by Roger Kahn
Very near the end, his son sent me a letter of terrible beauty. “Dear Roger,” Mark began. “The prognosis is not good. The cancer has settled in the brain. Pee Wee is often delirious, sometimes delusional. The other day he stared at me with a blank look and said, All my life I’ve pondered sleep.’ This echoed in my mind throughout the day despite my father’s inability to explain his statement.
“That night I sat down to dinner with my father for what would more than likely be the last time. I thought of all the other times we had sat down to dinner, just another family sitting at the table to break bread and to share the events of the day. I thought of the dinner discussions, some good, some bad, some heated, some mundane. I thought of all the times he missed dinner because he was on the road, or the flight was late, or the game went into extra innings. Regardless of the state of things, I always knew my old man was there or at least coming home.
“But at this dinner, though he was there, I knew he never would return. From his wheelchair he seemed to study my every move, as if to ask, ‘Who is this stranger invading my home?’ I couldn’t get my breath. After excusing myself into the den, I felt as if the life were being drained from my body. As Turgenev said, ‘A boy doesn’t become a man until he loses his father.’ Maybe this is that process, a kneeing blow to the gut.
“So I sat on the floor in the den, trying to regain my breath and composure. It was then I looked up at all the photos of my father that adorned the walls. There he was in all his glory: sliding into second base, standing at the edge of the dugout with Jackie Robinson, fielding a ground ball. Or with his broadcasting partner at CBS, Dizzy Dean. The most important element was the one I took for granted. It graced the pictures. It was his smile. It then dawned on me that my father had a key, a key to the secret of life.
“He knew how to enjoy life, and never to question a single second of it. I used to press him on it and ask why he was not confronting the meaning, if any, of our state of being. Wasn’t there a chance it was all nothingness? Dad would look at me and shake his head because he knew he possessed the key. Life is here for us to enjoy. If you look deeply enough, you see that in his smile.
“That night I returned to the dinner table. When I sat down beside Dad, we both smiled, Dad now looked at me once again with the eyes of the knowing, as if to relish this moment with his son, a moment of being alive, of being awake, even as we both pondered sleep.” Mark signed the letter “Love to all the Kahns.”
Pee Wee is gone, but in a larger sense he still is with us. Wherever a white and a black work side by side in friendship, Pee Wee is there. Wherever a strong man helps a child, or a vibrant man extends his grace to a lady, or someone starts to play Clair de lune, Pee Wee is in the picture, too. We are not certain of afterlife, but we can surely remember the words of Socrates quoted from the pulpit at my own father’s funeral: “To a good man, no evil can come, either in life or after death.”
Pee Wee is safe.
Roger Kahn at bat. Photograph by Wendy Kahn
Index
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Abramson, Jesse, 77, 78, 186
All-Star games, 224, 256, 364-65, 370
Alston, Walter, 199, 203, 313, 351, 371,387
American Association, 322
Artist and Writers Restaurant (New York City). See Bleeck’s
Associated Press, 73-75, 76, 87, 159, 177
Athletics: and 1929 World Series, 184; and race issues, 368; training camp of, 168; Woodward story about, 168
Baltimore Elite Giants, 278-79, 284, 367, 368-69
