Author: Sports Radio Service

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast: Padres Arraez placed on 7 day concussion IL; Braves Strider hurt again out on 15 day IL; plus more MLB news

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San Diego Padres Luis Arraez is laid out after colliding with Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon (left) as Padres first base coach David Macias (46) and the Houston Astros trainer checks on Arraez in the top of the first inning at Daikin Park in Houston on Mon Apr 21, 2025 (AP News photo)

That’s Amaury News and Commentary podcast:

#1  The San Diego Padres have placed Luis Arraez on the seven day concussion injured list on Monday. Arraez got into a scary collision with Houston Astros second baseman Mauricio Dubon at first base. Arraez was laid out and had to be carted off the field and taken to the hospital but came back to the ballpark after the Padres 3-2 win. Talk about taking one for the team.

#2 If it’s one thing it’s another for the Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider. Strider was who returned from elbow surgery and had not been in a game since April 5, 2024. Strider in his last game pitched five innings in a 3-1 loss giving up two runs on April 16th. Strider on Monday strained his right hamstring while playing catch on Monday and is now on the 15 day injured list.

#3  Cleveland Guardians pitcher Triston McKenzie has been designated for assignment on Monday. McKenzie had been suffering from arm injuries had made 30 starts in 2022 when he went 11-11 with a 2.96 ERA. McKenzie had a 11.12 ERA in four appearances this season. McKenzie a right hander since April 16 when allowed four runs against the Baltimore Orioles.

#4 After playing in 32 minor league games the Sacramento Athletics have called up first baseman Nick Kurtz. Kurtz the A’s No. 4 overall pick in last season’s draft will be activated on Wednesday. The A’s will face the Texas Rangers left hander Patrick Corbin on Tuesday and would like to see Kurtz get some at at bats to see if he add some punch to the line up.

#5  San Francisco Giants infielder Casey Schmitt is on the 30 day IL suffering from a grade 2 left oblique strain. Schmitt who underwent an MRI Monday was diagnosed by Dr. Ken Akizuki and the Giants orthopedist has scheduled Schmitt for evaluation for this weekend. Schmitt was hitting in the batting cage last weekend in Anaheim when he got injured putting him on the ten day IL.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria Tue Apr 22, 2025: A’s Bido looking for third win; Sac gets after first place Texas tonight

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Sacramento A’s pitcher Osvaldo Bido (45) will be doing the pitching Tue Apr 22, 2025 against the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento to open a three game set. Here Bido deals against the San Francisco Giants on Sat Aug 17, 2024 at the Oakland Coliseum (AP file photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Renteria:

#1 The Milwaukee Brewers (12-10) Rhys Hoskins went three for five with a home run and four RBIs. The Brewers set a franchise record with nine steals as it wasn’t even close as the Brewers won in a 14-1 laugher.

#2 The Brewers Logan Henderson struck out nine hitters in his big league debut. The Sacramento A’s (10-12) had been going well before Sunday’s game where they had won four out of their last five games and were getting around .500 but were just helpless in this loss at American Family Park.

#3 A’s starter Jefferey Springs was lit up Sunday he pitched 2.1 innings, giving up five runs and six hits, four earned runs, three strike outs and one home run.

#4 The Brewers take the three game series two out of three. The Brewers went to work early scoring four in the first, and rallied later in the game for five more runs in the seventh. A’s pitching just couldn’t hold the Brewers.

#5 The A’s went 4-2 on this last road trip and are 8-4 on the road overall. The A’s come home to open a three game series at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday. The A’s are 2-7 at home and host the Texas Rangers who are first in the AL West at 13-9 and lead second place Seattle by one game. Starting pitchers for the Rangers LHP Patrick Corbin (1-0 ERA 3.86) for the A’s Osvaldo Bido (2-1 ERA 2.61) first pitch slated for 7:05pm PDT.

Tony Renteria does the A’s podcasts Tuesdays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Giants score a run in each of last four innings to beat Brewers 5-2

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Monday, April 21

Oracle Park San Francisco

By Lewis Rubman

Milwaukee 12-11) 020 000 000 2 6 1

San Francisco (15-8) 010 011 11x 5 8 0

Time: 2:30

Attendance: 31,758

Although your San Francisco Giants started off on their recently completed grueling ten day tour of New York, Philadelphia, and beautiful downtown Anaheim like a house on fire, they cooled down when the weather got heated up in Orange County. The Giants started their homestand on Monday night with a 5-2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday night.

