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Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The Soul of Baseball: Posnanski: Yaz ‘67

Big Poz Bread rises to the occasion with this fine game-by-game look at Yaz down the stretch ‘67...(brought to you by the good people at Arnold Hano Bakery).

Where does this year rank in baseball history? I think it probably has a special place. There were others who put up more impressive numbers – Ruth, Bonds, Williams, Mantle in ’56 and ’57, Musial in ’48, Hornsby, and so on and so on – but considering the place (Boston), the time (nobody was hitting in 1967), the situation (the Red Sox had not even been in a real pennant race in about 15 years), the fans hunger and the ridiculous and amazing tension of the final weeks, I think you could make a real argument that Yaz’s ’67 is a contender for the best season by any player ever.

Repoz Posted: July 04, 2007 at 08:10 AM | 10 comment(s)
Related News: General, History, Boston

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1. Esoteric roots for the two worst teams in baseball Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:27 AM (#2428721)

If you cut Posnanski, you would find only liquid metal. He's inhuman. His blog is the most ridiculously generous gift to lovers of baseball writing since BTF banned Rob Base.

2. kevin Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:37 AM (#2428730)

I remember 1967 well and that season was indeed magical for Yaz. It seemed like he had been dipped in the river Styx or something. No matter the situation, he always seemed to come through.

3. Moscow Hiding In The Shadows Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:39 AM (#2428733)

In my lifetime I've always considered Yaz '67 in a dead heat with Lou Boudreau's 1948, when he was a shortstop-manager who led the Indians to their last championship. You can look it up on BB-Ref, but it would really take an entire book to do justice to what both he and Yaz did in those two years.

4. Repoz Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:47 AM (#2428739)

5. Moscow Hiding In The Shadows Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:54 AM (#2428746)

To show you the pull of Yaz in '67...I came in second place for our Babe Ruth League team MVP and received a loaf of Big Yaz Bread...the winner, Mike "Dickbrain" Clark, got the "Yaz" book by Al Hirschberg (yes...me still pissed!)

And this was in the middle of Yankeeland.

OTOH there was a whole TV series that to a certain exent revolved around the 48 Indians---50 years or so later. One of its main characters was a pitcher trying to make the Indians roster.

Of course the series (Homefront) barely made it through one season, so once again Cleveland got disrespected by the New York - Boston media axis.

6. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: July 04, 2007 at 11:57 AM (#2428750)

Ah, 1967. In April, I was a 4-day-old boy hauled home from the hospital in a Red Sox T-shirt. And in October, my dad had the back page of the New York Daily News (I was a Sox fan in Yankeeland) framed and hung above my crib reading "Yazmataz It's Red Sox." His desire to name me Theodore Samuel, however, was scuttled by mom.

7. Sometimes it Rains (sj) Posted: July 04, 2007 at 06:33 PM (#2429065)

I think you could make a real argument that Yaz’s ’67 is a contender for the best season by any player ever.

Top 100 for sure.

8. OCF Posted: July 04, 2007 at 06:44 PM (#2429071)

My 1967 heroes were Lou Brock (who had an interesting first week to his season), Bob Gibson (but he missed the pennant race with his broken leg), Orlando Cepeda, and Harry Caray. Considering the reach of the radio network in question, there were quite a lot of us.

9. Srul Itza At Home Posted: July 04, 2007 at 08:13 PM (#2429130)

Bob Gibson (but he missed the pennant race with his broken leg),

It seemed to be reasonably healed by the time of the Series.

10. OCF Posted: July 04, 2007 at 08:46 PM (#2429160)

Oh, for sure. It was a close race when Clemente broke Gibson's leg; the NL pennant was safely won by the time he came back. But the unexpected pitching contributions of Nelson Briles and Dick Hughes did not continue at the same level into October, and the Cardinals really needed Gibson then.

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Wednesday, July 04, 2007

The Soul of Baseball: Posnanski: Yaz ‘67

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