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.

Cal Ripken Photos Coming Soon

Most of these photos were taken at old Memorial Stadium, where I broke into major league photography back in the mid 1980s. It was the heydays of a young Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray, both future Hall of Frames, who typically dominated my lens most every game.

I have over 100 different good Cal shots from this period, only 16 of which are published in this web page. They are new and refreshing photos, not widely seen a thousand times in every different journal.

I love the photo of Cal in the ready position at shortstop with the “We Love Cal” banner hanging in the background off the centerfield bleachers. Also, I love the photo of Cal intently listening to his father’s lecture.

The photo of the high -5 handshake at home plate between Cal who had just hit a homerun, and Eddie Murray, with Jack Dwyer waiting in the background and Ernie
Tyler walking in the foreground is memorable.

And in closing, I like the silhouette shot of Cal and Eddie – if I went on I would find another 100 favorites because invariably, the last one I am looking at becomes my favorite at that moment. I’ve enjoyed my photography through the years and each of these photos many times makes me recall a fond moment. They may be considered the history of my life and the reflection of my own childhood dream to be a major leaguer myself.