Ball Four Turns Forty event
The “Ball Four Turns Forty” event sponsored by the Baseball Reliquary at Burbank library was so much fun. The event went from 11: AM to 5:P.M. By the time we broke for lunch at 12:30 I knew I made the right decision to go to this event and skip the Dodger game.
Here is the panel of Jean Hastings Ardell, David Kipen, Ron Shelton, David Davis and Jim Bouton.
Wish I had taken my copy of Bull Durham so Ron Shelton could have signed it.
Here are panel taking questions from attendees. Unfortunately the time was alredy 12:30 so the guy in the yellow shirt was the last one asking question. The lady in the green shirt is my friend Jeanine
I went to lunch with Roberto of VinScullyismyhomeboy.com and with friend Jeanine. Time flew by that we were late coming back but we found single seats in the end.
All copies of ”Bal Four The final Pitch” were sold out by the time we came back from lunch so Roberto and I were glad that we bought our copy before we left for lunch. Jeanine had brought her old copy but she bought another book about the minor league by Jim Bouton. While Jim was signing the book I was checking his Yankee ring. He wrote in my book “For Emma- “Smoke them inside” Jim Bouton.
The documentary “the Seattle Pilots: Short Flight into History was great that alot of us bought the dvd. I knew very little about the Seattle Pilots. I found documentary facinating..
After the documentary, the second panel discussion consisted of Jim Bouton, Tommy Davis, Greg Goossen, Charles Kapner who loaned his Seattle PIlot memorabilia for the exhibit, Steve Cox and Brad Powers who were presenting the documentary.
Jim said that he has only read 20 books in his life! I think it was David Davis, the moderator that said “I think the Burbank librarian just fainted!”
Here is Greg Goossen. He is a local boy from Sherman Oaks, Ca.
Here is a Greg Goosssen and Tommy Davis when they played for the Seattle Pilots.
The Seattle Pilots schedule from 1969. They only lasted one season as they became the Milwaukeee Brewers the following year.

What a fantastic event, Emma! Lots of baseball history in that room!
The Valley certainly contributed to great pool of talent in the Majors, including Goossen, Robin Yount, Bret Saberhagen, Rick Auerbach – to name a few. To witness it was amazing – to remember it is a keepsake that shines forever.
http://heirloom.mlblogs.com
Emma: Haha cute shirt in these pics Emma. Good you were able to get your books..AND autographs!
-Virginia
http://southernbelle.mlblogs.com
Wow. Look at you getting your pic taken with yet another baseball celebrity. Bouton is such an interesting guy.
http://janeheller.mlblogs.com
Hi Emma!
First of all, sorry I didn’t post this earlier, but thx for the pics from the tour! That was a fun day! And sorry for bugging you last Friday on the phone; I thought you were at the game! Oh well, I’ll catch up with ya later…
I learn so much when I read your blog, stuff that I would otherwise be way to ignorant about. Once more you rub shoulders with some special characters from baseball
-peter
http://devilabrit.mlblogs.com
Looks like you had a great time. I’m SO envious. I knew a number of players on the Pilots – Chico Salmon, Tommy Harper, Jose Vidal, and a few others – and followed them their first year. Emma, if you are able, get yourself a copy of “I Managed Good But They Played Bad” by Jim Bouton – a really good book.
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Cheers and have a great week
haha I don’t know what happened to my response here. I really thought I made one before I left for the game on Sunday. Perhaps I put it in the wrong post?
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Randy,
It was a fantastic event! I love it! I’ll keep an eye open for any more Baseball Reliquary events. I might join their club.
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Virigina,
I love that shirt. I should also take a pic of the back of the shirt. It says “Scully” and below it where the number usually go, there is a mike!
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Jane, Jim Bauton sure is interesting. I told him “I am so excited to be here”
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Carol,
I am so sorry that I missed you. After I called you back, I did not look at my phone. I can’t hear it with all the noise and I had forgotten to take it off vibrate. Usually I just put it in my purse and forget about it. I was at the game Friday. It was Saturday that I skipped to go the event at the Burbank library.
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Sparkleplenty!
WOW! You knew some of the Pilot players! Wow! You would have loved this event! I told a friend Friday night and she decided to go. She had a wonderful time. She loves going to minor league games so she bought Jim Bouton book about the minor league. I’ll try to get that book that you are telling me about. Thanks! I would have never known about it if you did not tell me.
Peter,
Thank you! It makes me feel good that someone can learn just a little something from my humble blog.
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Great photos! Looks like you had an awesome time :O)
Jenn
http://philliesphollowers.mlblogs.com/
Jenn,
I have more photos about that event but I only put a few. I saw that a picture of me when Jim Bouton was signing my book made it to the Daily News!
Funny. I always thought the Seattle Pilots were about piloting planes, not boats. Whoops! Nice pics and story from the event. Thanks for sharing!
–Jeff
http://redstatebluestate.mlblogs.com/
http://mtrredstatebluestate.com
Sounds like a nice event. I really love that Pilots Schedule!
http://wrigleyregular.mlblogs.com/
Jeff,
funny you should say that. Gregg Goossen was sharing a story that he was at a bar and a woman asked wat he did. He said “I Play for the Seattle Pilots.” The woman said “Who?” Then he said “I fly planes for TWA. Let me buy you a beer…”
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Russelw,
You know, I did not know before that Lou Pinella played for the Seattle Pilots and that he got traded tro KC only to become a Rookie of the year that year (1969) for the Royals.
Emma,
Did oyu know Rays Hitting Coache’s father Ron Shelton actually played on the same minor league team as Mr Ron “BullDurham/Tin Cup” Shelton. Just anoither fun fact from my private files.
Seriously, sounded like a great time to ponder and remember with some old players and even a pretty outspoken political leader. Wish I was there!
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
Rays,
It was an amazing event! My friend Jeanine was talking about the following day telling me ‘Emma, I had so much fun at the event!” She could not put down the book about the minor league that she picked up there. She wants to lend it to me to read in the off-season and I bring it back in the Spring.
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What a coincidence RR! You sure have quite a stack of private files.! I know you would have had a great time there. I stayed till the whole thing was over and that including just chatting at the end when the event concluded.