 |
|
Heroes of Yesteryear – Honoring Baseball Greats
|
|
|
Nashville, TN
6/25/2008 |
|
|
It’s summertime in America and with the season comes a reason to celebrate baseball’s greats of yesteryear, those whose contributions made the sport "America’s pastime." The view of the game from the senior living communities in which they now live may be a bit different than during their playing days, but their achievements remain.
Billy Werber
Billy Werber, who lives at the Carriage Club of Charlotte, a Brookdale Senior Living community, was a star third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds more than 65 years ago. Today, he recalls with fondness his career in the sport. Werber played both basketball and baseball during elementary and high school. His athleticism gained the attention of college coaches, and Werber won a full scholarship to Duke University.
He was Duke’s first All American in basketball and hit over .400 in baseball. Upon graduation in June of 1930, he signed a contract with the New York Yankees.
Billy Werber played for the Yankees until 1933 and then for the Boston Red Sox through 1936, with one brief stint back with the Yankees. After two years with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1937 and 1938, he moved on to the Cincinnati Reds in 1939.
"A fiery competitor for 11 seasons, he brought new life to the Reds in the late 1930s," wrote one sports journalist. "The hustling third baseman scored 225 runs and hit 70 doubles during the Reds' pennant winning seasons of 1939 and 1940."
The Reds lost the World Series in 1939 but won in 1940. Along with the great Heinie Groh, Werber is one of only two third basemen enshrined in the Reds' Hall of Fame. Billy Werber also has the distinction of being the oldest living major league baseball player; he turned 100 years old in June.
George Hatchard
George Hatchard, now 88 and a resident of Grand Court Bristol, a Brookdale Senior Living community in Virginia, began his baseball career at the age of 15 when he was in the Boy Scouts. His hero was Babe Ruth, who served as his inspiration to pursue baseball.
Hatchard played for two seasons, from 1946-1947, in Minor League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers. His position was primarily third base, though he substituted as a catcher when needed.
"Playing with the Tigers was a childhood dream come true," said Hatchard. "I had the opportunity to witness Babe Ruth hit about 20 home runs. I never hit a home run, but I had a mean line drive."
While no single game stands out, Hatchard reminisces on how much he loved playing the game.
"That’s what it was all about - the love of the game," said Hatchard.
Cecil Mull
Cecil Mull, now 85 and a resident of Sterling House Wautauga in Texas, has been playing baseball and softball for more than 64 years. He only recently retired from the game at the young age of 80.
The youngest of nine, Mull began playing baseball with his brothers as soon as he could walk. "My brothers would say they used me as their catcher," said Mull, "But, in reality, I was the one to take all the beatings."
He continued to play baseball throughout elementary and high school, during military service and beyond. After the military, Mull, a pitcher and an outfielder at times, would often play both church and commercial league softball at the same time. There were times that he was playing on three teams during one season. Despite the schedules, he found time to coach Pony and American Legion youth baseball teams.
In the late 1960s and into the 1970s, men’s softball transitioned from the fast pitch to the slow pitch form of the game. Mull was a key player in introducing senior softball into the Dallas and Fort Worth area. He helped organize one of the first teams in the league called the Fort Worth Senior Cats. The Cats and other teams Mull played on, and often coached, made numerous trips to national tournaments all over the country.
At the end of the 1985 season, Mull was the captain and pitcher as the team won the "slow pitch" National Championship. Then, at the World Senior Softball Tournament in Las Vegas in September 1986, Mull was selected as the tournament Most Valuable Player and the Fort Worth Senior Cats were crowned the World Softball Champions for the 60 year old and up division. Although Mull was close to the end of his playing days, he was to be honored one more time. May 26, 2001, he was inducted into the Texas Senior Softball Hall of Fame. The honor he stated, "Felt pretty great."
He continues to support the teams for which he once played and maintains the relationships he enjoyed during those playing days. |
|
|
Contact: Holly Botsford, Public Relations Manager, 414-918-5314,
hbotsford@brookdaleliving.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|