Pittsburgh Memories of the 2,000,000 who moved

And check this:

http://www.mytaleoftwocities.com/

And this:

http://www.imaginepittsburgh.com/

The Steelers host the Cowboys this weekend. And my economics students are giving me a rasher of "fecal material" over my wearing BLACK & GOLD this week.

My calm response is that the best outcome for the Cowboys is no serious injury.

This ol' southern boy spent about eight months in Pittsburgh working at WIIC (channel 11). As another poster said the people of Pittsburgh were some of the nicest folks I ever met in all my travels.

If they found out you were from out of town, they would buy you an "arn" and tell you all of the great things about Pittsburgh and all the wonderful places to eat. Tambelinni's for Italian, Primanti's and yes chipped ham from Isaly's to name a few.

I stayed most of my time there at the Viking Motel on Banksville Rd.
but they were booked solid one week so I had to stay at the Hilton at the Point (Boo Hoo).

I have great memories of nights spent at Gallaghers Pub in old Market Square with a sing along piano bar. Great pub food, great drinks and wonderful camraderie!!

Doctor Dan

Jim - - wear the Black and Gold proudly - - I can reach into my closet with my eyes closed year 'round and end up wearing Steelers colors!!!!

I still have nightmares about SB XXX - - and we need some retribution this Sunday.... I am already starting with Steelers' insomnia - - waking up during the night thinking 'football' - - and I mean Steelers Football!!!!!

From the Post Gazette, the winners of the People's Choice Restaurant Awards:

Best Overall - Two Brothers BBQ - 5228 Thoms Run Rd
Best Service - Blue Horse Coffee- 1535 Washington Rd
Best Value - Taj Mahal- 7796 McKnight Road
Best American Cuisine - Mirabelle Restaurant and Champagne Bar - 215 Allegheny Ave
Best Barbecue - Two Brothers BBQ - 5228 Thoms Run Rd
Best Cafe/Coffee House - Blue Horse Coffee - 1535 Washington Rd
Best Caribbean Cuisine - Kaya - 2000 Smallman St
Best Chinese Cuisine - Pan Asia Chinese - 5321 Clairton Blvd
Best French Cuisine - Palate - 212 Sixth Street
Best Fusion Cuisine - Blue - 1701 Duncan Ave
Best German Cuisine - Penn Brewery - 800 Vinial St
Best Greek Cuisine - It's Greek To Me - 1011 Brookline Blvd
Best Icecream/ Desserts - Oh Yeah! Ice Cream - 232 S Highland Ave
Best Indian Cuisine - Taj Mahal Inc - 7795 Mcknight Rd
Best International Cuisine - Tana Ethiopian Cuisine - 5929 Baum Blvd
Best Irish Cuisine- Monterey Pub - 1211 Monterey St
Best Italian Cuisine - Alexander's Italian Bistro - 5104 Liberty Ave
Best Japanese Cuisine- Nakama Japanese Steakhouse - 1611 E Carson St
Best Korean Cuisine - Korea Garden - 414 Semple St
Best Mediterranean Cuisine - Casbah - 229 S Highland Ave
Best Mexican Cuisine - Franklin Inn - 2313 Rochester Rd
Best Middle Eastern Cuisine - Amel's Restaurant - 435 Mcneilly Rd
Best Pizza - Hunner's Deli Pizza - 811 Station Street
Best Sandwiches - Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich - 506 Liberty Ave
Best Seafood - Mitchell's Fish Market - 185 Waterfront Dr
Best Steakhouse - Morton's The Steakhouse - 625 Liberty Ave # 180
Best Sushi - Sushi Tomo - 4812 Mcknight Rd
Best Thai Cuisine - Thai Cuisine - 4627 Liberty Ave
Best Vegetarian Cuisine - Hoi Polloi - 1100 Galveston Ave
Best Vietnamese Cuisine - Pho Kim 88 - 4100 Library Rd

Mosca-
Thanks for posting that. I disagree with so many of those, I don't even know where to start!

How come the PEE Gay-zette didn't include:
Best Hot Dog???
Best Breakfast???
Best Hamburger???
Best Meatloaf???
Best French Fries???
Best Wings???
Best Tailgate Food???
Best Pieroges???
Best Fish Fry??
Best Food That P'Burgher's REALLY eat???

Buffetbuster---
You and some of our fellow P'Burgher Roadfood buddies need to start writing a Column for this Fish Wrapper. The Snob Food Editor CANNOT be a Native P'Burgher???????? (Probably from San Francisco, If you know what I mean!!!)

