gomer hit...gomer run...go go...gomer hit gomer run...go go go...i miss him too he was incredible for that one stretch of games...."the hawk is all talk...put gomer on first"
I can only imagine what it must feel like to see this video, and the photo of your Dad in it. I imagine it sweet and sad, at the same time. What a ballplayer you had to be, just to make it to "The Show"... even if only for one year... What was it like for you, as a kid, to have a Dad who played big league ball??!!
My father is on his way out. He was a helluva baseball player & all around athlete. That munie stadium gave me many memories. Thank you for this tear jerker.
So glad I found this video. Gomer Hodge was a great friend. He did so much for me from my playing days to when I got into coaching....always kept me laughing, and taught me a lot about the great game!
I sort of remember Gomer's funny comment when he started the season off going 10 for 10 in pinch hitting appearances. He said: "Yeah I'm batting ten thousand." And I remember "Gomer's Gang", his fan club.
What a huge and great old stadium it was! I saw the 1995 AFC Championship game between the Browns and Patriots there. WOW it was COLD! But a fun game and we went down to the Flats afterwards for some local brews! For Cleveland baseball in this era, I liked Ray Fosse, Vada Pinson, Dick Tidrow, "Sudden Sam" McDowell and Luis Tiant!
These are fantastic photos. Even though the team was terrible, I was young enough to have hope. It is so great to see one of a kind pictures of Hawk, Ray Fosse, Sudden Sam, Gomer, Ted Ford, Steve Dunning, Tony Horton etc. One of my favorite periods of following the Tribe.
just an awesome video. I still have the 1970 yearbook so I remember all these guys by their pictures. And to Gomer Hodges kid- may Gomer RIP. I remember hanging up the batting averages on my mirror when he had the 1.000 BA. Right before he passed, I saw the story in the Plain Dealer where he was sick and sent him a letter about hanging that thing on my mirror
I was one year old and also loved that stadium. Saw alot of ballgames with my dad and older brother. Always sat in general admission and later would move up into the box seats. Loved it.
at the very end...the stadium worker (old man with the hat), his name was john...he was always behind the outfield fence in left field...my brother and i always sat lower deck , left field foul pole, section 32 near the bullpen. during batting practice we used to scream at him to toss us a ball that cleared the moved in outfield fence though not the original fence. he would smile, though never tossed us one. thanks for the posting and the memories...i loved it at the stadium back in those days...!!!
HAHA great to hear these comments. I've heard lots of stories about this...I grew up in baseball, traveling with him and meeting all kinds of people...great experience. It is always nice to see things like this. I miss my father like crazy...
I hear a piece from KEN BURNS's series about baseball.This is well done.I remember SAM McDOWELL.After the CUBS and the PHILLIES,the INDIANS are my fave.
thanks so much for posting. I have followed the Indians since 1963, but the only game i attended in 1970 or 1971 was opening day 1971, then the hero of the day was the Immortal Gomer Hodge! Who won the game....must have been in the last of the ninth, because the entire crowd went absolutely wild!! So I much enjoyed your photos...very nice music, as well, very appropriate to memories from 40+ years ago...
Excellent. I lived in Canton OH, went to numerous Indians games during these two years, and recall all of these players. Ted Uhlaender was my favorite Indian at the time, as I'm a Twins fan and he came from there in a trade.
Those were some great Twins teams he played for. With all the talent they had back in the 1960s it was a damned shame they didn't win at least one WS title. They had bats up and down that line-up and solid starting pitching, too.
In 1970 in August I was at the Stadium w my future wife now fifty years we saw Sam win his 19th. Twenty was in the bag and w more starts sure more to come. Well he won his twentieth and that was it. I always wanted him to do more with his talent. 1970 was his only twenty win season. Being an Indian fan was always tough but I enjoyed watching those players and still remember them fondly.
I'm from New York so I only got to go to one game in Municipal Stadium. Had an uncle who lived near Pittsburgh & we were visiting him and one Sunday we decided to drive over to Cleveland to see the ball game. It was the day after the 4th of July and Phil Niekro, near the end of his career, was pitching for the Indians and his knuckle ball wasn't knuckling anymore and he got bombed and the White Sox beat the Injuns 17-0. By the end of the game we were about the only ones still sitting in that huge stadium. Interesting that of the Cleveland players pictured here, the World Series winning Yankees of the late 70's got three quarters of their infield: Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles and Fred Stanley.
Loved Fred Stanley!!!! He played a few years for the Yankees (my team, I came by it honestly, by being born in N.Y.C. ..... AND by the Yankees being pretty lousy when I was a kid!!! But I loved 'em, and that made the later success all the sweeter.
We should have seen Tony Horton on the Indians for many years but sadly he had to retire at the age of 25 for unknown reason, perhaps the pressure was too much. Good video.
