Latest / Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History / 1949 • Baseball Clip • Sid Gordon Radio Interview

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1949 • Baseball Clip • Sid Gordon Radio Interview · Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History

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  This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.
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  How are you doing baseball fans? This is Russ Hodges speaking for American Legion Junior Baseball.
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  And today we're all set to bring you another dugout interview with a former American Legion Junior Baseball player
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  who is now one of the brightest stars in the major leagues.
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  We're talking to you from the polo grounds in New York today
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  and we're watching the Giants warm up for this afternoon's game of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
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  And strangely enough, our guest today is a young man who was born in Brooklyn, still lives in Brooklyn,
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  and yet plays with the New York Giants.
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  Well, they say that everything happens in Brooklyn and this is just one more point in favor of that argument.
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  Fans, we're talking about Sid Gordon, third baseman of the New York Giants
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  and one of the most powerful sluggers in the game.
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  He hit a flock of homers last year and had more round trippers in training this spring than any other big league ball player.
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  Say, Sid, give us the word. Just how does a Brooklyn boy wind up in a giant uniform?
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  Well, Russ, it's this way. All my life, my greatest ambition was to become a major league ball player.
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  I played baseball with every team in Brooklyn that would let me swing a bet.
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  I played San Lot, high school, American Legion, and semi-pro baseball.
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  I even played with the Bushwicks.
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  Finally, I sat down and wrote to the New York Giants and asked them for a trial.
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  They answered that if I would pay my own fare to Milford, which is a giant...
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  That's in Delaware, isn't it?
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  That's right. That's a giant farm team. They would give me a tryout.
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  That was in 1938.
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  Well, I made the ball club and the Giants refunded my expenses.
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  I went up to Jersey City the next year and stayed there until 1942 when New York called me up.
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  Except for three years with the Coast Guard during the war, I've been with the Giants ever since.
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  And at that time, you were with Uncle Sam.
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  Well, Sid, many baseball men consider that total of 221 home runs that the Giants hit during the 1947 season
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  as one of the most amazing records in all baseball history.
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  Didn't you help set that mark?
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  Yes, Russ. I hit 13 of those homers.
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  But I don't think I really came into my own until the 22nd of May of 1948.
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  That's funny that you'd remember one particular date as such an important milestone.
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  Say, Sid, tell us what happened on last May 22nd.
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  Well, prior to that date, I had been just a so-so outfielder and not hitting much when Melop,
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  who was managing the club, put me at third base.
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  I got two hits that afternoon, one of them a home run with the bases loaded, as we beat the Cubs 11 to nothing.
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  We started winning and I really went on a batting streak.
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  I got 17 hits in the next 10 games, including five homers.
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  I remember the way you were going then, Sid.
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  Well, I just kept hitting all season and I stayed on third base.
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  And as you know, I wound up with 30 home runs for the year, 107 runs batted in.
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  That explains the way I feel about that specialty date.
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  Well, that specialty date of May 22nd is really something and I can see why you'd have a red ring around that calendar from last year.
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  And I might add that most of those 30 home runs were really socked.
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  In almost every park in the National League, someone will point out a distant spot and remark,
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  that's where Sid Gordon hit one over the wall.
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  By the way, Sid, a few minutes ago you mentioned playing American Legion Junior Baseball in Brooklyn.
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  Did you pick up any pointers in junior league competition that helped you get ahead in organized ball?
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  I certainly did, Russ.
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  I played for Rugby Post, number 101-1 in Brooklyn.
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  It was about the first taste of real high class competition that I had ever had and it did a lot for me.
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  It was also my first experience with an organized system.
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  And aside from a lot of baseball know-how that I picked up, I learned something about the team play
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  and cooperative effort that is so important in winning ball games.
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  Speaking for American Legion Junior Baseball as a whole, I can say without reservation
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  that every boy in the United States who hopes to be a professional ball player should take advantage of this fine program.
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  We have about 19 men on our 1948 roster who were with the American Legion.
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  And most of the top stars in the National League came up the same way.
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  We have players like Stan Musial, Ralph Keiner, Spahn, Rex Barney, Richie Ashburn, and Phil Cavaretto.
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  It's really quite a thing for boys.
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  Well, thank you, Sid Gordon, and may you keep right on blasting out those long home runs.
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  Thousands of boys all over America will be playing American Legion Junior Baseball again this year.
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  And the story of your rise to fame should be an inspiration to all of them.
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  And before letting you go, Sid, I think we should wish you your very biggest year in 1949. Good luck to you.
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  Thank you, Russ.
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  That was really well done, Sid.
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  I had the privilege of doing the broadcast of the National Finals of the Legion Junior Baseball Tournament a few years ago.
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  And I fully agree with Sid Gordon that the program is one of the finest in the world.
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  Well, our time's up now, fans, but we'll be back from time to time with more diamond interviews
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  presented in the interest of the 22nd consecutive season of American Legion Junior Baseball.
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  zawsze