Thanks Lew

[41-44-VB]

Thanks for all the memories Lew Burdette. Our condolences, sympathies, and prayers go out to your family at this time.

[hudsonharden]

I was very sad when I heard the news. Lew was a great player for one of the greatest teams ever, the 1957 Milwaukee Braves. My heart goes out to his family.

[FlashGordon]

I was just reading this article on the passing of Lew Burdette at 80 years of age (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-obit-burdette&prov=ap&type=lgns). What strikes me is that the Yankees traded him away for Johnny Sain (Spahn and Sain, then pray for rain), but Lew got his revenge going 3-0 in the 1957 World Series against the New York Yankees, capping it off with a 7-hit shut out in game 7 in Yankee Stadium. That performance earned him World Series MVP. Just one of those twists of fate that he and the Braves ended up in Milwaukee. I certainly hope the people of Milwaukee and the Braves fans in general appreciate what that means. Had he done that while in Boston, he would have all kinds of landmarks named after him.

My respects to his family and fans.

[Brownie31]

October 10, 1957 Milwaukee: Lew Burdette and Warren Spahn are the Toast of the Town after the Milwaukee Braves whip the New York Yankees four games to three in the 1957 World Series. Burdette won three games and Spahn one. Rest In Peace. (Corbis)

Brownie31

[KCGHOST]

Burdette's performance in the 1957 World Series was nothing short of magnificent.

[kearns643]

Its always sad when we lose one of Baseball's best. I was too young to remember that era but my house was always filled with stories of those teams, told to me by my dad. And Oh, those stories...

Baseball Karma happened Tuesday as I got an autograph request back from Mr. Burdette. It had been out a while. I will take it as dad looking after me and my son.

We got this back from him....

19149


I also wanted to add a song by John McCutcheon called "World Series '57"
where he sings about the Braves beating the Yankees in 7..."Oh, the Yankees were coming like a force out of Heaven...."

It was cool in October the year I turned five
The wind off the Lake made you feel so alive
Oh, the Yankees were coming like a force out of heaven
For the World Series in '57
There was Spahnie and Red, Johnny Logan and Lew
Pafko, Wes, Felix, and Joe Adcock, too
There was Henry and Eddie and my hero, Del
Right there on the TV I remember it well



It's the Star Spangled Banner
At the top of your lungs
Take me out to the ballgame
Like when we were young
I'll remember each play
To the end of my days
In the land of the free
And the home of the Braves


Though we took it in seven it was all for the show
We were toying with Casey and a good chance of snow
For fans in Wisconsin are tough women and men
And it's warmed all our hearts each October since then Chorus


When a town loved a team
And a team loved a town
And you cheered for your heroes
Even when they were down
The crack of the bat
The jump of the ball
The roar of the crowd
As it cleared the far wall

So now every autumn I gather my kids
And I tell them about the Brave deeds that we did
My Dad and the TV trays out in the den
And I feel like I'm five in the Series again

It's the Star Spangled Banner
At the top of your lungs
Take me out to the ballgame
Like when we were young
I'll remember each play
To the end of my days
Oh, say can you see
My old man and me
In the land of the free
And the home of the Braves

Click on "Autumn Songs"...find and play...short version but still real nice..

http://www.folkmusic.com/f_music.htm

[rwolfe09]

I never got Lew's autograph nor did I know much about him but it's always sad when the baseball world loses such a good player. RIP.

[FlashGordon]

Click on "Autumn Songs"...find and play...short version but still real nice..

http://www.folkmusic.com/f_music.htmWhat a great bit of nostalgia. Thanks for sharing that.

[kearns643]

What a great bit of nostalgia. Thanks for sharing that.


Flash...and the whole song is just so powerful..perhaps my favorite baseball song (or strong second to "Losing" by Pondering Judd, its a Red Sox song).

The Chorus is a poem in itself...

Its the Star Stangled Banner
At the top of my lungs
Take me to the ballgame
Like I was young

I"ll remember the plays
To the end of my days

Oh, say you see
My old man and me
In the Land of the Free
And the Home of the Braves.

If that doesn't describe my dad and I...I don't know what does.

Thanks for your post...

[Twinfan90]

I dont know too much about Lew Burdette, but that is a nice example of baseball karma Bill. Always sad to see a guy like him go, RIP.

[Philly-brownsfan]

One of my first Sports memories is of Lew Burdette defeating the defending World's Champion New York Yankees 3 times in 1957 to give the Milwaukee Braves their only World Series title. Checking the record book, no one can dispute how awesome his performance was that October - 3 wins (the last on two days rest), 3 complete games, 2 shutouts, and a 0.67 ERA.
An interesting coda to his career was provided by the fact that after six big years from 1956 to 1961, that included two 20-win seasons and a no-hitter, Burdette began to struggle after he'd reached about 175-180 career wins, and he started to get traded around the National League. He gutted out the last 20-25 wins, and a change of scenary near the end, moving to the American League certainly didn't hurt. The Phillies gave up on him after the 1965 season with his career win total standing at 195.
That he would reach 200 wins was definitely not a foregone conclusion when he signed with the A.L.'s California Angels as a free agent, but that milesone was eventually toppled as he had a very good year, going 7-2 in relief. His milestone 200th win came on a hot Friday July '66 night at Yankee Stadium, against the Yankees (You should have guessed that - Lew really had that team's number). After Burdette entered the game in the seventh, with the Angels trailing by a run or two, the usually light-hitting Tom Satriano belted a triple to clear the bases and almost ensure the victory for Burdette. Lew nailed down the ninth inning, retiring among others a budding star, Roy White, and an aging all-time, superstar, his old World Series enemy, Mickey Mantle.
Burdette's 203-144, with a winning percentage approaching .600, represents an outstanding career and yet Burdette still can't get on the Hall Of Fame Veteran's Committee's ballot. Perhaps pitching #2 in a rotation behind the great Warren Spahn set the pattern. Lew was just destined to be overshadowed and overlooked. - Undeservedly so!
Dennis Orlandini (Philly-brownsfan)

[kearns643]

You were there Dennis and your memories of those days and Mr. Burdette only echo my dad's stories. I envy you and those times, special times really.
It was baseball's glory days for sure. My son and I are pen pals with one of those players who played then, Frank Thomas '52 Pirates, and he played on one of the Braves teams in 1960. Here is a link to some of the the stuff we do....

http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=57607

I haven't asked about Lew Burdette with him yet...perhaps its time.

Thanks for the previous post..brought back some of my stuff too.