Hank Moorman was a baseball fanatic, a baseball junkie, but not about facts or statistics. He would say the same things over and over so much that it drove most adults crazy. And if they acted like they didn’t want to listen to him, then he would get mad and he would stomp off for a while.
Hank wanted so badly to coach the American Legion team, but no one would let him. He was, though, pretty good at asking the Legion and local businesses for money for the team. I think they gave him the money to get rid of him.
Each year the Legion team would take in a Cardinal ballgame, usually on Labor Day, and Hank would raise some money to help the team pay for the trip. This also insured him a spot to go on the trip because he was not an official coach.
One Cardinal trip has stuck in my mind for years. I’m not sure what year it was, but it was probably 1963 or 1964. We usually got tickets for a double-header and if I remember correctly, this time was no different. As this trip unfolded, George Edmonds was there and he made a bet with Jim Burns that he, George, would run on to the field to shake Curt Flood’s hand.
Just a little side line about Jim Burns, Jim had played basketball for the Foxes when they won 4th place in the Illinois state basketball tournament when Illinois still had the one class system. He also played basketball at Northwestern University and was drafted into the NBA but it didn’t work out. Jim then pursued his law degree and has practiced in Northern Illinois. He has been a special prosecutor near Chicago and has run for Lt. Governor. He also was a Democratic challenger to Glenn Poshard for governor but lost the Democratic race to him. He, at the time I was writing this, had been appointed by Governor George Ryan as a special prosecutor.
Anyway, back to the bet. Jim bet George one dollar that he would not shake Curt Flood’s hand. Remember the ‘catch’ that Willie Mays made on the fly ball that Vic Wertz hit. Willie made the catch with his back to the playing field as he raced toward the wall. Well, Curt Flood made a similar catch in the game that we were watching. Before we all knew it, George had climbed over the right field wall and was running toward Curt Flood. Security started racing after George from all directions. George reached Curt Flood and stuck out his hand to congratulate him on his fantastic catch. Curt waved him off, told him to leave, but then all of a sudden, Mr. Flood gave in and shook George’s hand. George was sky high, with a grin from ear to ear, and didn’t mind at all being led off the field by security. If I remember correctly George told me he still has the dollar Jim gave him.
Hank would show up at the younger league games, too. It was kind of scary to the younger kids and their coaches. But, by the time the kids and coaches had gone through all the leagues before reaching the level of American Legion baseball, they all knew Hank and thought he was harmless.
Hank’s patience at times was very thin. He would go to great lengths to get a game in after a big rain. Others would automatically cancel the game and say the field was too wet to play on. Hank would find a rake or would try to find new dirt to cover the low areas where it would be the muddiest. But, the best one of all was when Hank decided it would take drastic measures to get the game in. One time it had really rained and no amount of raking or carrying in dirt and sand would help. Hank had a brainstorm. Gasoline! He poured gasoline over the infield and then lit it. What a fire! He kept pouring and lighting, pouring and lighting, until he had the top layer of soil scorched and smelling of gasoline. The field was probably dry enough to play on, but the residue that was left behind kept the game from being played. I think it took days to get the field cleaned up and ready to play on again.
More later..........
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