Paul V., I’m glad your kids see that quality in the Mets and Yankees. I see it, too. As a native New Yorker, of course I’m proud of the Yankees, but I’ve always been a big Mets fan because they have so much heart. This year they were true champions. They didn’t win, but they demonstrated for sure that it’s not whether you win or lose but how you play the game. They came out from way behind, never gave up and were just amazing. For me, that’s the definition of a hero.

One of the great things about the old players was that they were generally decent guys. They also lived in the neighborhood. With the type of pay you made back then, most of them also had to keep a winter job. I remembr that one of the guys from the Dodgers was a used car salesman,can’t recall which one.

Speaking of Willie Mays, what a great field of players at the ALl Star Game! Probably the best collection of baseball talent ever assembled in one place. …

When I was 13 or so for two years I hung out by Ebbets Field and got many autographs from the Dodgers and their opponents…Linus Frey was a rookie infielder and so gracious as were all of the Dodgers….would sneak in after doors opened about the seventh inning and hide in the ticket booths made of wood with real knotholes..peak out when players came from locker rooms and jump out if I did not have their signature in my marbalized cover book with indexes for 8 NBL teams..only the hated Bill Terry of the Giants refused..so typical..all for now..back later I hope..John