Sunday’s game, which began with Jason Verlander’s first satisfying start and ended with Ryan Walker’s sudden loss of control (with a little help from Lázaro Díaz behind the plate) to peter out with a 5-5 record for their paschal peregrination, this chilly Monday evening, in the first of a three game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Giants chose as their starter their current ace, Robbie Ray, who has a tendency to get into trouble early but right himself before the damage is irreparable.

Ray ran true to form, coughing up a couple of runs to fall behind, 2-0, but allowing the visitors only a single additional tally for the remainder of his five innings on the mound, leaving with the score knotted at two.

The runs he surrendered were earned, and they came on five hits, including ninth place batter Caleb Durbin’s two inning dinger that accounted for all of Milwaukee’s scoring. Ray threw 92 pitches in his abbreviated start; 37 of them were balls.

Ray struck out four and lowered his ERA from 4.19 to 4.07. Hayden Birdsong, originally a starter, but blossoming as a middle reliever, got the win, holding the brew crew to one hit and two walks in three frames. He, too, threw a lot of pitches, 49 (19 balls) while retiring four opponents on strikes.

He now owns a record of 1-0, 1.38). Wrapping up the victory and earning his third save on the season was Camilo Doval, trying to redeem his lost promise, and looking good, being credited with strikes on six of the seven pitches he threw in a hitless ninth.

Ray’s opposite number, the Brewers’ newly acquired Quinn Priester, Pittsburgh’s first round draft choice in 2019 and now with his third team since making his big league debut with the PIrates in 2023. From there he went to Boston in ’24 and then on to Milwaukee this March. He toed the rubber with a too good to be true mark of 1-0, 0.90 and left after four innings at a more down to earth but still outstanding 1-0, 1.93.

He, like Ray, allowed two runs, both earned. They came on four safeties and an equal number of walks. Priester was followed by a parade of five relievers over the game’s remaining four frames. They were Nick Mears, Grant Anderson, charged with the loss that dropped his numbers to 1-1,3.38.

The run came on Wilmer Flores’s 309 foot solo home run over the Hanwha Insurance sign in left center field. Jared Koenig (2/3 of an inning), Joel Payamps (1/3), and Craig Yoho (1), gave up a run apiece, except for Payams, who faced only one batter, Matt Chapman, who ended the Giants’ rally in the fifth with a fly to the warning track in dead center field.

Wilmer Flores and Tyler Fitzgerald were the only Giants to have multi-hit nights. The former hit the tie-breaking and ultimately game winning home run, and the latter managed to scratch out a pair of infield single. Matt Chapman did some nifty fielding, as did Patrick Bailey. Mike Yastrzemski, 이정후 (Jung Hoo Lee), whose seventh inning triple drove in one time Brewer Willy Adames, in the seventh, LaMonte Wade, Jr., and Bailey had one hit apiee.

The teams will go at it again Tuesday, evening at 6:45. Southpaw José Quintana (2-0, 0.71) will start against starboarder Jordan HIcks (1-2, 6.04)

San Francisco Giants podcast Morris Phillips: Giants Walker not too shaken up after Angels 4 run pile on; SF now just 2 games back of Padres in NL West

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Los Angeles Angels Jo Adelle second from right celebrates his winning double that beat the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the ninth inning at Angels Stadium in Anaheim on Sun Apr 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

San Francisco Giants podcast with Morris Phillips:

#1 Morris taking a look at Sunday’s tough loss in Anaheim the Los Angeles Angels Jo Adelle hit a three RBI double that in four run ninth inning that beat the San Francisco Giants 5-4 for a walk off hit at Angels Stadium.

#2 San Francisco closer Ryan Walker was trying to shut the door but was credited with a blown save that saw the four run ninth ending with the one run loss. It was just a tough way to end the game for the reliever with just one pitch.

#3 After losing a tough note like that and losing two out of three to the Angels do you see other clubs picking up on some of the Giants weak spots or the Angels for example just got a lucky break getting a walk off double like that?

