The Low Two

With the Mets having an off day today, I had planned on writing about their need to make a trade, about how much of what is being written says they are in the drivers seat because it is not a necessity, so they can pick and choose what deal, if any, should be made. I disagree and think it is essential they make a deal.

Two articles in today’s paper, however, caught my eye and resulted in me changing my mind about the content of today’s post. The first one was the death of Bill Robinson and the second one was the induction of Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. into the Hall of Fame.

Starting with the death of Bill Robinson, I was shocked and saddened to hear of his passing. I remember watching him as part of the awesome and dangerous Pirates lineup. I always thought he was a fun hitter to watch and yet he always seemed so low key and down to earth, I liked him even more.

When the Mets picked him up as a first base coach and hitting coach I was thrilled. Here was someone I had admired who was going to help my team. In fact, as the hitting coach for the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, he certainly did help them. What I remember about Bill Robinson, however, was the “Low Two”. It is very common when a baseball hitter hits a homerun, as they round third base, they give the third base coach a high five, usually the first one to get the high five and then after touching home plate, high fives are exchanged with just about everyone else. Bill Robinson initiated something else. When a player made it to first base, assuming he was stopping at that base, Robinson and the player would take their forefinger and middle finger and lightly tap each other. This was done fairly quietly and unless you knew this was their custom, most fans would totally miss it.

This was perfect for Bill Robinson. He was a team player, he instituted and initiated many things, he helped the Mets be a successful ball club, but just like his low two, he did it in a very low key fashion, not looking to grab the spotlight. Bill Robinson will be missed for his place in baseball as well as his place as being, from what I understand, as a good friend and a big family man. Thanks for the memories, all of them, Bill.

On a happier note, Yesterday saw Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken Jr. inducted at Cooperstown. Just one of the things that is amazing about these players is, in today’s baseball world, they played their entire careers for just one team; Gwynn the San Diego Padres and Ripken the Baltimore Orioles. From everything I know about these men, from everything I have read, they are very respectful individuals. While I did not see the ceremony, I read excerpts from Ripken’s speech, how he said he viewed everything as a learning experience, how he was once thrown out in the first inning of a game and later found out that there was a family that had saved up to come to a game just to see him play and the little boy was upset that his hero had been ejected and he would not be able to see him play. Ripken said he learned from that and it made him a better player and a better person. This is the kind of approach, the kind of thinking and caring we need to see more of from our teams, our heroes and our ball players.

Again, thanks for the memories Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. You are both very classy individuals.