Barber, Red (Walter Lanier); and 1941 pennant, 38-39; and 1947 pennant, 46; Friedrich’s listening to broadcasts of, 198; and height of Brooklyn baseball, 427; Kahn’s (Emily) quote of, 43; Kalin’s (Gordon) views about, 33; Kalin’s listening to broadcasts of, 33, 35, 36-38; MacPhail hires, 37; O’Malley’s comments about 427; on Pafko, 265; and Reese, 312; and Robinson, 44
Barney, Rex, 87, 88, 96-97
baseball: as business versus sport, 7; how to write about, 87-88, 159-60. See also specific person or team
Baseball Encyclopedia, 118, 327
Baseball Hall of Fame, 358
batting. See hitting; specific person
Bavasi, Emil J. “Buzzy”: and 1953 season, 166, 169,177,178; background of, 166; and Campanella, 369, 371, 431; as Dodger general manager, 100; and Dodger press relations, 166-67; and Dodger trades for Pafko, 263; and Dodgers in Los Angeles, 425; and Dressen’s complaints to Kahn, 119, 120; and Dressen’s firing, 187; and Erskine, 260, 431; and Furillo, 333-34, 335, 432; and Kalin’s first
Bavasi, Emil J. “Buzzy” (cont.) year with Dodgers, 102;Kahn’s interview with, 425, 430-32; leaves the Dodgers, 434-35; and O’Malley, 431, 432; as Padres’ president, 381, 425, 435; and race issues, 174, 175, 177,178, 371; and Reese, 432; and Robinson, 388, 389, 432; salary of, 431; and sale of Roe and Cox to Baltimore, 202; and Shuba, 236; and Snider, 381; style of, 166-67; and Young (Dick), 100, 101
Black, Joe, 271-89; and 1952 season. 147, 153-54, 158, 159,160, 164, 179, 273, 280; and 1953 season, 171, 172, 176-77, 179-80, 274, 280; background of, 274-76; and Campanella, 362; in Chicago, 272-89; with Cincinnati, 280; as coach, 272, 284; control of, 179; and Cubs, 273; and Dodger team spirit, 420; Dodgers sign, 279; dreams of, 112-13, 271, 275, 276-77; and Dressen, 154,171, 179-80, 273, 279-80; education of, 275, 277-78, 281, 284, 286; family/personal life of, 272, 273, 280, 284-85, 286, 287; favorite players and team of, 276; and Furillo, 340; and Hodges, 273; malformity of, 171; in military, 278; in minor leagues, 279, 280; at Morgan State, 277-78; with Negro National League, 278-79, 284; philosophy of, 288-89; as pitcher, 112-13,158, 171,271,273-74, 279, 280-81; in Plainfield, New Jersey, 272, 274-76, 281-84; post-baseball life of, 263, 272-89, 447; and race issues, 112, 172, 176-77, 274, 276-78, 279, 281-89, 420, 447; and Reese, 273, 320; and religion, 276; “remaking” of, 179-80, 280; and Robinson, 176, 273, 284; as rookie-of-the-vear, 274; with Royals, 279; scotch present from, 159; with Senators, 271, 280; signs Kahn’s glove, 414; “sophomore jinx” of, 171, 179; as teacher and coach, 272, 281-84; and World Series games, 160, 164, 180, 273
Bleeck’s Restaurant (New York City), 63-64, 70, 73, 114, 379,433
The Boys of Summer (Kahn): Kalin’s writing and reviews of the, 440-45
Branca, Ralph, 92, 97, 120-21, 214, 242, 265, 324, 370
Braves: and 1914 World Series, 204; and 1953 season, 428-29; Dodgers play the, 104, 145-46,153-54, 158, 180, 181, 307, 365; Erskine works out with, 255-56; Mets play, 343; move to Milwaukee by, 428-29; Pafko with, 263, 268, 269; Ruth with, 16, 19, 387
Broun, Heywood Hale, 72, 87, 444
Camilli, Dolph, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42, 349
Camp Al-Gon-Kwit, 25-29, 33
Campanella, Roxie, 362-63, 366, 367, 373
Campanella, Roy, 355-73; and 1946 season, 370; and 1948 season, 349; and 1951 season, 121, 357, 358, 363; and 1952 season, 104,117, 122-23, 142, 143-44, 159; and 1953 season, 172, 180, 183, 184, 358, 363; and 1955 season, 358, 363; and 1957 season, 359, 363; accident and hospitalization of, 258-60, 359-60, 371-73; autobiography of, 357; awards and honors for, 121, 357, 358, 363, 364; background of, 123-24, 259, 366-68; and Bavasi, 431; and bean balls, 280; and Black, 179, 362; as catcher, 123-24,317, 358; courage of, 371-72; and Cox, 420; death of, 446; Dodger signing of, 370; and Dressen, 143-44,356; early baseball career of, 123-24, 356, 366-71; and Erskine, 124, 258-60, 363; family/ personal life of, 123-24, 360-62, 364, 373; and fans, 364; and Furillo, 328, 329, 340; as hero. 99; as hitter, 180, 358; injuries to, 358; and Kahn’s first Dodger assignment, 52; and Kahn’s revisit to Ebbets Field, 438; and Labine’s memories, 215; locker of, 140; in minor leagues, 369-70; and Newcombe, 369-70; and O’Malley, 359,372; Pafko’s views about, 267; post-baseball life of, 359-73; and race issues, 108, 112, 172, 279, 315, 356-57. 