#4 The Giants concluded their road trip with the Angels that saw them going 6-4. The Giants are now just two games back of the first place San Diego Padres in the NL West playing the next 11 of 13 games at Oracle Park gives the Giants a shot at moving into first place. For Monday night the Brewers are starting RHP Quinn Priester (1-0 ERA 0.90) the Giants going with LHP Robbie Ray (3-0 ERA 4.19). On Tuesday night the Brewers will be starting RHP Freddy Peralta (2-1 ERA 1.91) for the Giants RHP Logan Webb (2-1 ERA 2.40)

Morris does the San Francisco Giants podcasts at his normal time slot Thursday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

San Jose Barracuda podcast Marko Ukalovic: All playoff games in LA for Barracuda starts Thursday

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The San Jose Barracuda were knocked around pretty good by the Calgary Wranglers at the Stampede Coral in Calgary on Sun Apr 20, 2025 (photo by the San Jose Barracuda)

San Jose Barracuda podcast Marko Ukalovic:

#1 The San Jose Barracuda were shutout by the Calgary Wranglers on Sunday 4-0 not quite the ideal way the Barracuda wanted to end their season before going to the Southland for the AHL playoffs.

#2 The disadvantage of this best two out of three playoffs is all of them will be in the Southland and the Barracuda do not get one home game in this upcoming series.

#3 Scoring in the game it was all Wranglers on Sunday with Carter King scoring his first goal of the season at 13:16 in the first period.

#4 The Wranglers would score twice in the second period Clark Bishop scored his 19th goal of the season at 10:19 and at 14:09 Lucas Ciona scores eighth of the year for a 3-0 lead at the end of the second period. In the third period at 4:25 Dryden Hunt scored his 16th goal of the season and put the final touches for scoring winning it.

#5 The Barracuda open up the best two out of three on Thursday Ontario does have that big advantage hosting two games on the 24th and 26th at the Crypto.com Arena in downtown LA and a possible game 3 on the 28th at the Toyota Arena in Ontario.

Marko Ukalovic hosts the San Jose Barracuda podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason: A’s open homestand with Rangers Tuesday; A’s hoping to improve on home record

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The Milwaukee Brewers Christian Yelich slides behind the Sacramento A’s catcher Shea Langeliers scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning at American Family Park in Milwaukee on Sun Apr 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:

#1 The Milwaukee Brewers (12-10) Rhys Hoskins went three for five with a home run and four RBIs. The Brewers set a franchise record with nine steals as it wasn’t even close as the Brewers won in a 14-1 laugher.

#2 The Brewers Logan Henderson struck out nine hitters in his big league debut. The Sacramento A’s (10-12) had been going well before Sunday’s game where they had won four out of their last five games and were getting around .500 but were just helpless in this loss at American Family Park.

#3 A’s starter Jefferey Springs was lit up Sunday he pitched 2.1 innings, giving up five runs and six hits, four earned runs, three strike outs and one home run.

#4 The Brewers take the three game series two out of three. The Brewers went to work early scoring four in the first, and rallied later in the game for five more runs in the seventh. A’s pitching just couldn’t hold the Brewers.

#5 The A’s went 4-2 on this last road trip and are 8-4 on the road overall. The A’s come home to open a three game series at Sutter Health Park on Tuesday. The A’s are 2-7 at home and host the Texas Rangers who are first in the AL West at 13-9 and lead second place Seattle by one game. Starting pitchers for the Rangers LHP Patrick Corbin (1-0 ERA 3.86) for the A’s Osvaldo Bido (2-1 ERA 2.61) first pitch slated for 7:05pm PDT.

Barbara Mason does the A’s podcasts Mondays at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Angels Pull Off Shocker Beating Giants In a Walk off 5-4 at the Big A

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San Francisco Giants starter Justin Verlander had a better outing on Sun Apr 20, 2025 but the relief pitching collapsed in the late innings as the Los Angeles Angels scored four runs in the ninth for a comeback win at the Big A in Anaheim (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

When it looked as if Justin Verlander would have his first win as a San Francisco Giant(14-8) it all fell apart in the ninth inning. The Los Angeles Angels (11-10) pulled off a late game rally beating San Francisco in a walk off 5-4. It was a complete shock with closer Ryan Walker stumbling from very close to the start of the inning. He walked a runner, allowed a couple of singles, hit Zach Neto driving in a run, loaded the bases twice and then the dagger double driving in three runners for the walk off. It was a complete disaster.

