Reunion with Former MLB Pitcher a Half Century Later

It was a wonderful treat to hear former MLB pitcher Casey Cox s voice after last speaking 50 years ago.

On April 15, 1973, I was one month shy of my 14th birthday. I was living in the borough of Queens, and already rode the New York City Subway on my own for two years. Making my way up to the Bronx to see the New York Yankees play had become routine.

This home game at Yankee Stadium would be extra special. The Yankees were playing the Boston Red Sox. It was the eighth game of the season. Inside the ballpark were American League championship pennants and World Series championship flags draped along the upper-level overhang.

On this day, Yankee Stadium turned 50 years old.

A new managing partner took over the club in 1973. George Steinbrenner was a rookie owner, and he went all out in honoring the club s tradition and the building they called home.

Bob Shawkey, 82 at the time of the celebration and who pitched for the Yankees from 1915-1927, threw out the ceremonial first pitch of the game. Seventy-seven-year-old Whitey Witt was in the batter s box when Shawkey s ball reached home plate.

Witt stood at home plate, bat in hand. He was the first Yankees batter in 1923.

As I m making my way down to the Yankees dugout hoping to snag a couple of autographs on the commemorative program handed out, I found my first two potential signatures. I handed the reprint of what was distributed on opening day in 1923 to Mrs. Babe Ruth.

Claire Ruth was sharing a row of seats with Lou Gehrig. I approached them both with my scorebook that very well could have seemed familiar to them from looking at the original a half-century earlier.

Mr. Ruth signed for me. By the time I asked Mrs. Gehrig, an usher asked me to move on. I did as directed. Next, I m down by the Yankees dugout. I spot my dear friend, Carl Lundquist, standing on the field.

Carl was a retired sportswriter who began a second career in sports marketing. After being spotted, he walked over to me. Always wanting to make me feel special at a sporting event, his familiar ""I could use you for a picture line rang out.

With several Yankees milling around the backstop area during the pregame festivities, Carl called over to Casey Cox. His number 29 jersey was familiar to me. Cox was traded to the Yankees the previous August from the Texas Rangers.

Long before the internet, I enjoyed studying team yearbooks, media guides, and scorebooks. Cox s eight MLB seasons consisted of his first six with the Washington Senators beginning in 1966. He remained with the club through their relocation to Texas in 1972.

During Cox s time pitching in Washington, his managers Gil Hodges and Ted Williams were among the most respected in the game. Cox s final win-loss of 39-42 wasn t eye-popping but he was a big leaguer that I was about to be introduced to.

What a thrill it was, for the first time, for me to have a Yankees player come over, shake my hand, and say hello. Then, Carl unleashes his ""I could use you for a picture line. A photographer was whistled over. I said, ""cheese, and the rest is history.

Throughout my life, I always wanted to reconnect with Cox and say thank you for giving me a cherished memory. This past week I did just that.

Cox has been living in the Clearwater area for several years. When he left baseball for good, ironically just two days after the meeting, the Yankees released him. After that, Cox began a successful career in the insurance industry.

After securing Cox s phone number, I called it with much excitement. Surely, he wasn t going to remember me, but I wanted to tell him my story.

Jan Cox, Casey s wife of 30 years, answered. After introducing myself and filling her in on why I hoped to speak with her husband, Jan called out to the MLB veteran.

I was finally speaking with Casey Cox again. He s 88 years old now, and happily retired living in Pinellas County. Reminded of our chance meeting many years ago, Cox gladly answered a few questions I had about his career.

""Gil was a very, very quiet man and a good manager, responded Cox of my inquiring about what it was like to have Hodges (Hall of Fame Class of 2022) as a manager for two seasons in Washington. ""I loved him. Gil did pretty well with us (Senators).

As for being around Williams, who s considered the greatest hitter of all time, Cox remains a fan.

""How could you not appreciate him? For all Ted knew about hitting, he always listened to the point of views from the pitching staff, explained Cox.

Cox has many fond memories of playing in Washington. As for those from the game that he keeps in touch with, Cox offers ""Hondo Frank Howard and Dick Bosman as the teammates he keeps up with.

Cox couldn t have been more pleasant and accommodating to me, for some expanded small talk, again  50 years after we first shook hands.