-
Cubs Lose! Cubs Lose!
May 6, 2013 | 28 comments
-
The Perfect Country Singer
April 29, 2013 | 24 comments
-
Searching for the Duke
April 25, 2013 | 106 comments
-
Carlos’s Moment of Clarity
April 16, 2013 | 27 comments
-
Civil Blight in Old Blighty
April 15, 2013 | 24 comments
In Memoriam
A Very Complete Game
Robin Roberts, 1926 – 2010.
(Page 2 of 2)
Cardieri said he roomed with Roberts when the team traveled and remembers fondly not only the long conversations where the younger Cardieri learned a lot about baseball, but of enjoying Roberts’ large repertoire of stories from his playing days which included parts for such as Satchel Paige, Yogi Berra, and other household names from fifties and sixties baseball.
“The stories were so good, and Robin was so good at telling them, that you enjoyed them the tenth time you heard them as much as you did the first,” Cardieri said. “I’m blessed for having been able to work with him. He was always a gentleman. Just a fine human being.”
You’ll get no argument on this from Wally Meyer, pastor at Christ Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, where Roberts was a regular attendee.
“He was generous to the church and to others,” Meyer told me. “He was humble, and always patient when people would ask him for autographs, even when he knew they were sending them to E-Bay. He was a joy to know.”
Meyer also liked Roberts’ baseball stories, including the one about the rookie Lou Piniella who was sent up to pinch-hit for Roberts (who wasn’t a bad hitter for a pitcher). Piniella grounded out to shortstop. Later in the clubhouse the by then venerable Roberts joshed the rookie, saying, “I could have done that.”
Those who knew him will tell you that, taken all around, Robin Roberts was a Hall of Famer as a man as well as a pitcher. His long and productive life was more than a quality start. It was a very complete game. He will be missed.
R.I.P.
About the Author
Larry Thornberry is a writer in Tampa.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (140) | Leave a comment
More Articles by Larry Thornberry
More Articles From In Memoriam
http://spectator.org/archives/2010/05/10/a-very-complete-game
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- Screwtape Talks Turkey
- The Demise of Money and Credit
- Self-Righteous Republic
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
A. C. Santore| 5.10.10 @ 9:16AM
He played on my favorite team during my teenage years and a few thereafter. I loved the Phils [still do] because they were "The Whiz Kids" - just a bunch of good guys who loved to play. "What larks!"
Every time we lose one of them, my heart aches a bit and my eyes tear up. It's not just about my favorite players and favorite team. It's about the joys of my youth.
Stormy| 5.10.10 @ 9:18AM
Some sportsmen are better players than people. Some sportsmen are better people than players. Simply, in Rocking Robin's case, he was both. There have been few classier players and people than Rocking Robin.
somnolence| 5.10.10 @ 12:25PM
That is one of the statistics I look at in gauging a pitcher's greatness- complete games. Sandy Koufax led the National League in complete games at least twice along with his other achievements. Roberts, Gibson, Marichal, Johnson, Mathewson and Walsh literally stayed on that mound until you had to drag them out. When my wife told me just last night that an Oakland A's pitcher had tossed a complete game I barely gave an audible reaction. This morning I learned that this was his first COMPLETE game in 53 starts. Today's game is not as good as yesterday's game despite the advances in physical training, nutrition, etc.
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 3:08PM
The American Spectator : A Very Complete Game - ferus.pl links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 3:34PM
NBA Finals – Celtics vs Lakers – Game 6 Highlights w/ music links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Bob| 5.10.10 @ 3:36PM
I love baseball, but my memory did not go back far enough to know who Robin Roberts was. A few days ago I read his obituary and it was nice to read an article about someone in which nothing but good things were said - with no asterisk. So I started reading all the articles I could find about him and I have still not found even one negative thing that has been said about Robin Roberts. I wish I had seen him play, but in some way after reading about him I feel as though I had. He unquestionably left an enduring legacy for those fortunate enough to have seen him play, or known him. May he rest in peace. He has obviously earned it.
Hank Archer| 5.10.10 @ 3:46PM
My first baseball glove was a MacGregor Robin Roberts model. I took it out yesterday and used it to play catch with my son in honor of Robin.
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 4:23PM
Investors are playing a dangerous game betting against networking concern | House Hol links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 4:34PM
The American Spectator : A Very Complete Game capital university links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Northern Rebel| 5.10.10 @ 4:56PM
Ahh, when ballplayers were men! How unlike are players like Roberts, Bob Feller, and Alex Rodriguez?
These guys played in an era, where guys like
A-Roid would have been drilled for his girly face.