364-65, 368-70, 390; on reading the Times versus the Trib
une, 143; Beese’s views about, 315-17; and religion, 372; and Bickey, 369-70; and Bobinson, 315, 356-57, 363, 369-70, 390; and Boe, 309; and signs, 317; and southern tour, 104; and sportswriters, 355, 357, 363; and vitamin pills, 122-23; and World Series games, 183, 184; and Young, 357
Cardinals: and 1941 season, 38-39, 450; and 1947 season, 44-45; Dodgers play the, 38-39, 67-68, 126, 280, 450; National League domination by, 94; and race issues, 44-45, 132-37. 174; and Boe, 298-99, 302-3; strike rumor about, 45. See also specific player
Casey, Hugh, 38, 364, 365, 371, 451
catchers/catching, 229-31, 259, 315-16, 358. See also specific person
Chicago, Illinois; and 1952 season, 130-32; Black in, 263, 272-89; Pafko-Kahn visit in, 262-70. See also Cubs; White Sox
choking, 90-93, 99-100, 159
Claassen, Harold “Spike,” 73, 74, 75
clutch: Potter’s views about, 229
coaches, 228-29, 347. See also specific person
college baseball, 86-87
Collier’s magazine: Snider story in, 375, 377-79,384
Cooke, Robert Barbour “Bob,” 72-73, 77, 86, 87, 88,97, 113, 159-60, 186,188
Corcoran, Leo, 63, 64, 70, 114, 433
Cornish, George Anthony, 62, 65, 89
Cotton States League, 294-95
Cox, Billy, 412-21; and 1948 season, 307, 349; and 1952 season, 117, 129,140-42,146,157,159; and 1953 season, 170-79, 180, 298; background of, 417-19; batting average of, 179, 180; benching of, 170-71; and Campanella. 420; in clubhouse, 140-42; and curve balls, 344; death of, 445; Dodgers sign, 303; and Dressen, 171; early baseball career of, 417-19; finger wagging of, 140-41, 159, 413; and Furillo, 329, 339; and Kahn’s first assignment covering Dodgers, 51; and Kahn’s revisit to Ebbets Field, 438; in Newport, Pennsylvania, 412-21; nickname for, 140; as number 2, 393; and old-rimers’
Cox, Billy (cont.) games, 291; O’Malley’s views about, 445; with Pirates, 419; post-baseball life of, 412-21; and pressure, 92; questions to Kahn about, 203; and race issues, 419-21; and Reese, 313, 316, 413; and Robinson, 393, 420-21; and Robinson’s shift to third base, 170-71; and Roe, 307, 413,420; sale to Baltimore of, 202; signs Kahn’s glove, 414, 420; Stengels comment about, 92; and traveling with Dodgers, 129; as utility man, 170-71
creamed cauliflower story, 376-77
Cubs: and 1948 season, 305; and 1952 season, 121-22,124, 146; and Black, 273; Dodgers play the, 25, 114, 124,130,146, 153; Durocher as manager of, 322; Mets play the, 347, 353; Pafko with, 263, 264. 267, 269; and Shuba’s memories, 237; and World Series games, 184, 204, 264, 267, 275, 276
curve balls, 95, 111, 344-45. See also specific pitcher
Dark, Alvin, 157, 396, 397
Dean, Dizzy, 16, 273, 454, 456
DiMaggio, joe, 45, 46,67, 201, 266
