There is a great website I visit often, www.baseball-fever.com.
Being a fan of ballparks, I go specifically go to the ballparks and stadiums section. I enjoy looking at pictures of ballyards, past and present, and the discussions from the many posters.
Which brings me to a thread I was reading last night titled, "Old Yankee Stadium Demolition."
I was looking at a picture, taken by a guy named Gary Dunaier in March, of the last portion of the upper deck coming down, the upper deck in right field. I sat many times in the upper deck in right as well as various other sections of the ballpark. There isn't a place in Yankee Stadium that I hadn't sat in.
Looking at that picture made me think of the most impressive batting practice display I have ever seen.
During BP one day in 1977 or 78, a guy named Joe Lahoud hit 7-consecutive pitches into the upper deck in right field. I don't recall if he exited the cage after that 7th BP homer or if he took another swing and left the cage after not hitting a ball up there. Either way, seven straight pitches to the left-handed hitting Lahoud landed in the upper deck in right. I do remember that he got a standing ovation from the fans scattered throughout the ballpark. I was sitting in the upper deck behind home plate and couldn't believe a guy could hit seven straight pitches up there. Even in batting practice that isn't easy. I've never seen a guy get a standing "O" in batting practice before or since.
Joe Lahoud played 11-seasons in the Major Leagues with the Red Sox, Brewers, Angels, Rangers and Royals. He had a career average of just .225 with 65 homers and 218 RBI's. Most people have probably forgotten Joe Lahoud. But I'll never forget him and his ferocious power display as he assualted the right field upper deck at Yankee Stadium.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)

0 comments:
Post a Comment