The Pecan Park Eagle

More Baseball Souls Move On in 2011.

The world lost its usual number of famous and everyday people in 2011 and the game of professional baseball was no different, except for the fact that the game seemed to give up more than its fair share of long-remembered names in 2011.

WIth the help of Associated Press, here’s the alphabetical list of baseball’s obituaries by age at death in 2011:

Ricky Adams, 52; Bill Alhouse, 85; Matty Alou, 72; Andrew Baur, 66; Bill Bergesch, 89; Harvey Dorfman, 75; George Crowe, 89; Ryne Duren, 81; Mike Flanagan, 59; Bob Forsch, 61; Howard Fox, 90; Joe Frazier, 88; Woodie Fryman, 70; Greg Goossen, 65; Lou Gorman, 82; Greg Halman, 24; Roy Hartsfield, 85; Hideki Irabu, 42; Ernie Johnson Sr., 87; Andy Jurinko, 71; Cecil Kaiser, 94; Harmon Killebrew, 74; Charlie Lea, 54; Carl Lindner Jr., 92; Danny Litwhiler, 95; Tony Malinosky, 101; Marty Marion, 93; Emilio Navarro, 105; Jim Northrup, 71; Jose Pagan, 76; Mitchell Page, 59; Mel Queen, 69; Larry Shepard, 92; David Sisler, 79; Duke Snider, 84; Paul Splittorff, 64; Chuck Tanner, 82; Dick Williams, 82; Wally Yonamine, 85; Gus Zernial, 87.

A quick read through the list awakens numerous memories. Matty Alou was the little guy among the three fabulous Alou Brothers. George Crowe was a significant figure in the early dissolution of the roster color line with the St. Louis Cardinals. Ryne Duren was that coke-bottled glasses relief pitcher for the New York Yankees and others; Bob Forsch of the Cardinals was the pitching brother of Kenny Forsch of the Astros. Joe “Snake” Frazier was a long-time nemesis of the Houston Buffs as a player with several other Texas League clubs back in the early 1950s. Woodie Fryman was a tough-bird pitcher for the Pirates back in the 1960s. Roy Hartsfield was an infielder for the old Braves. Hideki Irabu was the over-billed Japanese pitcher that George Steinbrenner once signed and later called “a fat toad” in disappointed frustration. Harmon Killebrew was the Hall of Fame homer-bashing greatest Minnesota Twin of all all time. Danny Litwiler was a former Cardinals and Reds outfielder and a close friend of Stan Musial. Marty Marion was the arguably HOF qualified shortstop for the early 1940s Cardinals, the man they called “Slats,” and the last manager of the 1953 St. Louis Browns final club. David Sisler was the pitching brother of first baseman-outfielder Dick Sisler and the other son of the great Hall of Fame first baseman of the St. Louis Browns, George Sisler. Duke Snider of the Dodgers was once the Duke of Flatbush, one of the three center field mayors of New York City, and almost forever an indisputable Hall of Famer. Chuck Tanner and Dick Williams were both great managers, with Williams making it all the way to the Hall of Fame for his abilities. And Gus Zernial was the wonderful power-hitting outfielder for Connie Mack’s last Philadelphia A’s club,

Everybody on this departure list, even those we have failed to describe further, is deserving of a little Google time this morning. I didn’t even have time for that today, but I would like to add: Rest In Peace, Baseball People. And thanks for the memories. Remembering the old and gone on the first day of our new start, new year is not a downer anchor to the past. It is an expression of hope that 2012 continues to find us producing people of all kinds that we shall miss when they pass away from us in their own times.

Happy New Year’s Day, Everybody – and keep the torch of life moving up the mountain road to wherever it is we all seem destined to chase. And let miracles, amazement, discovery, and sweet surprises continue to rock our world far more often than bombs and hurled stones ever shall.