I’m not sure anything has breezed through Summit County Council as fast as this.
They want Hal. All of them. Unanimous vote.
It was Council Vice President Tim Crawford’s idea to write a letter lobbying the Cleveland Indians to recognize Barberton’s Hal Naragon during one of the World Series games.
Naragon was a rookie on the 1954 Tribe team that went to the Series. Ideally, the council — and a lot of other people in Greater Akron — would like to see him throw out a first pitch. But council members would settle for some sort of public recognition for Naragon at a game.
The first two first-pitch pitchers had already been lined up before the letter was sent: Kenny Lofton on Tuesday and fellow 1995 World Series teammate Carlos Baerga on Wednesday. But depending on how things go, the Tribe could return for one or possibly two more games, on Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.
“I’ve known Hal all my life,” says Crawford, whose father played high school baseball with the future pro.
“Growing up, you always have those hometown heroes. For me, it was [Olympic Gold Medalist] Jeep Davis and Hal Naragon. And both of them came back to town.”
After a 10-year major-league career — the first 6½ with the Tribe — Naragon opened a sporting goods store on Second Street that was highly successful. He sold it in 1990 after a 17-year run.
These days, you’ll sometimes see the 88-year-old gentleman around downtown Barberton wearing a white shirt and tie, a member of the rapidly dwindling generation that dressed up just to go out in public.
Naragon was unaware of the letter until I told him about it.
Signed by 10 council members, the message to the Indians’ front office reads as follows:
“The Summit County Council would like to formally request that consideration be given to recognize former Indians player Hal Naragon during the World Series games at Progressive Field.
“Mr. Naragon graduated from Barberton High School in 1947 and played for the Indians for six years, including with the 1954 World Series team. The Barberton legend is also a Korean War Veteran.
“Whether Mr. Naragon is included in first-pitch activities or recognized in another manner, we would greatly appreciate his inclusion in the World Series excitement as someone who means so much to so many in our community. …”
As of Wednesday afternoon, the council hadn’t received a response — not particularly surprising given the barely manageable chaos that envelopes a team involved in a World Series.
The Tribe has a zillion worthy ex-players it could recognize, and Major League Baseball has to sign off on the first-pitch selections. But there would be no reason to balk at giving Naragon a bow between innings.
The former catcher would certainly be willing to participate, even though he no longer does much throwing apart from catching and tossing back a ceremonial first pitch each year at the Hal Naragon Classic at Barberton’s Hal Naragon Field.
Primarily a backup, he had a lifetime batting average of .266 in 424 games. In the 1954 World Series, filling in for five-time All-Star Jim Hegan, he appeared only in the third game.
He also served as the Detroit Tigers’ pitching coach in 1968, the year they won the title behind ace pitcher Denny McLain.
McLain and Naragon’s daughter, Pam Naragon Bradley, are Facebook friends, and on Wednesday he sent her this message after learning about the county’s letter:
“[Hal] and Johnny Sain [were the] greatest pitching coaches in MLB history. I don’t win two Cy Young [awards] and win 55 games in two years without them.”
Naragon and his wife of 68 years, the former Joanne Schake, love baseball and have watched almost every Indians game on TV this season. He believes this group is special.
“I think this is a great club,” he says. “I don’t think they have a weakness. They have speed, they can field, they certainly can hit, and they have that great pitching. …
“I can’t envision Cleveland not winning the Series.”
Naragon says he was ready to try something else when he hung up his cleats. “Although I do have some great memories, you don’t miss playing so much as you miss the players.”
He says the ’54 team, which won a record 111 games before the New York Giants shocked the sports world by sweeping the series, was tightly knit, much like the current bunch. Outfielder Dale Mitchell remained one of Naragon’s best friends until his death in 1987, and he spoke with four-time All-Star Al Rosen only a month before his death last year.
Today’s Indians “all seem to be happy. Of course, when you win, it’s a lot easier to be happy. But they have some nice people playing.”
Here’s hoping for a lot more happiness.
Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com. He also is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bob.dyer.31.