Harold Friend joined March 2009

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About Harold »

In late August, 1951, I went home to watch Flash Gordon on New York's channel 11, but I was disappointed. There was a baseball game on channel 11. I started to watch, and that was it. I became a Yankees' fan.

We have many roles in our lives, but we are told that we are individuals and that our baseball team is not us. To each her own. Few things besides family ever came before the Yankees. One can agree or disagree, but one cannot deny I had the right to that choice.

I received my doctorate from NYU in science education in 1968. I remember during one of my final conferences with my advisor, the Yankees beat the Angels 1-0 on a Frank Fernandez home run.

I taught at various levels, ranging from graduate school to junior high school for 39 years. I always enjoyed writing, and the internet provides an outlet for me.

The Shortlist »

  • Favorite Athletes

    Lou Gehrig, Allie Reynolds, Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan

  • Favorite Sports Teams

  • Favorite Coaches

  • All Time Sports Moment

    Roger Clemens Dancing on the Yankees' Dugout After Game 4 in 1999

  • Most Memorable Game Attended

    David Wells' and David Cone's Perfect Games

  • Most Unbreakable Sports Record

    Jack Chesbro's 48 Complete Games in 1904

  • Ruth or Mays?

    You must be joking

  • Unitas or Montana?

  • Jordan or Russell?

    You must be joking again

  • Gretzky or Orr?

  • Pele or Maradona?

  • Federer or Sampras?

  • Tiger or Nicklaus?

  • Petty or Earnhardt?

  • Schumacher or Senna?

  • Pac 10, Big 12, Big 10, SEC, ACC, or Big East?

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  • Comment

    Abner Lope commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    A very good write about an excellent athlete and fine role model. For most of his career, McGriff has been a consistently excellent athlete; but because...

  • Comment

    Adam Bernacchio commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    Fred McGriff has no chance of ever making the hall of fame. Nothing about him stands out. The players you compared him to all did something...

    • 1 replies – here are the latest…
    • Harold Friend replied…

      The poll indicates more than 85 percent of voters here think he'll make it. As the...

  • Article

    New Article: Who Were The Chicago Cubs Who Won 116 Games?

    It was 103 years ago. To some, it seems as if it were yesterday. The 1906 Chicago Cubs won a 116 games while losing a mere 36, for a .763 winning percentage. There aren't many individuals who could name the 1906 Cubs' lineup or pitching staff...

  • Article

    New Article: Waivers, The Trading Deadline, and The Integrity of The Game

    The year was 1967. The columnist was Leonard Koppett. The topic was trading a player for "a player or players to be named later." Waiver DealsIn 1967, June 15 was the trading deadline. After that date, only waiver deals could be made...

  • Article

    New Article: A-Rod Helps the New York Yankees Win the World Series

    Alex Rodriguez has finally played a significant role in helping his team win the World Series. Until this season, many in the media fostered the belief that Alex Rodriguez was the major reason ...

  • Article

    New Article: The Los Angeles Dodgers Dominated the Yankees in the 1963 World Series

    Few teams have dominated a World Series the way the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated in 1963. The Dodgers won 99 games during the season, and faced the defending World Champion Yankees in the Series for the first time since they abandoned Brooklyn...

  • Comment

    e hole commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    he was also the first man to win homerun titles in both leagues... i've always been a huge mcgriff fan and it's crazy to think he...

    • 5 replies – here are the latest…
    • e hole replied…

      umm no i said he had 50 percent more rbi's. that is fact. 50% more than...

    • Rodney Ryan replied…

      you win----but I don't believe any of these guys get in!

  • Comment

    Rodney Ryan commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    This is McGriff below. Stats are good, and he covered 18 or 19 years. Batting average .284 Home runs 493 Hits 2,490 Runs batted in 1,550...

    • 2 replies – here are the latest…
    • Harold Friend replied…

      You raise a great point. Mattingly was a more talented, greater player, but his back cost...

    • e hole replied…

      according to your own stats mcgriff accounted for 50 percent more rbis!!!!!!!!!! case closed

  • Comment

    Harold Friend commented on Top 10 First Basemen of All Time

    Where are George Sisler and Bill Terry?

    • 1 replies – here are the latest…
    • Gavin Andrews replied…

      Haha, I only have room for 10 players on a Top 10 List. Helton and Thome...

  • Comment

    Michael Callaway commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    Great Article, the one thing missing is that you didn't discuss McGriff's hr total compared to the other guys.

  • Shanan H. said...

    Delete

    Should Matsui be back in pinstripes for another year?

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/299164-hideki-matsui-important-to-the-yankees

    3 days ago

    Reply

  • Comment

    Marc Gottlieb commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    I agree that McGriff deserves to be in the Hall of Fame based on some other similar players being enshrined. However, I don't think he will...

  • Comment

    Roy Levine commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    Good Article Harold. I never thought of McGriff as HOF. I took a look at comparisons in Baseball-reference.com. In there, some of Bill James' formulas are...

    • 1 replies – here are the latest…
    • Harold Friend replied…

      Thanks. Ideally, the Gehrig-Foxx-Sisler standards should apply, but that is unrealistic, and the playing conditions, even...

  • Comment

    Bill Mckillop commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    Harold - Great stuff Mcgriff may have a shot but on the slow boat as if he gets in they will make him wait. The Crime...

    • 1 replies – here are the latest…
    • Roy Levine replied…

      I hope McGriff gets his shot before Bagwell, Thome and Delgado come up. Those three will...

  • Comment

    Roy Levine commented on How Can Fred McGriff Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame?

    Good Article Harold. I never thought of McGriff as HOF. I took a look at comparisons in Baseball-reference.com. In there, some of Bill James' formulas are...

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