Another Loss in the Yankees Family

It's been a tough year for anyone that's been associated with the Yankees. Sadly tonight I read that former Yankees pitcher Tommy Underwood died this afternoon after an 18 month battle with pancreatic cancer. He was just 56 years of age.

Underwood was 13-9 for the Yankees in 1980. He was traded early the next season, along with Jim Spencer, to Oakland for Dave Revering, Mike Patterson, and Chuck Doughty.

Underwood spent 11 seasons all told in the majors, finishing with an 87-89 mark. He played for five organizations, retiring after playing for Baltimore in 1984.

Though his pro career was nothing special, Underwood and his brother Pat (also a former big leaguer) were legends in their hometown of Kokomo, Indiana.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family.

Give me more Spoon

As we sat in the grandstand on Sunday, I wondered aloud, "Where the spoon man? Where's Freddy?" It occurred to me that we were well into the game and I had not heard the familiar sound of large metal spoon hitting frying pan.

New York Magazine has my answer.

Over the weekend, unofficial fan mascot Freddy Schuman (better known as Freddy “Sez,” of colorful sign-and-frying-pan fame) was denied entry to Yankee Stadium.

Freddy was there for opening day, but apparently the new Gestapo-like security regime has their heads up their asses. Freddy is part of the Stadium. The Steinbrenner boys better straighten this out immediately!


photo courtesy of NY Magazine