The Baseball Whisperer Page 24
Dobson, Kevin, 187
Dobson, Patrick, 187
Dominican Republic, 117
Drake University, 9
Drew, J. D., 201
Dugout News, 123, 162–63, 165–67, 173, 179–80, 205
E
Eberly, Ada Mae (mother), 38–39, 40
Eberly, Angie (daughter-in-law), 10, 233
Eberly, Ben (uncle), 229
Eberly, Cooper (grandson), 10, 233–34, 239
Eberly, Jill (daughter), 3, 4, 63, 84, 114, 183
Eberly, John Mark (half-brother), 231
Eberly, Joy (daughter), 4, 8, 84, 114, 115, 116
Eberly, Julie Kae (daughter)
childhood, 52, 56, 115
concession stand work, 84
and Hayes, 206
memories of father, 8–9, 228, 229, 233
and Smith, 32
Eberly, Martha (sister), 40
Eberly, Merl Andrew (father), 38–39, 40, 49, 52, 53
Eberly, Merl James
businesses owned by, 119, 145
bust of, 238–39
description, 18, 34–35, 58, 73, 85, 88–89, 129
education, 17, 37, 53, 56
exercise regime, 2
family
as a core value, 9, 56, 135, 136
grandchildren and great-grandchildren, 3, 8–10, 13–14, 84, 154–55, 233–34, 239
grandparents, 41, 45–46
home, 1–3, 71, 113, 134–35, 236
as host family, 134, 185
illnesses, 12, 40, 216–17, 222–25, 228, 231, 234, 237
injuries, 59–60
jobs, 7, 40–41, 53, 61, 73, 76, 137, 144–45
leadership style (See leadership style of Eberly)
legacy, xi, xiii, 12–13, 14, 175–78, 238–40
life events
birth, 39
childhood and adolescence, 36–39, 40–41, 46, 48–52
courtship and wedding, 50–52
parents’ divorce, 38–39
retirement from the paper, 144–45
last baseball season of, 171–72
retirement as field manager, 171, 175, 178–80
decline and death, xiv, 1, 228, 231, 234, 237
funeral and memorial service, 3–14
marriage, 3, 52–53, 56, 61, 65, 135–37, 224
as a parent and grandparent, 4, 8–9, 114–16, 224, 232, 233–34
personality
calming presence, 85, 98, 112
easy, straightforward manner, 59, 73, 77
opinionated, 116
temper, 38, 97, 116
photo, ii
religion and philosophy, 11, 25, 224, 228–31 (See also values)
skills
baseball, 34, 49, 55–60, 62, 68, 69, 116, 182
basketball, 48, 62
fishing, 37–38, 58, 98–99
folk medicine, 126
football, 37, 48–49, 62
hunting, 3–4, 48, 58, 84, 114–15, 204, 223
networking, 23–24, 31, 72, 73–74, 82, 139
Eberly, Pat (née Heil; wife)
as an equal partner, xi, 14, 31, 81, 137, 178, 217
and the author’s son, xv
businesses owned by, 119, 145
concession stand, running the, 25, 84, 185, 231, 233
education, 52
finding host families, 183–84, 185, 193, 196
home, 1–3, 71, 113, 134–35, 236
as host family, 134, 185
jobs, 53
life events
courtship and wedding, 50–52
birth of first child, 52
pregnancy with second child, 53
during husband’s illness, 223, 224, 231, 237
after husband’s death, 1–3
organizing husband’s memorial, 8, 14
at ABCA convention on behalf of late husband, 239–40
marriage, 3, 52–53, 56, 61, 63, 65, 135–37, 224
parents and grandparents, 51, 52, 53, 54, 56
personality, 50–52
as a surrogate mother, 82, 113, 134–35, 153–54, 204, 237
Eberly, Rick J. (son)
childhood and adolescence, 56, 114–15, 116
on the Clarinda A’s, 32–33, 117, 119, 120, 138, 153
as a coach, 119–20, 121, 156, 231
hunting and fishing, 3–4, 114–15, 123, 223
