Top:Neil, My mom Sadie, Lawrie,Elaine,My Dad Hank,Toby and MarvinSitting: Allen and Jerome April 30th,1949
Andy gave me a copy of his baseball Card. The Original went for $86,000 at auction.
Andy signed my memorabilia image of him.
Chicago:
I have been gifted with a great recall of events during my 75 years. I enjoyed my dad telling stories of his good old days, and had the daily habit of reading the "It happened on this date-almanac section in the Chicago Tribune, first in the Sports Section and now on the Obit Page. I have my own reasons for remembering certain dates, and April 30, 1949 is one of them. My sister Elaine was getting married at the Belmont Hotel at sundown. It was a dark drizzling day. My brother Allen and I were dressed early and were watching the Cubs Game on channel 9. They were playing the Cardinals and winning 3-1, with 2 down in the top of the 9th. There were 2 men on base and Rocky Nelson at bat. He lifted a looping fly ball towards Pafko in Center and he made what appeared to be a shoe top catch to end the game. Except Umpire Al Barlick, signaled it was a no-catch. Instead of throwing the ball back into the infield, Pafko gets into an argument with Barlick, and by the time he realizes the ball was still in play, Nelson crossed home plate. There was no replay back then, because video tape had yet to be invented!
I have met Pafko on several occasions, and have had conversations about the changes since he played the game and now. The last time he was sitting behind home-plate, and I had a ticket to the family section... that allowed me to roam the ballpark before a game. He gave me a replica Topp's baseball card (attached) wearing the Dodger Uniform. He said the real one sold for $86,000, that he said represented many years salary as a big leaguer. See the attachment. Ironically, before I became the "Bleacher Preacher", I handled the PR for the S.F. stage production of "BLEACHER BUMS". That particular incident is part of the the play. The play ran for over a year, and I hardly ever missed a show. That picture of Andy Pafko when he was younger was part of an Exhibit given to me by the former Publicist for the Chicago Tribune, Bob Sanders, originally hung at the Tribune Tower's first floor Gallery. Then the Lobby of Little Fox Theater in San Francisco. I turned the lobby into "Wrigley Field West". I secured some Andy Frain Usher uniforms for our ushers. Even sold Vienna Hot Dogs in the lobby and had all 4 real Yellow Chicago Street Signs that surround the "Friendly Confines... W. Addison,N. Clark St. and W. Waveland & N. Sheffield.
My sister's wedding was beautiful, and I have great memories of that event but I'll spare you for now.
Cheers!
Cheers!
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