Felipe Alou---1983
Felipe Alou, Part II
Throwing a change up here with a
minor league card of Felipe Alou.
As a graduate student at Wichita
State University in 1983, I took the
first steps of my baseball career
when I went to work for the Triple-A
Wichita Aeros. There my baseball
paths crossed with Felipe Alou, who I
remembered from the cards of my
youth.
For Alou, Wichita was one of his last
minor league managerial stops,
before he embarked on a 14-year
major league career of filling out
lineup cards. Alou would guide the
Montreal Expos and San Francisco
Giants to a career .503 winning
percentage, claim NL Manager of the
Year honors in 1994 with the Expos
and lead the Giants into the playoffs
after winning 100 games in 2003.
Throwing a change up here with a
minor league card of Felipe Alou.
As a graduate student at Wichita
State University in 1983, I took the
first steps of my baseball career
when I went to work for the Triple-A
Wichita Aeros. There my baseball
paths crossed with Felipe Alou, who I
remembered from the cards of my
youth.
For Alou, Wichita was one of his last
minor league managerial stops,
before he embarked on a 14-year
major league career of filling out
lineup cards. Alou would guide the
Montreal Expos and San Francisco
Giants to a career .503 winning
percentage, claim NL Manager of the
Year honors in 1994 with the Expos
and lead the Giants into the playoffs
after winning 100 games in 2003.
Well, let me to say, living in Wichita, Kansas was an adjustment for this
Michigan boy, as well as for many of the players. The pace was a little slower,
there were plenty of guys wearing cowboy boots and the tornado sirens were
very, very loud.
Being in the heart of tornado alley, the City of Wichita would test their tornado
warning sirens at noon on Mondays during each month. Since our stadium
was city property, sirens were located on the grounds. This meant that each
month, we were literally blown away with the sounds of the sirens. They were
so loud, you would just stop what you were doing as it would leave you numb
for minutes.
I remember it was early April of 1983 and the Aeros had just returned home
from their first road trip. It was late morning and manager Felipe Alou was
down in the clubhouse organizing his office.
Sure enough, that day the sirens went off with Felipe sitting right under them.
A startled Alou called down to our offices in a panic, as Aeros general
manager Brian Granger fielded the call.
"Are we being attacked by the Soviets!?" asked an alarmed Alou. As that
sirens waned, Granger reminded Felipe of the monthly ritual of the sirens.
No Felipe, the Soviets were not attacking the United States... But if they did,
they probably wouldn't have attacked Wichita, Kansas!
5/15/08
Michigan boy, as well as for many of the players. The pace was a little slower,
there were plenty of guys wearing cowboy boots and the tornado sirens were
very, very loud.
Being in the heart of tornado alley, the City of Wichita would test their tornado
warning sirens at noon on Mondays during each month. Since our stadium
was city property, sirens were located on the grounds. This meant that each
month, we were literally blown away with the sounds of the sirens. They were
so loud, you would just stop what you were doing as it would leave you numb
for minutes.
I remember it was early April of 1983 and the Aeros had just returned home
from their first road trip. It was late morning and manager Felipe Alou was
down in the clubhouse organizing his office.
Sure enough, that day the sirens went off with Felipe sitting right under them.
A startled Alou called down to our offices in a panic, as Aeros general
manager Brian Granger fielded the call.
"Are we being attacked by the Soviets!?" asked an alarmed Alou. As that
sirens waned, Granger reminded Felipe of the monthly ritual of the sirens.
No Felipe, the Soviets were not attacking the United States... But if they did,
they probably wouldn't have attacked Wichita, Kansas!
5/15/08