professional baseball, 92–93, 116–18, 155, 168, 214–15
and Smith, 32
Eberly, Rodney “Rod” (son)
childhood and adolescence, 116, 155–56, 210
on the Clarinda A’s, 154, 155, 156–57, 169–70, 181
college baseball, 156, 168
at father’s memorial, 9
professional baseball, 9, 180–81
Eberly, Ryan (son)
as batboy, 27, 138, 155, 208
childhood and adolescence, 213
on the Clarinda A’s, 138, 154, 208
as coach, 7, 172–73, 208, 212–13, 216, 227, 240
at father’s memorial, 7–8
as manager, 8, 240
professional baseball, 155, 168
Eldred, Cal, 82, 128, 133–34, 135–38, 144
Evansville Courier & Press, 159
F
Fairbanks Goldpanners, 27, 112
Field of Dreams (movie), 112
Field, Miss Jessie, 45
Filipic, Pete, 69–70
fishing, 37–38, 58, 98–99
Fitzgerald, Justin, 188
Foster, Joanne, 52
4H movement, 45
Franks, Jeff, 195
Freedom Professional League, 190
Frosty Shoppe, 50, 198
Fugazi, John, 215, 217, 218
G
Gans, Danny, 24, 32, 141, 175, 211
Garrido, Augie, 16, 27–28, 78–80, 194
Gates, Bill, 23
Ghutzman, Butch, 140, 212
Ghutzman, Michael, 212–13, 215–16
Gillespie, Steve, 169
Graham, Richard, 38, 71, 198
Gray, Al, 36, 229
Great Depression, 39–40, 53
Griffith, Andy, 89
Grimes Rollerdome, 50, 198
Groth, Phil, 58–59
Gunnerson, Bob, 104
H
Haley, Delmar, 63, 64, 229
Hamilton, Cal, 63–64
Hamilton, Vernon, 229
hardball, country, 55, 229
Hargrove, Eric, 96
Hawley’s store, 42
Hayes, Stephanie, 205–6
Hayes, Von
background, 86–87
baseball career, 5–6, 86–90, 138, 143, 200–202
on the Clarinda A’s, 86–90, 153, 203
death of father, 201–2, 204
donations by, 110, 141, 204, 219
family, 205–6
relationship with Eberly family, 2, 5–6, 204–7, 223
retirement from baseball, 205
statistics, 182, 202, 203
Heard, Merrill, 63
Heil, Al (father-in-law), 54, 56
Heil, Pat (wife), 50–52. See also Eberly, Pat
Hepburn, William, 43–44
Herzberg, Evelyn, 183, 185–89, 194
Herzog, Whitey, 67, 202
Highland Community College, 156, 168, 231
Hill, Jerry, 65
Hinkle, Tom, 16, 73–74
historical perspective. See United States
“Hobby Dobby!,” 63, 66, 72, 146, 240
Hodge, Bill, 29–30
Holdrege White Sox, 55–60
Homrig, Paul, 153
Hooton, Burt, 69
host families, xii, xiv, 6–7, 32, 75, 87, 183–99. See also specific host families
Hotel Clarinda, 42
Houston Astros, 121
Hovis, Jake, 189–90
Hughes, Charlie, 212
Humphrey, Mike, 96, 187–88
hunting, 3–4, 48, 58, 84, 114–15, 204, 223
Hutchinson Broncos, 96–97, 100, 101
/>
Hy-Vee grocery store, 73, 238
I
Illinois State, 130
Incaviglia, Pete, 101
Independent League, 181
Indiana State, 82
Indiana University, 94, 148, 187
Iowa
agriculture, 22, 39, 42, 45, 85
during the Civil War, 41–42
during the Great Depression, 39, 53
Missouri Compromise, 42
during the 1980s recession, 110, 140
Iowa Hawkeyes, 34, 36, 81, 128, 137
Iowa State University, 52
Iowa Western Community College, 17, 19, 31–32, 69–70, 103. See also Clarinda Junior College
J
Jackson, Shoeless Joe, 79
James, Bill, 75
Japan, 89
Jayhawk League, 71, 86, 106, 131, 138, 139, 149, 164
J. C. Penney, 50
Jed’s Café, 198
Jennings, Jerry, 63
Jennings, Tony, 49
Jeter, Derek, 161
John A. Logan Junior College, 148