It's not the editor's choice, it's the readers voting.

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

It's not the editor's choice, it's the readers voting.

Yes, but don't the Editors decide the catagories for the voters to vote on????

A video of a unique Pittsburgh artist:
[url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBAJXyF1HVc&feature=related']Norma-Jean Wofford[/url], aka The Dutchess. There's also some other guy singing and playing guitar.

quote:

Originally posted by MetroplexJim

And this:

http://www.imaginepittsburgh.com/

The Steelers host the Cowboys this weekend. And my economics students are giving me a rasher of "fecal material" over my wearing BLACK & GOLD this week.

My calm response is that the best outcome for the Cowboys is no serious injury.

My students were a quiet bunch this Monday past. Yet, the Cowboys did enjoy their "best outcome": no serious injuries and Tony Romo has a new nickname: Tony "Oh! NO!!!"

I hope these teams get a rematch in Tampa Bay. I'd sure enjoy another dinner at Bern's: http://www.bernssteakhouse.com/ .

quote:

Originally posted by Foodbme

How come the PEE Gay-zette didn't include:
Best Hot Dog???
Best Breakfast???
Best Hamburger???
Best Meatloaf???
Best French Fries???
Best Wings???
Best Tailgate Food???
Best Pieroges???
Best Fish Fry??
Best Food That P'Burgher's REALLY eat???

Buffetbuster---
You and some of our fellow P'Burgher Roadfood buddies need to start writing a Column for this Fish Wrapper. The Snob Food Editor CANNOT be a Native P'Burgher???????? (Probably from San Francisco, If you know what I mean!!!)

I used to know native Pittsburghers who lived in Mt Lebanon, Shadyside, Squirrell Hill and Fox Chapel, and yes, they really did eat the stuff mentioned in the Post Gazette article versus the stuff that you said they left out.

I see where Kaya is on the list. It happens to be located in the space we once operated Fat Franks in..We sold it to a young man back in the early 90's who eventually had to close it down. Then Kaya was born and it has done very well. When they redid the place, they found out the main floor was infested with termites and was about to collapse! All this beautiful tile was trashed.

I believe Kaya has now been in business at least 8 years...I believe a group of guys owns this and several other restaurants around town. Hey, good for them!

Baah Ben-
Kaya is owned by the Big Burrito group. I have been to almost all of their restaurants and they are consistently very good. I especially like Casbah and Soba. Definitely not Roadfood, though.

I sure do wish I could have visited your place back when.

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

I see where Kaya is on the list. It happens to be located in the space we once operated Fat Franks in..We sold it to a young man back in the early 90's who eventually had to close it down. Then Kaya was born and it has done very well. When they redid the place, they found out the main floor was infested with termites and was about to collapse! All this beautiful tile was trashed.

I believe Kaya has now been in business at least 8 years...I believe a group of guys owns this and several other restaurants around town. Hey, good for them!

I am 100% certain that Casbah opened in 96, and that Soba opened about a year later.

I left Pittsburgh 8 years ago, it was definetely there when I left, I'm pretty certain that Kaya was around for a good 3-4 years prior to that.

quote:

Originally posted by Mosca

From the Post Gazette, the winners of the People's Choice Restaurant Awards:

Best Overall - Two Brothers BBQ - 5228 Thoms Run Rd
Best Service - Blue Horse Coffee- 1535 Washington Rd
Best Value - Taj Mahal- 7796 McKnight Road
Best American Cuisine - Mirabelle Restaurant and Champagne Bar - 215 Allegheny Ave
Best Barbecue - Two Brothers BBQ - 5228 Thoms Run Rd
Best Cafe/Coffee House - Blue Horse Coffee - 1535 Washington Rd
Best Caribbean Cuisine - Kaya - 2000 Smallman St
Best Chinese Cuisine - Pan Asia Chinese - 5321 Clairton Blvd
Best French Cuisine - Palate - 212 Sixth Street
Best Fusion Cuisine - Blue - 1701 Duncan Ave
Best German Cuisine - Penn Brewery - 800 Vinial St
Best Greek Cuisine - It's Greek To Me - 1011 Brookline Blvd
Best Icecream/ Desserts - Oh Yeah! Ice Cream - 232 S Highland Ave
Best Indian Cuisine - Taj Mahal Inc - 7795 Mcknight Rd
Best International Cuisine - Tana Ethiopian Cuisine - 5929 Baum Blvd
Best Irish Cuisine- Monterey Pub - 1211 Monterey St
Best Italian Cuisine - Alexander's Italian Bistro - 5104 Liberty Ave
Best Japanese Cuisine- Nakama Japanese Steakhouse - 1611 E Carson St
Best Korean Cuisine - Korea Garden - 414 Semple St
Best Mediterranean Cuisine - Casbah - 229 S Highland Ave
Best Mexican Cuisine - Franklin Inn - 2313 Rochester Rd
Best Middle Eastern Cuisine - Amel's Restaurant - 435 Mcneilly Rd
Best Pizza - Hunner's Deli Pizza - 811 Station Street
Best Sandwiches - Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwich - 506 Liberty Ave
Best Seafood - Mitchell's Fish Market - 185 Waterfront Dr
Best Steakhouse - Morton's The Steakhouse - 625 Liberty Ave # 180
Best Sushi - Sushi Tomo - 4812 Mcknight Rd
Best Thai Cuisine - Thai Cuisine - 4627 Liberty Ave
Best Vegetarian Cuisine - Hoi Polloi - 1100 Galveston Ave
Best Vietnamese Cuisine - Pho Kim 88 - 4100 Library Rd

