RIP Herb Score

As I awoke this morning, the day seemed to be polarizing. One one side, it's Veterans Day and my dad's birthday. On the other side, I found out that Herb Score had passed away after a long illness.

In every possible meaning of the word, this turns out to be a day of remembrance. A day to think about happy moments. A day to think about those who are no longer here. A day to pause and reflect on the good fortune of those who have survived another year.

As I think about Herb, I am reminded of May 7, 1957, when Gil McDougald bloodied Herb's face with a line drive. Instantly feeling remorse and concern, Gil vowed to retire if Herb was blinded by the accident. Herb recovered and regained his 20/20 vision, but he was never the same. He was fearful. I can't say that I blame him.

By the time the White Sox got Herb in a trade with the Indians, the 1955 AL Rookie of the Year was a shell of his former self. Over the course of three years, Herb managed to only appear in 35 games for the Sox. The main culprit was a change in his delivery, brought on by fear of the line drive, which made Herb more prone to injury.

Herb managed a 6-12 record with the Sox. His final game was on May 4, 1962, in Boston. The White Sox managed to lose all four games that Herb appeared in that final year.

After his career was over, Herb went back to where he had the most success... Cleveland. He became an announcer for the Indians in 1964. In 1968, he switched from the television broadcasts over to the radio side for the Indians. He remained there until the end of the 1997 season. His final game in the booth was Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, as the play by play announcer.

The baseball world has lost a great man with a lengthy career and a close association to the sport. Rest in peace, Herb.