More Vintage Rodger Photos Added!

I have added photos I took of Cal Ripken, Jim Thome, Eddie Murray, Mike Schmidt, Pete Rose, and Manny Ramirez in 1989- 1990 to the “Vintage Rodger Folder”

I always took a lot of Eddie Murray photos as he was my favorite ball player who I thought was the best clutch hitter in the 8th and 9th Innings I ever saw. He always seemed to hit a dramatic three run homeruns in a clutch situation in the late innings, and even if he didn’t, it was always a thrill to see him up at the plate swinging in those situations.

The Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose photos were taken during a Phillies/Reds game in old Philadelphia Veterans Stadium. Notice how Rose always watched the pitch back to the catcher’s glove and Mike Schmidt’s long sweeping swing, which would get most young hitters in trouble if they tried it today.

The Jim Thome photos were taken at old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Detroit Tigers Stadium, and Richmond’s Parker Field when Jim Thome played for the AAA- Charlotte Indians and called up in September to play with his parent club Cleveland Indians. I enjoyed every minute that season following Jimmy to Detroit and Cleveland as he was a great young man who was definitely also a hot third basemen major league prospect.

I had a ball taking the photos of Manny Ramirez when he was a young 18-year old Kinston Indian outfielder who hit balls out of sight at the old Prince William Stadium in Potomac, VA.

In the photos of him hitting at the plate, I perched three feet in front of him while Kinston pitcher Mike Soper lobbed balls into the plate that I asked Manny to take a light swing at so I could photograph his bat on impact of meeting the ball. It turned out to be a great shot which was published by Beckett’s in a full pager and I wasn’t killed by a line drive off Manny’s bat., which I was concerned about because I wasn’t sure I had communicated a “light swing” to the quiet young hard hitting ball player.