Two "foreign" CHAINS on the list!

I kind of understand Morton's for they serve a fine, dry aged steak and their huge bacon-wrapped scallops are truly wonderful. At least the readers didn't pick this time the over-priced, over-rated, and truly excreable purveyors of the "sizzle" and not the steak: Ruth's Chris as they had before.

But "Jimmy John's" over Primanti Bros. for sandwiches! Cut me a slackburger with cheese!

Even though I love Five Guys and know that they are doing well in the Burgh I'd be really P.O.'d if they had won "best burger" over Tessario's.

I'm curious.  There are now Steeler's jerseys seemingly everywhere down here in Dallas.  How about other cities now that the Stillers are yet again in the AFC Championship game?

I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy for Sunday evening!  (drained Boar's Head Kraut, red wine vinegar, Pederson Farms' Kielbassa, brown sugar, honey, beer, applesauce & fennell; 350 covered for 40 min.).  Serve over stiff mashed potatos, seasoned with Lawry's Seasoned Pepper).

Beating the Ravens three times in a single season is a tall order.  The only thing I know for sure is that the AFC will win in Tampa.

MetroplexJim


I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy

It's Kolbassi

wanderingjew

MetroplexJim


I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy

It's Kolbassi

 
Actually, it's Kielbasa

Foodbme

wanderingjew

MetroplexJim


I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy

It's Kolbassi

 
Actually, it's Kielbasa

Kovbasa cause my Baba said so!! 

gostillerz

Foodbme

wanderingjew

MetroplexJim


I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy

It's Kolbassi

 
Actually, it's Kielbasa

Kovbasa cause my Baba said so!!

However it's spelled it tastes great if made with a good, original Polish KIELBASA recipe.
Hillshire Farms doesn't cut it!
So, let's get some good recipes posted youze guys!

I'm fixing Kraut & Kolbassy (how it was spelled by the butchers of my Pittsburgh youth) for what is called Super Bowl XLV! 
 
Here's my recipe: drain Boar's Head Kraut and season to taste by adding red wine vinegar, brown sugar, honey, beer, applesauce & fennel.  Stir mixture and push down into it 2" pieces of Pederson Farms' Kielbassa. 
 
Cover and bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or so.  Remove the cover to let the tops of the "kolbassy" brown (and give them "snap") and let bake for another 10.   Serve in a big, shallow pasta bowl (remember, I'm watching TV) over stiff mashed potatos, and sprinkle Lawry's Seasoned Pepper on top.
 
For those of you who don't know, Super Bowl XLV was played three weeks ago when the Steelers took the rubber match from the Ravens.  So, relax and enjoy today's exhibition against Green Bay being held inside Jerry World, safely protected from the frozen tundra of Dallas!
 
Here we go Steelers, here we go! 

gostillerz

Foodbme

wanderingjew

MetroplexJim


I'm fixin Kraut & Kolbassy

It's Kolbassi

 
Actually, it's Kielbasa

Kovbasa cause my Baba said so!!

 
I' going to accept that as the final word! 

I know the place you mean it was on Liberty Ave down the street from Krogers and a bread company which has gone out of business since we moved out here. I think it was across the street from a pharmacy. God was the food good there. I just can't recall the name.

You are so right, the Burgh has really reinvented its self. I miss living there, I only lived there for 8 years, but really enjoyed my time there. I met my wife there, she is from Oakmont

It's going to be a good day:  the Steelers will be snacking on the Chiefs on Sunday Night Foorball.
 
