Discovering an Oriole Great: Boog Powell

I am an old enough fart to remember when Boog came up and insisted on being called John. I think that was the year or so they had those incredibly boring uniforms with the block letters and the block “B” on the cap so maybe he felt he just needed to be as boring as possible. The cartoon bird on the cap was a much better cap for a “Boog”.

Anyway he was a monster slugger. I seem to remember he tended to alternate good years — after a great year he would report to camp overweight and then have an off season. That would get his attention and the next year he would report in shape and have huge year. At least that’s what I recall. Of course, I think even the off years were pretty good. He was a heck of a player and a great Oriole.

But my old man used to yap constantly about the great Orioles teams when he was growing up. Brooks was his favorite, but Boog was a close second in terms of the dudes he would talk about. I was also lectured enough on Frank, Jim, and Earl to feel as if I was growing up with those guys instead of Cal, Brady and Deveraux.

Of course nothing was talked (read:complained) about more than the Colts leaving for Indy. My mom said that is the only time she has ever seen my old man cry.

… an old enough Oriole fan.

I think the more accessible a former player is (both through the media and in-person), the less I really think of them as a great player. This isn’t voluntary, of course, but to me the greats are larger than life figures, and when you get to know them better, they are just regular people again. Yogi Berra is everywhere up here. I could probably see him in person once a week if I wanted to. Because of that, I sometimes forget how much of a legend he really is and how great a career he had. Same goes for Palmer due to him being on tv all the time. Ive met Boog too many times for him to be that elusive superstar in my head, so I have to actually look and see how great his career was from time to time to remind myself.

Come to think of it, it’s really true in multiple forms. I used to idolize Billy Joel’s sax player, being a sax player most of my life and having always leaned to the rock side of the instrument. I remember meeting him once and freaking out. Recently, i’ve been able to perform with him quite a few times and have gotten to know him more personally. Ever since then, I have to remind myself just how great this guy is and how many great solo lines he’s created. Its like a different person when you listen to the cd, but in reality its just a normal dude thats really good at something, and when you get to know the person, you see them for more of who they are than what their talents are.

Phew. Sorry for the huge post.

of sorts. anybody else remember the band hazel?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Z2VeJQN3A

It’s crazy that he was a regular at age 19 and had a monster season as a 22 year old.

It’s also weird that he had one of his best years as a 33 year old, after three mediocre years, and then that was basically it.

Like, say, Tony Perez, for one.

If he’d hung around to DH a few more years, put up a few counting stats, at the cost of his lifetime averages, he might have seen some more support.

As it is, he’s probably not a HoFer but he also probably deserved more consideration than he got.

Just to be clear…not advocating Boog as a HoFer…just saying I think he was better than history judged.

I can’t remember seeing him at 19, but he had to be, well, svelter than the image that’s stuck in my mind (and has been for decades…and is not helped by the Barbecue). And anyway, Babe Ruth played the outfield in pretty darn circular form for many years..