Bobby Bragan
Double your pleasure?
Double your fun?
Don’t ask Bobby Bragan,
He’d rather play one!
Few, if any, of these reasons offered by the late Bobby Bragan had anything to do with the disappearance of the planned doubleheader on the MLB season schedule. As with all things, follow the money for the best current answer.
Two games for the price of one was never going to be a big seller for club owners as they moved into areas of operational cash need that have grown like wildfire since this simple little interview with writer Murray Olderman back in 1965 revealed the regard Bragan held for the impact that these twin bills had upon the players and the playing of the game itself.
Thank you again, Darrell Pittman, for this submission from the July 14, 1965 edition of the Victoria Advocate. Like the fiery old manager of the Fort Worth Cats himself, it speaks for a man who cared about the game and the best interests of the men who played it – and way earlier then the MLB clubs’ needs for gazillions to make payroll.
********************
The Pecan Park Eagle 
July 5, 2018 at 4:06 pm |
Great article on a great baseballer, Bragan. Remember, sitting behind the Phillies bullpen at Crosley Field, probably the late thirties, when Bragan, doubled as a shortstopp and a relief catcher. It ws great to listen to him chatting with the relief pitcher. I think this must have been a doubleheader against the Reds because my high school friend and I enjoyed their conversations for a long time that Sunday.
I think it was 1965, the first year of the Astrodome when we had a split doiubleheader…afternoon and then everyone left and paid again for a night game against Cincinnati. I remember between games, some of the Reds players came up to the scoreboard booth as they toured this new stadium..
Bobby Bragan would be getting his wish these days…not too many doiuble headers anymore.