The only thing that would make that better would be some Isaly's BBQ hot chipped ham sandwiches washed down with Lemon Blennd and Myron Cope doing the Color on the broadcast ...

Kielbasa - - check
Kraut - - check
Yuengling beer - - check
Terrible towel - - check
BTW: I have been able to find chipped ham at one of the WalMart's in my area - - and only one....  The other two have problems - one will not go thin enough, and the other goes way too thin....  I have a clone recipe for Isaly's barbecue sauce somewhere - but for quick and easy, I doctor up a bottle of Kraft....  I can get decent buns here....  And, alas, even though I have found Blend concentrate on line, it isn't the same now....  We used to have a gallon of it mixed up in our freezer all summer long.... 
Here we go, Steelers........  Here we go!!!!!

Tonight while watching the Steelers stomp on the Chiefs we'll be enjoying a nice bowl of gorgonzola tortellini in gorgonzola cream sauce with julienne prosciutto and peas.  All items except the peas purchased at Pennsylvania Macaroni Company in the Strip District! 

MetroplexJim


It's going to be a good day:  the Steelers will be snacking on the Chiefs on Sunday Night Foorball.

The only thing that would make that better would be some Isaly's BBQ hot chipped ham sandwiches washed down with Lemon Blennd and Myron Cope doing the Color on the broadcast ...

 
I just got a gallon of Blennd concentrate last week. I love that stuff. Town and Country in Beaver Falls has kovbasa/kielbasa/kolbassy lunchmeat at the deli counter. Only place I've ever seen it, and it's very good. I fried it up and made it into a hunky reuben sammich. My sister came up from DC for Thanksgiving, so we did Backdoor Tavern, Cafe Kolache, and Police Station Pizza over the weekend. Probably gained 10lbs, but it's worth it.
 
For bar food, Backdoor is one of the best I've been to. Here's a link to a good review...
http://pitteats.blogspot....6/backdoor-tavern.html
 
Forgot to add that I ordered a large fish sammich for my mom. There were 2 pieces of cod maybe 3/4" thick, 4" wide, 14" long (they give you 2 burger buns though). She said it was a bit better than Wholey's, and much better than Dorido's. I don't do fish, so I dunno. BB lives close by, maybe you can do a real review?

gostillerz,
 
Some questions about the present state of affairs in Beaver Falls:
1)  Do the the Christmas lights on 7th. Avenue (Rt. 18) still remain up all year?
2)  Any statues of Joe Namath (or other evidence that he is a native son)?
3)  Is Art's Pizza still in business?
4)  Does Geneva College now permit dancing? 

My goodness:  Isaly's Illustrated!
 
http://pitteats.blogspot.com/2011/11/isalys.html#links
 
Thanks for the Pitteats site, gostillerz!

Sells & ships Isaly's and Lemon Blennd products:
 
http://www.pennmac.com/page/410/pittsburgh-gifts-apparel-italian-food-importers

MetroplexJim


gostillerz,

Some questions about the present state of affairs in Beaver Falls:
1)  Do the the Christmas lights on 7th. Avenue (Rt. 18) still remain up all year?
2)  Any statues of Joe Namath (or other evidence that he is a native son)?
3)  Is Art's Pizza still in business?
4)  Does Geneva College now permit dancing? 

1) No, they put them up last week
2) A relative who sells insurance has a billboard, but that's it. Joe was at a BF game 2 months ago though.
3) Never heard of Art's, so I'm guessing no
4) Geneva never permits anything, ever
 
Here's what's been up in the past 5 years:
Kelly's hardware is closing
Corner Tavern still has no stools at the bar
Penn Beverage moved to 8th Ave
They re-did 18 up by Geneva, no more crazy bend
 
And that's about it.
 

Another question:
Is WPIAL Football still as strong as it used to be?
I taught HS in Butler when Terry Hanratty played there (1964)
WPIAL was THE best HS football in the Nation!

Foodbme


Another question:
Is WPIAL Football still as strong as it used to be?
I taught HS in Butler when Terry Hanratty played there (1964)
WPIAL was THE best HS football in the Nation!

No kidding:  look at just some of of the QB's that came out of the WPIAL:  Unitas, Namath, Montana, Kelly, Marino ...
 
After being a two-time first string All-American at Notre Dame and a Time Magazine cover, Hanratty never lived up to his vast potential.  For some reason he looked every day of 45 when he was 28.  At least the Saul brothers did well.
 