Ray Fosse was on his way to a hall of fame career until He was cheap shotted by Pete Rose in a meaningless All star game collision that ended Fosse's career as a hitter. Ray was a one armed hitter the rest of his career. His shoulder was was so badly mangled up that x-rays didnt reveal the damage until the off season of that year. Fosse was a 300 hitter with power.
troy kidwell on the way to the hall of fame. really , put down the crack pipe. If Bill Freehan is not in the Hall of Shame , do not even bring up Fosse
You're so right. I have always felt afterwards that the All-Star Game was just a very poor excuse to get your best players hurt in a meaningless game. I have never watched an All Star Game since. I wan an Indians fan, not a Baseball fan.
Those were our "Boys of Summer." They had a few stars, but mostly mediocrity. Still, we loved them. I even loved the old Municipal Stadium with the giant Chief Wahoo. All gone now. Just a memory. And oh, that stadium mustard.
the Milwaukee Brewers were in their first year. the pilots moved there from Seattle. hawk Harrison Sox board casters. ray Fossie A,s board caster. some early history
This conjures up the smells of the Stadium for me. I will say that these were the worst Indians uniforms of my life. Maybe because as a kid in '69 I bought both a red Indians cap and red faux batting helmet. Then they changed!
This is amazing. Im proud to say that Gomer Hodge is my favorite baseball player ever. He is also my father...I miss you pops....
gomer hit...gomer run...go go...gomer hit gomer run...go go go...i miss him too he was incredible for that one stretch of games...."the hawk is all talk...put gomer on first"
Your dad had some key hits to win some games.He was a folk hero in Cleveland although only for a short time.
I can only imagine what it must feel like to see this video, and the photo of your Dad in it. I imagine it sweet and sad, at the same time. What a ballplayer you had to be, just to make it to "The Show"... even if only for one year... What was it like for you, as a kid, to have a Dad who played big league ball??!!
@@jefmas that’s so cool that you remember all that. It’s always neat to hear okie stories about my dad.
@@thrivnak787 I’ve got some pretty neat news paper articles and memorabilia….thanks for your comment
Loved the video. Was 10 years old in '71 and these are my earliest baseball memories. Could look at stuff like this all day.
My father is on his way out. He was a helluva baseball player & all around athlete. That munie stadium gave me many memories. Thank you for this tear jerker.
So glad I found this video. Gomer Hodge was a great friend. He did so much for me from my playing days to when I got into coaching....always kept me laughing, and taught me a lot about the great game!
I sort of remember Gomer's funny comment when he started the season off going 10 for 10 in pinch hitting appearances. He said: "Yeah I'm batting ten thousand." And I remember "Gomer's Gang", his fan club.
What a huge and great old stadium it was! I saw the 1995 AFC Championship game between the Browns and Patriots there. WOW it was COLD! But a fun game and we went down to the Flats afterwards for some local brews! For Cleveland baseball in this era, I liked Ray Fosse, Vada Pinson, Dick Tidrow, "Sudden Sam" McDowell and Luis Tiant!
These are fantastic photos. Even though the team was terrible, I was young enough to have hope. It is so great to see one of a kind pictures of Hawk, Ray Fosse, Sudden Sam, Gomer, Ted Ford, Steve Dunning, Tony Horton etc. One of my favorite periods of following the Tribe.
just an awesome video. I still have the 1970 yearbook so I remember all these guys by their pictures. And to Gomer Hodges kid- may Gomer RIP. I remember hanging up the batting averages on my mirror when he had the 1.000 BA. Right before he passed, I saw the story in the Plain Dealer where he was sick and sent him a letter about hanging that thing on my mirror
I was 2 years old in 1971. I loved that old stadium.
I was one year old and also loved that stadium. Saw alot of ballgames with my dad and older brother. Always sat in general admission and later would move up into the box seats. Loved it.
What a GREAT video! Your pictures really capture a time when these players were my heroes.
at the very end...the stadium worker (old man with the hat), his name was john...he was always behind the outfield fence in left field...my brother and i always sat lower deck , left field foul pole, section 32 near the bullpen. during batting practice we used to scream at him to toss us a ball that cleared the moved in outfield fence though not the original fence. he would smile, though never tossed us one. thanks for the posting and the memories...i loved it at the stadium back in those days...!!!
HAHA great to hear these comments. I've heard lots of stories about this...I grew up in baseball, traveling with him and meeting all kinds of people...great experience. It is always nice to see things like this. I miss my father like crazy...
thanks for the memories. I was at the '71 opener that Gomer Hodge won with a clutch single.
I hear a piece from KEN BURNS's series about baseball.This is well done.I remember SAM McDOWELL.After the CUBS and the PHILLIES,the INDIANS are my fave.
thanks so much for posting. I have followed the Indians since 1963, but the only game i attended in 1970 or 1971 was opening day 1971, then the hero of the day was the Immortal Gomer Hodge! Who won the game....must have been in the last of the ninth, because the entire crowd went absolutely wild!! So I much enjoyed your photos...very nice music, as well, very appropriate to memories from 40+ years ago...
