tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32879637572785184142024-03-12T20:57:46.007-04:00Garry Templeton Startin' n' Departin'This blog is dedicated to Garry Templeton, the greatest athlete to ever play shortstop.
Too many people remember him for the wrong reasons.
But in his prime, Tempy was , bar none, the most talented, the fastest, and I'll say, the coolest shortstop, if not ballplayer, in the game.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-84671073117448538362012-12-06T07:31:00.000-05:002012-12-06T07:34:17.711-05:00Templetown!Hey I haven't posted anything on this blog in a long time but doesn't mean I'm dropping it. It's here to stay, I always intended this blog to be a place on the net that would keep my favorite ballplayers legacy available for all to enjoy.<br />
I've said it before and I'll say it again, when I was a kid growing up and first started to follow MLB, Garry had just started his career with the Cardinals and his amazing skills, spectacular defensive game and flashy overall personality just burned a deep imprint in my kids impressionable mind. Just something about the way he moved, the way he looked playing the game, some kind of gracious easiness about him, he had this lean yet muscular body, perfect proportions, balance between power and suppleness that gave him the agility and grace of a panther.<br />
I've been following pro baseball for nearly 40 years and I've seen some superb athletes, incredible talents, all-star players and HOFmers, but none ever moved and looked as cool as Garry.<br />
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Speaking of cool, I just came across this pic that his son Garry II posted on his Facebook page, Garry sitting in Templetown, the section of seats he had purchased for underprivileged kids in St Louis' Busch Stadium in 1980.<br />
Jumpsteady looking as cool as ever with his shades, funky 'fro and flashy jacket, looking like he's about to jam with Parliament Funkadelic lol!<br />
Well there you have it, the man was gifted but had a heart to give back to the less fortunate. Many people in St-Louis remember him positively, both for his great skills and generosity.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-5725158520530088012011-03-24T18:37:00.000-04:002011-03-24T18:37:11.563-04:00Happy 55th Bday Garry!Happens once a year, and it seems to come faster everytime!<br />
Time flies, even more than Jumpsteady runnin' around the bases on his way to a triple in 1979!<br />
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All the best to you and yours Mr Templeton, good health and happiness!!funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-31862530397466946992011-03-01T05:28:00.000-05:002011-03-01T05:28:17.695-05:00Skipper Templeton leads the Outlaws to a Championship!!Congratulations to Garry and his boys...and girl... for the 2010 Golden Baseball League championship!<br />
Not only did skipper Templeton lead his squad to victory but his Outlaws managed to win the title without even losing a single game in the playoffs sweeping both Calgary and Maui becoming the first team in GBL history to accomplish such a feat. Chico outscored Maui 17-4 in the three game sweep.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-4761341671734980292010-08-11T09:52:00.003-04:002010-08-11T17:59:29.454-04:00Herzog and Templeton: No grudges, no regrets by Dan O'NeillI've just come upon one of the most telling articles I've ever read on Garry. Anybody who knows me or read what I wrote on this blog is well aware that there ain't much I don't know concerning Tempy's career. Well I'll tip my hat to Dan O'Neill for the piece he just wrote for the Post Dispatch cause not only did he do a great job at re-telling an old story that had never really been fully researched, and I mean from all sides and perspectives, but I even learned a few things, that for the past 30 years, I had never been able to dig up or confirm.<br />
One being that, apparently, the words that have infamously defined and immortalized him in the memories of baseball fans, "If I ain't startin', I ain't departin'" were never actually his own! Talk about a shocker!!<br />
The funny thing is I had been forever trying to actually get a hold of the original or "in context" quote to see how or why he had answered the catchy defiant quipe, like;<br />
- "Well Garry how do you feel about being named as the back up shortstop for the NL squad?"<br />
- " I don't care, I'm not going"<br />
- " What, you mean don't want to play in the All-Star game?"<br />
- " You got that right. A human has rights, you've got to show your rights. If baseball fans can't recognize talent, if they just vote for the home guy then they don't care to see the real stars. If I ain't startin' , I ain't departin'...<br />
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Ok I just imagined it something kinda like that but now it seems that he never actually said it but it was Cardinals broadcaster Jack Buck that had "coined the colorful idiom to summarize Templeton's feelings about making the team as a reserve"<br />
Hard to believe how such famous quotes can be misquoted forever til nobody actually remembers where it came from. I must admit that after 30 years of associating him with the quote, I have a real hard time getting used to the idea that it did not come from Tempy, the man who after all, gave us one liners such as, " You ain't seen nuthin' yet " or " Time is on my side "...<br />
Maybe some cool day I'll have the opportunity to ask Mr. Templeton directly.<br />
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So here's the full article as penned by O'neill.<br />
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As Whitey Herzog takes his place among baseball royalty, one episode in his colorful career was especially prominent in putting him on a Hall of Fame path. It also represents one loose end that has never been thoroughly tied down.<br />
In February 1982, serving in the dual capacity of Cardinals general manager and field manager, Herzog completed a deal that sent shortstop Garry Templeton and outfielder Sixto Lezcano to the San Diego Padres for shortstop Ozzie Smith and pitcher Steve Mura.<br />
The shortstop swap was the focal point of the trade and proved to be an organizational epiphany. Smith became a perennial All-Star in St. Louis and the back-flipping backbone of multiple pennant winners. He was the "Wizard" in Herzog's "Whiteyball," and he preceded Herzog into Cooperstown.<br />
In that same chapter, Templeton remains an asterisk, a perplexing entry in the Cardinals bibliography. In the history of the franchise there may not be a player who had more physical ability than "Jump Steady." In 5½ seasons with the Cardinals, covering 713 games, the switch-hitting Templeton batted .305, led the National League in triples three times and stole 128 bases.<br />
He also became the first major-leaguer — and is still the only NL player — to collect 100 or more hits from each side of the plate in a single season. To accomplish that feat in 1979, he got his last six hits batting righthanded against righthanded pitching. At the time the Templeton-for-Smith swap was made, if you were betting on which shortstop might wind up in Cooperstown, Templeton would have been the heavy favorite.<br />
Ted Simmons, currently a coach for the San Diego Padres, was the switch-hitting backbone of the Cardinals' lineup at the time. He marveled at Templeton's talent.<br />
"That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen," said Simmons, referring to Templeton's 1979 hits feat. "He needed more hits than he had games left, so he batted righthanded against righthanded pitchers to get them. And they weren't dinks; he hit the ball hard. I've never seen anyone in the game do that."<br />
Herzog was in the New York Yankees farm system with Hall of Fame icon Mickey Mantle and he managed Hall of Famer George Brett in Kansas City and Smith in St. Louis. That background notwithstanding, he calls Templeton "the most talented" player he ever saw.<br />
"He had great running speed, a great arm, he was a switch-hitter …" Herzog said. "He had everything but power, that was the only thing he didn't have that Mantle had."<br />
"When I came here in 1980, I had three of the top 10 salaries in baseball. Ted Simmons, Keith Hernandez and Garry — they were all making $667,000. And at the end of the year, I said the one guy I wouldn't trade would be Garry."<br />
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<b>ALL-STAR ANTICS</b><br />
By the winter of 1981, that explosive talent and expansive regard notwithstanding, Templeton had become an incendiary figure in town, one whose tenure was untenable. Although he was only 25 years old, the Cardinals couldn't unload him fast enough.<br />
A number of factors contributed to the fallout, not all of them entirely tangible. Templeton's body language in the field was the polar opposite of his successor, Smith. While the diminutive Smith made everything look spectacular, the fluid Templeton, with his enormous physical attributes and laid-back demeanor, made everything matter of fact. To his detractors, he seemed almost uninterested.<br />
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"He was supremely confident in his ability," said Simmons, Templeton's teammate for five seasons in St. Louis before being traded to Milwaukee. "And he had good reason to be."<br />
But the public erosion began most profoundly in 1979 when Templeton declined to participate in the All-Star Game. Informed he had been added as a reserve, Templeton felt slighted at not being selected as a starter. A flippant response credited to him — "If I ain't startin,' I ain't departin" — has become an infamous part of Cardinals culture.<br />
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The expression also is a slightly erroneous piece of Templeton's legacy, in that he never said it. Cardinals Hall of Fame broadcaster Jack Buck coined the colorful idiom to summarize Templeton's feelings about making the team as a reserve. However, the self-important sentiment became universally ascribed to Templeton.<br />