And how many more SB's would the Steelers have won had they not passed on Marino in favor of ill-fated Gabe "Senor Sack" Rivera?  The Rivera pick ranks "down there" with Ferguson and Leftwich and not signing Unitas. 
 
What did you teach?  Did you hang around long enough to teach Rick Santorum?  Maybe he went to parochial school.

WPIAL is still going strong.  Rochester went to the semi-finals but lost to Clarion, which is kind of unfair, as Clarion should really be Class AA, not Class A like Rochester. 

MetroplexJim

Foodbme


Another question:
Is WPIAL Football still as strong as it used to be?
I taught HS in Butler when Terry Hanratty played there (1964)
WPIAL was THE best HS football in the Nation!

No kidding:  look at just some of of the QB's that came out of the WPIAL:  Unitas, Namath, Montana, Kelly, Marino ...
After being a two-time first string All-American at Notre Dame and a Time Magazine cover, Hanratty never lived up to his vast potential.  For some reason he looked every day of 45 when he was 28.  At least the Saul brothers did well.
And how many more SB's would the Steelers have won had they not passed on Marino in favor of ill-fated Gabe "Senor Sack" Rivera?  The Rivera pick ranks "down there" with Ferguson and Leftwich and not signing Unitas. 
What did you teach?  Did you hang around long enough to teach Rick Santorum?  Maybe he went to parochial school.

I know the storied history of the WPIAL; I was asking about the current and most recent years to see if it still lives up to it's Stellar Reputation. Since the whole area has been in a general decline, was curious if it affected HS Football.
Forgot about the Saul Brothers! There were some mean dudes!
The Saul brothers, were born and raised in Butler. Bill played linebacker for the Colts, Steelers, Saints and Lions; Richard played for the Los Angeles Rams; and Ronald played for the Washington Redskins. They played during the 60's and 70's. If you wanted to clone the perfect linebacker, you'd use thier genes!
Hanratty looked 35 years old when he was in high school! He reached his peak at ND. You're right, failed miserably as a Pro.
I taught American History and coached the Debate Team. I didn't even know how to spell debate but it paid an extra $500.00 so I took it! At the time, Butler was the best paying school district in PA. I made $4600.00 a year! Got tired of eating hot dogs and kool aid and went into sales with Sears after 1 year.

Foodbme


In times like these----Isn't it a wonderful thing to have an outlet like this that allows us to think and post comments that bring a smile to our faces and a nice feeling to our hearts. Thanx Metrojim! The sad thing is our kids and grandkids will probably not enjoy the same joy. BE SURE TO TELL YOUR GRANDKIDS ABOUT THE BEST TIME TO BE ALIVE IN AMERICA!

You wrote this three years ago and your words are even more true today.
 
As an economist I look at life through an unusual lens. 
 
Sitting in the bars of my Pittsburgh youth I saw the elegant beauty of free men transacting freely in a mutually beneficial manner that enriched the lives of all.  The barkeep was performing a valuable service.  Some patrons had produced the steel that supported the stools, another had brewed the beer from wheat and barley grown by another...  the bricks, steel, glass, paint, beer, etc. were all made locally.  Coal mined from beneath us fired the furnace and Perry Como and Bobby Vinton played on the jukebox ... 
 
Contrast that "scene" with the Georgetown and K St. bars of my adulthood.  Everything there was imported from the "real world".  There were no producers present, only incredibly self-absorbed "Washingtonians" who felt compelled to "share" incessantly their petty successes in acquiring "power" and otherwise to confuse success with vile schadenfruede for the plight of the masses made to kow-tow to their regulatory whims.
 
I have two autographed pictures within my view as I write this.  One is from 1959 and is signed "Bob Clemente"; the other was signed to me with a personal insription by the gentleman who explains the above with elegant logic:
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrg1CArkuNc

 

 

mamaduck43


Kielbasa - - check
Kraut - - check
Yuengling beer - - check
Terrible towel - - check
BTW: I have been able to find chipped ham at one of the WalMart's in my area - - and only one....  The other two have problems - one will not go thin enough, and the other goes way too thin....  I have a clone recipe for Isaly's barbecue sauce somewhere - but for quick and easy, I doctor up a bottle of Kraft....  I can get decent buns here....  And, alas, even though I have found Blend concentrate on line, it isn't the same now....  We used to have a gallon of it mixed up in our freezer all summer long.... 
Here we go, Steelers........  Here we go!!!!!

 
mamaduck43, I've figured out how to get chipped ham at Wegman's here in Wilkes-Barre: I ask for it "Pittsburgh style"! Last time I could almost hear the guy groan to himself, it took 5 minutes for him to shave a pound, and man, it was chipped perfect.
 
