective on Baseball, it really warms my heart, thank you.
Mickey was my Favorite, even though I was only 11 years old at the time he retired! I saw enough footage and read enough to become a fan of him during his final two seasons......I remember crying the day he retired knowing I'd never get to see him swing his bat in person!
He is one of two players I would love to have been. Able to see play in their prime the other being Lou Gehrig and this from someone who CANT STAND THE YANKEES.
He'll be with Mickey, The Duke, The Man, Bobby Feller, Yogi, The Babe, Columbia Lou, The Rajah, Ty, Hammerin' Hank (Jan. 2021), Hoot (Gibson), Big Six (Christy Mathewson), The Big Train, Grover, Honus, Tom Terrific,...etc.
Robert Tomas is spot on. Emotions surfaces more as we grow older. To quote Robert, "if you were born too late, you'll never even begin to understand. There were many others but the excitement from the 50's and 60's is gone forever. Never again will baseball have the excitement we once admired and respected.
Love that picture of quisenberry! Those were truly the days, everyone knew all the players, listened to and watched the games. The nation was much closer to a nation and not a divided menagerie! Great video!!!
Tears in my eyes and I didn't even live in those times or know about baseball, but I can sense the nostalgia in the tune - must of been great times! I only heard the tune through The Simpsons.
The Whiz Kids had won it, Bobby Thomson had done it, And Yogi read the comics all the while. Rock 'n roll was being born, Marijuana, we would scorn, So down on the corner, The national past-time went on trial. We're talkin' baseball! Kluszewski, Campanella. Talkin' baseball! The Man and Bobby Feller. The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc, They knew 'em all from Boston to Dubuque. Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. Well, Casey was winning, Hank Aaron was beginning, One Robbie going out, one coming in. Kiner and Midget Gaedel, The Thumper and Mel Parnell, And Ike was the only one winning down in Washington. We're talkin' baseball! Kluszewski, Campanella. Talkin' baseball! The Man and Bobby Feller. The Scooter, the Barber, and the Newc, They knew 'em all from Boston to Dubuque. Especially Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. Now my old friend, The Bachelor, Well, he swore he was the Oklahoma Kid. And Cookie played hooky, To go and see the Duke. And me, I always loved Willie Mays, Those were the days! Well, now it's the 80's, And Brett is the greatest, And Bobby Bonds can play for everyone. Rose is at the Vet, And Rusty again is a Met, And the great Alexander is pitchin' again in Washington. I'm talkin' baseball! Like Reggie, Quisenberry. Talkin' baseball! Carew and Gaylord Perry, Seaver, Garvey, Schmidt and Vida Blue, If Cooperstown is calling, it's no fluke. They'll be with Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey) It was Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey) I'm talkin' Willie, Mickey and the Duke (Say hey, say hey, say hey) Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey) Say Willie, Mickey, and the Duke. (Say hey, say hey, say hey)
the catch is still the greatest baseball play i have ever seen wasnt old enough to see it live but man could mays play rip to one of the all time greats
I've seen similarly superb OF catches, AND incredible OF throws to kill a runner at Home or at 3b from RF--Roberto Clemente had possibly the greatest-strongest OF arm I've ever seen! And there were many other amazing throws and catches, besides Mays' catch--that he said he had no doubt he could get! It was his throw to prevent any runs from scoring on tagging-up after that he was more proud of doing!
I remember this from when I was a kid. Just popped into my head tonight for some reason and I figured I needed to look it up on RU-vid. Thank you for making it be here for me.
Imagine being in New York at the time period. You got to see 3 hall of fame Centerfielders. Mays of the Giants, Mantle of the Yankees and Snider of the Dodgers.
