Many of you know I am particularly interested in baseball (and am a Reds and Twins fan). As such, I'm always fascinated to find so many references to fishing and tackle among baseball players and owners. Here's a neat blurb by Al Abrams of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Dodger legend Branch Rickey, from the January 1954 Baseball Digest. Note he was from 1950-1955 General Manager of the Pirates and brought the nucleus of the team together that would go on to famously win the World Series for Pittsburgh in 1960.
Pirated?
Branch Rickey, Sr., of the Pirates, had a cruiser moored at a dock on the Allegheny River at East Brady, Pa. all summer. Said cruiser was equipped with 27 fishing rods and 11 boxes full of tackle. It was a bit chilly on the river one Sunday and to keep himself and guests warm, Mr. Rickey provided some of those doeskin cloth coats, lined with sheepskin, mainly used by athletes. Across the back of each coat, in large letters, was "Brooklyn Dodgers."
Even in Pittsburgh, Rickey couldn't escape the Dodger mythos!
-- Dr. Todd
