Great article on Tony Lucadello

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=lucadello

If you've read "Prophet of the Sandlots", you'll recognize the name

Author is one of us. Great piece.

 

Damn. I coulda sworn I saw a thread about this earlier, JR, which is the only reason I didn't start one.

My favorite Legion coach, and the most influential coach I ever had, was a baseball lifer just like Tony. He's not scouting as much now, but he seems to be doing just fine.

Helluva, helluva story by our guy.

 

This is a very good story. Well told.
I realize the angle and the focus of the narrative, but I was left wanting just a bit more of the historical anecdotes. (i.e. the Banks and Schmidt). That said, fabulous yarn.

 

Really? I'm glad you pointed out it wasn't a biographical piece. I'm unable to discern a narrative or obit or a central reminisce.
My point was, the historical significance of the piece were almost throw-away lines. That's all.

 

You were being snarky. At the very least, curt.
The historical significance doesn't fit for you, because you have general knowledge of the story. Most people don't, myself included. It's a myopic stance.
If Tony Lucadello doesn't find Ernie Banks or Mike Schmidt, no one outside Wayne, Ohio cares. It is what makes Tony Lucadello worthy of a beautifully written narrative.

 

Maybe Curt Snarky could have rewritten that into something coherent.

Wow, bloated beyond belief. Sometimes the space constraints of print media are a good thing.

 

loved the story even though it was hard to read against that background. or, maybe my eyes are failing after yet another day on the desk.

 

Bloated beyond belief?

Geez, you need to get a longer attention span.

This guy has print credentials you could only dream of.

 

There's some good stuff on that ESPN E-Ticket.

The feature a couple months ago on the new high school football team in Barrow, Alaska, was very well done.

 

Yeah, bloated. I thought it was grossly overwritten. My attention span is fine, thanks. Credentials? I don't care. I'm talking about this piece. Since you don't know who I am or what I do, you really don't have a handle on my dreams.

 

I spent a summer working construction in Fostoria in 1976, knew someone who went to elementary school with Winegarnder, my high school baseball coach left teaching and coaching to scout for the Phillies, and knew Lucadello. Prophet of the Sandlots is a great book - I think if you know the book the story doesn't feel bloated at all - and when I decided to play baseball again at age 34 after not playing since 17, I started back throwing against a wall, and started teaching my Little Leaguers to do so this year.

One point, and a minor one. By my count there are about a half dozen different scouts who claim responsibility for signing Ernie Banks, including the late Buck O'Neil. I suspect it's that way with many Hall of Famers, and given the nature of scouting, which values multiple looks by several scouts, Banks was probably scouted by several Cub scouts before signing.

 

Fine piece, but can we please, please, please retire the "This is a story about X" trope?? One day, when we tally up the many ills Gary Smith -- or at least his legion of copycats -- has visited upon the profession, this will be at the top of the list.