 

Just the other day I had the local Wal-Mart chip me some chopped ham.  Down here they call it "crumbling".  It took a while, but she had patience and did it cheerfully.
 
A little butter in the fruing pan and I frizzled it.  YUM!

For all youze expats, here's a place to get your fix of Pittsburgh products, like Islay's BBQ Sauce
http://www.madeinpittsburgh.com/

1964 - A tradition is born...

Little did we know then that the Steelers Defense had also started a new fad: 
The Tebow!
----------------------------
I posted this while "s't-talking" on another thread.  I remember this game where Y.A. Tittle was rendered, bleeding to this position by a vicious, legal hit from Big John Baker in old Pitt Stadium.  Initially, a squeamish editor at the Post Gazette did not allow the publication of the picture.  Later, in its cropped form below, it won a Pulitzer Prize.

 
 

With Baseball season starting, who remembers the Homestead Grays?
http://www.negroleaguebaseball.com/teams/Homestead_Grays.html
 

Local lore had Ralph Kiner splashing one into the "Pipes of Pan" fountain and Josh Gibson flying them even farther.
 
And Kiner set a record that will never be broken:  leading the league in HR seven consecutive years. 
 
BTW: Without looking it up, I think Kiner is now 90!  Not bad for a guy who once dated Elizabeth Taylor!

It's just practice... but Alvarez homered today and went 2-3. Starling Marte has hit in 7 consecutive at bats. Karstens threw only 35 pitches in 3 shutout innings.

<<Without looking it up, I think Kiner is now 90!
 
He still sits in once in a while with the The Mets TV announcers on Sports Net NY during Mets games. He actually sounds better now than he did several years ago right after he had a stroke. He's been on the Mets TV team now for 50 years (since Day One!) and counting.

ken8038


<<Without looking it up, I think Kiner is now 90!

He still sits in once in a while with the The Mets TV announcers on Sports Net NY during Mets games. He actually sounds better now than he did several years ago right after he had a stroke. He's been on the Mets TV team now for 50 years (since Day One!) and counting.

Wow.  Good for him!  I have a picture of a two year old "me" in a "Ralph Kiner, Home Run Hero" T-shirt.
 
It was such a shame for him to have to retire just as he was reaching his prime.  Who knows what kind of numbers he would have put up if they had "modern sports medicine" back then.  Or, if the Pirates had someone decent to hit behind him.
 
Even though I was only 5 I remember the day when the Pirates traded him to the Cubs; my mother cried.

Bumping this thread to link to a NY Times article on Ralph Kiner, now celebrating 50 years as a NY Mets announcer. Wednesday was the 50th anniversary of their 1st game. Roger Craig, now 83, was the starting pitcher that day in 1962, he threw out the first pitch on Wednesday. Nice moment.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/13/sports/baseball/ralph-kiner-reflects-on-50-years-as-a-mets-voice.html?ref=todayspaper
 

Kiner set a record that probably will never be broken:  leading his league on HR for seven consecutive years. And he did it without the protection of a strong hitter batting behind him.  Sadly, his career ended in his prime due to a chronic back problem that probably would be a snap for 2012 medicine to "fix".
 
Even though I was only four at the time I vividly remember the Pirates' broadcaster Rosey Rosewell's signature home run call:  "Open the window Aunt Minnie, here she comes!  (Rosewell then breaks a pane of glass on mike and continues...)  She never made it; she never made it".  What wonderful theater of the mind.  Kiner broke a LOT of glass.

MetroplexJim


Kiner set a record that probably will never be broken:  leading his league on HR for seven consecutive years. And he did it without the protection of a strong hitter batting behind him.  Sadly, his career ended in his prime due to a chronic back problem that probably would be a snap for 2012 medicine to "fix".

Even though I was only four at the time I vividly remember the Pirates' broadcaster Rosey Rosewell's signature home run call:  "Open the window Aunt Minnie, here she comes!  (Rosewell then breaks a pane of glass on mike and continues...)  She never made it; she never made it".  What wonderful theater of the mind.  Kiner broke a LOT of glass.

Rosie was followed by his student, Bob Prince. I didn't like Prince as much as Rosie but he was a colorful announcer as well. Started the "Green Weenie" thing where fans would shake a Greenn Weenie at the opposing players. It was the precursor of the "Terrible Towel". Prince's schtick was "We need a bloop and a blast".