Lyman Bostock

by SactoFan on Sep 18, 2008 11:27 AM PDT

For those longtime Angel fans such as myself we remember this guy who was humble and a great ballplayer one and the same. I remember the day he was murdered on a road trip and still talk to my baseball buddies about him once in a while. I can also remember balling my eyes out, I was only 11 at the time and he quickly became my favorite player.

For newer Angel fans or those too young to remember you should check out the following link.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=bostock

SactoFan

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Tragedy

I still get choked up thinking about Lyman Bostock.

by Rev Halofan on Sep 18, 2008 12:13 PM PDT reply actions

Seconded.

no sense…no rhyme…no reason…

by sothball on Sep 18, 2008 12:31 PM PDT up reply actions

I remember the day

Being it was the day of my 11th birthday its a day that has stuck with me.

My father and I were driving down Goldenwest towards HB for a beach party when Don Drysdale told the radio audience that Lyman Bostock had died. Being 11and a huge Angel fan I did not understand how this man they had just gotten for a lot of money could be dead. I still have all his cards

Willie Mays Aikens is FREeeeeeeee

by Angel Aviator on Sep 18, 2008 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions

I was going to college in Montana at the time (born/raised here).

It was much, much harder to follow the Angels from that distance (no "internets"). The local papers didn’t consistently carry box scores. Sporting News was my best source of information, but it was a weekly, and the information was 1-2 weeks old.
I heard about it on a top of the hour news blurb, but didn’t believe my ears. I had to call my brother to confirm and get details. If I recall correctly, the Angels were only 4-5 games behind KC at the time he was shot. It was the Angels first real chance at a pennant, and I was just…so…angry, pissed, and shocked. Could they have won the Western Division that year? Probably not. But losing Lyman Bostock didn’t help…and it just didn’t matter as much. So I got angry about that too.
I recall thinking about his family. Over time, I have developed a lot of sympathy for those that have to try and make sense of the senseless. You hear it in the article, "…if I (had followed through) on the surprise visit, maybe it would not have happened". Damn…30 years later and still pondering "what might have been". I have had close relatives and neighbors that have had to deal with similar random acts of violence. What do you say? What CAN you say? I have to leave it to others…I just don’t have the words.

by sothball on Sep 18, 2008 6:11 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

No internets and no wild will to sell cheap cards...

what a shame.

by Downing Rules on Sep 18, 2008 10:11 PM PDT up reply actions

brutal

you’re an ass…and I think I love you

GA GA he's the man, if he can't do it, no one can

by Moondoggy on Sep 19, 2008 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions

Wow

My 15th birthday.

Witty .sig goes here.

by scareduck on Sep 19, 2008 8:14 AM PDT up reply actions

great article...

I was raised an Angel fan, but only being 31, there is still a good deal of Angel history I don’t know as well as I should. I’ve heard of Bostock, but didn’t really know any of the details.

I’m not a big fan of the four letter network, but every now and then, they’ll pull gems like this out of their ass. Good work ESPN.

Fire Mickey Hatcher... oh wait

by thrill000 on Sep 18, 2008 12:16 PM PDT reply actions

I'm also 31, raised as an Angel fan and had no idea. Great article.

by snowhor on Sep 18, 2008 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions

Goodbye Lyman, again

We have the same middle name.

Angel Pitching, Angel Defense - get past that.

by vladtheimpaler on Sep 18, 2008 1:01 PM PDT reply actions

You do know about

FANSHOTS, right?

Francisco Rodriguez: 2006 to Present: 145 saves. 5 Panthers. As fabulous as Pride, Romero, Gregg, Budde and Dino Ebel combined.

by Stirrups on Sep 18, 2008 3:29 PM PDT reply actions

This one is getting a lot more action.

The Angels may have beat them 8 times in a row, but winning three before they do is all that matters.

by hauldog on Sep 18, 2008 3:48 PM PDT up reply actions

Character, with a capital C

How many guys out there in MLB would offer to refund their year’s salary if they were underperforming, as? GMJ, Andruw Jones …… I didn’t think so.

That his cold-blooded killer would be freed a few years later is the real tragedy.

You ever feel as if your mind had started to erode?

by PieceOfAase on Sep 18, 2008 3:57 PM PDT reply actions

.... as did Lyman?

You ever feel as if your mind had started to erode?

by PieceOfAase on Sep 18, 2008 3:58 PM PDT up reply actions

I wonder if Marvin Miller would have allowed that to actually happen...

Francisco Rodriguez: 2006 to Present: 146 saves. 5 Panthers. As fabulous as Pride, Romero, Gregg, Budde and Dino Ebel combined.

by Stirrups on Sep 18, 2008 5:15 PM PDT up reply actions

According to the article

the killer was free after less than a year.

I was uncool before uncool was cool.

by WiHaloFan on Sep 18, 2008 5:36 PM PDT up reply actions

The killer was released in '80, almost 2 years after the fact.

You ever feel as if your mind had started to erode?

by PieceOfAase on Sep 20, 2008 12:17 AM PDT up reply actions

Oh yeah, you're right

I read the line where it said less than a year after going to trial he was set free. Forgot he was in the clink before the trial too.

I was uncool before uncool was cool.

by WiHaloFan on Sep 20, 2008 5:46 AM PDT up reply actions

And...

He went to CSUN where I’m an alum. Adame Kennedy went there too.

by SactoFan on Sep 19, 2008 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

ooops!

spelling.

by SactoFan on Sep 19, 2008 4:01 PM PDT reply actions

Oh My Goodness!

I only wish I was balling my eyes out at 11.

Sadly, I’m still waiting!

by LittleCupcakes on Sep 21, 2008 10:48 PM PDT up reply actions

I hope you meant, bawling.

otherwise, ouch.

by Downing Rules on Sep 22, 2008 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Every time

the Bostock story comes up, it brings tears to my eyes.

1978 was really the first year I followed the Angels. I was 8 years old, and had just started making the sports section part of my daily routine (though I had followed baseball a little bit starting in 1976.

For reasons I really still don’t recall, Bostock quickly became my favorite Angel. I still can’t believe that he didn’t play even one full season here. At the time, I wasn’t even aware that he’d played for another team. It just seemed like he had always been with the Angels. Looking back on it, that’s how I know 1978 was the first year I followed the team.

He was the first hero of mine to pass away. A year later, it would be Thurman Munson, and then John Lennon the year after that. But Bostock’s death really hit me. It just made no sense at all. It still doesn’t, but as an adult I know that these things happen.

by jjackflash on Sep 20, 2008 12:47 AM PDT reply actions