Comments on: Lefty O’Doul’s green suit — in color

By: Rochelle Richards

Rochelle Richards — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 01:31:06 +0000

Hi Richard,

My father, George H Richards M.D., was Lefty’s first cousin. His mother, my Grandmother, was Mary Frances Adoul (the name was later changed from French to “Irish”). My dad met Joe D and Marilyn M right before they all left for the All-Star game in Japan (also Joe & Marilyn’s honeymoon)! My mother is still here to tell the story!

By: richard - sparkletack

richard - sparkletack — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:42:55 +0000

@ Kirk Lombard: I admit it – I laughed out loud when I read that story. Great one, really captures Lefty’s sardonic sense of humor. Thanks for sharing it!

By: Kirk Lombard

Kirk Lombard — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:34:08 +0000

Do you know the old story about Lefty O’doul later in life, attending an allstar game long after his managing career was over? It goes something like this: (I’m not quoting here) He’s sitting in the stands and a reporter see’s him. The guy thinks: hey, Lefty’s always good for a pithy quote or two. So he walks over and says, Hey Lefty, how would you compare these guys (the allstars on the field) to the guys you played with? Lefty says something to the effect of: these guys (the modern major leaguers) wouldn’t even have started on our minor league squads. Still digging for gold, the reporter, says, well then in your opinion who was the greatest player you ever saw?” Lefty thinks about this a minute and says: well when I was a kid I saw Ty Cobb, he was the best. The reporter says: how would he have done in today’s game? Lefty thinks about this for a minute and says, he would have batted .300, hit 21 homers and driven in 90 runs. The reporter says, Huh. It’s funny you should say he’s the best you ever saw, those are good stats but there’s plenty of guys putting up those kinds of numbers today. Lefty says, yeah but you got to figure… he wouldn’t have beat out all those infield hits, for christ sake if he was playing today he’d be 80 years old!

By: William Davidson

William Davidson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:50:56 +0000

Hi Richard just thought I would say hello.
Hope you and your’s are all well. What are you up to?.
It will soon be Christmas again. Time fly’s when you are having fun.Hope to hear from Sparkle soon. Till then awe the best fae Scotland.

By: Jeff Kramer

Jeff Kramer — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:27:59 +0000

I have visited your wonderful city 4 times in the last 10 years from my home in Michigan. I just bame across your podcasts lately, but I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this area that I have grown very fond of. It would be a shame if they were no more. Thanks for all of your work. For one person in Michigan, it is greatly appreciated

By: Anneli Tjejer

Anneli Tjejer — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:38:23 +0000

Love your blog! I always read it when im at work, its a good timepass! Thanks alot! Keep up the good work, hope u’ll be back soon!

By: bill davidson

bill davidson — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:40:19 +0000

ALL OF YOU OUT THERE IF YOU READ THIS. COME ON WE CANT LET THIS FANTASTIC SITE JUST DRY UP. SEND RICHARD A MESSAGE.TELL HIM WE WANT HIM BACK.DO IT ,NOW. LOVE BILL.

By: Tagesgeld

Tagesgeld — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:35:09 +0000

I hadn’t heard about the green suit nick and neither about Lefty being the father of Baseball in Japan. Lots of fun, your blog is a wonderful pastime, thanks!

By: Larry Osorio

Larry Osorio — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 06:09:20 +0000

Hello Richard,

I have been listening to your wonderful Sparkletack podcasts in my car. As a native San Franciscan, and there seems to be so few of us around the Bay Area, I am enthralled with your musings. I learn more and more of my hometown with every Sparkletack podcast.

Hopefully your time-off will not be too long. You have done a wonderful job.

As an FYI, my father was a US Navy civilian worker on Treasure Island for many years. Your multi-part podcast on the island’s history put into perspective many of the sights I have seen there.

Here’s from one avid fan just waiting for your return.

By: richard - sparkletack

richard - sparkletack — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 23:37:01 +0000

Hi guys … sorry for the sudden absence-without-explanation, but frankly — I just ran out of gas.

Writing and producing this show is a thing greatly demanding of time and energy, and what fuels me — and pretty much every podcaster/blogger — is feedback.

There are thousands of folks out there listening to me, but I just don’t hear from them much.

In the absence of that kind of external encouragement, I decided to take a little time off, wait for my batteries to recharge, and start working on Sparkletack again when circumstances tell me the time is right.

Never fear, though … I will be back.

In the meantime, feel free to start your own urban history show! I’ll be your first subscriber. :)

By: Patrick SF

Patrick SF — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 03:01:41 +0000

Hi Richard

Your podcasts are a popular topic in our sauna next to Hyde Street Pier. Has home brewing consumed your spare time? I live near SF Brewcraft here in the Richmond. How about a show about brewing in SF and the bay area. I remember that Sonoma (Hop Kiln) was once an important hop growing region before Yakima.

By: Aspire

Aspire — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:57:32 +0000

I m missing all of that stuff…. do tell us what has happened?

By: bill davidson

bill davidson — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:58:48 +0000

Hi richard I seem to have missed something. Where are you. What has happened to those fantastic pods. please let me know. Awe the best from Scotland.

By: Elaine Lahey

Elaine Lahey — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:53:23 +0000

I second the opinion of Michelle Drake. I have eagerly listened to all of your podcasts, including all the archived material. I am a fourth generation San Franciscan and have learned many things even I had never heard of (or my mother either, a third generation San Franciscan!) Please do come back; we miss you.

All the best,

Elaine Lahey

By: Michelle Drake

Michelle Drake — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 11:45:10 +0000

I miss the SF history podcasts.What happened? Been waitin for the Palace Hotel cast you mentioned in the Caruso/06 quake story. Have you move to Portland and so no longer do Sparketack?

By: Tom O'Doul

Tom O'Doul — Fri, 29 May 2009 17:14:26 +0000

Richard,
I hope all baseball fans of “Lefty” will view the wonderful work of Chris Felix at the George Krevsky Gallery. The baseball exhibit is a must see for any fan of the game. I do believe the original photo was taken at Seal’s Stadium with visiting Japanese players in 1935.

Tom O’Doul