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<b>'BETTER WITHOUT HIM'</b><br />
Things reached a dramatic apex in 1981. During a season that included a players strike, Templeton became vocal about his desire to bat leadoff, his desire to be traded to a California team and his disenchantment with his salary.<br />
On Aug. 26, the Cardinals played the Giants in a "Ladies Day" game at Busch Stadium. During the first inning, Templeton, playing on a sore knee at the time, struck out on Gary Lavelle's curveball in the dirt. The ball momentarily escaped catcher Milt May, perhaps unbeknownst to Templeton, who failed to run to first base. Fans booed and Templeton answered with a one-finger salute.<br />
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He was jeered loudly as he trotted in from the field after the top half of the second and third innings, obscenely so by a few overzealous types. Templeton responded after the top of the third with another obscene gesture, at which point he was ejected by home plate umpire Bruce Froemming.<br />
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Loudly derided as he exited, Templeton answered with another gesture, this time grabbing his crotch for emphasis. Herzog bolted from the dugout and yanked his player off the field, scuffling with him the dugout before the two were separated..<br />
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Opposing manager Frank Robinson was aghast. "I've never seen it happen, and I hope I never do again," Robinson said. "There's no place for it."<br />
Teammates, such as catcher Gene Tenace, were fed up. "I don't think Templeton has the guts to apologize to the rest of us," Tenace said after the game. "He's a loser. We're better off without him. I don't think he'll even be playing two or three years from now."<br />
Templeton was fined $5,000 and suspended for three weeks. He underwent psychiatric evaluation, during which it was announced he was dealing with depression. Meanwhile, Cardinals owner Gussie Busch made it clear to Herzog the temperamental "Tempy" had to go.<br />
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<b> BEHAVIORAL ISSUES</b><br />
After the season, at a speaking engagement, Herzog explained the still-pending Smith trade, an assessment that was relayed in the press. "I have an owner who's the greatest man in the world, and I want to win a world championship for him," Herzog said. "I feel I might do it if I get a shortstop who goes out there every day and hounds the ball.<br />
"Templeton doesn't want to play in St. Louis. He doesn't want to play on (artificial) turf. He doesn't want to play when we go to Montreal. He doesn't want to play in the Astrodome. He doesn't want to play in the rain. The other 80 games, he's all right."<br />
Although he didn't broach the topic at the time, Herzog says drugs were at the root of Templeton's behavioral issues. Substance abuse had infiltrated the Cardinals' roster at the time, leading to a subsequent trade of Keith Hernandez and other clubhouse-cleaning moves.<br />
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"When Garry came to spring training (in 1981), he was messed up," Herzog said. "I told Gussie (Busch) we really got a problem. Garry had been in a car wreck and was running around with the wrong people.<br />
"He comes to me — and he wasn't himself, it wasn't Garry Templeton, he had just completely changed as an individual — and he said he didn't want to play any more day games after night games. And I said, 'What?' Here he is 25 years old telling me that. But I knew that wasn't him."<br />
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Although Simmons was playing for the Brewers by the time the Busch Stadium incident took place, he remembers being stunned by the headlines. "I remember being shocked by that when I heard about it," Simmons said. "I knew Garry pretty well and that just didn't sound like him, didn't sound like something he was capable of."<br />
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<b>OLDER AND WISER</b><br />
Templeton, 54, is now manager of the Chico Outlaws of the independent Golden Baseball League. At 33-12, the Outlaws had the best record in the North Division during the first half of the season. And among the players Templeton manages is first baseman John Urick (.291, five home runs), Whitey Herzog's grandson.<br />
Twenty-nine years later, things have come almost full circle.<br />
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"I really enjoy managing," said Templeton, who managed and coached previously in the Anaheim Angels organization. "There are so many young players out there that need that second chance, that still have a shot at going somewhere and helping some organization out and fulfilling their dreams."<br />
The Outlaws also feature 18-year-old Japanese pitcher Eri Yoshida, a female knuckleball specialist, as well as former Chicago Cubs infielder Bobby Hill. The easygoing Templeton deals with a myriad of resumes and personalities.<br />
"Every once in a while, you find a diamond in the rough and organizations come and sign them right away," Templeton added. "Because they know they can miss on a guy. Everybody can't be perfect, everyone makes mistakes."<br />
Templeton said he speaks from experience. While he chose not to address the substance abuse subject, and he carries no regrets about the turn his career took to San Diego, he wishes things had gone differently in St. Louis.<br />
"I think if you look back on it, you could say, 'Well, he could have done things differently,'" Templeton said. "But people don't realize I was young. It was a transitional period for me. Once I came to San Diego, I matured a little. I don't know, I guess it was just bad timing (what happened in St. Louis).''<br />
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<b>TOO MUCH TOO SOON</b><br />
Perhaps it was a case of too much, too soon. Templeton's father, Spiavia Templeton, played in relative obscurity throughout a baseball career in the Negro Leagues. In contrast, Garry was a highly regarded high school player and prized prospect from the outset. He was the 13th player taken overall in the 1974 amateur draft.<br />
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By the time he turned 20, he was replacing veteran Don Kessinger as the Cardinals' starting shortstop. He was on top of the world, making major league headlines and, before long, making big money. Templeton was not the first or last young athlete led astray by fame and fortune. From Jennifer Capriati to Art Schlichter to John Daly, the sports landscape is dotted with them.<br />
"But I'm not blaming anybody, because everything that happened was on me," Templeton said. "You make mistakes early in life and sometimes you pay for them later because people still see you as the same person. They don't realize that was 30 years ago and you're different now. "<br />
"I think if you asked Dick Williams, or some of the other people I played for in San Diego, they would tell you I was a model citizen."<br />
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In 1984, Templeton was a cog in the first playoff team in San Diego history and was regarded as a leader on the Padres. But, hampered in part by recurring knee problems, he was never the same dynamic threat he had been in St. Louis. During 10 seasons in San Diego, he batted a collective .252, more than 50 points below his pace with St. Louis.<br />
In less than six seasons in St. Louis, Templeton had 69 triples. During his 10 years in San Diego, he had 36 triples. He was steady for the Padres, but the "jump" was gone.<br />
"I was one of the fastest guys in the National League when I was playing with the Cardinals," Templeton said. "And then I came over to San Diego and blew my knee out. That took away a lot of my game."<br />
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<b>CLOSURE REMAINS ILLUSIVE</b><br />
The years have been kind to both men. Templeton has remained in baseball, had the opportunity to coach his son, Garry Templeton Jr., and continues to mentor aspiring baseball artisans. Herzog is in the Hall of Fame green room, awaiting a career-crowning moment in Cooperstown. What took place in 1981 is water that passed under the bridge a long time ago. Yet, ripples remain.<br />
While they occasionally conversed and exchanged pleasantries when their respective teams met during subsequent years, Templeton and Herzog never came to an understanding over what took place in St. Louis.<br />
"He never said anything about it and, you know, I wasn't going to bring it up," Herzog said. "You know, (Keith) Hernandez called me and thanked me so many times (years later). And he wrote me a real nice letter, that he appreciated how I protected him and never said anything about the drugs, took the heat for three years over that.<br />
"(John) Mayberry came and apologized when I went in the Hall of Fame in Kansas City, which I really appreciated. I went through that stuff with Garry, but I never blamed him. It was just something that was going on so much in our society and he just got caught up with it. A lot of kids did."<br />
Herzog acknowledged it would be gratifying to have closure with Templeton. "If he just said to me, 'Hey I was screwed up, I'm sorry, I wasn't myself.' I know he's not a bad person," Herzog said. "He went out to San Diego and he changed his life around, and he's managing now. And I don't hold any grudges."<br />
When asked about clearing the air with Herzog, Templeton paused on the other end of the telephone before saying, "No, we never did that."<br />
He added: "I don't think we ever got to where we patched things up. When you look back on things, you think maybe you should have just sat down and talked at some period, but we never were in a situation where we were able to get together and talk about it.<br />
