And Yes He Made the Pitchers Vomit

By Hazel Edith Gripp

(Note: Hazel Edith Gripp, once known as the Poetess Laureate of Baseball, wrote these two quatrains, circa 1960. They were discovered in her writing desk on the morning of her death. It’s not known if they belonged to her monumental Ode to Nicknames, or if they were a separate tribute. John Hilton, the great baseball historian and Hazel Gripp authority, has speculated that the poem was to be dedicated to Mickey Mantle. Research continues on the subject.)

And how could we forget the Mick
He used to make the pitchers sick.
He used to have the kind of swing
That made the baseball angels sing.

Also called the Commerce Comet
And yes, he made the pitchers vomit.
He made us jump and scream and shout
Even when he’s striking out.