Baseball has always been an integral element of the Nelson family at some level. During the thirties and forties Bob, Warren, and Dick were either actively involved in the game or promoting it in some manner. To raise money during the Depression, they would buy several copies of the Brooklyn Eagle, the local newspaper that always published blank score sheets for the Brooklyn Dodgers home games. Then they bought pencils, cut them in half, and made the journey to Ebbets Field, the Dodgers’ home stadium, where they sold the newspapers and pencils to interested fans attending the game. The profits they made invariably went to Jennie for household needs.
Bernie the Patriarch was instrumental in forming a neighborhood baseball team called Harmony, and the three boys played on the team. One of the teams they competed against had a player from Senator Street named Chuck Connors, who went on to play for the Dodgers, and eventually became a Hollywood actor known best for his TV role as The Rifleman during the fifties. In later years, to convince skeptics that they played against Chuck Connors, the boys produced a Harmony team photo, and in the background was Chuck Connors walking by in his team uniform.
Bob was touted as the best Nelson stickball and baseball player. However, it was Dick who tried out for the Dodgers in the early forties and was invited to spring training in Vero Beach, Florida. His sons Greg and Jeff have the original invitation letters from Branch Rickey, the Dodger GM at the time. It wasn’t long after that invitation that Dick received an invitation of another sort – actually, a command appearance – from Uncle Sam “inviting” Dick to join the Army. After all, there was a world war going on at the time.
Bernie the Patriarch was instrumental in forming a neighborhood baseball team called Harmony, and the three boys played on the team. One of the teams they competed against had a player from Senator Street named Chuck Connors, who went on to play for the Dodgers, and eventually became a Hollywood actor known best for his TV role as The Rifleman during the fifties. In later years, to convince skeptics that they played against Chuck Connors, the boys produced a Harmony team photo, and in the background was Chuck Connors walking by in his team uniform.
Bob was touted as the best Nelson stickball and baseball player. However, it was Dick who tried out for the Dodgers in the early forties and was invited to spring training in Vero Beach, Florida. His sons Greg and Jeff have the original invitation letters from Branch Rickey, the Dodger GM at the time. It wasn’t long after that invitation that Dick received an invitation of another sort – actually, a command appearance – from Uncle Sam “inviting” Dick to join the Army. After all, there was a world war going on at the time.
During the early fifties Howie and Gene participated in the YMCA Day Camp summer activities generated by the Prospect Park YMCA on 9th Street through South Reformed Church, where the group gathered every morning. Once or twice each summer the group was treated to a day at a Dodger game at Ebbets Field, and that was a huge treat at the time.
For all the support that the local “trolley dodger” fans had given the Dodgers during the previous decades of world series championship drought (although they won twelve pennants), the team finally rewarded the fan dedication with a World Series championship against the rival Yankees in 1955, the only time the Brooklyn Dodgers ever won that coveted baseball prize. The last time Brooklyn experienced such excitement was on VJ day ten years earlier. Two seasons later the Dodgers were in Los Angeles, much to the dismay of the local fans.
For all the support that the local “trolley dodger” fans had given the Dodgers during the previous decades of world series championship drought (although they won twelve pennants), the team finally rewarded the fan dedication with a World Series championship against the rival Yankees in 1955, the only time the Brooklyn Dodgers ever won that coveted baseball prize. The last time Brooklyn experienced such excitement was on VJ day ten years earlier. Two seasons later the Dodgers were in Los Angeles, much to the dismay of the local fans.
No comments:
Post a Comment