He Never Met a Pitcher That He Didn’t Dislike

Ron Hunt played with and against Tom Seaver. Also, Don Sutton. Neither, it turns out, was his favorite pitcher.

According to Sports Illustrated, Hunt was asked by Marty York of the Toronto Globe and Mail if he felt sad for Seaver when the pitcher retired from the New York Mets.

“Hell, no, I don’t feel sorry for Seaver at all,” Hunt said. “He’s an ass. Always was. I personally would have liked to put his career on the shelves earlier. He used to throw at my head deliberately.”

Hunt put Sutton in the same category. “Sutton’s a jerk, too,” he said. “And please make sure you put that in the paper.”

Said Sports Illustrated: “No wonder Hunt was hit so many times.”

Add Seaver: Asked at his farewell press conference to name the best hitter he ever faced, he said, “Barry Lyons.”

Lyons, a reserve catcher for the Mets, went 6 for 6 in the last simulated game Seaver pitched.

Said Lyons: “Maybe I’ll make the all-simulated All-Star team.”

Trivia Time: Who was the only Angel to hit home runs in all three of their home parks--Wrigley Field, Dodger Stadium and Anaheim Stadium? (Answer below.)

Eddie Gold of the Chicago Sun-Times, in a story on Eric Soderholm, who now runs a baseball camp in Chicago, recalled how the former White Sox third baseman once silenced a heckler at Comiskey Park.

The heckler, a woman in the box seats, yelled at Soderholm: “If I were your wife, I’d serve you arsenic.”

Shot back Soderholm: “If I were your husband, I’d take it.”

Said Baltimore pitcher Dave Schmidt, when asked his most embarrassing moment by USA Today: “I gave up the first home run hit by a high school player in the Los Angeles City championship game, which they play every year in Dodger Stadium.” The year was 1975. Schmidt, pitching for Granada Hills, gave up a homer to Westchester catcher Bob Grant. Granada Hills still won, 4-3.

The Legend Grows: Met announcer Ralph Kiner, continuing his bid for the malaprop Hall of Fame, came up with this one June 21: “On this Father’s Day, we again wish you all a happy birthday.”

New York Yankees coach Stump Merrill, on pitcher Rick Rhoden, who has been getting checked by umpires for scuffed balls: “Rick was thinking of putting notes to the umps in his glove, like, ‘Right church, wrong pew,’ or, ‘Warmer’ or, ‘Guess again.’ ”

Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller, on this season’s home run explosion: “I’m not convinced it’s the ball. There’s no moral victory any more in avoiding the strikeout. So everybody goes to the plate and takes three big swings. Nothing wrong with that. The hitters aren’t dumb. It’s like Willie Sutton said when they asked him why he robbed banks. He said, ‘That’s where the money is.’ Home runs are where the money is.”

From George Shirk of the San Jose Mercury-News: “Pete Rose as manager of the 1988 Phillies? Don’t laugh. It could happen, Philadelphia insiders say, noting rumors that Rose isn’t comfortable working for Marge Schott and Bill Bergesch.”

Trivia Answer: Bob Rodgers.

Quotebook

Emcee Jerry Farber, noting Pat Riley’s slicked-back hair as he introduced the Laker coach at an Atlanta benefit banquet: “He’ll never be broke because Texaco just bought the rights to his head and they’re going to start drilling next week.”