Silliman on Sports
By Stan Silliman
POTATO CATCHER DITTIES
Potato catcha’
A big Boise welcome, you betcha
Sign my tater
Give me your sig, I’d letcha
“Nothing in the rule book says I can’t throw a potato to third base!”
Yes, absolutely true but not necessarily kosher in baseball. Exactly why we’re honoring Dave Bresnahan with a few Silliman songs and rhymes because what would the world be if a potato-carving catcher couldn’t carve a baseball spud worthy of fooling a minor league umpire? Indeed!
“There’s nothing in the rule book…” was not exactly what a minor-league umpire calling a game in Williamsport, PA on the last day of August in 1987 wanted to hear after Bresnahan tossed a potato at a base runner, wildly. The play finished with the base runner scampering home only to be tagged out by Dave who still had the real baseball in his glove. Okay, safe, not out when the ump realized the object thrown wide of third was more vegetable than animal.
Bresnahan!!
He carves tater balls like no one else can
Bresnahan!!
You wanna fool an ump, well he’s your man!
Bresnahan!!
Favorite veggie catcher, not an also ran
Bresnahan!!
Now a Phoenix broker, yes, a stock man
Bresnahan!!
Now, he’s made the big time. He’s on Silliman!!
Dave’s baseball career as a back-up catcher didn’t last long in the minors. He knew it wasn’t going anywhere so no surprise when the Indians released him and his .149 batting average three games after the potato incident. The legend lasted much longer than his career. He was invited back to Williamsport for the tenth anniversary of the potato play, which sold out, where his uniform number was retired. He’s been the guest of honor at potato events throughout the country.
He says potato, I say po-tat-to
Potato, po-tat-to, potato, po-tat-to
Let’s call the whole thang…
She sings vibrato, a deep-voiced contralto
He sings falsetto, definitely castrato
Could use some potatoes
Carved by our Dave-O’s
Let’s call the whole thang… off