How an RI native got to play ball with the late Willie Mays

WILL BECOME HARDER TO DO -----WITHOUT PUTTING BOOTS ON THE GROUND. IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO TELL PEOPLE -- "MY DAD PLAYED BALL -- WITH THE SAY HEY KID." THAT'S THE REALITY FOR ONE CUMBERLAND MAN. IN THE WAKE OF THE DEATH OF THE GREAT WILLIE MAYS -- HE SHARED HIS DAD'S MEMORIES WITH US -- AND *HOW* THE TWO ENDED UP ON THE SAME TEAM. ARTHUR "LEFTY" GRENON WAS A MOUNT SAINT CHARLES LEGEND -- A STAR PITCHER WITH SO MUCH TALENT -- HE GOT RECRUITED TO THE DODGERS ORGANIZATION IN 1948 -- ATTENDING SPRING TRAINING IN FLORIDA WITH THE LIKES OF JACKIE ROBINSON AND JOHNNY PADRES. 9:52 Here's a picture of dad with Johnny Padres picking grapefruits from a tree BUT HE WAS DRAFTED TO THE U-S ARMY DURING THE KOREAN CONFLICT AND STATIONED AT FORT EUSTIS IN VIRGINIA -- THE SAME PLACE WILLIE MAYS WAS STATIONED. ARTHUR'S SON JOHN GREW UP HEARING THE STORIES OF HIS DAD AND MAYS PLAYING ON A TEAM TOGETHER FORMED BY THEIR GENERAL -- AND THEIR WEEKEND TRIPS TO PLAY AT EXHIBITION GAMES AT NEGRO STADIUMS IN THE DEEP SOUTH. 2:14 on the drive back, willie would take a nap in the backseat and my dad and jim would be speeding to get back to base on time so we wouldn't get in trouble and they'd get stopped numerous times and 2:30 every time they'd wake up Willie Mays in the back seat. He'd get up, he'd be shaking the hands of the statie, and they'd say ok go ahead -- they were just happy to have met willie mays. 2:43 OVER THE YEARS -- JOHN WOULD REACH OUT TO MAYS -- AND TO HIS SURPRISE, ALWAYS HEARD BACK. MAYS -- EVEN SENDING A COPY OF HIS BOOK -- "24" -- FOR HIS FORMER TEAMMATE'S 90TH BIRTHDAY. 7:35 Willie had glaucoma and was unable to sign things in the end, so he said "I can't sign a picture to send your dad, but I'd love to send him my book." 7:48 8:07 on page 75 in the book is a picture of the wheels, with my dad and Willie Mays, right behind him. 8:15 WHEN ARTHUR SADLY PASSED IN 2022 -- JOHN REACHED OUT TO LET MAYS KNOW. 4"55 he just said "so long old pal." 4:59 so you know, it was cool 5:01 MAYBE THE LEFTY PITCHER -- AND CENTER FIELDER -- ARE BACK PLAYING TOGETHER AGAIN IN THE HEAVENS. WHILE DOWN HERE -- THEIR MEMORIES -- CONTINUE -- FOR GENERATIONS> WILLIE MAYS PASSED AWAY YESTERDAY AT THE AGE OF 93. HE IS WIDELY REGARDED AS THE GREATEST CENTER FIELDERS OF ALL TIME. AND IF YOU PICK UP THAT BOOK "24" -- YOU'LL SEE THE PICTURE

Channel: WPRI

Views: 118

Keywords: top video, news, local news

Id: DpanOqq6Z30

Length: 2min 38sec (158 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 20 2024