centerfield maz

 August 20th, 1978:   The cast of the TV show Happy Days had a softball team that played charity events from the mid-seventies into the early eighties.  The idea came from the great creator of the show, Gary Marshall. Gary Marshall was an Italian American, born in the Bronx & the older brother of Penny Marshall.  Penny started out on the Odd Couple as Oscar Madison's secretary Myrna Tyrner. She then appeared on Happy Days as Laverne DiFozio before going on to star in her own series- Laverne & Shirley with Cindy Williams.  A Young Howie Rose Interviews the Fonz Gary Marshall directed all three of those classic TV shows mentioned -the Odd Couple, Happy Days & Laverne & Shirley. He would also direct movies like - Pretty Woman, the Flamingo Kid, Overboard, Frankie & Johnny & the TV show  Mork & Mindy.  The Happy Days soft ball team also featured other actors & actresses at times. They would play for ...

 Thursday August 17th, 1967: This Thursday afternoon the Mets played a double header at Forbs Field in Pittsburgh. Wes Westrum's Mets (48-69) were in ninth place of a field of ten battling just to stay ahead of the last place Hoston Astros.  At the end of the season, with just eleven games left to play Wes Westrum would resign as manager. Westrum was looking to stay on as Mets manager but heard the rumors that the team was looking to bring in Gil Hodges who was managing in Washinton D.C. with the Senators. The most took on sixth place Pirates (56-62) who were now being managed by Danny Murtaugh who had just took over the job from Harry Walker in July. In 1967 the Pirates would finish at .500 (81-81). On this afternoon, Mets Rookie of the Year, Tom Seaver (12-8) made the start, Seaver had just pitched a three-hit shutout over the Pirates four days earlier at Shea Stadium on August 13th. He went up against the Pirates Steve Blass (4-5). In the top of the 1st inning, Bud Harrels...

  Tuesday August 20th, 1985:  In 1985 Shea Stadium was the place to be, especially on the exciting nights Dwight Gooden- "Dr. K" was pitching.  The 19-year-old phenom put in one of baseball's all-time best pitching seasons. The crowd was purely electric, on top of every pitch, cheering & standing, as the K Korner was alive putting up K cards with every strike out. It was a special era. From May 30th to August 15th Gooden had won 12 straight decisions, coming into this game  at 18-3 with 1.82 ERA & 192 strike outs.  To date, Gooden already had seven games where he struck out ten or more batters,  with a season high of 14 Ks on May 30th. Coming into the game, Davey Johnson's Mets were in first place (71-45) with a half game lead over the pesky St. Louis Cardinals. Tonight, the Mets hosted Jim Davenports last place San Francisco Giants (45-72). 31,758 fans came out to Shea Stadium, including a young teenage centerfieldmaz  to see Dwight...

Felix Bernardo Martinez Millan was born on August 21, 1943, in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico. His parents were Victor & Anastasia Millan parents of eleven children.  His father worked at a sugar cane plant & his mother took a job at a laundry to help make end meet. Growing up in the sugar cane fields he would swing a branch & dream of playing in the big leagues. He later said I prayed he could make enough money to help his parents. The shy boy found happiness on a baseball field. After graduating high school, he joined the United States Army, although he missed home, he enjoyed his time there playing on the baseball teams. At the suggestion of a friend, he began to write letters to a young girl named Mercedes. The two would write to each other four times a week & planned to see each other after his discharge. Her father checked up on him in Felix's hometown, finding out everyone spoke highly of "Nacho" Millan as he was known. The two dated & eventually married...