Posts Tagged ‘Pensacola Baseball’
Steve Dalkowski …
The player on the far right is Steve Dalkowski and this photo was taken by my father back in 1959. He is featured in a new movie called FASTBALL . The movie is narrated by Kevin Costner and is worth seeing, whether or not you are a baseball fan. It is an extremely entertaining movie and it covers a wide span in the history of baseball. Here is an article written by Joe Posnanski about Dalkowski that really an interesting story and one of the best on him that I have read recently. Mr Posnanski is one of the writers interviewed in the movie and is a sports writer when he is not doing movie interviews / work. Dalkowski’s story is not a Cinderella one, but it is real and interesting. There are other stories out there on Dalkowski and if you just Google his name you will find a half a dozen good articles. It just goes to show you that for every Dimaggio, there are thousand of Dalkowskis out there, but then again – that’s life. I do not have any stories to offer about Dalkowski when he played for the Dons. I wish that I has something to share with you here and I hope that anyone that reads this and has something to share will. In fact, I have only talked to a handful of people that have actually been to a Dons game. The girl whose father owned the Dons, I believe his last name was Davis, contacted me once and I wish that I had some way to get back in touch with her, because I have some questions to ask her about the Dons. That is it for now … go watch FASTBALL and let me know what you think. Thanks for looking and please let me hear your comments or your questions … Frank
Pensacola Dons with Bo Belinsky …
This is a group photo of the pitching staff of the Pensacola Dons from 1959. I am not 100% on the year, but I am pretty sure that was the year. Belinsky in the the back row on the far right side. I do not have a clue who any of the other pitchers are at this point … I will have to do some checking and see if I can find some names. I ran across a folder that I have scanned, but I have not cleaned any of the photos up and gotten ready to post. There might be 40 or so negatives that I have scanned in this folder. Some negatives are of a group of male body builders in their bathing suites and some girls giving them their awards. I have posted a photo of a beauty queen receiving a trophy from a ball player, but I have not done anything with the guys. I guess management figured if they did something for the men in the stands that they had better do something for the women so that they would not have a riot on their hands. I will work them up in the next few weeks and post them. Maybe the Blue Wahoos could learn a thing or two from the Dons, however the way that they pack that new stadium every game, they are certainly doing something right because it sure ain’t the way that they are playing!! Thanks for looking and please check back … Frank
One more thing, here is a link to Bo Belinsky’s Wikipedia page. He was really an interesting guy, so just google him and read about him ….
Mrs. Babe Ruth in Pensacola …
Back in the late 1950’s, a Babe Ruth baseball team from Pensacola won the national Babe Ruth Baseball Championship. It was a real honor for a small town baseball team to beat out all of the other teams from all of the fifty states. Mrs. Babe Ruth came to Pensacola to present the winning team a trophy and while she was here, she took in a Dons’ baseball game. My father made a photo of her with the team. I also recently ran across a news clipping in the local paper about her coming to Pensacola and I also found a nice looking drawing of the “Babe” that I am including.
If any one was in attendance at any of the festivities, please let us hear from you. The drawing of Babe Ruth and the news clipping are courtesy of my good friend, Rusty Bizzell. His uncle , who is in the newspaper clipping, was the coach of the Babe Ruth team that won. Thanks for looking and please check back … Frank
Pensacola Senators …
Not sure of the year that this was taken. In the third row, on the far left, you see our buddy ” Potash ” again. You remember him from my post earlier titled ” The Grounds-Keeper “. The Senators were after the Dons, so this had to have been made around 1960, but that is just a guess. If anyone remembers anything about the Senators, please let us hear from you. Thanks for looking
Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two 
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