“Nice guys finish last,” said Leo the Lip Durocher, a former St. Louis gas house gang shortstop, his admonishments to the Ebbets Field knot hole kids in the cradle of their adrenalin into 20th Century Buck Rodgers Flash Gordon yesterdays… evolving energies that transcended the ordinary and mediocre.
II
The “Lip” in his role of the manager of the Brooklyn Dodgersflaunted his status. HIs raiment : the expensive patented leather shoes, his stalwart livery was one thing about his persona, but the very ego *trip to the pitcher’s mound when the Dodges hurler was being cannon balled.
The very gesture of taking the ball from the traumatized hurler seemed to this observer was a formidable ritual of domination. A father giving his son the cat of nine tails licking.
III
Durocher was a classic case of a Toots Shor hard drinkingSinotra Dean Martin hanger on.. Never a spectator yet by these eyes, a force constantly driving for more and more visible attention.
Could only an egotist say with any immunity “NICE GUYS FINISH LAST”
IV
Fined by the Judge (Frick or Landis) for making the “Field of Dreams” is own, he was sold by Macphail to the Polo Ground Giants, and eventually left baseball to younger more strident actors like Pete Rose..Yet he continued his ego trip aggressions, marrying Larraine Day, matching his initials, living in a condo on Wilshire Boulevard, not far from the UCLA campus.
Continuing his life style by attending the Friars, playing gin, being seen with the right cronies, living in the fast “gas house gang” lane. Out toward Lake Elsinore and the San Bernardino Freeway.
V
*“Gimme the ball, kid. You’re out of here.”
“New York New York” January 18, 2016
