Should Brooklyn Build a Monument to JOHNNY PODRES?

[DODGER DEB]

In recent weeks, after JOHNNY'S passing, a thought occured to me, which I must admit I had thought about through the years.

WE all agree that JOHNNY is OUR HERO! JOHNNY PODRES did what no other BROOKLYN DODGER ever did before, bring US OUR one and only WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Therefore, should BROOKLYN build a permanent monument to JOHNNY?

I am interested in what each of you BROOKLYN DODGER fans think...and why...or why not?

c.

[penncentralpete]

Johnny Podres

Absolutely yes. I'm dismayed there isn't a statue of Johnny TODAY. Brooklyn should have this statue..........shame on them for not erecting one long before now.

[VIBaseball]

How about where? The only thought that occurs to me is KeySpan Park. It would be interesting to see how a Podres memorial -- to name just one deserving figure -- could be integrated along with the Peewee & Jackie statue and the Brooklyn baseball gallery.

[dodger dynamo]

THEY SHOULD! THEY ABSOLUTELY SHOULD! Johnny was the only pitcher in the modern era of brooklyn baseball history to win a deciding world series game. in the 1800's it wasn't called the world series. we should not forget our heroes. will they? who knows? battlin bake the dodger dynamo

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Isn't there any "museum" in Brooklyn about the Dodgers' history?

I vaguely remember something like that.

If so, I think that would be an ideal place to erect a statue or plaque to honour him.

How alive are the Dodgers among the Brooklynites? Sure the older people (sorry no offense) will remember them. But how is that with the younger generations? Are they still interested? A statue or plaque could be a spark for these generations to get more interested in the Dodgers.

[KCGHOST]

It has been 52+ years since the Boys of Summer won their only title. it seems silly at this late date to start building statues to honor them. Particularly if you want to start with the one that is most recently deceased. Why not the Duke, who at least is still alive.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

It has been 52+ years since the Boys of Summer won their only title. it seems silly at this late date to start building statues to honor them. Particularly if you want to start with the one that is most recently deceased. Why not the Duke, who at least is still alive.

Well maybe you are right about this. Erecting a statue for only one member of the 1955 team doesn't show any acknowledgment to the other members. I think it would be a good thing to honour the whole team with some statue or plaque. Everybody of that team had his share in winning that WS title.

[DODGER DEB]

Well maybe you are right about this. Erecting a statue for only one member of the 1955 team doesn't show any acknowledgment to the other members. I think it would be a good thing to honour the whole team with some statue or plaque. Everybody of that team had his share in winning that WS title.

While all OUR players contributed to the OUR WC win, it took the extraordinary pitching of JOHNNY PODRES to win TWO games, and finally bring US to the promised land WE yearned for, for so long.

Keep in mind, most of the players on OUR 1955 team were also on OUR 1953 team, and some even on OUR 1947,1949, and 1956 teams. Yet, as good as those teams were (and they were good), WE were never able to win it all, like WE did in 1955, because of JOHNNY'S pitching.

So, for that reason alone, I believe WE should consider honoring him in BROOKLYN. It took from 1890 until 1955, before WE realized OUR "Next Year"....all thanks to OUR #45. HE was special, and what he did for US, especially when you consider what WE would be facing two years hence, was to provide the magic that kept OUR hearts lit forever!

OUR 1955 World Champions TEAM has been honored many times, something WE will always continue to do. But, honoring JOHNNY PODRES should be in a class all by itself.

I can't even imagine OUR Dodgers being taken from US in 1957, without once winning a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. Thanks to JOHNNY, WE didn't have to add that pain to one we've carried for years....that of losing OUR Team.

c.

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

I can't even imagine OUR Dodgers being taken from US in 1957, without once winning a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP.

Reading your post, that came up to my mind too.

I am really curious how Brooklynites would have reacted if the Dodgers would have been moved without winning a championship.

[kingv]

If I may be so bold...

It would be tough to top the one that's in Cooperstown. It wow'd me when I was there. You get Campy too.

From a Google search...because I can't find my pics of same...

http://www.walterhunt.com/images/blogtrip/PodresCampy.JPG

[Mattingly]

Isn't there a big tan-colored courthouse on Court St by Montague & Pierrepont Sts in Brooklyn Heights? That big one, right in front of it, they could have a nice statue of Johnny Podres as a tribute to Brooklyn.

There's also a park next to this before you get to the US Post Office (on Cadman Plaza, I think), and that's another possible location.

Of course, having statues of Jackie and Pee Wee there also wouldn't hurt either!

[D6+]

Isn't there any "museum" in Brooklyn about the Dodgers' history?

I vaguely remember something like that.

If so, I think that would be an ideal place to erect a statue or plaque to honour him.

How alive are the Dodgers among the Brooklynites? Sure the older people (sorry no offense) will remember them. But how is that with the younger generations? Are they still interested? A statue or plaque could be a spark for these generations to get more interested in the Dodgers.

There's a small museum in Keyspan Park that focuses on Brooklyn's baseball history.

[D6+]

Well maybe you are right about this. Erecting a statue for only one member of the 1955 team doesn't show any acknowledgment to the other members. I think it would be a good thing to honour the whole team with some statue or plaque. Everybody of that team had his share in winning that WS title.

It's longggggg overdue that BOTH a statue of Johnny Podres and a statue that commemorates the entire 1955 Dodgers World Championship team are put up in Brooklyn.

IMO, the overall lack of displays of Dodgers history in Brooklyn was a major contributing factor in Walter O' Malley getting into the now Baseball Hall of Shame. If the Dodgers franchise history ( 1890-1957 ) was preserved in Brooklyn in the manner that represents what the franchise meant to the Borough during the Dodgers existence, many more people under 55 would have voiced displeasure or outrage that O' Malley was even being seriously considered for the now Baseball Hall of Shame. And it's much more likely that MLB would have returned to Brooklyn.

The out of sight- out of mind approach that most elected officials in Brooklyn took about the Dodgers for countless years ( to a large extent in the present as well ) caused considerable damage to anyone who cares about the Dodgers franchise history. In recent years, the 1955 Dodgers weren't honored by Brooklyn during 2005 ( 50 year anniversary ). Despite the efforts of DODGER DEB and others to have a 50 year anniversary celebration. It never should have come to this but with so few reminders of the Dodgers franchise history in Brooklyn, it's not surprising what the end result was.

[Paulmcall]

The figures at the HOF are quite stunning.
Poetry in motion.:bowdown:

[AutographCollector]

It would be tough to top the one that's in Cooperstown. It wow'd me when I was there. You get Campy too.

From a Google search...because I can't find my pics of same...

http://www.walterhunt.com/images/blo...odresCampy.JPG

I was there last year. I wanted my brother to take a pic of me next to them, but the one guy who worked there frowned upon it and threatened to call security. Ummm....

From what I saw of the two statues they are amazing, and the facial structures are quite lifelike too.