"You know, he did what he had to do and so we both moved on. It turned out well for him, and it turned out well for me, too. Hell, I have no regrets. It's just that sometimes you do things when you're young and you wish you had done things differently."<br />
That said, bygones aren't completely bygones. When asked if he had contacted Herzog or congratulated him on his induction, Templeton said he had not, nor was he planning to. He seemed content to leave things unsaid, to bury his troubled days at Busch Stadium with the razed structure itself.<br />
He does, however, cherish his happier times with the Cardinals. "To be drafted by a team that had so much history behind it, with all the great players that were there, it was something," Templeton said. "I loved every minute of it.<br />
"But things happen in life for a reason. I have no regrets about it, because things turned out real well for Ozzie (Smith), for him to come over and do the things he did in St. Louis. Things turned out well for me, too, to come over to San Diego."<br />
Things have turned out for Herzog, too, as he enters baseball's Hall of Fame. Perhaps some loose ends tie together all by themselves.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-1361956674808627372010-08-07T19:50:00.003-04:002010-08-07T19:56:57.878-04:00Cool picsI've let this blog inactive for a few months now, well, dunno if it should be called a blog in the first place but still, it's a free webpage where I can share my vision on an infatuation or is it simply an addiction of a once upon a diamond named Templeton who was in motion without any notion of restriction like an illusion with no known definition other then perfection now I must get to conclusion unles I stumble into delusion and lead you to confusion...<br />
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Oh well, see I what happens, I was away for too long, and my stat counter says I still get visits everyday!<br />
So, thanks to you guys, I'll pick it up some and for now will just post a few more of these cool pics. But I'll be back soon with more stuff, who knows maybe even a new video if I can find some time to edit it.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I see eleven followers, though I don't get much comments, seems that some of you people still care and enjoy seeing or reading about tha coolest shorststop that ever was, #1 Garry Jumpsteady Templeton!!!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vvMHOZ_I/AAAAAAAAASo/OUY9jHFZlRg/s1600/garry+templeton+blog3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vvMHOZ_I/AAAAAAAAASo/OUY9jHFZlRg/s400/garry+templeton+blog3.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3v6FthLaI/AAAAAAAAAS4/6HhxR3jgLWs/s1600/garry+templeton+blog5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="283" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3v6FthLaI/AAAAAAAAAS4/6HhxR3jgLWs/s400/garry+templeton+blog5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3v0kvL0LI/AAAAAAAAASw/5W6mMCdKv3c/s1600/garry+templeton+blog4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3v0kvL0LI/AAAAAAAAASw/5W6mMCdKv3c/s400/garry+templeton+blog4.jpg" width="286" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3wCP9OzcI/AAAAAAAAATA/radmXA3S05k/s1600/templeton-garry-1-sdp%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3wCP9OzcI/AAAAAAAAATA/radmXA3S05k/s400/templeton-garry-1-sdp%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vpga7aoI/AAAAAAAAASg/ymJ7U_WikPg/s1600/garry+templeton+blog2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vpga7aoI/AAAAAAAAASg/ymJ7U_WikPg/s400/garry+templeton+blog2.jpg" width="327" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vfDfsGpI/AAAAAAAAASY/5U6lCoEqwVQ/s1600/garry+templeton+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/TF3vfDfsGpI/AAAAAAAAASY/5U6lCoEqwVQ/s400/garry+templeton+blog+1.jpg" width="310" /></a></div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-58629581461552839112010-03-31T19:23:00.002-04:002010-03-31T19:35:25.208-04:00Mrs. Templeton ain't departin!A link to a recent Templeton interview and his commitment to leading the Chico team to victory.<br />
He sure sounds determined and dedicated to his task, even telling Mrs. Templeton she ain't departin!<br />
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<a href="http://www.knvn.com/s/WtVksTT9yk-HaAVPlJw_mQ.cspx">Jan. 13th, 2010; Garry Templeton - Chico Outlaws</a><br />
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Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com/">ShareThis</a>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-63886102211378717532010-03-24T12:23:00.008-04:002010-03-24T18:06:53.347-04:00Happy 54th Birthday Tempy!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Hope you have a great Birthday with your family and friends! Wishing you and yours continued good health, happiness, and blessings from above.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Time flies but you ain't forgotten cool cat!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Born 54 years ago, became pro 34 years ago, retired 19 years ago, became a dad somewhere in between, now still taking care of business as Outlaws' skipper, seems like time is still on your side after all!</div><br />
Let's hope we ain't seen nuthin' yet!<br />
<br />
Now about some of the things that've been seen but never re-seen, imitated but never duplicated, here's my little picturesque tribute to the man, the 1 and only, Garry Jumpsteady Tempy Templeton tha 1st!<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">They say, yea, you know, "they"... that a picture is worth a thousand words, well here's a few thousands for your enjoyment fellas.</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0zhsRi9I/AAAAAAAAAPI/txwnUdgnftM/s1600/Garry+Templeton+Tulsa+1975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0zhsRi9I/AAAAAAAAAPI/txwnUdgnftM/s400/Garry+Templeton+Tulsa+1975.jpg" width="290" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0loUP0hI/AAAAAAAAAO4/8wLOJiSOIF0/s1600/Garry+Templeton+79+smile.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0loUP0hI/AAAAAAAAAO4/8wLOJiSOIF0/s400/Garry+Templeton+79+smile.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2mHZYUxI/AAAAAAAAAQY/3uttouJd950/s1600/Garry+templeton+flyin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2mHZYUxI/AAAAAAAAAQY/3uttouJd950/s400/Garry+templeton+flyin.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o13LUl83I/AAAAAAAAAQA/nvrEYgHqLTU/s1600/Garry+Templeton+Jumpsteady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o13LUl83I/AAAAAAAAAQA/nvrEYgHqLTU/s400/Garry+Templeton+Jumpsteady.jpg" width="380" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1CBtONbI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Fcx3HrNVb3o/s1600/Garry+Templeton+balance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" nt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1CBtONbI/AAAAAAAAAPY/Fcx3HrNVb3o/s400/Garry+Templeton+balance.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1VjZUtbI/AAAAAAAAAPw/VBT3qy969Do/s1600/Garry+Templeton+triple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" nt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1VjZUtbI/AAAAAAAAAPw/VBT3qy969Do/s400/Garry+Templeton+triple.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3SEmrEeI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/6jNFBt9KoWU/s1600/Garry+templeton+slidin+home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3SEmrEeI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/6jNFBt9KoWU/s400/Garry+templeton+slidin+home.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3fYDTDUI/AAAAAAAAARA/IR-l6oprI20/s1600/Garry+Templeton+rocket+arm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3fYDTDUI/AAAAAAAAARA/IR-l6oprI20/s400/Garry+Templeton+rocket+arm.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6otchT3QXI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ztdeAYn6f-A/s1600/Funny+Garry+T.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6otchT3QXI/AAAAAAAAAOY/ztdeAYn6f-A/s400/Funny+Garry+T.jpg" width="342" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2QBGLdxI/AAAAAAAAAQI/DnyIfx7AUJ0/s1600/Garry+templeton+acrobatics3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2QBGLdxI/AAAAAAAAAQI/DnyIfx7AUJ0/s400/Garry+templeton+acrobatics3.jpg" width="335" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1IlMrYxI/AAAAAAAAAPg/aOxiXNKbza4/s1600/Garry+Templeton+balance2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o1IlMrYxI/AAAAAAAAAPg/aOxiXNKbza4/s400/Garry+Templeton+balance2.jpg" width="365" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o08OniUAI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/5RF_Q_YQI6I/s1600/Garry+Templeton+acrobatics.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="391" nt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o08OniUAI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/5RF_Q_YQI6I/s400/Garry+Templeton+acrobatics.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0tKiXUEI/AAAAAAAAAPA/okgwC_nwYoQ/s1600/Garry+Templeton+81+afrobird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o0tKiXUEI/AAAAAAAAAPA/okgwC_nwYoQ/s400/Garry+Templeton+81+afrobird.jpg" width="276" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o_E2SalGI/AAAAAAAAARg/ImURzETf2bk/s1600/Garry+Templeton+n+Tony+Scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="270" nt="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o_E2SalGI/AAAAAAAAARg/ImURzETf2bk/s400/Garry+Templeton+n+Tony+Scott.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2_tTivBI/AAAAAAAAAQo/iBYQyAdVJJs/s1600/Garry+Templeton+sliding+into+Ozzie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2_tTivBI/AAAAAAAAAQo/iBYQyAdVJJs/s400/Garry+Templeton+sliding+into+Ozzie.jpg" width="340" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6qAa2BvJVI/AAAAAAAAARo/y3kwgnCnIoY/s1600/Garry+Templeton+Ozzie+swap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6qAa2BvJVI/AAAAAAAAARo/y3kwgnCnIoY/s400/Garry+Templeton+Ozzie+swap.