Former Brooklyn Dodger Ray Hathaway remembers teammate Jackie Robinson

With Major League Baseball honoring Jackie Robinson today, 92-year-old former Brooklyn Dodger, Ray Hathaway looks back fondly on the time he spent with Robinson during his groundbreaking 1946 season in Montreal. Hathaway had appeared in four games in 1945 with Brooklyn after returning from World War II, and was trying to work his arm back into shape with Montreal.

Robinson impressed him from day one.

"After I saw him play the first game, I knew [he was going to be a star]," Hathaway said. "He fielded well, ran well and hit well. If you were scouting him, and [sitting] amongst the scouts, the question was 'What can't he do?' And if you saw him play, you would ask yourself the same question."

Hathaway thought Robinson wouldn't have to wait until 1947 to make his debut with the Dodgers.

"I thought he was ready," he said. "I thought he would be up [in Brooklyn] before the season was over."

Unfortunately, Hathaway didn't foresee a return to the major leagues. Plagued by a sore arm, he knew his window of opportunity was closing.

"I had already been there and I had arm trouble," he said. "I saw the writing on the wall."

He was about to embark on a 25 year long managing career the next season. At the end of spring training in 1947, he approached Branch Rickey about becoming a manager.

"We went to a game in Cuba," he said, "Mr. Rickey was there. I asked to speak to him. About the fifth inning, he asked, 'What's on your mind?' I told him I would like to manage. He [Rickey] asked, 'How do I know you can manage?' I said, 'You don't and neither do I. All I can promise is that we'll work.'" Rickey's response was one that left Hathaway with little time to mutter his decision, "If you are going to manage a team for me, be on my plane. I'm leaving in the morning for Miami."

Hathaway spent his early seasons as a player/manager for the minor league affiliates of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

"It was challenging [as a player/manager]," he said. "In spite of pitching, you always had to be ahead of the other manager by two innings."

After 1952, Hathaway took himself out of the rotation to focus primarily on running the ballclub.

"The only time I pitched after that [1952]," he said, "was if the pitching staff was getting their butt beat. I tried to save them."

Despite his previous arm troubles, Hathaway had something of a rubber arm, filling in from time to time until 1965 at the age of 48. He managed many legends including, Hall of Famers Dick Williams, Willie Stargell, and Bill Sharman. He has the second highest win total as manger of the Asheville Tourists minor league club, with his record broken only last season. He retired from baseball after managing the Wilson Pennants of the Carolina League in 1973. 

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Mark Fidrych, 54, 1976 American League Rookie of the Year 1954-2009

It is with a heavy hand that I write this entry, as I spent time with former Detroit Tiger Mark "The Bird" Fidrych only a few months earlier at the BAT (Baseball Assistance Team) Dinner in New York City. The Huffington Post reports that Fidrych died in an accident while working on his pickup truck around 2:30PM on Monday. The colorful Fidrych was the 1976 American League Rookie of The Year after he posted a 19-9 record with an astounding 24 complete games. In an era of relief specialists and controlled pitch counts, that is a mark that will never be reached again. His career was cut short by both shoulder and knee injuries, pitching only 58 games in the Major Leagues over 5 seasons. Fidrych earned the nickname "The Bird" for his resemblance of the Sesame Street character. It was a moniker he embraced, not shying away from the title or the character as shown in the photo above. Fidrych was 54 at the time of death, leaving behind his wife Ann, and his daughter Jessica.

For a deeper look into Fidrych's career, read the following articles:
ESPN Classic: "In '76, Bird Was The Word"
Sports Illustrated: "The Bird Fell To Earth"

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Now Pinch Hitting, The Pitcher! Micah Owings Does Double Duty

Imagine your feelings after you have spent your entire professional career honing your craft as a position player, only to find out that the manager looks past you on the bench to call on a pitcher for a pinch hitter! Such has been the case this season for the Cincinnati Reds, using pitcher Micah Owings twice in this fashion during the first four games. A throwback to the likes of Don Newcombe and more recently Brooks Kieschnick, Owings has proved valuable as both a pitcher and a pinch hitter Owings versatility has effectively freed up another roster space for Dusty Baker to use. Owings has been penciled in as the team's fifth starter, leaving him available to pinch hit the other four days in which he is not pitching. Owings is batting .322 in 118 career at-bats with five home runs. Now does this situation speak to Owings prowess as a hitter, or lack of depth on the bench? A full season as a pinch-hitter will give us a better idea of how Owings rates once the book begins to circulate on him. If this plan is successful, it could become a trend within the major leagues as management looks to maximize the value of the players on their rosters. Another candidate for this role is Colorado Rockies pitcher Jason Marquis who is 6-for-26 in his career as a pinch hitter.

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Bob Scherbarth, 83, Boston Red Sox Catcher 1926-2009

Bob Scherbarth

Former Boston Red Sox Catcher, Bob Scherbarth died January 31, 2009 according to the Villas County News. As you are reading this, you might scratch your head to remember the name, as it doesn't exactly sit among the likes of Doerr, Pesky and Williams. Scherbarth's career lasted exactly one inning, appearing as a defensive replacement for Birdie Tebbets on April 23, 1950.

Scherbarth entered the Boston Red Sox organization in 1946 in Class B Roanoke, and retired from baseball after splitting the 1952 season with Class A Scranton and Class AA Birmingham. Scherbarth is part of a handful of major league position players who never had an at-bat in a Major League game. While Scherbarth's career may equate to a "sip of coffee," he was able to do what many men aspire to do, and that is to get a taste of the majors. Scherbarth will forever be a part of the select group that can call themselves major league baseball players. I attempted in late 2008 to interview him about his experiences that day, to find out if he knew that was going to be the only chance he had in the "big show." Sadly, Scherbarth was recovering from a stay in the hospital and wasn't up to taking the interview. He told me to try back in a few weeks, and my hesitation led me to find his number disconnected and the subsequent obituary detailing his passing. A private service was held to honor Scherbarth in Presque Isle, WI.

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Nick Adenhart, 22, Angels Pitcher 1986-2009

On Thursday, April 9th, 2009, just hours after pitching six scoreless innings for the Los Angeles Angels, 22-year-old pitcher Nick Adenhart died along with two other people when their sports car was hit by a minivan that ran a red light. The sports car struck a light pole after being hit. Apparently, the driver of the minivan was driving with a suspended license due to previous drunk driving infractions.
At an age when young men are maturing into adults, and a time when ballplayers are just beginning to smell the freshly cut grass of a new season, the flame of career was extinguished just as it was being lit. Adenhart was living the dream of many young men his age, starting during the opening series of the Major League season, while most are finishing up their final semester of college. Expected to start the season at AAA, he was summoned to the rotation when the Angles had injuries to three of their pitchers. He seized the opportunity by pitching six innings of shutout ball against the Oakland Athletics. Sadly, due to the actions of an irresponsible driver, we will never know how long Adenhart would have kept his flame burning in the Major Leagues. The Angels postponed their April 10th game with the Oakland Athletics to mourn the loss of their fallen teammate. Gone, but not forgotten, Nick Adenhart rest in peace.

Below: A photo from the accident.

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