Watson: Mike Norris: The Cy Young that never was
From Owen Watson at The Hardball Times on November 5, 2014:
Two years ago, when the Oakland Athletics found themselves in the thick of a momentous September surge that would culminate in clinching the AL West on the final day of the season, I found myself in a grocery store adjacent to my Oakland neighborhood. I was headed to the A’s game that day and had stopped to pick up various supplies on my way to the stadium. Standing behind an older man in line who noticed my A’s hat, he and I started talking about the team. We discussed the trajectory of the season, whether we could win the division, how our starters and bullpen were pitching really well down the stretch -– normal baseball fan topics –- until he brought his wallet out to pay the cashier.
“Want to see something?” he asked me, after handing a twenty to the cashier.
From his wallet, he pulled out a baseball card and offered it to me. It was well-worn: the cardboard had grown soft, the edges were folded and ragged, and the front was faded, like a film shot in Technicolor decades ago that was put on a warehouse shelf and forgotten about.
I could still read the name, despite the discoloration.
“Mike Norris.” I read off the card. “Is that you?”
“It is.” He said.
Read the full article here: http://www.hardballtimes.com/the-cy-young-that-never-was/
Originally published: November 5, 2014. Last Updated: November 5, 2014.