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2bh2Ki1I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/h5YS0e18BuI/s1600/Garry+Templeton+82+Padres.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="221" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o2bh2Ki1I/AAAAAAAAAQQ/h5YS0e18BuI/s320/Garry+Templeton+82+Padres.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6oyhMfkNKI/AAAAAAAAAOo/9Xsv4nQxBt8/s1600/jw02-26151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6oyhMfkNKI/AAAAAAAAAOo/9Xsv4nQxBt8/s400/jw02-26151.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6qAjpdxAVI/AAAAAAAAARw/QYeBZ88wveE/s1600/garry+templeton+happy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6qAjpdxAVI/AAAAAAAAARw/QYeBZ88wveE/s320/garry+templeton+happy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3H9YdzbI/AAAAAAAAAQw/qJYY7tdRm5U/s1600/Garry+Templeton+stealin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nt="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3H9YdzbI/AAAAAAAAAQw/qJYY7tdRm5U/s320/Garry+Templeton+stealin.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3zouBb0I/AAAAAAAAARQ/Xr3K3Efgr7w/s1600/Sir+Garry+Templeton.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o3zouBb0I/AAAAAAAAARQ/Xr3K3Efgr7w/s400/Sir+Garry+Templeton.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o37oRFOoI/AAAAAAAAARY/dnxc-W2K4jQ/s1600/Garry+Templeton+NY.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nt="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S6o37oRFOoI/AAAAAAAAARY/dnxc-W2K4jQ/s400/Garry+Templeton+NY.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-59326594550962157982010-01-15T08:10:00.011-05:002010-01-17T05:54:02.127-05:00A new Outlaw in Chico!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 323px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426967569336546034" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S1B2QEHesvI/AAAAAAAAANQ/sLZX0Ho5RnA/s400/Garry+Templeton+Outlaws%5B1%5D.jpg" /> So far I've been concentrating this blog on Garry's playing days but of course, any true fan of our favorite shortstop knows that Tempy has never left the game he loves with a passion and he's been very active coaching and managing for the past 12 years or so.<br /><div></div><div>Garry seems to be a natural when it comes to communicating his baseball knowledge and sharing his experience. After all, the game flows in his blood, he's first learned it from his father Spiavia who played pro-ball in the Negro league, had a 16 year all-star career while at that same time coaching his own kids and even spent some of his off-time participating in baseball clinics for youth or throwing batting practice for the neighborhood kids in his own backyard!<br /><br />Tempy has now just been named the new skipper for the Golden Baseball League's Chico Outlaws which is highly regarded as one of the top-class orginization of the professional independent baseball league, which boasts teams in all three North American countries of Canada, Mexico and of course the US.<br /><br />Mr. Templeton seemed quite enthusiastic about joining the Outlaws as he said during the press conference;<br /><br /></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 324px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426967574231861586" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S1B2QWWnSVI/AAAAAAAAANY/8eJ_6N6mL3E/s400/Garry+Templeton+Outlaws%5B2%5D.jpg" /><br /><blockquote>"I was always kind of jealous of Mark Parent (Outlaws former manager)," Templeton admitted in his typical mellow manner. "His locker was right next to mine for six years when we played on the Padres together. Because of the fan support he had (in Chico), the way the players played here, the stadium he got to play in, I always asked him if he wanted to switch places."<br /><br />"I've wanted to manage in Chico since the first year of the GBL," said Templeton. "This is the best place to play in the league, with the best fans, and a great facility. There is a fine nucleus of players coming back that with some additions can get the Outlaws back in the playoffs and competing once again for a championship."<br /></blockquote><br />The enthusiasm was obviously shared by Chico's GM Curt Jacey;<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 265px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427658340347157650" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S1LqgOqUHJI/AAAAAAAAANg/m1EiF1IXHtQ/s400/garry+templeton+curt+jacey+outlaws.jpg" /><br /><blockquote>"It will be exciting to have such an accomplished professional as our new team leader," said Chico Outlaw General Manager Curt Jacey. "Garry's proven he can win at any level, but just as important is his tremendous reputation of being involved in the community wherever he has played or managed."<br /></blockquote><br />David Kaval, GBL's chief executive also seemed very pleased about the move;<br /><br /><blockquote>"We're really looking to put a lot into improving the player experience here," Kaval said. "Having that and Garry's vast network connections in minor league baseball, I think you're going to see a real strong team out on the field."<br /></blockquote><br /><p>I'm looking forward to following Garry's new assignment with the Outlaws this spring, it all seems like a win-win situation.</p><p>I always thought Tempy would eventually manage in the big leagues as I'm positive he's got all the needed skills and experience to succeed in doing so. I know he's said himself that he was really enjoying coaching young ballplayers and watch them improve. And that, though he would certainly like to take up the challenge of a major league gig, he'd still be a happy man if that opportunity never presented itself, still, as the fan that I am, I really hope that one day, he'll be wearing a MLB uniform again, as a skipper this time!</p><p>In the meantime GO OUTLAWS! </p>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-46614477735679602712010-01-12T10:04:00.011-05:002010-08-10T16:11:05.358-04:00100 hits from each SIDE, the 1st!<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425902585367870434" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S0ytp1q5u-I/AAAAAAAAANA/ARZuhh9MF48/s400/n_a%5B3%5D.jpg" style="display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 283px;" />It's a well known fact that Garry became the first player ever to get at least 100 hits from each side of the plate in 1979. Surprisingly, this feat which obviously, had never been achieved in MLB's long history before Garry, was duplicated the very next year by another triple hitting speedster of the era, Willie Wilson. Interestingly enough, it hasn't been done since. Kinda odd to think that something that's only been done twice in history would happen in consecutive seasons. Obviously, Tempy's achievement had an inspiring effect on Willie.<br />
<br />
<div></div><div>Sadly many detractors have tried to undermine this remarkable achievement saying that he did it while hitting strictly right handed for his last nine games.</div><br />
<div>So he did, so what?! What's the problem??</div><br />
<div>I've read some saying he cheated, his record was tainted... Morons...</div>The record says, 1st to get 100 hits from <b><i>each side of the plate</i></b> not vs lefties and righties...<br />
<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425902593968916498" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/S0ytqVtjSBI/AAAAAAAAANI/Hhb9KF22m68/s400/templeton100_100back.jpg" style="display: block; height: 284px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><br />
<div></div><div>If anything it should make it even more impressive. For the first time in his pro career he gave up switch hitting to face righties from his right side. Even tougher!<br />
<br />
Here's a quote from teamate, catcher Ted Simmons, witness to the feat;<br />
"That was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. He needed more hits than he had games left, so he batted righthanded against righthanded pitchers to get them. And they weren't dinks; he hit the ball hard. I've never seen anyone in the game do that." <br />
</div><div>Let's be realistic here, it's mathematically impossible to face enough lefties in a season to get the needed 100 hits. If it would have been possible someone would have done it before, or since, someone like Pete Rose for example. For the record Wilson did the same thing to get there...</div><br />
Also, nobody can accuse him of being selfish in doing so or that it could have affected his team since the Cardinals were already out of the pennant race by that time. At least it gave fans some exitement and a positive reason to keep following the games.<br />
<div></div><div>So he did succeed in his quest to become the first 100-100 switcher by getting the last 6 right-handed hits against righties, more power to him!</div><br />
<div>Nobody can take that away from him. He got 111 from the left side hitting .293 and 100 from the right hitting .346.<br />
<br />
1979 was truly an outstanding season for Garry who led the league for hits with 211, triples 19, was 6th with a batting AVG of .314, also 6th in runs scored 105 and 7th in total bases with 308.<br />
Defensively, his range factor numbers, 5.59 RF/9, put him ahead of any shortstop in the big leagues.<br />
<br />