Game recap: This game was a pitching duel through the first four innings. Justin Verlander faced a huge challenge in the fourth inning when he loaded the bases via a Taylor Ward double followed by two walks. With two outs, Verlander went to work striking Logan O’Hoppe out and that was the inning getting out of a sticky situation and keeping Los Angeles off the scoreboard.

Hits were few and far between for both teams until the fifth inning. San Francisco was the first team up on the scoreboard taking a 1-0 lead. Willy Adames singled Heliot Ramos home as the Giants broke through for the first score of the game. The San Francisco lead was short-lived, however, when the Angels tied up the game in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run off the bat of Zach Neto.

The Giants extended their lead in the sixth inning hitting their first home run of the game, a two run homer giving San Francisco a 3-1 lead. Sam Huff knocked a long ball to center with David Villar on base. This was Huff’s first home run of the season.

Mike Trout came to the plate in the bottom of the sixth hitting a bullet that was miraculously corralled by Jung Hoo Lee in center field. Lee’s catch not only prevented a base hit but also had everything to do with keeping Verlander on the mound. Trout went on to strike out, his second strikeout of the game.

This game went into the seventh inning. With two outs the Giant’s Wilmer Flores came to the plate still in search of his first hit of the series. Flores walked and a least got on base but Luis Matos fouled out and the game went on to the bottom of the seventh inning.

After six innings Justin Verlander was relieved by Camilo Doval in the bottom of the seventh inning. Verlander had a great game allowing two hits, one earned run, two walks and six strikeouts now with a great chance to win his first game of the season.

Getting out of the fourth inning with the bases loaded and going on to pitch for two more innings had to be one of the highlights in this game along with the miracle catch we saw Jung Hoo Lee make in the sixth inning.

Neither team scored in the seventh inning. Through seven innings the Giants had seven hits, the Angels two. San Francisco’s Tyler Fitzgerald walked in the top of the eighth inning and the Giants had a base runner with no outs.

Fitzgerald advanced to second with Sam Huff walking and the Giants were threatening with two runners on base. The bottom of the batting order had set it all up for the top of the batting order with Heliot Ramos at the plate with only one out. Ramos hit into a fielder’s choice, Huff was thrown out at second and the Giants had runner’s at the corners. Willy Adames singled Fitzgerald home and the Giants had extended their lead to 4-1. The inning ended with a Jung Hoo Lee line out.

The Giants went quietly in the ninth inning and it would be up to Ryan Walker to finish off the Angels. It didn’t go quite as planned with Los Angeles putting two runners on base Mike Trout and Jorge Solar, with one out.

Logan O’Hoppe singled loading the bases and Walker was in deep trouble. Neto came to the plate looking for a second home run and the walk off. He didn’t get the home run but he got hit bringing in a run and an Angels 4-2 lead, the bases remaining loaded.

Jo Adell came to the plate and doubled driving in three runs and that was the ball game. Neto, Soler and Kevin Newman ( who ran for O’Hoppe) all scored with the third run reviewed and deemed a run. The Angels had pulled off a shocker in this 5-4 walk off.

When it was looking so good for a San Francisco win it all fell apart in the ninth inning. It looked like Verlander would clock his first win and the way he pitched he sure deserved a win in this game. It was just a horrible finish for San Francisco closer Ryan Walker.

Game notes: Sunday afternoon under sunny skies the Giants and Angels met in the rubber match of their three game series. Although the first two games of this series had been sell-outs, there was still a nice crowd on hand for game three.

This has been a tight series with the Angels taking game one Friday night 2-0 and San Francisco hanging on for a win Saturday 3-2. Sunday’s game saw a couple of very good pitchers. Giants veteran Justin Verlander who was search of his first win as a San Francisco Giant and Yusei Kikuchi is also looking for his first win of the season. Kikuchi would fare a little better thanks to the Angels making a come back in the ninth inning scoring four runs for the win.