Dodgers: and 1920 season, 450; in 1930s, 37-38; and 1940 season, 317; in 1940s, 38-39; and 1941 season, 38-39, 450; and 1943 season, 349; and 1947 season, 43, 45-46, 448-49; and 1950 season, 82, 89-90; and 1951 season, 90, 213-14; and 1952 season, 7, 89-165, 280; and 1953 season, 166-91; and 1955 season, 202-3; and 1962 season, 425; as baseball-playing men, 204; breakup of Kahn’s, 190; Brooklyn offices of, 437; clubhouse interactions of, 140-46; clubhouse of, 185-86; as family, 447; Goethals and Kahn go see the, 67-68; Kahn early reporting on, 3-5, 6-10, 48-56, 88; Kahn on the road with the, 125-30; Kahn’s dreams of playing with, 16, 27, 28; Kahn’s dressing room story about, 185-86; Kahn’s emotional involvement with, 119, 186,197-98, 225, 451; Kahn’s first year with, 89-165; morale/courage of, 90-91,120-21, 142-43, 158, 159, 175,185-86, 384, 420; move to Los Angeles by, 203, 424-25, 429-30; O’Malley gains control of, 427-28; pitching staff for, 93, 94-98, 99-100,109-11,138,154-55,179, 180; and press relations, 166-67; Robinson’s role in, 393-94, 395-96; southern tour of, 103-114,115; statistics about, 126-27. See also specific person or topic
Dressen, Charlie: and 1946 season. 370; and 1951 season, 90, 214; and 1952 season, 113,117-20, 124, 142,147, 148-50, 153, 157, 320; and 1952 World Series, 162, 254-55; and 1953 season, 169, 170, 172,175-76,177, 179-80, 280; bed checks by, 132; as book reader, 150-51; comparisons used by, 445; and Dodger pitching, 95, 109-11, 154-55, 202-3; experimentation with line-up by, 172; feelings about defeat of, 120; firing of, 187-91, 193, 313; on Giants, 181; and Kahn family readings of Joyce, 117, 137; and Kahn (Gordon), 136, 138-39; and Kahn’s first Dodger assignment, 54; and Kahn’s memories of his fathers death, 193; Kahn’s relationship with, 14.3-44; as number 7,393; in Oakland, 118-19, 189-90; and race issues, 111-12, 135, 174,175-76, 177; self-image of, 188; sex counseling by, 116; and southern tour, 109-11; with St. Paul team, 117-18; and statistics about Dodgers, 127; stories about, 316, 376-77; and umpires, 120; views about baseball players of, 144; and Young (Dick), 101. See also specific player
Durocher, Leo: and 1940 season, 317; and 1943 season, 349; and 1948 season, 304-5; and 1949 season, 338; and 1951 soason, 90; and 1952 season, 158; and 1953 season, 339; and Cubs, 264, 322; and Dodgers in 1930s, 38; and Furillo, 182, 329, 338; Garcia recommended to Dodgers by, 426; as Giants manager, 90, 181, 338; and Hodges’s management style, 347, 350; jokes about, 91; and Laney, 78; named Dodger coach, 37; and Reese, 311, 322-23; and Robinson, 393; on weak teams, 267
Ebbets Field: Campanella’s feelings about, 364; clubhouse at, 139-40; cost of seats at, 21; Exit Gate at, 21; fans at, 268; Kahn’s revisit to, 435-39; and Kahn’s writing of The Boys of Summer, 441, 442; lockers at, 140; O’Mallev’s sale of, 429; opening of, 67; Roe’s comment about, 309
Edwards, Bruce, 263, 315, 316
Elite Giants, Baltimore, 278-79, 284, 367, 368-69
Erskine, Betty, 242, 245, 246, 247, 248, 255, 407, 446
Erskine, Carl, 242-61; and 1948 season, 250, 258; and 1951 season, 90, 214; and 1952 season, 125, 159; and 1952 World Series, 160, 161,162,163,164, 246-47, 254-55; and 1953 season, 178-79, 180, 181; and 1953 World Series, 182, 183-84, 186; in Anderson, Indiana, 242-61, 446; arm of, 93, 260-61; background of, 242, 245-46, 248-50; batting average of, 180; and Bavasi, 431; and Braves, 255-56; and Campanella, 124, 258-60, 363; and choking, 93; as coach, 252; and Dodger team spirit, 420; on Dodgers as family, 447; Dodgers sign, 255-57, 260; family of, 242, 245, 247-48, 251, 252, 253-54, 255, 256, 260,261,446; and Furillo, 318, 327, 340, 445; and Hodges, 348; injuries of, 252-53; and Kahn’s first Dodger assignment, 52; and Kahn’s memories of his father’s death, 193; and Kahn’s revisit to Ebbets Field, 438; Kahn’s views about, 116, 117; and Kahn’s writing of The Boys of Summer, 442; on Kiner, 129; limp of, 252-53; in Los Angeles, 359; in military, 255-56; in minor leagues, 250, 257, 258; and Pafko, 268; as pitcher, 95, 124, 125, 249, 250, 257-60; and poetry, 152-53; post-baseball life of, 242-61, 446; and race issues, 178-79, 250, 420; and Reese, 320; retirement from baseball of, 260, 3.34, 340; and Robinson, 250-51, 407; and Roe, 293; and southern tour, 104; as sports announcer,
