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In the mid to late 1970s I thought I was going to be the next Larry Ritter and there were a few dead ball era guys in Michigan and Ohio who gave me some interview time.

Waite Hoyt was very gracious. He would have been 80 years old. I guess he figured anyone who would spend ten hours on the road (round trip) was serious about meeting him. Waite Hoyt wasn't shy about sharing his opinions regarding baseball, by the way.

Ray Fisher isn't in the Hall, but he was the oldest man I met, having been born in 1887. The guy played for Frank Chance and Hal Chase. Think about that.

The one I kick myself about was Frank Bowerman's son. Bowerman was one of the last of the old Orioles and had been dead for 25 or 30 years, but his son was very much alive and for some reason, I had this opportunity to talk to him and I simply dropped the ball. UGH.
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