Friday, November 16, 2007
The Ol’ Left-hander Passes Away
Joe Nuxhall was the youngest person to play major baseball. He was less than 16 years old when he first played with the Cincinnati Reds in 1944 and pitched 2/3's of an inning. He eventually returned to the Reds in 1952 and played major league baseball until 1966. He twice made the All-Star team.
However, Nuxhall earned his way into the fans of the Cincinnati Reds more as an announcer than a player. For 31 years, he covered the Reds teamed with Hall of Fame announcer Marty Brennaman. Nuxhall's warm personality and knowledge quickly made him a fan favorite.
I first heard "Nuxie," as many called him, in 1990 when I first moved to Maysville, KY and began listening to some of the Reds games on WLW radio. At first I was surprised how much Nuxhall sounded like my Uncle Dan. As it turned out, there was good reason for that.
Joe Nuxhall grew up in Hamilton, OH where my father and his two brothers, one being Uncle Dan, grew up. They had known Nuxhall as kids. Dan maintained a relationship with Nuxhall throughout his life. At my father's visitation, my sisters had dug up a page, published in the mid-1950's, from the Hamilton newspaper. The page showed past "paperboys" and where they were then. My father and Nuxhall were on the same page.
Like many in the Cincinnati area, I have an affection for Joe Nuxhall. Plus, it's like a little bit of my own past has died. Now Nuxhall's famous closing words to every Reds broadcast have a more permanent meaning, "This in the Ol' Left-Hander rounding third and heading for home."
More HERE.
However, Nuxhall earned his way into the fans of the Cincinnati Reds more as an announcer than a player. For 31 years, he covered the Reds teamed with Hall of Fame announcer Marty Brennaman. Nuxhall's warm personality and knowledge quickly made him a fan favorite.
I first heard "Nuxie," as many called him, in 1990 when I first moved to Maysville, KY and began listening to some of the Reds games on WLW radio. At first I was surprised how much Nuxhall sounded like my Uncle Dan. As it turned out, there was good reason for that.
Joe Nuxhall grew up in Hamilton, OH where my father and his two brothers, one being Uncle Dan, grew up. They had known Nuxhall as kids. Dan maintained a relationship with Nuxhall throughout his life. At my father's visitation, my sisters had dug up a page, published in the mid-1950's, from the Hamilton newspaper. The page showed past "paperboys" and where they were then. My father and Nuxhall were on the same page.
Like many in the Cincinnati area, I have an affection for Joe Nuxhall. Plus, it's like a little bit of my own past has died. Now Nuxhall's famous closing words to every Reds broadcast have a more permanent meaning, "This in the Ol' Left-Hander rounding third and heading for home."
More HERE.
Subscribe to Posts [Atom]
