The Pittsburg Pirates beat us by two games that year to win the National League pennat. I sit and think that Ruth and Gehrig played just across town, and I played against Pie Traynor, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Gabby Hartnett and many others who reside in the Hall of Fame.
“Hey mister, are you alright?” asked a young passerby.
“Yes, just reliving some old memories. You know, it is a great day to be alive!”
James Sanford Hamby, “Sam” played 28 games for the Giants in 1927. I’m told he was a great catcher. He just couldn’t hit major league pitching. His batting average was a meager .182. After baseball, he settled in Springfield, Illinois. I met Sam when I was ten or eleven years-of-age. He and I never tired of talking baseball, whether it was discussing the greats he played with and against, the finer points of catching, how baseball has changed over the years, or just listening to his stories, it was all about the game we so loved.
When he died on October 21, 1991 at age 93, he was one of the 100 oldest living former baseball players. Although his numbers were not hall of fame, he was a true giant to me. It always seemed to make it a good, no, a great day when he could talk baseball. Unfortunately, there are a large number of people in our world today who would absolutely love to have someone to talk to. Sam taught me to take the time to simply talk to people. You never know what gems you may find. You often get more in return than you ever give. Sam was one of those gems, and I still miss him today.