The "Oh, The Good Old Days!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  And, as my story title says, "Oh, the good old days!"  Never thought I would be able to use that simple sentence, but now that I'm closer to the 100 year old mark than the 50 year old mark, I guess I can use that oft used statement.  Used it today when talking with my wife after reading that one of the Philadelphia Phillies pitchers from the past, Jamie Moyer, pitched in the new Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, June 16, 2010 and it was the 48th stadium that he had pitched in during his career.  Now, that's amazing.  After telling her the great news, she said, "Wasn't that the pitcher that Villanova'a baseball coach, George Bennett, said that Derek reminded him of?"  Yep, that was him.  Derek, our oldest son, had plans to pitch in college for Indiania University of Pennsylvania, a Division II college.  A week of so after making the decision, he pitched for his Manheim Township High School team in a State Tournament game and totally shut down the best team from the Philadelphia area.  Happens that the Villanova coach was in attendance at the game and that evening we had a phone call asking where Derek was going to go to college.  

Jamie Moyer

We told Coach Bennett that he had plans to go to IUP, but hadn't signed any papers yet.  He offered him a scholarship that night to pitch for Div. I Villanova!  George told me on the phone that Derek reminds him of Jamie Moyer who had pitched against Villanova when he played for St. Joseph's University in the Philadelphia area.  In 1984 Jamie set St. Joe school's single-season records in wins (16), ERA ( 1.99) and strikeouts (90).  Quite an accomplishment.  And Coach Bennett said he though Derek could be another lefty like Jamie.  Derek was doing almost as well as Jamie until a few things snapped in his elbow while pitching at the end of his as senior year.  Pretty neat though to be considered in the same class as Jamie Moyer.  Jamie began his major league career on June 16, 1986 when he appeared in his first big league game starting for the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field and getting the victory over Steve Carlton and the Phils.  

Derek pitching for his Manheim Township HS team.

Well it's been 10 years now since Jamie pitched in Yankee Stadium and won in his 48th stadium.  He added two more stadiums before he retired at the age of 49 in 2012 having played in 50 MLB ballparks.  Moyer's final start was against the Colorado Rockies at Marlins Park in Miami on May 21, 2012.  Moyer got the loss in the 7-4 game.  Jamie didn't have the lively fastball, but it was good enough to get an out.  He was sneaky in the pitches that he threw and had a great curve, sinker and slider.  Same pitches that Derek used when he beat the team in Philadelphia in 1989.  Two lefties that pitched and had the same ideas on getting batters out.  If only his arm hadn't given out...but we will never know!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.