With numbers like these, it becomes kinda difficult to argue with the man who snubbed the All-Star voters with his legendary infamous; </div><div></div><div><blockquote>"If I ain't startin', I ain't departin'"</blockquote></div><div>There was never any doubts in my mind about who was the true 1979 All-Star shortstop, hence the 1980 Topps card you see at the top right side of this blog.</div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-25628595603316238732009-12-30T08:46:00.005-05:002009-12-30T09:20:39.785-05:00Waving the hat!Coming back on the hat-waving-effect at the start of game 3 of the '84 NLCS.<br /><br />I've already posted the video of how Garry had cheered the crowd up as the series moved to San Diego with his team down 0-2. Just when his team needed it the most Tempy uncharacteristically expressed himself emotionally, coming to the field slapping hands and high-fiving his teamates like never before and then proceeded to cheer a rather timid home crowd by vigorously waving his hat firing up the fans.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SztbwDrkb8I/AAAAAAAAAM0/jxEkRhgZkj0/s1600-h/Tempy_waving_hat.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421027457650421698" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SztbwDrkb8I/AAAAAAAAAM0/jxEkRhgZkj0/s400/Tempy_waving_hat.jpg" /></a> Here's how the whole thing was perceived from the other team's perspective.<br />From Larry Bowa's book, 'I Still Hate To Lose'.<br /><br /><blockquote>The next night, October 4, 1984, the stadium was bunkers. During pregame introductions, shortstop Garry Templeton stepped out of character and waved a towel over his head to further incite a mob that didn’t need inciting. The comeback was on. « I think Garry Templeton had more of an effect on the fans than they did on him, » said Frey. « He did something that was so unnatural for Garry Templeton to do at that particular time. It kind of aroused the fans, I thought. The waving of the towel when the players were introduced. Otherwise, I have no idea what got anything started. I don’t know anything more about it. I don’t give a darn about psychology or anything like that. And I don’t think any of this means a darn thing to me. It’s not an important issue to me. »<br />Perhaps not now. In game 3 Templeton did more than towel wave. He snared a Leon Durham line drive to blunt a first-inning Cubs rally. And his fifth-inning double knocked in two runs and gave the Padres their first lead of the series.<br /></blockquote><br /><br />Apparently Jim Frey didn't care about the psychology behind the gesture nor did he seem to understand what really happened, how, why or what changed the momentum of the series but it's obvious that Garry Templeton knew what he was doing and he would go about raising his crowd, teamates and game to the next level.<br /><br />They went on to sweep the next 3 games to win the National League championship and play the Tigers in the World Series!funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-8172114768852649022009-10-07T12:53:00.006-04:002009-10-12T08:59:53.719-04:00Jumpsteady Templeton Gamin' on ya!Here's a lil' nuthin' special... you can see it all, the glove, the arm, the jumps, the hits, the speed, the grace, the style, the coolnes and athleticism... it's all in this little three minute wrap-up video that I manage to drag together...<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxh1WQwSnyteS-FcnxErOwolbUFEtLKCWdoXfI4fRoV6juQDdxnQNL1x-UIO-kbmGg1ES8EZ-uQmKskubj2' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />...on that nightmare Windows Movie Maker crappy ass software that kept crashing every three clicks...<br /><br />Like I said, nuthin' special, just Jumpsteady going through his motions like it's just another day at the office, making it look easy...<br /><br />And a little gamin' on ya added with some color fx to posterize poetry in motion.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-18853247828987624592009-09-21T08:55:00.015-04:002009-10-07T12:53:12.960-04:00The Masterp1ece!Well, here's the pride and joy of my Garry Templeton memorabilias collection, just a few items really;<br />I have three game used bats, including one that says <em>Jumpsteady</em> Templeton instead of the usual <em>Garry</em> Templeton.<br />A pair of his 1984 Padres, signed, game worn cleats, of course the championship season. And I can say that he wore size 10 1/2, which is my size, 'cause I tried them on and they fit like a glove, however it seems that Garry had a problem with his right foot 'cause there was some added padding under the arch of that foot which made them uncomfortable for me when I had them on. (Btw, I only wore 'em for a few seconds since I wouldn't have chanced removing Garry's mystical fleet footed aura away from 'em...)<br /><div><div><div><div><div>Also have a signed Rawlings baseball saying 3 time All-Star.</div><div>And of course a bunch of baseball cards, magazines where he appears on the cover or inside, his 1978 Sports Illustrated poster and about a dozen recorded DVD games of his with the Cardinals and Padres. </div><div>Not quite enough to open the Garry Templeton museum yet but hey, if you know anybody who's got more, have him contact me and maybe we'll get ourselves a booth somewhere down the street from the HOF Museum or something...</div><br /><div>But back to the jewel of the crown, my pride and joy, this 1980 powder-blue-away St. Louis Cardinals jersey, game worned <strong>and </strong>signed!</div><br /><div>It's my all time favorite jersey and here's why.</div><div>I've always liked the Cardinals jersey, logo and colors. And when you have all these sewn-on a powder-blue jersey it makes for a very flashy piece of garment!</div><div>But what was even cooler was the 1979-80 jersey because they had numbers on the sleeves instead of on the front of the jersey.</div><div>And in the case of Garry because of the length of his last name and the simplicity of his single stroke number it turned into a perfectly symmetrical piece of art!</div><br /><div>Watch the pics and notice how the nine letters of his name harmoniously arch around the straight standing, single digit, that is the daddy of all numbers... 1.</div><div>Then when you see that same digit on each shoulder it just makes for a perfectly balanced jersey.</div><br /><div>I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder but well, those who have eyes will see...</div><br /><div></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 371px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383915164279906834" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SreCURO-IhI/AAAAAAAAALk/ijburjO9kg8/s400/GTjerseyA.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383915748654608770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SreC2SMwcYI/AAAAAAAAAL0/aoQynIk9gtM/s400/GTjerseyC.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 385px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383915760092444530" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SreC28zv93I/AAAAAAAAAL8/kR2t2kSHvPU/s400/GTjerseyD.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383915770159868082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SreC3iUAqLI/AAAAAAAAAMM/caolOYhcRzU/s400/GTjerseyF.jpg" /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-2941472430277798102009-09-01T09:22:00.007-04:002009-09-01T10:27:12.324-04:00Garry Templeton fired up!To follow-up on my last post, here's a little recap of how Tempy had turned things around in game 3 of that 1984 NLCS.<br />We even get a rare video interview as Garry is about to leadoff the bottom of the 3rd for the Friars. No sooner has he finished explaining how he wanted to get things started for the previous game that he goes at it again this time with a single, stolen base and sheer hustle on the basepaths, to once again give his team the lead.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyTl6NAb-WfBnZ9ktbJ7w5XhDfGTO9rcV1XDOANi0AG19TkmPTIdAZKSdl_HvVhYS98smVsBokfnYbYzRTc0g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />After having struggled for most of that season with injuries, we can clearly see that a playoff run turned out to be the fountain of youth for our favorite shortstop.funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-14821738788546054272009-08-31T07:05:00.007-04:002009-09-29T09:00:42.040-04:001984 San Diego Hero!I haven't been too active on the blog for a while, blame it on the summer weather, I was too busy being lazy...<br /><br />But bear with me, here's a little somethin' from Tempy's heydays with the Friars. Yea, it's true that I haven't posted much on Garry's Padres seasons but hey, I had to start at the beginning, St. Louis, where he started his pro career and had some of his best seasons.<br />Sure we all know now that it wasn't always happy times in Missouri but whatever happened there had to happen and it made our favorite shortstop mature into the leader he was going to become in San Diego.<br /><br />And that's where I'm taking you now with this video, I strongly believe that Tempy was the cornerstone of the 1984 NLCS. After losing the first two games in Chicago land the Friars where in desperate need of some leadership and who provided? Of course, our very own Mr. Templeton!<br /><br />Here's my little video resume of how and what happened in that key third game.<br />First you'll see the players intro where everything was going a little too smooth until Tempy decided to take charge by getting the crowd going by waving his hat and cheerleading some.<br />Then you'll see how he took away a run to end a potential big 1st inning for the Cubbies by robbing Leon Durham of a sure RBI hit with a tremendous catch, picking a line-drive off thin air, on his feet, muchas gracias, no need to dive à la Ozzie when you got JumpSteadyCoolCat reflexes...<br />And finally you'll see how, with a "load of potatoes on his back", he hit the clutch double that finally burst Chicago's bubble and put the Padres on top for the 1st and decisive time in the series.<br />All he did during the series was hit .333 with a .412 OBP and play outstanding defense to lead the franchise to it's first World Series ever.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyx9x3OBq2IyQN4JdkzMjQz8hkgGEKrqf4JGPgkOKe41h7JwbVJDZyYAUNwcwVSUinRymJdJMsz8vY94iBm_Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-71574433514329309872009-07-11T12:10:00.005-04:002009-07-11T12:55:53.758-04:00Jumpsteady funky flava'And here's the funky remix...