smithers joe Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 in the late forties, we were still playing sandlot baseball. there were enough boys in our neighborhood to always field two teams in what ever sport we were playing.... our summers were always the same, except for this one year...for baseball that summer, we had a spectator. frank would bring his chair and watch us play. when we made good plays, old frank would clap his hands and his smile was from ear to ear...if we made poor plays, he would shake his head and go tch, tch, tch. one day we were arguing over a rule, so we asked the old man...he said your both wrong, in fact you not playing the game right in several ways... to make the story shorter, he agreed to coach us. the old man taught us a lot...how to use our cut off men, backing each other up; how to hit behind the runners, how to hit to all fields and what team work really meant.... when summer was over, we asked old frank, if he would coach us again next year?..he told us, that at his age, he couldn't make any promises. frank must of known something we didn't, because he died that winter. at our age, we didn't understand the finality of death. we just knew that there was a hole in our lives that summer... when we made good plays, we automatically looked over to see if frank was grinning....when i made a poor play, i could swear i heard his tch, tch, tch. i've always been thankful for what the old man taught me. not only in my baseball playing and coaching, but in my life as well. how to thank him? several years ago, when i was remembering those days, i realized, that we paid old frank...we made his last summer on earth, a happy one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Great story Joe. And it's weird seeing you call someone "old"... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remy Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Thanks for sharing, Joe. I agree with you, too. There was an older guy that I worked with, years ago, and he just wanted to be heard and to feel like he had something valuable to impart. It's really important for all of us to feel useful. And hell, can you imagine how he would have felt knowing that he's still remembered all these years later? Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 You can learn more with your ears than your mouth. I like to believe the moral of the story is to try and listen to those around you more. Hear them out, hear their stories. You included him in your lives Joe, I'd say payment was a 2-way transaction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 And Joe, I hope your heart stays good and strong so you can keep posting these tidbits around the forum. You're an even keel brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cramarossa Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I didn't agree to go on this feels trip, Joe I do enjoy your stories though. Can we get a "Tales by smithers joe" thread going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SabreFan1 Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Thank you for the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putgolzin Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Awesome story Joe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nucklehead Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 do you have more of these stories? put them together and publish them for us will you? thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 9 hours ago, nucklehead said: do you have more of these stories? put them together and publish them for us will you? thx thank you lad but i also suffer from not so good memory anymore...i'll just share things as i remember them...i used to write a sports column in our local paper, in the mid eighties...somewhere along i switched to stories from my time in sports, working with handicapped folks, young offenders and stories from my youth...most of my stories wouldn't interest too many people now...but i would encourage others to share their memorable moments in life...we all have them...i'ld like to see a thread for memorable moments..we could all share each others stories... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bishopshodan Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Thank you Joe. You sent me right down memory lane. When I was 7 I arrived to Canada from England, I instantly fell in love with hockey. I asked my parents if I could play and they said that they would look into it. A few days later I was sat down and given a baseball glove! My parents tried to explain to me that we were too poor for me to go into hockey. I was devastated and a hated my plastic Zellers Expos baseball mitt. I sulked and sulked, I couldn't believe how unfair the world seemed. One night I passed by the nearby trailer park to see a few guys I had met at school that week playing ball, they told me to go home a get my glove. Anyway, we had neighbourhood games for years. Just like in your time, we were able to often field two full teams. To this day I dream of what it would be like to have played hockey... but i wouldn't exchange those baseball days for anything in the world. I met life long friends, have wonderful memories and I'm so thank full that my parents were honest with me as it must have broken their hearts. So maybe today when the world has lost Mr Hockey himself, we can spend a moment to think of the older people in our lives and remember all the wisdom they have to pass on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 4 hours ago, bishopshodan said: Thank you Joe. You sent me right down memory lane. When I was 7 I arrived to Canada from England, I instantly fell in love with hockey. I asked my parents if I could play and they said that they would look into it. A few days later I was sat down and given a baseball glove! My parents tried to explain to me that we were too poor for me to go into hockey. I was devastated and a hated my plastic Zellers Expos baseball mitt. I sulked and sulked, I couldn't believe how unfair the world seemed. One night I passed by the nearby trailer park to see a few guys I had met at school that week playing ball, they told me to go home a get my glove. Anyway, we had neighbourhood games for years. Just like in your time, we were able to often field two full teams. To this day I dream of what it would be like to have played hockey... but i wouldn't exchange those baseball days for anything in the world. I met life long friends, have wonderful memories and I'm so thank full that my parents were honest with me as it must have broken their hearts. So maybe today when the world has lost Mr Hockey himself, we can spend a moment to think of the older people in our lives and remember all the wisdom they have to pass on. yes, we were very poor too..we played a lot of road and roller hockey....we put catalogs in our stocking and when our sticks broke, we nailed tin on what was left of the blade so we could still play.. i enjoyed your story and can appreciate your parents in buying you a glove...we can't always get what we want when we are young... how we deal with our disappointments, help to define who we become as adults... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Green Building Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 6 hours ago, bishopshodan said: Thank you Joe. You sent me right down memory lane. When I was 7 I arrived to Canada from England, I instantly fell in love with hockey. I asked my parents if I could play and they said that they would look into it. A few days later I was sat down and given a baseball glove! My parents tried to explain to me that we were too poor for me to go into hockey. I was devastated and a hated my plastic Zellers Expos baseball mitt. I sulked and sulked, I couldn't believe how unfair the world seemed. One night I passed by the nearby trailer park to see a few guys I had met at school that week playing ball, they told me to go home a get my glove. Anyway, we had neighbourhood games for years. Just like in your time, we were able to often field two full teams. To this day I dream of what it would be like to have played hockey... but i wouldn't exchange those baseball days for anything in the world. I met life long friends, have wonderful memories and I'm so thank full that my parents were honest with me as it must have broken their hearts. So maybe today when the world has lost Mr Hockey himself, we can spend a moment to think of the older people in our lives and remember all the wisdom they have to pass on. Damn, that's bitter sweet. My brother and I grew up lower/middle class. Money was tight, and like countless others my parents sacrificed a lot for us. I won't be so cliche as to say everything, but I do remember the day it dawned on me how much hockey cost. They gave up house renovations, there were no vacations (just camping which is awesome anyways - other friends went to Europe and all kinds of places), and countless other day to day frivolities so that 2 growing boys could have hockey gear every season. One youthful day I learned how money worked. I damn near cried when I realized the totality of their sacrifice. I now yearn to do that for my own kids one day. The story isn't parallel to yours, but still leads to a powerful appreciation for what was given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offensive Threat Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 22 hours ago, Remy said: Thanks for sharing, Joe. I agree with you, too. There was an older guy that I worked with, years ago, and he just wanted to be heard and to feel like he had something valuable to impart. It's really important for all of us to feel useful. And hell, can you imagine how he would have felt knowing that he's still remembered all these years later? Cheers. They say people die twice. Once when their body dies and again the last time anyone thinks of them. Your keeping his memory alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 in the foster home i grew up in, it was customary, up into our teens, to get home made christmas presents..i still remember my first store bought present...i got one year, a black diamond, 1st baseman's glove...i think that still is my favourite gift...i still have that glove somewhere.....it is tied together with string as the leather rotted away...before that glove, i wore slightly more than a piece of leather for a glove....it's crazy, but as poor as we were, i never felt poor..we got 3 meals a day and a warm bed to sleep in...lots of friends to grow up with...we called ourselves, the tom's boys and the younger ones, we called, the little rats...it was a great childhood....happy days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShakyWalton Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 35 minutes ago, smithers joe said: in the foster home i grew up in, it was customary, up into our teens, to get home made christmas presents..i still remember my first store bought present...i got one year, a black diamond, 1st baseman's glove...i think that still is my favourite gift...i still have that glove somewhere.....it is tied together with string as the leather rotted away...before that glove, i wore slightly more than a piece of leather for a glove....it's crazy, but as poor as we were, i never felt poor..we got 3 meals a day and a warm bed to sleep in...lots of friends to grow up with...we called ourselves, the tom's boys and the younger ones, we called, the little rats...it was a great childhood....happy days. I know what you mean Joe...we were never rich when I was growing up in fact far from it..but my childhood was rich with memories...we lived next to Central Park and it was our home away from home...my mother would have to blow a whistle in the evening so we would get home for dinner..we had forts , tree house and frog ponds to occupy our time...vacant lots to play baseball and road hockey on the street...in fact we had an old NHLer who lived across the street would always come and watch our games for a while..it wasnt until later in life I realized the Mr. Runge played with a plehtora of name stars in the 20s and 30s..he was never a star and definately a journeyman but...he played with Howie Morenz, Lionel Connacher. Babe Siebert and many others how ever briefly...nothing to regret about my childhood either..kids now a days should be so lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 1 hour ago, ShakyWalton said: I know what you mean Joe...we were never rich when I was growing up in fact far from it..but my childhood was rich with memories...we lived next to Central Park and it was our home away from home...my mother would have to blow a whistle in the evening so we would get home for dinner..we had forts , tree house and frog ponds to occupy our time...vacant lots to play baseball and road hockey on the street...in fact we had an old NHLer who lived across the street would always come and watch our games for a while..it wasnt until later in life I realized the Mr. Runge played with a plehtora of name stars in the 20s and 30s..he was never a star and definately a journeyman but...he played with Howie Morenz, Lionel Connacher. Babe Siebert and many others how ever briefly...nothing to regret about my childhood either..kids now a days should be so lucky. we had a couple of hockey players living our neighborhood too...andy bathgate and larry popein...i remember big train...the only player i've known who played professional hockey, football and lacrosse...all three of them were before my time...i guess, how we live feels normal at that time.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smithers joe Posted June 11, 2016 Author Share Posted June 11, 2016 old frank told us that he used to play for the old st.louis browns...we didn't believe him, but i got the opportunity to have someone check for me...they said, old frank was stringing you along....i don't care, he will always be a big part of my life memories... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Realtor Rod Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Who the &^@# is cutting onions in here? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlinkas wrister Posted June 12, 2016 Share Posted June 12, 2016 On 6/10/2016 at 0:18 PM, bishopshodan said: Thank you Joe. You sent me right down memory lane. When I was 7 I arrived to Canada from England, I instantly fell in love with hockey. I asked my parents if I could play and they said that they would look into it. A few days later I was sat down and given a baseball glove! My parents tried to explain to me that we were too poor for me to go into hockey. I was devastated and a hated my plastic Zellers Expos baseball mitt. I sulked and sulked, I couldn't believe how unfair the world seemed. One night I passed by the nearby trailer park to see a few guys I had met at school that week playing ball, they told me to go home a get my glove. Anyway, we had neighbourhood games for years. Just like in your time, we were able to often field two full teams. To this day I dream of what it would be like to have played hockey... but i wouldn't exchange those baseball days for anything in the world. I met life long friends, have wonderful memories and I'm so thank full that my parents were honest with me as it must have broken their hearts. So maybe today when the world has lost Mr Hockey himself, we can spend a moment to think of the older people in our lives and remember all the wisdom they have to pass on. Never too late man, get yourself some gear and join an adult learn to play hockey program or go play some shinny. If you ask me, adult hockey is 10 times better than the hockey I played as a kid because you get to drink beer in the dressing room- and there's a league for every skill level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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