Bill “Moose” Skowron passed away recently. The five-time All-Star and five-time World Series Champion belted 211 home runs, had 888 RBIs, and finished his 14 year career with a .282 batting average. He most notably played for the Yankees, helping them win four championships, but also spent time with the White Sox, Senators, Angels, and Dodgers. He isn’t one of the most talked about ballplayers from the 50s and 60s, and isn’t one of the all-time greats. He was a very good ballplayer though. One of those guys whose solid stats gradually get overlooked. From everything I’ve heard on the radio and read the last week though, his personality was never overlooked and no one will be forgetting Moose anytime soon. I was lucky enough to meet him once and it was pretty amusing.

My family was at a Sox game and my brothers and I went down near the dugout to try and get autographs before the game. We grew up learning baseball inside and out so we knew who Moose Skowron was. While we were standing there, we noticed this big older guy with a flattop haircut that resembled the young Yankee from my Dad’s ’58 Topps. I thought I had heard that Moose Skowron was doing scouting work for the Sox, but I wasn’t real sure. So after a few minutes of my brothers and I arguing back and forth, I decided to approach the man in question and find out for sure. Awkwardly I asked, “Are you the Moose?” He said kind of sternly and brash-like, “No.” Then it was an even more awkward pause. It was probably a good five seconds of silence. Then the young woman sitting with him slapped him on the shoulder and said, “Oh stop that!” He laughed and responded, “I sure am,” and then signed my baseball. Such a good memory. RIP Moose.