<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxuPfupEeaI7bXXT9jI8YPpbmVDZG9pJeIRFIFrnqGc4a1J3FeJEEk5DopFTaNtfEGv9uz1p4vy5JcoKXjv7g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-75913533245431842322009-07-02T08:38:00.007-04:002009-07-08T19:23:33.865-04:00Mr Triple does hit againEnjoy one more from...<br />Flashy Garry T...<br />it all looks so easy...<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxKlZ2CJo630yWxfvDT9P4RUwW5YVS2hWlJJZVW7BnEtTVvnr66aRiJ_5nTuxTrMpBBr_wNYRL2XVriAStRmA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />This, his 9th threebagger of the 1980 season, was also going to be his last. Sidelined by injury for the second time in the season he'd miss another three weeks of play, a total of 44 games which cost him a 4th consecutive Triples Title.<br /><br />We can appreciate Garry's cool flair for style, with the 'fro poppin' out of the flapless helmet, worn over the cap. The goatee and cross-face sideburns, bright red wristbands worn high around the chocolate brown forearms. Notice the relaxed, standing-up straight batting stance.<br /><br />More than a ball player, a cool cat...funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-82599484368635460042009-06-28T17:15:00.004-04:002009-06-28T17:39:24.670-04:0021 year old departin' All-StarHere's the kid who had superstar stamped all over him on his first All-Star at bat in 1977.<br /><br />Yep, that's pretty much how everybody felt about young Jumpsteady when he first came up. Just watch him blaze his way to second base on what was supposed to be a single, no need to steal the bag when you can to that!<br /><br />How'd you like to be 21, a switch-hitter, hitting well over .300, able to do what he just did?... Indeed!<br /><br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxIB-5USRRR8EZBD3StEIqrfUg2CHawzReZl9NrBoKFM6AXJNk1ciefHdGfHXUEEaZXPMGw_OBd3P0pxUeetw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-12491451877295490732009-05-02T10:40:00.021-04:002009-05-05T18:06:03.987-04:00Mr. Cool part II<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SfxcTjnAqhI/AAAAAAAAAKs/dfmB8aos1cI/s1600-h/flamboyant+Jumpsteady+Templeton.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331237549945956882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SfxcTjnAqhI/AAAAAAAAAKs/dfmB8aos1cI/s400/flamboyant+Jumpsteady+Templeton.jpg" border="0" /></a> Alright, after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">startin</span>’ my argument about Cool <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Jumpsteady</span> Templeton’s genuine funky style in my first Mr. Cool article, now’s the time to depart for a deeper journey into Garry’s groovy cool factor.<br />To be cool you need to have style, and that is something young <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Jumpsteady</span> expressed a plenty, a naturally… <div><div><br /></div><div>As I said before, to recognize cool you have to be cool, you don’t appreciate style unless you have some yourself. What I’m <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">sayin</span>’ here is; </div><div><br /></div><div>If you don’t got it you won’t get it, if you don’t get it you don’t got it…</div><div><br /></div><div>So for those of you who got it, read on and appreciate, and for those of you who don’t got it, either leave now for fear of feeling stupid or get ready to be enlightened by the genuine self expression of an all out natural born <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">funkycoolsupaphenomathlete</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Looks</div><div><br /></div><div>Now you can’t be cool if you don’t look cool. How you look is determined by two factors.<br />The first is genetically inherited, and that is already where the Templeton legend begins. The man was blessed, I mean he was a perfect specimen with ideal proportions and a lean but muscular physique that combined to produce speed, explosiveness and tremendous coordination. </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331237715540171074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 380px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SfxcdMfv2UI/AAAAAAAAAK0/Lh3QICuLi0c/s400/Jumpsteady+Templeton.jpg" border="0" />The type of perfect blend that results in graceful agility that creates the illusion of easiness, the ability to do effortlessly what others will achieve only with difficulty and awkwardly.<br />As if this perfect body <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">wasn</span>’t enough, Garry was also a very handsome man with symmetrical and dignified features. Cat like eyes with just a hint of sleepy eyelids giving him the cool nonchalant look. Aerodynamically carved eyebrows. Sharply chiseled cheekbones and chin surrounding a noble nose and fully shaped suave lips that make Mick Jagger’s look like a stiff-lipped 67 year old <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">english</span> nanny…<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331237976802782306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 347px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SfxcsZxm7GI/AAAAAAAAAK8/qPRqu3szYwk/s400/Young+bird.jpg" border="0" /> So, all in all <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Tempy</span>, just like the Buddha who had been born into a perfect body, is one of those proof positive that all men are not created equal… </div><br /><div>But stick around, here’s the second part, where we all can do something about what we’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">ve</span> been given or not… </div><br /><div>The second factor about looks is what we do with what we are. The hair and facials, clothes, what we wear and how we wear ‘em… That is where personality will testify for itself, for better or for worse… </div><div></div><div>Some people have great genetics but screw it up by lack of taste and style, others have lesser physiques but will make it up by expressing true inspiration that will actually bring out their personality and uniqueness, which will always be cool. And then you have a guy like Garry Templeton who’s got the whole deal, great genetics, and a natural sense of style expressing in pure coolness. </div><br /><div>Here are some examples. </div><br /><div>Hairstyle; the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">afro</span>. The ‘fro was cool back in the late 60's, the 70’s, early 80’s and actually still is today but few have enough balls, flair or hair to wear it nowadays. But back then it was so cool that even white folks would have their <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">blondy</span> locks permed into <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">afros</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">LOL</span>! True though that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Tempy</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">didn</span>’t always wear it or maybe <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">didn</span>’t grow it as much as Oscar Gamble or Bake McBride but that was only because of the no hair rule enforced by the Cardinal organization until about ‘79 when management finally eased up on it. </div><br /><div>There was something about the baseball ‘fro look that was simply pure funky cool. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">poofy</span> hair that just <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">wouldn</span>’t be tamed, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">poppin</span>’ out wildly under the caps and helmets will always remain one of the coolest, grooviest and typical image of baseball’s disco era. I mean look at today’s ball players, all you see are bald guys except for a few dreads here and there… C’<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">mon</span> fellas where’s your style. Yea I know, steroids and all that junk will give you a bad hair day…<br />Here’s a pic of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Tempy</span>’s <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">afro</span> at it’s wildest!</div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331238322652280370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SfxdAiKjdjI/AAAAAAAAALE/txk_1_Uo3Ww/s400/Funky+Afro+Bird.jpg" border="0" /><br />The facials.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>Very few ball players of that era didn’t sport some type of facials, unless of course they were cursed with the retarded no-hair rule…<br />Back then the fashion was hair, the more the better. Mustaches to handlebars, sideburns to mutton-chops, goatees to full-out beards, every player had his own way of expressing his manliness. But here again, Tempy had his very own original style of showing-off his unique flair for coolness.<br />Jumpsteady went with the sideburns and goatee. But what made his facials special was the way he let his sideburns grow across and under his cheekbones to reach down to his goatee. Not only was that the ultimate funky cool facials’ style, but it made him look even faster, creating the illusion of perfect aerodynamics. </div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332312669096872802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 289px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SgAuHujVi2I/AAAAAAAAALM/KPP46tY5mdI/s400/templeton+funky+sideburns.jpg" border="0" />You could almost see it as he blazed across the field, his nose and goatee cutting right through the wind, splitting the air that was being channeled and evacuated left and right through his sideburns and cheekbones… swoosh!!!<br /><br />I’ll conclude the looks part of cool with a couple of garment and clothing examples. Now, you can’t express a whole lot with clothes when you have to wear a uniform but still, Garry did manage to maximize on his few opportunities.<br /><br />First off, you have to choose a number.<br /><br />Well, well, well, what do we have here…<br /><br />Number one… 1<br /><br />What can possibly be cooler than being number one?!