Erskine, Carl (cont.) 252; stories about, 242; and traveling with Dodgers, 129; as wanting to be a Dodger, 256
Erskine, Jimmy, 242, 245, 247-48, 251, 252, 253-54, 255, 261, 446
exhibition games, 103,105,173, 179, 323, 382
Fadiman, Clifton P., 115, 116
fans, 268, 302, 318-19,345-46, 364, 427
farm system, 94
fathers and sons: as theme, 433-35. See also specific person
Feezle, Stanley, 255, 256, 257, 348
Frick, Ford, 45,166, 291, 336
Friedrich, Otto A., 197-98, 440
Frost, Robert, 81-82, 174, 203-5, 437
Furillo, Carl, 327-41; and 1946 season, 337; and 1949 season, 338; and 1952 season, 117,144-45, 146-47, 154, 163; and 1953 season, 177-78,182, 185, 339; and 1955 season, 333; and 1958 season, 333; background of, 337; and Bavasi, 333-34, 335, 432; and Black, 340; blacklisting of, 328, 336; and Campanella, 328, 329, 340; and choking, 92; and Cox, 329, 339; death of, 445; Dodgers release, 330-31, 334-35; Dodgers sign, 144, 337; Dressen’s views about, 144, 147; and Durocher, 182, 329, 338; early baseball career of, 337-38; ending of baseball career of, 327-28, 334-36, 340; an
d Erskine, 318, 327, 340, 445; family of, 332, 336, 337; feelings about baseball of, 332-33; as fielder, 145-46, 339; as hitter, 42-43, 144, 182, 329, 330, 333, 445; and Hodges, 343; injuries of, 146-47, 182, 327-28, 333-34, 336, 338-39, 340; and Kahn as baseball player, 452; and Kahn’s first Dodger assignment, 49; Kahn’s (Gordon) comments about, 136; Kahn’s relationship with, 144-45; and Kahn’s revisit to Ebbets Field, 438; Kahn’s views of, 328;Kahn’s World Trade Center meeting with, 331-41;on Maglie, 129; and Mets, 339; as number 6, 393; and old-timers’ games, 339-40; Pafko’s views about, 267, 270; post-baseball life of, 144-45, 327, 330-31, 335-41; and race issues, 177-78, 340; and Reese, 313, 317-18, 321, 328; and Robinson, 328, 329, 340, 393; and Roe, 306, 327, 332, 339; and Roeder, 145; salary of, 334; and Shuba, 235; and Snider, 318, 328, 383; and southern tour, 104; and sportswriters, 334-35; throwing arm of, 328-29, 337, 445; and traveling with Dodgers, 129; views about baseball of, 332-33; and World Series games, 163, 185, 330, 333; and Young (Dick), 329
Furillo, Fern, 328, 334, 336, 337, 339, 340
Gaven, Mike, 148,149,167,168, 338
Gehrig, Lou, 99,180, 237, 276, 277, 368
generation war, 433-35
Giants; and 1947 season, 44-45; and 1951 season, 90,181, 213-14; and 1952 season, 7, 280; and 1953 season, 339; Dodgers play the, 7, 92,154-55,157-58,181,213-14, 262, 264-65, 267, 280, 395-96; Durocher as manager of, 90, 181, 338; and race issues, 44-45; and Robinson, 387-88, 389; Snider with, 379. See also specific player or manager
Gilliam, Jim, 170,172, 173, 175, 176, 177,180,423
Golenpaul, Dan, 14, 32-33, 41-42, 47, 161
Graham, Frank, 148, 187, 437
Herald Tribune: censorship of Kahn’s columns by, 135-36; copyboys at, 59,63, 65, 66-67, 68, 69; culture of, 57-59, 61-63, 68-69; decline of, 57, 88-89; excitment at, 422; Kahn as copyboy/copyreader at, 59-76, 78, 80; Kahn as full-time sports reporter for, 82-198, 451; Kahn covers 1959 World Series for, 329-30; Kahn (Gordon) turns down job at, 82-83; Kahn hired by, 48; Kahn resigns from, 198,199; Kahn’s early writing assignments at, 69-70, 75-81; Kahn’s racial cryptogram story for, 174-79; and Kahn’s writing of The Boys of Summer, 442; morgue at, 76; New York Times rivalry with, 57, 72, 84; newsroom at, 65-67; offices of, 61-63; preconception maxim at, 199, 200; production of, 64-65; salaries at, 59, 84; sports department at, 70-80; teachers at, 57-59, 68, 86; “up-to-the-minute scores of big league night games” at, 83-86; women at, 65-66, 81. See also specific person