Larry See played 3rd base in an exhibition game at Jackie Robinson Stadium, UCLA on February 7, 1980. This was a big deal because the stadium was recently completed and was being dedicated that day. Mrs. Jackie Robinson was there to throw out the first pitch. Many other young Dodger players were there, Fernando Valenzuela, Steve and Dave Sax, Steve Howe, and of course, Tommy Lasorda. They were only playing four or five innings. A garden hose, apparently used to dampen the infield, had been left laying along the chain link fence on the third base line. In about the third inning a UCLA ball player hit a high, high pop fly along the third base line. Larry, with his intensity and determination watched the baseball go up and as the ball came down Larry stepped into the fence to catch the ball. In doing so, he stepped on the garden hose which moved, rolling away from Larry causing him to lose traction. His knee was severely damaged. Others know the medical terms for the ligaments and tendons that were torn. On February 13, 1980, Dr. Frank W. Jobe performed his infamous Tommy John surgery on Larrys knee. Needless to say, Larry did not make it to Spring Training that year, nor any of his second season as a professional. He wore a knee brace to the Instructional League in Phoenix, AZ in October 1980, and attended Spring Training in Vero Beach, Florida in March and April 1981. He was assigned to Vero Beach Single A Dodgers the summer of 1981. He played every Summer (and many Winters in Mexico) until he and his wife, Karla were expecting their first child in 1999. He has worked hard and continues to maintain his regime as an Athlete. He plays a couple of times a year in a Major League Alumni Senior Baseball Tournaments, one in Las Vegas in March (this weekend, March 8, 9, 10, 2014), and one in Phoenix, AZ in October, both are annual tournaments each year. He enjoys them and looks forward to the tournaments playing first and/or third base for the Boston Wolfpack. This is the fourth or fifth year he has participated. Doug Flute participated in the 2013 tournament with the Wolfpack. Herman Rivera, a team mate on the Dodgers, is playing for the Wolfpack this year, 2014. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, Dr. Jobe!! Yours was a truly wonderful contribution. You have my vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Mar 2014 05:30:20 +0000
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