<br />The first, the one and only, the original number, the daddy of all numbers, a simple yet perfectly symmetrical vertical stroke… ‘nuff said!<br /><br />Ok then you gotta wear a batting helmet, after going with the single earflap for his first couple of seasons, Templeton finally chose the cooler flapless helmet, worn over the cap, in 1979.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332312998370066834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 326px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SgAua5MLwZI/AAAAAAAAALU/d_Tfv96J7wQ/s400/templeton+flapless.jpg" border="0" />Garry’s superior reflexes could afford this otherwise hazardous choice but it’s one that’s been removed since ‘83 in an effort to prevent serious injuries to baseball’s main assets.<br />I’ll end part II with this subtle yet unmistakable touch of coolness, watch how Tempy ties his jacket, not with the buttons but by tying both ends together… so 70’s… so cool…<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332313257457175490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 284px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SgAup-XXS8I/AAAAAAAAALc/TLH9-TahvdI/s400/templeton+80+topps+tied.jpg" border="0" /><br />To be continued...funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-1801102727529378012009-04-14T10:02:00.021-04:002009-05-02T08:44:56.303-04:00Mr. Cool<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SeSYPwLlOeI/AAAAAAAAAKE/_wscT5ksuhQ/s1600-h/funky+templeton.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324548055857707490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SeSYPwLlOeI/AAAAAAAAAKE/_wscT5ksuhQ/s400/funky+templeton.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>People often ask me why I’m such a big fan of Garry Templeton, and the answers to that question are a plenty. Tempy was a triples hitter, the rarest and most exiting hit in baseball, he was fast, very fast, was a stolen base threat, he could hit over .300, get 200 hits, also, he was a shortstop, in my opinion the most athletically demanding position in baseball, and not only was he a shortstop but, in his prime, he was the most acrobatic and spectacular shortstop, not only of his era, but that I’ve ever seen play to this day. Yea, including Ozzie… And there is plenty of evidence to back this up, range statistics, peers’ testimony, and a bunch of highlight plays to be seen in recordings of games from late 70’s to early 80’s. </div><br /><div>But probably the ‘deepest’ reason of all was that, he was cool… </div><div>Now the next question I usually have to answer is, ‘whad’ya mean he’s cool?’ </div><br /><div>Ok, here’s what I mean. </div><br /><div>First of all what is cool? Cool is something else, it’s special, it’s got personality and most of all it’s natural. You can’t buy coolness, can't steal it either, you can’t try to be cool, that would be the ultimate uncoolness, you can only BE cool. Either you have it or you don’t. Sure some grow into coolness, they start out being a bit geeky or nerdy but eventually when they let their true personality come out and express themselves the way they are deep inside, then they become naturally cool.<br />Actually all of us have the seed of coolness somewhere inside, it’s our true self, but many will never know it’s there and sadly, will never be able to let it grow. </div><br /><div>Also, only the cool can recognize the cool, just like only a genius can recognize true genius. Others might know what cool means, what genius is, and be naturally awed by it, but to truly appreciate it you gotta be it yourself… </div><br /><div>I grew up in a cool family, in a cool neighborhood with cool friends so it all came naturally to me. I don’t care for bragging, it’s simply the truth, and I tell it like it is only for the purpose of explaining how it is that I can appreciate the pure expression of coolness where a lot of people can only see the illusion of appearances as depicted by the blind souls influencing today’s uninspired society… </div><br /><div>Now let me illustrate, with all sorts of evidences, just how cool Garry Templeton really was in an era that was just starting to reluctantly tolerate expressions of coolness. </div><br /><div>Here are the first couple of things that struck me about Tempy, his looks and the hype, what everybody was saying about him; </div><br /><div>- The looks, the first I actually saw of Garry was his 1978 Topps card shown here;</div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324549637207133842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 281px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SeSZrzKqjpI/AAAAAAAAAKU/wRobMTzHjpk/s400/Garry+Templeton+1977.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div>followed by a few other pics of that same year;</div><br /><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324549345024328242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 257px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SeSZays2wjI/AAAAAAAAAKM/Jb7yw2lfIJ4/s400/templeton+77+kellogs.jpg" border="0" /> </div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324550201652802498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 317px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SeSaMp4_88I/AAAAAAAAAKc/ipdo3-seIU0/s400/templeton+young.jpg" border="0" /><br />Now THAT is a cool looking ballplayer! Not only was Templeton a handsome young man but notice the relaxed, confident composure about him, very atypical for a 21 year old professional athlete trying to prove he was worthy of all the hype. </div><div></div><div>And this wasn't cockiness, arrogance or some sense of false pride as is often the case with young promising prospects, but genuine faith in his own potential. A confidence he had earned, whether it was on a baseball diamond, a basketball court, a football field or even at a track meet, young Templeton had always risen way above the pack to shine forth the light of his God given athletic abilities. </div><div>He had learned to play the game as a boy amongst men to raise the level of expectations to dizzying heights.</div><div><br />-Now about all that hype. </div><div><br />To that day, I don’t remember a young baseball player coming up with more hype than Garry Templeton. Back when he was playing in the Cardinal's farm system, in Tulsa, the ageless wonder himself, Satchel Paige, touted young Garry as the best shortstop he had ever seen! There were so many praises that some of the press people started being a little suspicious, even sarcastic about it. Like that Post-Dispatch writer who suggested that with all the hype Templeton ought to skip his career and report to Cooperstown for immediate induction into the Hall of Fame... </div><div>So how did the young phenom answer both doubters and believers? When asked if he could handle the pressure of being a major league starting shortstop at the ripe ol’ age of 20 he had answered ;</div><div>"I think I can handle almost anything" </div><div>Cool…</div><div><br />Here are some of those quotes from his early days, illustrating how impressed his managers, coaches and teammates were about his game and attitude; </div><div><br />- Lou Brock is standing in left field during a 1977 exhibition game as a ground ball heads his way. In front of him, the Cardinals' kid shortstop, Garry Templeton, glides into the hole at full speed. Never breaking stride, Templeton picks the ball out of the province of outfielders and slings it to first base. The runner is out. "I said then he couldn't make that play again on instant replay." Brock recalls. "It's almost physically impossible. But now I've seen it so much it looks routine."<br />Lou Brock Article from Baseball Digest June 1978.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br />-"When you look at him, he's still a baby in a man's job... but he's doing the job". Jack Krol, 1978</div><div><br />- "It was on a Monday night in Cincinnati. GeorgeFoster hit a one-hop rocket between shortstop and second base. In my mind, there was no way anybody could make that play. But Garry took one longstep, got his glove right on the ground and came up with it. He never left his feet, just straightened up and gunned him out ". </div><div>Ted Simmons, the sporting news, april 22, 1978.</div><div><br />- "It's nice to know he's out there, it's that plain and simple. He gets balls in the hole that a lot of guy's wouldn't even touch. Sometimes when a ball is hit, you say, 'O no!' Then Temp's there and you say, 'Oh YEAH!'." </div><div>From Bud Schultz, pitcher and teamate with the Cards. </div><div><br />- " Templeton is clearly a natural, which is a good thing because he has rarely lingered anywhere long enough to absorb much instruction." </div><div>From Jim Kaplan, writer for Sports Illustrated october 1977.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br />- " He has turned the triple, baseball's rarest hit, into a routine race around the bases. You know they're triples when he hits them . The opponents know it too. They just get the ball and throw it in the direction of home plate or a relay man to head him off."</div><div>Vern Rapp, Cardinals coach, Baseball Digest June 1978.</div><div><br />These are just a few examples of all the things said about Tempy when he started playing pro ball. Now you just don't get these kinds of comments from these kind of people unless you're really something special because these men have been around and seen it all before, but Templeton found ways to impress pretty much everybody who'd seen him play back then.<br />Most definitely qualifies as cool! </div><div><br />Ok, end of part one. Much more to come in the next article, Mr. Cool part II </div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-44168662437282027532009-04-08T12:44:00.005-04:002009-04-08T19:31:48.479-04:00Mr. TripleFrom 1977 to 1979 Templeton became the first National League player to lead the league in triples three consecutive seasons with, 18, 13 and 19 three bagers. He could have done it four in a row in 1980 had he not missed over a months play to an injury. Here's a couple of videos of Garry hitting not one but two triples in the same game on april 30th 1980!