Excellent. I lived in Canton OH, went to numerous Indians games during these two years, and recall all of these players. Ted Uhlaender was my favorite Indian at the time, as I'm a Twins fan and he came from there in a trade.
Those were some great Twins teams he played for. With all the talent they had back in the 1960s it was a damned shame they didn't win at least one WS title. They had bats up and down that line-up and solid starting pitching, too.
love the pinstripes.
Great photos and wonderful video. Thank you for sharing.
In 1970 in August I was at the Stadium w my future wife now fifty years we saw Sam win his 19th. Twenty was in the bag and w more starts sure more to come. Well he won his twentieth and that was it. I always wanted him to do more with his talent. 1970 was his only twenty win season. Being an Indian fan was always tough but I enjoyed watching those players and still remember them fondly.
I loved old Municipal Stadium. She may have been The Old Gray Lady on the Lake, but I loved her.
Baseball done right to me = Cleveland Municipal Stadium and the Indians in the 1970's I witnessed in person.
I'm from New York so I only got to go to one game in Municipal Stadium. Had an uncle who lived near Pittsburgh & we were visiting him and one Sunday we decided to drive over to Cleveland to see the ball game. It was the day after the 4th of July and Phil Niekro, near the end of his career, was pitching for the Indians and his knuckle ball wasn't knuckling anymore and he got bombed and the White Sox beat the Injuns 17-0. By the end of the game we were about the only ones still sitting in that huge stadium. Interesting that of the Cleveland players pictured here, the World Series winning Yankees of the late 70's got three quarters of their infield: Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles and Fred Stanley.
The Indians player was Craig he was Greg's twin bother.
4:43 ????? is Arling Koepke. Cleveland Indians staff 1938 to 1992
Thank for letting me know. I take it he is a relative of yours.
My Grandfather
Now THAT was fun!
Loved Fred Stanley!!!! He played a few years for the Yankees (my team, I came by it honestly, by being born in N.Y.C. ..... AND by the Yankees being pretty lousy when I was a kid!!! But I loved 'em, and that made the later success all the sweeter.
We should have seen Tony Horton on the Indians for many years but sadly he had to retire at the age of 25 for unknown reason, perhaps the pressure was too much. Good video.
he tried to commit suicide , he slashed his wrists at the blue grass motel on northfield road
memories
Those pinstripe uniforms were the bomb.
Ray Fosse was on his way to a hall of fame career until He was cheap shotted by Pete Rose in a meaningless All star game collision that ended Fosse's career as a hitter. Ray was a one armed hitter the rest of his career. His shoulder was was so badly mangled up that x-rays didnt reveal the damage until the off season of that year. Fosse was a 300 hitter with power.
troy kidwell on the way to the hall of fame. really , put down the crack pipe. If Bill Freehan is not in the Hall of Shame , do not even bring up Fosse
You're so right. I have always felt afterwards that the All-Star Game was just a very poor excuse to get your best players hurt in a meaningless game. I have never watched an All Star Game since. I wan an Indians fan, not a Baseball fan.
Btw, the entire time I grew up in the Cleveland area, nobody used the name "Municipal". It was just the "Stadium" to us.
I like the 1970 uniform better than '71. It was original fitting the Indians color scheme better.
Saw Stan Bahnsen toss a one hitter at the stadium. Walt Williams of Indians broke it up with 2 outs in 9th inning.
I'm pretty sure that the photo you list as Uhlaender is actually the largely forgotten pitcher Fred Lasher.
I agree. It is Fred Lasher after seeing a picture of him on Baseball-Reference.com. Unfortunately, I can't change the video.
Those were our "Boys of Summer." They had a few stars, but mostly mediocrity. Still, we loved them. I even loved the old Municipal Stadium with the giant Chief Wahoo. All gone now. Just a memory. And oh, that stadium mustard.
the Milwaukee Brewers were in their first year. the pilots moved there from Seattle. hawk Harrison Sox board casters. ray Fossie A,s board caster. some early history
Vada Pinson was a tiger iam from Detroit thats how I know much love from Detroit to cleveland.
Can't be the Yankees even if you look like one. But those uniforms and that period fascinates me.
If the best players of the 1970's had been on the same team for one year the World Series would have been the Indians.
did you take these pics?????
Sure did! The Indians used to have Camera Day behind the home run fence where you could take these kind of close-up pictures.
@@659224 The good old days when the players were accessible to the fans, and many of them not making as much money.
Had the Indians known what they were giving up in Graig Nettles they had to be kicking themselves Royally for a long time.
The mistake by the lake.
The Minstrel Boy
Hoe much the game has been.ruined today😕
This conjures up the smells of the Stadium for me. I will say that these were the worst Indians uniforms of my life. Maybe because as a kid in '69 I bought both a red Indians cap and red faux batting helmet. Then they changed!
The stadium was a dump, the team was terrible.......not a good era of Indians baseball