With his negative WAR, Joe Engel was more successful as a scout and team owner than he was as a pitcher. What a character! Have there been any ‘cash grabs’ in the last decade or so? I know there are bobble head and jersey and other giveaways but I can’t think of cash giveaways in recent years.
As far as I can tell, the last one in the major leagues was held in the early 1980s, though some continued in the minors after that. As much as I've written about these things, if anybody knows of one in recent years, I hope they'll get in touch with me!
A great story about a Veeck-like figure, Paul. I remember Harry Caray musing on air that he and Norm Cash should partner in a check-cashing business called, wait for it. . .”Cash & Caray.”
Great detail, Bill, thanks for sharing that. I'm a big fan of Caray's, but I'm not sure I'd have let him handle my money.
Veeck and Engel were constantly associated by the 1950s--they would have been contemporaries in the minor leagues in the early 1940s at least. I was really hoping to find some connective tissue between them, one talking about the other, but I never did. Something I'll keep an eye out for in the future.
I’m pretty sure the last give a way I got at Yankee Stadium was grass seed. Don’t get me wrong I love the outdoors & I do have a lawn living in NJ but I do wonder what most city dwellers are gonna do with those seeds.
I guess they could get a flower pot & put it on their fire escape - hoping the pidgeons don’t chow down.
I still have mine unopened in the box.
Maybe I’ll put it on E Bay! A better idea than hauling a 200 lb. bag to the dugout, right?
If it's a specially branded bag please send me a picture. What better way to show the evolution of giveaways (although there are still plenty of good ones) from a bag of money to a bag of grass seed.
With his negative WAR, Joe Engel was more successful as a scout and team owner than he was as a pitcher. What a character! Have there been any ‘cash grabs’ in the last decade or so? I know there are bobble head and jersey and other giveaways but I can’t think of cash giveaways in recent years.
As far as I can tell, the last one in the major leagues was held in the early 1980s, though some continued in the minors after that. As much as I've written about these things, if anybody knows of one in recent years, I hope they'll get in touch with me!
A great story about a Veeck-like figure, Paul. I remember Harry Caray musing on air that he and Norm Cash should partner in a check-cashing business called, wait for it. . .”Cash & Caray.”
Great detail, Bill, thanks for sharing that. I'm a big fan of Caray's, but I'm not sure I'd have let him handle my money.
Veeck and Engel were constantly associated by the 1950s--they would have been contemporaries in the minor leagues in the early 1940s at least. I was really hoping to find some connective tissue between them, one talking about the other, but I never did. Something I'll keep an eye out for in the future.
I’m pretty sure the last give a way I got at Yankee Stadium was grass seed. Don’t get me wrong I love the outdoors & I do have a lawn living in NJ but I do wonder what most city dwellers are gonna do with those seeds.
I guess they could get a flower pot & put it on their fire escape - hoping the pidgeons don’t chow down.
I still have mine unopened in the box.
Maybe I’ll put it on E Bay! A better idea than hauling a 200 lb. bag to the dugout, right?
Ka Ching..
If it's a specially branded bag please send me a picture. What better way to show the evolution of giveaways (although there are still plenty of good ones) from a bag of money to a bag of grass seed.
Will do!