Bobby Richardson

[jiw98]

Bobby's son Robbie is a minister at a church near me. He was gracious enough to have his dad sign a ball for me during his last visit. I have never met Bobby, but if his son is anything like his dad and I think he is, they are both really good guys. I have only heard and read positive things about Bobby. Robbie also has some good stories of the Yankee teams when he dad played as he was around the team quite a bit growing up. We have had some good conversations.

[Hot Springs Bathers]

We were very fortunate to have Mr. Richardson at a photo exhibit here several years ago.

I don't know if someone tipped him off or not but as he started his speech he stopped and pointed out in the crowd saying "I see an old teammate of mine." At that point he walked out and hugged Jack McMahan, a former major league player who Bobby had played with in Denver before joining the Yankees. Jack was on his way down at that time after a season each with Pittsburgh and Kansas City.

That gesture had to mean so much to Jack who is as nice in every respect as is Bobby. Jack is a local legend who spent several years scouting for the Cardinals in the 1960's and coached local Legion teams for years.

Bobby like Brooks Robinson and several others are what you hope each of your boyhood heroes was like in real life. As a grade school kid in the early 60's buying baseball cards I love finding out about the good guys!

[brian1961]

I love Bobby Richardson. He's a dear Christian brother, even if I've never met him. About 25 years ago I was able to get a long-wanted American Tract Society card of Bobby. I always thought that was a good picture of him. Hope some day to have it PSA-graded.

Thanks for initiating a thread of Bobby.

---Brian Powell

[Peter_Spaeth]

Quite a contrasting personality to the man who preceded him (closely if not immediately), Billy Martin. He retired at age 30 -- interestingly, the same age and year (1966) as Koufax -- was it injury or had he just had enough of the game?

[Harliduck]

He has written an excellent autobiography...I own it but haven't read it in about 2 years. Loved it. If I remember right, not only did he retire early, but stayed on an extra year by request of the coaching staff to help with the younger players. Class act.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Quite a contrasting personality to the man who preceded him (closely if not immediately), Billy Martin. He retired at age 30 -- interestingly, the same age and year (1966) as Koufax -- was it injury or had he just had enough of the game?

...From his SABR bio:

On August 31, 1966, at age 31, Bobby Richardson announced his retirement from professional baseball: "This will be my last year as far as playing baseball for the New York Yankees. I will close out the year with 10 years and 56 days of real enjoyment spent in Yankee Stadium and the clubhouses and diamonds of the league. But I feel the time has come when I really should spend a little more time with my family." (15) The years of shuttling his family from Sumter to Ft. Lauderdale to Ridgewood, New Jersey, would soon be over.