The Giants will now head home for a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers starting on Monday night at Oracle Park in San Francisco. It is sure to be a quiet flight home Sunday night and will thankfully be a short one. San Francisco will not have long to lament over this loss taking on the Brewers Monday night with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 PM. Robbie Ray (3-0 ERA 4.19) will take the mound for the Giants with a 3-0 win/loss ERA record. The Brewers will start Quinn Priester (1-0 ERA 0.90).

A’s Tap Out Long Before Happy Hour in Milwaukee 14-1

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Milwaukee Brewers Rhys Hoskins high fives teammates in the Brewers dugout after hitting a third inning home run against the Sacramento Athletics at American Family Park on Sun Apr 20, 2025 (AP News photo)

A’s Tap Out Long Before Happy Hour in Milwaukee

By Mauricio Segura

The Athletics’ trip to Milwaukee ended in a forgettable way Sunday, as the Brewers ran wild early and never let up in a 14-1 demolition at American Family Field.

The afternoon unraveled quickly for the green and gold. Starter Jeffrey Springs, who had entered with a 3-1 record, struggled right from the start. A mix of stolen bases, walks, errors, and even a balk saw Milwaukee race out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning alone. Springs lasted just 2.1 innings, tagged for five runs as his ERA swelled to 5.96.

The Brewers smelled blood and kept coming. Rookie Logan Henderson, making his big league debut for Milwaukee, struck out Brent Rooker for his first Major League punchout and retired the side in order in the first. Henderson kept the A’s lineup quiet into the middle innings, picking up a win he will not soon forget.

Meanwhile, the Brewers’ offense turned the game into a track meet. Brice Turang stole three bases, and Milwaukee swiped six overall, exploiting an A’s defense that looked rattled all day. Rhys Hoskins delivered a solo home run and a two-run single, Christian Yelich doubled in another run, and Sal Frelick collected three hits and two stolen bases to fuel the onslaught.

The A’s offense, by contrast, was almost entirely silent. Seth Brown broke through in the fifth with a solo homer, his first of the year, to avoid the shutout. Jacob Wilson continued to be a steady bright spot, collecting two hits to raise his batting average to .342, good for ninth in the majors.

Nothing else went right for the Athletics, who committed two more throwing errors and allowed four unearned runs. By the seventh inning, the Brewers had blown the game wide open with a seven-run frame, burying any hopes of a green and gold comeback.

Despite the ugly loss, the Athletics return home with some positives in hand. They finished their six-game road swing with a 5-2 record and improved to 8-5 away from home this season, tied for the best road winning percentage in the majors. It is a stark contrast to their struggles at home, where they are just 2-7.

Next up, the Athletics will open a six-game homestand starting Tuesday against the defending champion Texas Rangers. Osvaldo Bido, who has posted a 2.61 ERA in his first four starts, is scheduled to take the ball.

The loss drops the A’s to 10-12 overall.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.

Barracuda wrap up regular season shutout 4-0 by Calgary

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San Jose Barracuda vs Calgary Wranglers on Sunday April 20th at Scotiabank Saddledome (via calgarywranglers)

By Madison Montez

Calgary was looking to end the regular season on a high note and they did just that. The Wranglers successfully broke passes, forced turnovers, and outscored San Jose, to shutout the Barracuda 4-0

After San Jose got out to an early lead in Friday’s game, Calgary returned the favor. Carter King, the Calgary native, scored his first American Hockey League goal to give Calgary their first lead of the game. Former Barracuda Alex Gallant recorded the primary assist.

Calgary extended their lead to 2 at the 10:29 mark of the second period. Clark Bishop, the captain, potted his 19th of the season. Carter King recorded the primary assist, knotching two points in the night. On their second powerplay opportunity, Calgary took advantage and extended their lead to 3. Lucas Ciona with his first power-play goal of his American Hockey League career.

Taking advantage of a 5 on 3 power-play, Calgary extended their lead to 4 at 4:25 of the third. Dryden Hunt scored his 16th of the season.

Although the Barracuda didn’t get out to the greatest start, they dominated shots on goals for majority of the game. After the first period, San Jose outshot Calgary 9-8. San Jose absolutely dominated the second period, outshooting Calgary 12 to 4. To end the game, Calgary outshot San Jose 7 to 6.