While men like Feller were joining the military, or Roberts was pitching for meal money, Boys like A-Roid, and other narcissists are busy worrying if their uniform bulges in the right places.
R.I.P Robin Roberts, and please stay healthy Mr. Feller. Men like you are American treasures!
Michael Novak| 5.10.10 @ 5:20PM
Although I was a Brooklyn Dodger fan in the 50s of my childhood, I had a soft spot for the Phillies and Robin Roberts. He was recognized even then as one baseball's nice guys. What I liked that was that he was a winner, not a whiner, for a last-place club. When he was going 18-19 for the lowly Phils, he could have been going 28-10 for the Yankees or Dodgers. Great eulogy, Mr. Thornberry.
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 5:28PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : A Very Complete Game [spectator.org] links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
somnolence| 5.10.10 @ 5:33PM
Hank Archer may have displayed the greatest tribute of all to Robin Roberts.
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 5:57PM
[Avatar The Game] First Look – Part 1 | All About Nintendo Wii links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Bob K.| 5.10.10 @ 6:46PM
BASEBALL, CHEVROLET AND APPLE PIE!
Remember those days?
I was a "Whiz Kids" fan and Roberts was my hero. I last saw him pitch in 1964 in Washington DC's old Griffith Stadium when he was playing out his career with Baltimore. He threw a complete game 10 inning 1 - 0 shutout. He threw 4 shutouts that year! He took pride in finishing what he started. Harvey Haddix came in in relief for the Senator's starter and threw shut out ball into the 10th inning for Washington. My buddy and I were able to watch this masterpiece sitting directly behind the catcher after we duked the attendant a buck a piece to let us sit there. Only about 4000 people were there for this afternoon game. What a pleasure it was to see this marvelously pitched game up close!
Roberts still had that remarkably coordinated and deceptively smooth, easy and effortless motion he was famous for. He made pitching look like it was the easiest thing in the world! Only Tom Seaver has approached it.
In 1996 Robert's joined with C. Paul Rogers III, the Dean of SMU Law School in writing a memoir of the Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant. That's the title: "The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant." It was published by Temple University Press, Philadelphia, PA. 19122
ISBN 1-56639-466-X cloth
Get it and read it if you can find it. It is one of the best baseball books ever written!
It also has a wonderful Special Tribute in it written by James A. Michner.
In it, Michner becomes the first to recognize the corruption and bias and ignorance of the Baseball Writers "Experts" "who vote baseball players in and out of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown,New York.............." This ignorance and can be seen till this day where Bert Blyleven is inexpicably denied a rightful place in the Hall of Fame despite his overwhelming statistics, like having 287 wins, being 3rd on the all time strike out list and having 60 shutouts. Maybe it's because he is a white male?
Starting out with Baseball, the media has now gone on to destroy Chevrolet! Can Apple Pie be far behind?
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 6:49PM
A Very Complete Game | phillies.baseball-news-update.com links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 6:54PM
6 Biggest Mistakes When Contacting Women Online For The First Time | Attraction Dynam links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 6:59PM
How can I decrease my ping rate when playing games online? links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 7:10PM
NFL Kids' 0601CR0045 Arizona Cardinals Time Teacher Watch | buy … | Arizona Cardinals links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 8:19PM
Goodbye Fatsuits: Our First Weight Watchers Vlog! | Diets That Work links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 9:03PM
Whose Line – Telethon for NBA Players links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.10.10 @ 9:18PM
How To Abs Fast | Los Angeles Angels at Mariners: May 8, 2010 game thread links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 12:40AM
Titan Poker Reviews | CIGAR BOAT links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 2:11AM
Looking for a new web-based game I can play from work? links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 3:58AM
2006 NBA Finals Mavs Vs Heat Game 3 Part 11 | Dallas Mavericks NBA Announcer links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 5:17AM
Hey, what does Q2 meen on game web sites? ? links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 6:13AM
Smokers Are Leaving Tobacco In Mass To The E Cigarette | General Health Blog links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 6:25AM
paintball game? links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.11.10 @ 7:13AM
Can I Find My Game With A Good Golf Swing? | Learn To Play Golf | Golfing Leisure Kno links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.12.10 @ 2:24AM
Video Game Jobs – How To Become A Game Programmer | Multi Tricks links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.12.10 @ 4:21PM
My Favorite Video Game | Multi Tricks links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 5.13.10 @ 1:44PM
How do you complete incomplete missions on the Torchwood game? | TV drama links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
f8fdkj| 7.1.10 @ 3:18AM
beijing massage