Johnson, Jara (granddaughter), 13–14
Johnson, Wayne, 38
J’s Pizza & Steakhouse, 197, 218, 236
K
Kansas City Monarchs, 64
Kansas City Royals, 143, 160
Kilgore, Adam, 159–60, 161
Knoblauch, Chuck, 127, 129, 137–38, 140, 143, 144, 187
Kuehn, Bill, 29, 209
Kurtz, Mike, 1–2, 65, 67, 68, 72, 198
Kurtz, Scotty
on the Clarinda A’s, 24, 30–31, 65–66, 68, 69, 72, 120
college ball, 66
at Lisle Corp., 198
military service, 66–67
professional baseball, 66–67
statistics, 30, 68, 72
L
Laverty, Jerry, 218–19
leadership style of Eberly, xiii, xiv
annual Merl Speech, 191
care and respect, 170, 240
control aspects, 25–26, 92, 155
drills and practice, 70, 91, 98, 100, 151–52
lead by example, 129, 142–43, 205
let players find their own way, 177, 203
rules (See rules for the Clarinda A’s)
see the ball, hit the ball, 104
stay in the moment, 100
as a surrogate coach, 24, 31, 98
as a surrogate father, 6, 13, 30–31, 82, 113, 133–36, 142–43, 204
tough love, xiii, 9, 11, 12, 78, 85, 91–92, 227
See also values
Leiper, Tim, 159, 160
Liberal Beejays, 102–6
Linfield College, 128, 217
Lisle, Anabel, 32, 198
Lisle, John, 32, 54, 65, 198
Lisle Corporation, 30, 32, 54, 68, 111, 198
Little League, 108, 178
Livin, Jeff, 10, 111–13, 120–23, 225
Long Beach State, 96, 123
Los Angeles Dodgers, 12, 69, 159
love of the game, 140, 149, 156, 164–65, 170
Lutz, Bob, 103, 105, 198–99
M
MacArthur, Douglas, 36
Macías, José, 158
Macko, Steve, 73
Major League Baseball, 164, 173
Mantle, Mickey, 24, 55
Maris, Roger, 24
Matthews, Chuck, 101, 103
Mattingly, Don, 147, 149, 159
Maurer, Rob, 128, 134, 144, 148
Maxwell, Howard “Kink,” 20
Mays, Willie, 55
McAfee, Miles, 202–3
McCulley, Reese, 217, 219–21
medals, military, 36, 47
“Micro-Soft,” 23
Midwest League, 66
Miller, Alton Glenn, 17, 45, 50, 185, 219
Miller, Cheryl, 92
Miller, Darrell, 90–92, 138
Miller, Ed, 172
Miller, Reggie, 92
Millhone, Jim, 62, 72
Milwaukee Braves, 73, 83
Milwaukee Brewers, 144, 220
MINK League, 53, 149, 240
Minnesota Twins, 100, 143, 160, 187, 204
Montreal Expos, 144, 157–58, 159, 160
Moses, Jay, 197, 218
movies, 23, 32, 50, 78–79, 112, 214
Mucha, Keith, 96, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104–5
Muller, Andrea, 193
Muller, Heidi, 125
Muller, Lloyd, 125, 192–93
Muller, Venita, 125, 192–93
Municipal Stadium (Clarinda, Iowa)
construction in 1954, 49, 53
description, xiii, xvi, 17, 63, 87, 95, 112–13, 238
Eberly family as staff, 25, 84, 113, 185, 231, 233
maintenance, 61, 70, 185, 197, 230
Murray, Eddie, 16
N
National Baseball Congress (NBC), 7
National Baseball Congress World Series
1973, 72
1974, 72–73
1976, 30, 32
1977, 89, 90
1979, 203
1981, win, 11, 99–108, 238
1982, 123–24, 126
1987, 132, 139
1994, 153
1997, 170–72
2008, 221
first prize, 109
importance of, 102–3, 105, 110, 124, 139, 199
National Basketball Association (NBA), 53, 92
National Football League, 53
National League, 143, 202
NCAA, 87, 164
Nebraska League, 56–57, 58
Negro League, 64
Nelson, Annette, 193–94
New Market, Iowa, 195–96
New York Mets, 66, 67, 68
New York–Penn League, 180
New York Yankees
