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Minor Memories

August 18, 2005 11:29 AM

This George Will column reminds me so much of my time in the minor leagues of professional baseball.

I was just out of high school and on a Hollywood Stars contract (a strange connection when you realize all the papers and a book I did on Hollywood years later) in 1955 when I was optioned down to the Class D Georgia-Florida league my first year. So, I got more per month than most of the players, who earned about $170 per month. But, I still had to eat on the $7 a day we got. Hard for me to do at my size then.

At 208, I was big in those days, circa 1955, and they called me Big D. Or they called me Superman or Clark Kent. I was very strong, having been an Olympic style lifter. I wore horn rimmed glasses and looked a bit like George Reeves, who played Superman on TV. So, the name stuck.

So did the other name because of my Hollywood Stars contract; I was called the Hollywood Hot Dog. I did sort of dress like Joe College, and I left early that year to go to college. My manager and a few team mates called me Professor, strangely prophetic as I think of it now. One reason for this was probably my horned rimmed glasses and the other was that I knew where the town library was and actually had a library card that I used. No one else had one or knew where the library was; they hung out a lot at the local pool hall, which was colorful and actually kind of pleasant.

In those days, I even developed a taste for Dr. Pepper and southern girls, though I married my high school sweet heart. She is still my wife.

I did enjoy those southern nights and the friendly crowds. I either struck out or hit a home run and the crowds loved and hated me, as my students learned to do at the University. I played right field, just in front of the black bleachers. Yes, the ball park was segregated, a rude shock to me when I arrived from Southern California. I had a great banter going with the bleachers and really enjoyed my life as a pro athlete.

I had some dreams, but no illusions of making the big leagues. I found so few educated or learned people in baseball that it had little appeal to me. But, what a great summer on those southern beaches at Brunswick and Saint Simon Island. I must go back there some day. Even though you can never go back.

· Sports

Comments

Posted by: Flower Online [TypeKey Profile Page] at September 11, 2006 2:05 PM

Bluesman and Healthman? I have got to get a more interesting monicker.

Maybe Hollywood Hotdog, but I don't want to be confused with that crowd. Superman seems over the top. Clark Kent nobody will remember. Big D doesn't work because the present generation of kids is much bigger than I (and that is partly why they are myopic and have acne).

Matt is right on myopia and diet. In fact Loren and I just exchanged emails about this and acne yesterday. I will put up something on this as it is a subject in my book.

No objection to body weight exercises, but they are too limited for me. Not time efficient and they build ST and FTa fibers. I want FTb/z fibers.

Speaking of body weight exercises like Hindu squats and push ups, did you ever see the photo of the Great Gama (an Indian wrestler of formidable skill and power) doing Hindu push ups with at least a 100 pound stone over his neck? Not a body weight exercise.

I have Matt Furey's book on Combat Training; mostly pictures and then some claims about Oriental mysteries or secrets. He is good at what he does (I guess, but I don't really know), but he is not someone I find to be informative.

How are you going to build the strength to do a 400 pound deadlift with body weight exercises? Why do you care if you can do a 400 pound (adjust to twice your body weight) dead lift?

When you can, you will know why. Is that inscrutable enough to sound like an Oriental secret?

Posted by: Art [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 18, 2005 4:21 PM


There is a connection between a high-glycemic diet and near-sightedness. Loren Cordain covered this in one of his papers - look around his website. However, I think the damage is done when you're young and the eyeball is still growing.

Posted by: matt m [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 18, 2005 3:31 PM

Art,

First of all: I really like your interesting and independent views and opinions.

my question:
In one of the interviews you gave, I read that your bad eyesight was part of reason you had to give up pro baseball.
I've got some friends who run the half and complete marathon who all wear glasses. My take is the problem is their nutrition: they eat and drink lots of pasta, sugary 'healthdrinks' etc.
And what about the so-called bespectacled nerds, who drink lots of coke and avoid sports.

I'd love to hear your opinion about the connection between impaired eyesight and nutrition.

greetings from the Netherlands.

Posted by: Healthman [TypeKey Profile Page] at August 18, 2005 12:58 PM

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