Both teams were equal taking the same amount of penalties in Sunday’s game. San Jose committed 6 penalties and Calgary committed 7. Only Calgary was able to capitalize on the powerplay. Calgary with four chances and San Jose with three chances. Coming into Sunday’s game, San Jose was ranked first and Calgary was ranked fifth.

For San Jose, Gabriel Carriere got the start in the season finale, his second start in a row. Carriere recorded the loss, making 15 saves on 19 shots. Ignatjew who entered the game during the second period in Friday’s game, got the start for Calgary. Ignatjew recorded the win, making 27 saves on 27 shots.

THREE STARS OF THE GAME:

  • 1. Waltteri Ignatjew
  • 2. Carter King
  • 3. Lucas Ciona

The Barracuda will be back in action in the post-season on Thursday against the Ontario Reign at Crypto Arena.

That’s Amaury News and Commentary: Mickey Mantle Rookie Card – The One that Got Away

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photo of 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle mint condition card that sold for $12.6 million (photo by Heritage Auction HA.com)

Mickey Mantle Rookie Card – The One that Got Away

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Mickey Mantle is as iconic an American sports figure as ever. Mantle played in 20 All-Star Games, retired in March of 1969 with 536 home runs, and won seven World Series with his Yankee team. His #7 uniform was the most famous number 7 in history.

The #7 is indeed the luckiest number for him. During a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium in 1969 (the year he retired), the Yankees retired his famous #7 uniform. I lived in New York after being discharged from the US Army and attended that game alone. I never forgot that in the middle of that doubleheader, they drove Mantle in a golf cart around the outfield as he waved at fans in a sold-out stadium. I remember it as a sunny, very hot, and humid day in the middle of summer in the Bronx.

Number 7, already retired, wearing a suit, spoke, and got a long ovation from the fans. To me (always an American League fan), at a time when each league just played inside its league and only met against National League teams in insignificant Spring Training games or during the World Series in October, Mickey Mantle was the best player I ever saw.

His power as a switch-hitter is legendary to this day. Mantle could hit a ball from the right side of the plate 450 feet and later during the same game, hit one from the left side of the plate 455 feet. Both home runs. For me, he was the man.

I probably bought thousands of baseball cards. In those days, they all came with a bubble gum inside; the company was Topps. I was not old enough to ever get hold of the Mickey Mantle Rookie card. I never witnessed him playing in the 50s.

But I know and remember that everybody in the 1960s wanted to get their hands on that rookie card, his first season, 1952. In 2022, a mint-condition 1952 Mickey Mantle Topps card sold for $12.6 million at an Auction in Dallas, Texas.

I always dreamed of getting my hands on that card, for me, that was the card the One that Got Away, but I’d collected and traded many cards when I was more focused on baseball as a fan, and in New York, I thought everybody was collecting them in the late 1960s. Even though the Mets were born in New York, people have been looking for that Mantle rookie card.

Although I watched Mantle play, I was never lucky to find that famous rookie card; I kept the program from that hot, humid day at Yankee Stadium when they retired his number 7 in the middle of a doubleheader. It is not worth millions like the rookie card, but for me, it is worth a lot because I was there, and I will take that memory of that day to my grave.

2025 seems like a different world and planet, with the internet and people watching a game on their cell phones. It has been generations since baseball cards were “the hobby” for many kids and adults nationwide. As my Mamá used to tell me, these adults were “the guys that never grew up.”

Mickey Mantle was an absolute superstar, idolized by men and women alike. He was the biggest playboy in New York, much bigger than Joe Namath. I had the privilege of meeting him in person, not when he was playing but years later when he and Joe DiMaggio were broadcasting Yankee games for the Yes Network, New York, and during a Yankee series against the A’s at the Oakland Coliseum to play the Oakland Athletics, sometime in the early 1980s.

Early in 1995, doctors discovered that Mantle’s liver had been severely damaged by alcohol-induced cirrhosis and hepatitis C, and he had an inoperable liver cancer.

Quote: “If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself” -Mickey Mantle.

HABANA CUBA RESTAURANT 387 So.First Street San José Suite 109 –Tel(408) 998-2822. Say hello to Habana Cub Restaurant owner Jennifer and tell her Amaury sent you.

Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.