Diunte: Teammates tout Jimmy Piersall’s outfield abilities
From SABR member Nick Diunte at Baseball Happenings on June 5, 2017:
“The catches Piersall makes simply defy description. They have to be seen to be believed and he keeps making them,” Lou Boudreau.
Those who watched Jimmy Piersall patrol the outfield for the Boston Red Sox in the 1950s, placed his name above lauded fly chasers such Tris Speaker, Terry Moore, Joe DiMaggio, and yes, Willie Mays. The daring depths at which he played allowed for Piersall to make miraculous catches that were deemed impossible by everyone in the ballpark, except by himself.
While his legendary defensive efforts were overshadowed by his struggles with his mental health and unpredictable on field behavior, there was no denying that Piersall’s glove was where many sure hits in the expansive ballparks of his era went to rest. Sadly, on Sunday June 3rd, 2017, Piersall too met his final resting place in Wheaton, Illinois. He was 87.
Read the full article here: http://www.baseballhappenings.net/2017/06/teammates-tout-jimmy-piersalls.html
Originally published: June 6, 2017. Last Updated: June 6, 2017.