Bob Cerv Sr. on the, 24
Brosius on the, 144
Knoblauch on the, 143
Mattingly on the, 147
1961 season, 24
Ryan Eberly on the, 8, 154, 208, 214
Shupe on the, 100
spring training, 214
Nichols, C. E., 26, 71
Nichols, Jeff, 153, 177
Nipper, Mike, 95, 96
Nodaway River, 37–38, 98
Nodaway Valley League, 64, 68
NSK ball bearing factory, 86
O
Oakland A’s, 138
Obama, Barack, 235
Ogden Raptors, 125
Oldis, Bob, 157–58
Oliva, David, 98–99
Omaha, Nebraska, 39, 40–41, 47, 58, 223
Omaha World-Herald, 26, 29, 71, 137, 138, 139
Oral Roberts University, 24, 30, 72
Ossian, Jim, 63–64
P
Page County courthouse, 43, 48, 83
Page County Democrat, 42
Paige, Satchel, 64
Palmeiro, Rafael, 101, 144
Panama Canal, 43
Parenti, Frank, 57, 58, 59
Pascarelli, Peter, 201–2
Patkin, Max, 55
Patton, George, xiii
Pearson Coal Mine, 40
Pepperdine University, 108, 109
personal development
due to Eberly’s example, 129, 133–37, 152, 205
due to host family, 186–95
and Eberly’s leadership style, xiii, 11–12, 70, 78–80, 84–85, 91, 130, 174–78 (See also leadership style of Eberly, as a surrogate father)
and team dynamics, 81
Peterson, Jeff, 100
Petty, Raymond, 106
Philadelphia Phillies, 2, 180–81, 200–202, 205, 218–19
Phillips, Dick, 119
Pittsburgh Pirates, 83
players
daily life, 79–80, 86, 98, 99, 130, 139
experiences upon arrival, 141, 184, 189, 236
jobs found for
construction, xii, 19–21
farm work, 63, 121, 123, 192
furniture store, 129
janitorial, xii, 86
J
ohn Deere dealer, 134
Lisle Corp., 68
painting, xii, 150
purpose of, 19
as people (See personal development)
“plus tools” and a “plus” heart, 149
superstitions of, 100, 153–54
Pontious, Rusty, 103–5
Pritchard, Walt, 73
Pullins, Gary, 80–81
Quinn, Bob, 89
R
racial aspects
civil rights movement, 23
and Clarinda, 17, 19–20, 22, 46–47, 91, 184
slavery, xiv, 41, 46
Rarick, Beth, 189–91
Rarick, Brian, 189–91
Rarick, Sam, 189
Reagan, Ronald, 110
Rendon, Anthony, 160
Rialto Theater, 50
Rice University, 18
Richardson, Charlie, 113
Richardson, Connie, 113
Richardson, Dr. Bill, 10–12, 150–51, 223, 234
Ridenour, N. C., 42
Ridnour, Duane, 63
Riesgo, Nikco, 128, 138, 144
Ripken, Cal, Jr., 239
Robinson, Frank, 158
Rolen, Scott, 149
Rooker, Ron, 209
Rookie Leagues, 214, 221
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 39
Roosevelt, Theodore, 43–45
Rubel, Mike, 105
rules for the Clarinda A’s
alcohol, 25, 27, 104, 122–23, 173–74
breaking the, 27, 122–23, 188–89
church attendance, 25, 188
curfew, 58, 85, 104–5, 188, 191, 210
hair, 24–25, 66, 85, 119, 129
shined shoes, 66, 85
Ruth, Babe, 24
Ryan, Nolan, 239
S
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 5
St. Joseph Mustangs, 173–74
St. Louis Cardinals, 5, 33, 54, 126, 144, 149, 168–69, 201–2
St. Louis University, 143
St. Mary’s of California, 86, 202, 203
salaries of baseball players, 55, 56, 57, 160, 165, 168
Salem Volcanoes, 220–21
Samuelson, Brenda, 192
Sanchez, Mike, 174
San Diego Padres, 2, 33, 117, 148
San Diego State, 76, 86, 128, 138
San Francisco Giants, 221
Schmidt, Mike, 201, 202
Scioscia, Mike, 239
scorer, official, 103