A View From the Bench: Zeke Speaks
Ed. Note: Zeke Alpern is the rarest of all commodities; a citizen soldier from World War II. How many World War II pilots do you know? And if that is not enough, he was cut by the New York Yankees in 1946 after nearly making it through a two week tryout in Florida . You see, Zeke was all glove, no bat.
But getting dinged by a Yankee scout was no big deal after flying missions for the Air Force. Zeke went on to play semi-pro ball in the Queens Alliance League and more importantly started a family that would seem to embody the American dream.
He had the good fortune to attend games at the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field, and now keeps daily box scores. For the New York Mets. Unfortunate yes, but he redeemed himself by taking Abraham Lincoln’s likeness as his own. Zeke has a real appreciation for history, and not just when he is making it.
We recently signed Zeke to a 15-year contract, which should see him through to the age of 100. This is a story about Ted Williams.
“If I had known people were going to make such a big deal about it, I would have done it more often” Ted Williams, on hitting .400
It is the last day of the regular season in 1941. Boston has a double header to play. Joe Cronin, the Red Sox manager, sits down in the dugout next to Ted Williams and says “You’re hitting .39955 and if you sit out the double header you go into the record books with a .400 average.
Ted says to his manager “I want to play both games.” He goes 6 for 8 in the double header and ends up with a .406 average for the year. In my estimation the “Splendid Splinter” was the best hitter ever.
Hard to disagree with that. Zeke will be with us on a regular basis.
Need more Ted?
A tribute to the Splendid Splinter
Sports Illustrated
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