Comments on: Joel Youngblood

By: Josh Wilker

Josh Wilker — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:42:27 +0000

13. 12 : "a slim El Cid" Stunning.

By: rangers1994

rangers1994 — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:19:18 +0000

12. A few weeks back I went to a special “Shea Goodbye” program at the 92nd St. Y in which Darling, Darryl, and Keith spoke with Gary Cohen about Shea and, primarily, what Shea was like in 1986. Among the most interesting comments from the players was that none of them actually saw Mookie’s grounder go through Buckner’s legs live — Keith was smoking in Davey Johnson’s office, watching on TV; Darling had already been sent home to prepare for a possible Game 7; and I can’t remember where Darryl was, but he missed it too.

The closing ceremonies at Shea were actually pretty cool, as a parade of former Mets walked down either the first-base or third-base line and touched home plate. The Stork and Buddy Harrelson jumped onto the plate, Willie Mays bent down and touched it with one finger, and among the others were Carter, a slim El Cid, Al Jackson, Cleon Jones, Jesse, Wayne Garrett, an obese Rusty Staub, the original Frank Thomas, and a host of others.

In the end, Seaver and Piazza walked side by side from the plate to the centerfield fence, which they walked through, then closed up, ending another chapter of Mets history.

By: a red sox fan from pinstripe territory

a red sox fan from pinstripe territory — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:39:42 +0000

11. In the early days of Topps Sticker albums, there wasn’t much innovation going on. Gold/silver foil stickers, and two stickers put side by side to form one big team shot, as in the ’80 World Champion Phillies, was about the extent of it.

But when Youngblood played in two games for two teams in one day, wow. The gears in the minds of the young bloods at Topps went into overdrive. The result? A two-piece, vertical puzzle featuring a big Joel, and a smaller inset Joel to show him in each uni. Sort of a “pix-in-pix” concept.

By: JL25and3

JL25and3 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:22:31 +0000

10. 9 With any luck, the Now-Exorcised Rays will beat the White Sox and then thrash whomever they face in the ALCS.

By: Josh Wilker

Josh Wilker — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:09:49 +0000

9. 6 : I can relate. That's how it's supposed to be.

By: mbtn01

mbtn01 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:05:25 +0000

8. Ah, Joel Youngblood. Great athlete, tremendous arm, but cursed with versatility: They were always trying to make him play third base when he was really an outfielder. As I recall it he was hitting .350-something in 1981 then got hurt and wouldn’t qualify for the batting crown.

I didn’t watch the Shea closing ceremony. The Mets have no idea about their own history.

By: bjoura

bjoura — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:47:21 +0000

7. My older sister thought Youngblood was cute and never believed me that he was bald. It always frustrated me how he would manager to keep his helmet/hat on the times when she was in the room watching the game with me.

By: JL25and3

JL25and3 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:18:57 +0000

6. Josh, after the first game I realized I want the Red Sox to lose a whole lot more than I want the Angels to lose.

By: Sox Fan In NYC

Sox Fan In NYC — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 04:11:08 +0000

5. #2, what’s amazing about Youngblood’s 2 games with 2 different teams is that they weren’t playing each other.

I don’t know how to link stuff(is it just html?), but here’s his game with the Mets vs. the Cubs in Chicago on Aug 4, ’82
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198208040.shtml

Here’s his game with the Expos Vs. Phillies in Philly on Aug 4, ’82
http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHI/PHI198208040.shtml

What’s amazing is that he got a hit in both games!

By: sansho1

sansho1 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 01:04:12 +0000

4. That’s a beautiful card — one of the best you’ve featured.