Ken Holtzman---1969
On This Date in Major League
Baseball History...
August 19, 1969
On this date back in 1969, I was a
9-year old growing up in Chicago and
enjoying the final days of summer as
my Cubbies were perched atop of the
newly created National League East
Division. Despite being raised on the
South Side of Chicago; my father was
a Cub fan--- and by virtue of
heredity, so was I. Weeks away from
beginning the fourth grade, I was
getting caught up in the Cubbies'
ill-fated pennant drive and collecting
cards for the first time.
With a nickel in my pocket, I would
walk the two or three blocks to the
Sunny Side Market on Roosevelt
Road to buy a pack of cards.
Occasionally my father would bring
home a pack after a long day of work
to see the excitement on my face,
especially if I unearthed another
Cubs card under that delectable stick
of bubble gum.
Days of playing 16-inch softball in
our big backyard in Wheaton, Illinois
were interrupted by the afternoon
Cub games on WGN. It was also my
first summer of playing organized
ball, as I was on a rubber ball league
in town and Randy Hundley's son
also playing in the league.
But the highlight of each summer
would come when my father would
take my brother and I on a pilgrimage
to Wrigley Field to watch our Cubs. It
would be the day that my Cardboard
Gods would come to life for nine
innings. Hot dogs from a vendor who
walked the Wrigley aisles, clanging
his metal case. My Dad ordering an
Old Style beer as I gulped down a
ice-old Pepsi. And the frosty malts
that slowly melted in the summer heat
brought sweet relief during the later
innings.
Well on this date in 1969 I was
getting ready to go see my beloved
Cubs take on the Braves tomorrow.
However, it was on this day that
Kenny Holtzman tossed a no-hitter at
Atlanta.
I remember watching the game on TV
and how exciting it was, especially
when the wind kept a Hank Aaron
drive in the park as Billy Williams
made a leaping catch at the wall in
the 7th inning. Ron Santo would
provide all the offense with a 3-run
shot in the first inning.
Holtzman would induce 13 ground
ball outs, while the winds that were
blowing in kept 14 fly balls in the
"Friendly Confines." He would walk
three in the contest. Amazingly, the
southpaw would not strikeout a single
batter in the game.
It would be the first of two no-hitters
for Holtzman as a Cub... and I missed
it by "that much."
Hoping for back-to-back no-hitters,
(hey I was nine and anything was
possible) my brother, Dad and I
watched the Cubs bats fail to come
up with the clutch hit and Fergie
Jenkins took a 5-2 loss the next day..
but it was a great day anyways, as
my Cubs were in first place still, I
shared a day at Wrigley with my Dad
and I saw my cards come to life.
Holtzman would finish the '69 season
17-13, as the Cubs slipped into
second place behind the Amazin'
Mets.We will revisit Holtzman on
Cardboard Gods in the future as he
was a splendid southpaw with a fine
career as one of the better Jewish
pitchers in the history of the game.
(8/19/08)
Baseball History...
August 19, 1969
On this date back in 1969, I was a
9-year old growing up in Chicago and
enjoying the final days of summer as
my Cubbies were perched atop of the
newly created National League East
Division. Despite being raised on the
South Side of Chicago; my father was
a Cub fan--- and by virtue of
heredity, so was I. Weeks away from
beginning the fourth grade, I was
getting caught up in the Cubbies'
ill-fated pennant drive and collecting
cards for the first time.
With a nickel in my pocket, I would
walk the two or three blocks to the
Sunny Side Market on Roosevelt
Road to buy a pack of cards.
Occasionally my father would bring
home a pack after a long day of work
to see the excitement on my face,
especially if I unearthed another
Cubs card under that delectable stick
of bubble gum.
Days of playing 16-inch softball in
our big backyard in Wheaton, Illinois
were interrupted by the afternoon
Cub games on WGN. It was also my
first summer of playing organized
ball, as I was on a rubber ball league
in town and Randy Hundley's son
also playing in the league.
But the highlight of each summer
would come when my father would
take my brother and I on a pilgrimage
to Wrigley Field to watch our Cubs. It
would be the day that my Cardboard
Gods would come to life for nine
innings. Hot dogs from a vendor who
walked the Wrigley aisles, clanging
his metal case. My Dad ordering an
Old Style beer as I gulped down a
ice-old Pepsi. And the frosty malts
that slowly melted in the summer heat
brought sweet relief during the later
innings.
Well on this date in 1969 I was
getting ready to go see my beloved
Cubs take on the Braves tomorrow.
However, it was on this day that
Kenny Holtzman tossed a no-hitter at
Atlanta.
I remember watching the game on TV
and how exciting it was, especially
when the wind kept a Hank Aaron
drive in the park as Billy Williams
made a leaping catch at the wall in
the 7th inning. Ron Santo would
provide all the offense with a 3-run
shot in the first inning.
Holtzman would induce 13 ground
ball outs, while the winds that were
blowing in kept 14 fly balls in the
"Friendly Confines." He would walk
three in the contest. Amazingly, the
southpaw would not strikeout a single
batter in the game.
It would be the first of two no-hitters
for Holtzman as a Cub... and I missed
it by "that much."
Hoping for back-to-back no-hitters,
(hey I was nine and anything was
possible) my brother, Dad and I
watched the Cubs bats fail to come
up with the clutch hit and Fergie
Jenkins took a 5-2 loss the next day..
but it was a great day anyways, as
my Cubs were in first place still, I
shared a day at Wrigley with my Dad
and I saw my cards come to life.
Holtzman would finish the '69 season
17-13, as the Cubs slipped into
second place behind the Amazin'
Mets.We will revisit Holtzman on
Cardboard Gods in the future as he
was a splendid southpaw with a fine
career as one of the better Jewish
pitchers in the history of the game.
(8/19/08)