<br />Watch Jumpsteady dashing 'round the bases, helmet poppin' loose 'fro flyin' in the wind!<br /><br /><p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxD09WbUjkOysYLYbLu5F6RzSXnGMtlC3tZ1aaKtKS_JOx8cb0X_UX255hyMfsQh35-2010ftXu8wgela8JNw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></p><p></p><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzbDpF_-SCiJZbzPnmGfafWW8fCTNtvzRyscTKsLvY5ds2AiftZhHTGyp464vWZLKNcOvt-vBBRrZI6JNSApA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-53109031321040774532009-02-10T18:01:00.002-05:002009-04-08T09:30:07.804-04:00Fastest man in NL?When Tempy first broke into the big leagues everybody was impressed at his unbelievable speed, he had clocked 9.5 for the 100 yard dash in high school which is phenomenal, many even said he was possibly the fastest man in the National League. Was he the fastest? I believe he was, in the NL that is. The AL had the mercurial Willie Wilson phenom that was completely off the charts. But for the late 70's NL, I doubt anybody was that fast, an incredible 3.5 from home to first base! The fastest players usually clock around 3.65, a few approach 3.6 but 3.5 is simply amazing. Here's a highlight from 1978 where you can see it to believe it!<br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyUdiGeNNnSOjaUo8xBgmSCLoa5dQAXpSK0-ocfgnZcQOeMDGPh_mW-nWs9MxlaNjM43wHAiMgFfpA48U9xVw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-16257699426319032482009-01-23T16:37:00.000-05:002009-01-23T17:18:23.819-05:00Jumpsteady, the nickname<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXo-oZEA7SI/AAAAAAAAAGw/I_80BEI9bLI/s1600-h/Jumpsteady+Templeton.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294613175570853154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 378px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXo-oZEA7SI/AAAAAAAAAGw/I_80BEI9bLI/s400/Jumpsteady+Templeton.jpg" border="0" /></a> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jumpsteady</span> was Garry Templeton's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nickname</span> in his early Cardinal days. It didn't really stick around though and was pretty much forgotten when Garry played in San Diego, not too sure why, did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Tempy</span> drop it, or people just didn't identify him with it, or maybe it was left back as part on his controversial St.Louis chaotic episode? Maybe I'll get to ask the man someday.<br /><br /><div><div>I thought it was a pretty cool nickname though, sporty kinda funky. I use to think it was only about his athletic prowess on the field but it actually had a groovier origin. When asked about it Garry answered that it was given him by his cousin after he saw him dancing to Aretha Franklin's song Rock Steady. Noticing <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Tempy</span> was doing more jumping than rocking he then nicknamed him Jump Steady!</div><br /><div>It's been written in either one or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">separate</span> words but from a 1978 game used bat I have it's signed <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Jumpsteady</span> in one word. </div><br /><div>Obviously my own nickname is derived from it, being a huge fan of funk music I just chose the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Funksteady</span> handle.</div></div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-2364754501378154012009-01-20T14:35:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:39:14.278-05:00Jumpsteady's career off to a brand new groundhog start.So, being caught up in this time warp, re-living Templeton's Cardinals career over and over, groundhog day's style, I've decided to start a new cycle, with a twist.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293466555899361522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 237px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXYryV7KuPI/AAAAAAAAAF4/pZ3J8JsK6MA/s400/n_a%5B6%5D.jpg" border="0" />I'll begin the 1976 season with Tempy as the starting shortstop, the way it should have been if the business aspect of baseball hadn't taken over the sporting side.<br />During that season, team owner August Busch Jr. himself, had promised the anticipating fans that the much heralded Templeton would be promoted from the minor leagues as soon as new basic agreement was reached between major league owners and players, thus ensuring that the promising first round pick would remain in the organization rather than risk losing him under unsatisfactory contract. That is, sadly, the only reason that prevented young Jumpsteady from playing a full rookie season and getting a fair shot at the rookie of the year honors.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293466555293933458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 281px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXYryTq0n5I/AAAAAAAAAFw/__X333W6_eE/s400/Templeton_rookie.jpg" border="0" /> I'll be simulating the 1976 Cardinals games with the WhatIfSports MLB engine using the exact same starting line-ups and pitchers as happened in the actual '76 season, Templeton aside of course. I'll also be doing the same for the opposing line-ups and starting pitchers. It should be interesting to see if the Cardinals, as a team, will do better than their actual 72-90 record.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293466551186969554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXYryEXpU9I/AAAAAAAAAFg/fubxlZNCAxc/s400/7529%5B4%5D.jpg" border="0" />So, I'll be posting Templeton's stats and the games results on a near daily basis and thus, will the career of the greatest athlete shortstop has ever seen keep on rolling...funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3287963757278518414.post-73266067921451802212009-01-19T11:55:00.000-05:002009-01-22T18:38:02.007-05:00Remember Garry Templeton?S<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">omething happened to me in the late 70's early 80's. I was a witness to the greatest athlete I've ever seen play shortstop, the most physically demanding position in baseball. </span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's been a groundhog day ever since.</span><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293118384231477634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 285px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXTvIFY08YI/AAAAAAAAAEY/oU55uSrB_U4/s400/Garry+Templeton+1977.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Garry Lewis Templeton, "Jumpsteady", I've never been able to get him out of my head since...</span><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I've looked hard and I've looked far but I have never seen anybody even come close to what he did and the way he did it.</span></div><div><div></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The way he moved, gliding around the basepaths, all the way to third base, in his uncharacteristic running style, low stooping shoulders, keeping his center of gravity as low as possible, with his fingers pointing down as if he was using them as cleats to plant in the dirt and move even faster.<br />With the agility of a panther on the field to range all over the hole and even left field with a few long, graceful and powerful strides, making plays standing up that others like Ozzie had to dive for. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293118385070002194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 290px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXTvIIgv0BI/AAAAAAAAAEg/j5RQ0QAMAJ4/s400/Garry+Templeton+Do+It+All.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For a brief period of time in baseball's history, Garry Templeton was the most astonishing athlete in the game. <strong><em>"Mr. Do-It-All"</em></strong> read the cover of the April 22, 1978 Sporting News, 'cause that's just what he did, hit, field, run and everything in between.</span><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Not only could he do everything but he did it with his own style and grace, made it all look so easy, like routine. Too easy maybe, he looked amazing when he executed but by the same token his coolness made him look nonchalant, careless, when he booted an occasional grounder.</span></div><div></div><div>So here I am, 30 years later writing a blog about this man who is mostly remembered for his few mishaps and infamous catchy quotes rather than for the myriads of dazzling plays he performed during his career.</div><div></div></div><div><div><br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5293118394597457202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 356px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zSdDWMU8HnA/SXTvIsARPTI/AAAAAAAAAEo/7DfxxlqFfK8/s400/Garry+Templeton+frozen+speed.jpg" border="0" /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Unable to find a worthy heir to his crown, I've been caught in a time warp ever since, <strong><em>frozen in time</em></strong>, re-living his career through collecting magazine articles, interviews, statistics, pics, cards and the few videos or highlights I've been able to find through the years. Thanks to eBay.<br />Also thanks to the great WhatIfSports.com pretty cool simulation game, I've been able to keep him active and get my daily dose of Templeton boxscores.</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In closing this initial blog post I'd like to send out an invitation to every baseball fan out there who'd like to discuss and argue about any related topics, shortstops, 70's-80's baseball funky-disco era, triples hitters, base stealers and unique athletes of the great game of baseball.</span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>funksteadyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09847870496314087171noreply@blogger.com5