Friday, April 27, 2012
MLB.com: Skowron, part of Yankees powerhouses, dies
The third “M” in one of the most formidable batting orders in history has died. Moose Skowron, the first baseman during the Mantle-Maris era of the Yankees’ dynasty in the early 1960s, passed away on Friday in Chicago. Skowron, 81, was a victim of lung cancer, detected in March 2011.
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Casual fans wrongly believed Skowron was called Moose because of his size and physique. He had been a running back at Purdue University, and though he was strong with wide shoulders, he was not particularly big. His nickname was, instead, linked to his appearance as a youngster. After a haircut, his grandfather decided he resembled Italian prime minister Benito Mussolini; hence the nickname that stayed with Skowron for the rest of his life.
Skowron was before my time, but I certainly heard plenty about him through the years. I never heard the story of how he got his nickname though.
R.I.P. Moose.
Comments
I think going with Moose over Mussolini was a good call.
Moose was my time and what a time to be a Yankee fan. RIP to a great Yankee and thanks for the memories.
Demon Young arrested 3am shoving someone to ground and shouting anti semetic slurs
[2]
That was also my time. I echo bebop’s sentiments.
Moose visited my Elementary School when I was in 6th grade. He addressed an assembly and signed a mimeo and they gave us all copies of his autograph. that was 50 years ago and I still remember it.
I didn’t realize it then, but Moose was one of relatively few college educated big league players of his time.
[1] But Bill Duce Skowron would have been the best choice of them all.
There’s a related story about how old-timer Dolf Luque got his nickname.
That I just made up.
I just heard someone in my office say the following:
“The Yankees are in bad shape Pineda has a labral problem, and Hughes has a labia problem.”
And i shot water out of my nose onto my laptop. Sorry, off topic, just had to share.
Moose was during my time, too. Those early 60s Yankee teams at the tail end of the dynasty were still fun
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