February 03, 2006
Scooter Swag
Phil Rizzuto is set to auction much of his baseball memorabilia.
Patricia Rizzuto, who works for Conair, a company founded by another clan of Rizzutos, said her family wanted to sell the items "while he's alive, so he can thank his fans for the loyalty they've shown him."
The trove has been stored and displayed at the Rizzutos' Hillside, N.J., house, where the Rizzuto children, including Cindy and Phil Jr. (inevitably, Scooter Jr., to all but his wife, Patricia said) were raised. The elder Rizzutos want to move to a smaller place, where the memorabilia would not fit.
I'd like the Meat Loaf:
He is keeping his 1950 American League most valuable player trophy (Cora was wearing her glittering 2000 World Series pendant), but he is parting with the platinum record he received for his play-by-play of a makeout session on Meat Loaf's "Paradise by the Dashboard Light."
And I'll stop right there.
Update: Here's a picture of the squeeze bunt Rizzuto speaks of in the story. I'm impressed that the majority of men in the stands are wearing jackets and ties.
Rizzuto doesn't selling that because he had no clue what he was recording when they had him tape that segment - he didn't know it was sexual innuendo until later, and I've heard he wasn't too pleased to find that out.
Will,
I've always wondered about that. I was driving when I first heard that song on the radio, and I didn't pay much attention to it until I heard the Rizzuto play-by-play. My first thought was, with all those daughters, I'm surprised Phil would record for a song like that. Thanks for clearing that up.
Still a great song, however.
I've always been impressed, in baseball footage from the 50s, at seeing coats and ties in the stands, too.
What, you don't like the guy in the $50-$150 seat wearing a wife-beater?
I'm surprised by the lack of fedoras in the stands. Up to/through the 1940s the men all had hats on, too.
My dad is 85 and still wears a Fedora.
