PIECE OF CAKE: Celebrating their 2013 Baseball Legends cruise aboard the American Queen are, left to right, Ron Blomberg, Art Shamsky, Dan Schlossberg, and Al Clark. [Photo by Bill Menzel]
TAKING THE PLUNGE: Baseball Legends (from left) Tom Henke, Al Clark, Art Shamsky, Fritz Peterson, and Ron Blomberg get set to douse Louisville Slugger press rep PJ Shelley aboard the American Queen paddlewheeel steamboat last summer. Baseball cruise memories never fade. Consider these highlights from personal experience: t Playing ping-pong with Brooks Robinson in a gale as the QE2 passed Cape Hatteras t Helping Stan Musial fly a kite on the Mississippi Queen paddlewheeler t Hearing Carl Erskine play classical harmonica with the ship’s band – unrehearsed t Swimming in the American Queen pool with Art Shamsky t Going to the ‘Field of Dreams’ film site in Dubuque, Iowa with Tom Henke t Listening to Johnny VanderMeer recount his back-to-back nohitters t Playing SCRABBLE with Jeff Torborg’s wife Suzie t Listening to the mellow tones of baritone supreme Ralph Branca t Laughing with Ron Blomberg, the real-life version of Little Abner t Calming Pepper Paire-Davis, real-life inspiration for the Geena Davis in ‘A League of Their Own,’ when she cried during the credits because all her friends were gone t Hearing Musial play ‘The Wabash Cannonball’ on his harmonica and follow napkin tricks at the dinner table t Listening to the World Series with Bob Feller in the aft section of the QE2
As the creator, coordinator, and host of more than two-dozen baseball cruises, including three in the past two years, the concept is not just getting older but getting better. The imitation is never as good as the original is still out there, changing slightly to meet the times. Baseball is still America’s national pastime, as popular as it ever was. Participants in this year’s “Sluggers at Sea” package, as provided by US Tours, will receive a seven-night cruise on the Norwegian Dawn; all meals, entertainment, taxes, fees, and gratuities aboard ship; airport transportation and one night’s lodging at Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport; welcome and get-acquainted reception; pre-cruise breakfast at hotel; private group cocktail party aboard ship; baseball souvenirs; hotel-to-ship transfers; a special group photo; and more. Evans, who hit 414 home runs, and Johnstone, who wrote three books about his clubhouse pranks, are extremely generous with their time and signatures. So is Cox, whose Atlanta Braves teams won a record 14 consecutive divisional titles. They also won five pennants, more than any other team, during the ‘90s. Cox ranks fourth on the list of career wins by a manager. To learn more about the cruise, contact www.USTours.biz or call toll-free 888-393-8687 t JUNE 2015 | NEW YORK LIFESTYLES MAGAZINE | 95