Comments on: Ed Ott

By: sly jones

sly jones — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 03:37:07 +0000

16. That was a sweet series of posts.
You got all of that one.

Ed Ott showed up here in Allentown a couple years ago, managing an independent-league team called the Allentown Ambassadors.
He had put on a whole bunch of weight but was still a firebrand, jawing with the umpires.
He might have become an A’town folk hero except his taem drew fewer than 100 people on a lot of nights (through no fault of his own) and is now out of business.

Oh, and one more classic Ed Ott memory:
He once admitted to a sportswriter from the local paper that he hit his last MLB homer with a corked bat.
Apparently he was desperate to keep his big-league job.
As Ott crossed the plate, he said the ump murmured something to him like, “I’m not gonna open my mouth, but if I were the other manager, I’d be asking for a look at that bat.”

By: spudrph

spudrph — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:35:35 +0000

15. As always, brilliant, insightful, evocative. I've said it before, and I will echo the others by saying it again: Cardboard Gods needs to be a book. I would absolutely buy it, and probably force it on some of my friends, too. I like rereading pre-2004 books, like Red Sox Century, and just reflecting on how DIFFERENT it all feels, in light of the last 4 years.

By: MadMonk

MadMonk — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 00:47:23 +0000

14. Man, that's great reading. Thanks for sharing. Wow is right, Jon.

By: walbers

walbers — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 05:50:43 +0000

13. josh, as always, when i read your work, i am speechless, moved, in awe.... i feel like i should send you some money or something. why don't you take these writings and have them published with quality reproductions of your carboard gods? i would gladly pay top dollar to put a book like that in my collection. regards, will

By: ellen9

ellen9 — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:36:39 +0000

12. loved it from beginning to end. from the Violent Femmes to a girl in boxing gloves. With Babe Ruth, the Red Sox, and Ed Ott in between. i got the feeling the good feeling got a little bit more widespread. thanx!

By: Joe Romano

Joe Romano — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:25:40 +0000

11. I recall that Omar Moreno's nickname was "Omar The Tension Maker". I learned that when he was on the Yankees. My father loved that nickname.

By: Sushirabbit

Sushirabbit — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:25:03 +0000

10. I don't comment much, as all I ever have to say is "man that was great." Here's the thing: I'd buy the book form of the Cardboard Gods. Maybe that's been a plan all along. Anyway, I'm glad you share all this on the Toaster, a place already filled with exceptional writing.

By: ToyCannon

ToyCannon — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:41:36 +0000

9. Plane companions can be great. My brother met his wife on a plane, 15 years later they are still flying well together. Loved the whole storyline. Thanks for sharing your gift with us.

By: Catfish326

Catfish326 — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:04:45 +0000

8. A freakin' great story Josh. Absolutely loved it.

By: mbtn01

mbtn01 — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:42:17 +0000

7. Looking now at that photo, Julia could be Felix Millan and the Babe, Ed Ott, moments before the tragic bodyslam.