Some questions I have regarding 1959's Home Run Derby show

Estil

I'm sure most of you are familiar with the original Home Run Derby from 1959:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Run_Derby_(TV_series)

But there are a few trivia sorts of things about it I'm curious about that the Wikipedia article does not include...

1. Is there any pics/film from the show in color at all?

2. At the booth/desk there is a heavy hardcover book kept on the host's desk next to him. What book is it and why would he keep it around when it's seemingly never in use?

3. Who are the other two umpires and the pitchers/fielders used?

4. Who is it that narrates the opening and closing of the show? It kinda sounds like Harry Caray.

5. Do the houses shown behind the left field wall still exist?

perkdog

Great questions, one might have to google the show and go over each and every result and find maybe 2 answers to the questions you have!

stevek

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field_(Los_Angeles)

Wrigley Field was a ballpark on the West Coast of the United States, located in Los Angeles, California. It hosted minor league baseball teams in the region for over 30 years. It was the home park for the Los Angeles Angels during their run in the Pacific Coast League, as well as their inaugural season as a major league team in 1961. The park was designed by Zachary Taylor Davis, who had previously designed both Chicago ballparks: Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field.[2] The ballpark was also used as the backdrop for several Hollywood films about baseball, as well as the TV series Home Run Derby.

Broke ground 1925
Opened September 29, 1925
Closed 1969
Demolished 1969

1951WheatiesPremium

Hosted by Mark Scott

Umpire Art Passarella

stevek

<<< Do the houses shown behind the left field wall still exist? >>>

You would have to find out the address of this demolished Wrigley Field. Then Google the address and see if there are any pics of the area. With Google doing their "street camera shots" and also various real estate guides with house pics, i'd say the chances are excellent if not certain that you would find the answer to this question.

stevek

https://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-OFFICIAL-ENCYCLOPEDIA-OF-BASEBALL-1959-2ND-EDITION-BY-TURKIN-S-C-THOMPSON/262797686095?hash=item3d2ff6754f:g:O6AAAOSw9GhYcaBi

This is likely the book. With the dust jacket missing.

Estil

Very good detective work! See that possibility threw me off a bit because I thought the first Baseball Encyclopedia was published in 1969 (hee hee, 69...). But of course this one is the Official Encyclopedia of Baseball...slightly different title.

As for the google image search I actually made a topic about it a few years ago but no one responded...

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0081681,-118.2666545,3a,75y,17.15h,75.69t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNKiJbWQK6Wak6BCwvdkq1g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Trouble is they're kinda hard to see on the street level view with the trees blocking them.

perkdog

@Estil said:
Very good detective work! See that possibility threw me off a bit because I thought the first Baseball Encyclopedia was published in 1969 (hee hee, 69...). 😂😂😂

stevek

My Dad is a huge Phillies fan, and one time for his birthday, it was my early teens, I bought him a Baseball Encyclopedia. He was very happy with the birthday present.

Of course you see it coming a mile away...he enjoyed the book, but I used it probably twenty times more than he did. So it was also a nice gift to myself.

Estil

I'd love to maybe someday get a copy of the original '69 (hee hee) Baseball Encyclopedia (their first one right?) in the distinctive slipcase Also there's an interesting on I see on Feebay called Encyclopedia of MLB Team Histories (1991) that has seperate volumes for the National and American League. Remember the days when they were truly distinct sorts of leagues and back when NL and AL records counted for something? Of course pretty much all this century they've become mere LINO's (Leagues In Name Only)

PS: On that note, the host of Home Run Derby mentions the ballpark was selected because among other things it favors neither a National or American League player...why would that make any difference at all in this case? Maybe because at the time the host ballpark (Wrigley Field in LA) never hosted an MLB team (it would be the temporary home of the LA Angels from 1961-65)?

PS: It is in fact confirmed in the 12th episode that the book is indeed the Encyclopedia of Baseball.

Estil

So I finished binge watching all 26 episodes and I can clearly see why it didn't get any more episodes; in the last episode (26) their budget was pretty much cleaned out!!

https://youtu.be/OvIOUFov-u8