Allan Roth Chapter meeting recap – 6/6/2015
Thirty-two members and guests of the Allan Roth Chapter met on June 6, 2015, in Los Angeles and heard Wes Parker speak for over two hours. Parker discussed his life in baseball and his thoughts about the game today. Parker’s father purchased three acres in Brentwood for $10,000 just after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The seller was afraid California would be invaded.
Parker begged the Dodgers for a tryout and received no bonus. The Dodgers of the 1960s won with pitching and defense. Today’s Giants and Cardinals are carbon copies of those Dodger teams.
The best pitchers he faced were Marichal for smartness and control, Ryan for speed and power, and Niekro for being hard to plan for. His favorite player was Clemente.
Free agency is the biggest change in the game. The fan can no longer invest his heart into his team.
Pinch hitting is the hardest job in baseball. Hodges, Wills, and Oliva belong in the Hall of Fame.
Stan Perry presented a challenging trivia contest about two sport players. The sale of books from the estate of Jim Gordon raised $110. Andy McCue presented his case for Bill Veeck as a bad owner for fans.
Chris Epting and Carolyn Nielsen showed home movie footage of Babe Ruth at a gun club with local car dealer Glen Thomas.
Ron Selter discussed 19th-century home runs and the blocked ball rule. Balls hit into the stands were still in play if returned to the field.
— Barry Mednick
bmednick@adelphia.net