MAY: THE BASEBALL GURU ARTICLE
FROM
ONEMOREINNING
THE
CATCH
IT WAS
THE SPITCURL THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION AT FIRST. IT CENTERED OVER HIS FOREHEAD,
HIGHLIGHTING THE AQUILINE FEATURES OF HIS FACE, SHARP CHISELED NOSE, AND
SLICK, DARK BLACK HAIRDO.
…….AND
THEN THE IMAGES CAME SWIRLING IN. BROOKLYN AND TWO FAMILY HOUSES WITH YOUNG
MEN , T SHIRTS ROLLED UP OVER THIN, SINEWY ARMS WITH CIGARETTE PACKS JUTTING
OUT ON TOP, SINGING ACAPELLO DOO WOP UNDER STREET LIGHTS LATE AT
NIGHT.
I COULD
IMAGINE THERE WERE AMERICAN ITALIAN FRATERNAL
ORGANIZATIONS EVERY FEW BLOCKS
AND GRIZZLED OLD MEN PLAYING DOMINOES AND TOUGH, ROUGH LOOKING MIDDLE AGED
ONES PLAYING CARDS AND TALKING BASEBALL AND OF COURSE THERE WOULD BE TATOOS
ON THEIR ARMS OR BELLIES OR SOMEWHERE OVER
THE CHEST
AND ONE OF THEM HAD JUST CAUGHT THE
BALL THAT BROKE BABE RUTHS THIRTY FOUR YEAR OLD RECORD
THAT WAS SET IN
1927.
SAL DURANTE WAS BEING INTERVIEWED BY PHIL RIZZUTO,
MEL ALLEN, AND THE PRESS. HE HANDLED IT WELL ENOUGH.
ROGER MARIS, WITH HIS ARM OVER SAL’S SHOULDER GRACIOUSLY GAVE
HIM THE BALL AND SAID, “MAKE SOME MONEY OUT OF IT.” HIS FIANCEE,
ROSEMARIE CALABRESE WAS AT HIS SIDE.
THERE’S
A YIDDISH WORD, “BESCHECHT,” WHICH MEANS, “IT’S
MEANT TO HAPPEN.” THAT WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE THAT DAY. HE AND ROSEMARIE
WERE JUST RIDING ALONG AND SOMEHOW ENDED UP AT THE STADIUM. HE WAS BROKE
BUT ROSEMARIE MANAGED TO SCRAPE UP THE EIGHT DOLLARS NEEDED TO GET IN. IT
WAS BESCHECHT THAT THE TWO PEOPLE BEFORE THEM DECIDED TO LEAVE SO THAT DURANTE
ENDED UP WITH TWO SEATS FOR SECTION 33, BOX 163 D, SEATS THREE AND FOUR.
IT WAS BESCHECHT THAT SAL DECIDED TO SWITCH SEATS WITH ROSEMARIE IN THE FOUTH
INNING AND WHEN THE BALL CAME TO THAT VERY SPOT HE NOT ONLY CAUGHT IT BUT
MANAGED TO HOLD ON AS HE WAS PUMMELED AND SMACKED AROUND BY ALL THE FANS
SURROUNDING HIM.
HE’S A GRANDFATHER NOW. HE AND ROSEMARIE JUST CELEBRATED THEIR
37th ANNIVERSARY.
HE RECEIVED $5,000 FOR THE BALL FROM RESTAURATEUR SAM GORDON AND GAVE
HALF THE MONEY TO HIS PARENTS AND THE REST HE FURNISHED HIS APARTMENT IN
HE WAS OFFERED A JOB AS A BUS DRIVER AND KEPT IT UNTIL HIS RECENT
RETIREMENT.
WHEN HE MARRIED ROSEMARIE THE AP PHOTO CAPTION READ, “SAL’S
BEST CATCH.”
BOTH CATCH’S WORKED OUT WELL.
