Robert C. “Rube” Samuelson was called “Mr. Rose Bowl;” he covered the game for 34 straight years as sports editor of The Pasadena Star-News.
In 1949, he interviewed Luke Easter, two months before Easter made his major league debut.
Samuelson said:
“Fencing conversationally with Luke Easter the San Diego Padres fancy-dan first sacker, takes more than a bit of parrying. To come up with something worthwhile one has to dig in and keep after the big fellow.”
Easter
Samuelson asked Easter—who hit .363 with 25 home runs and 92 RBI in 80 games with the Padres–which Pacific Coast League (PCL) pitcher was the toughest to hit. Easter said 42-year-old Tommy Bridges, in his third season with the Portland Beavers after 16 seasons with the Detroit Tigers.
“He’s about the best I ever faced.”
Easter was asked if he thought he’d be able to hit Hollywood Stars’ Willie Ramsdell’s knuckle ball later that week:
“Why not? I’ve hit knucklers before.”
Samuelson then asked about his badly injured knee:
“I don’t know how long it will hold up. I may have to have it operated on before the season ends.”
Easter said his knee hurt, “All the time. Even when I step on the brakes of my car. Even when I go upstairs. It keeps me from going to the right and I can’t pull the ball as well as I otherwise could.”
Easter said the knee was injured when he collided with Larry Doby during spring training, he was later hit in the same knee with a pitch and had “a chipped bone” in the kneecap.
Easter lied when Samuelson asked the next question:
“’How old are you, Luke?’
“’Twenty-seven.’”
Easter would turn 34 on August 4—a week before his big-league debut.
When asked if he was ready to be called up to the Indians, he said:
“Sure. Anytime. But it’s best that I spend one year out here. You can always use experience. Mr. (Bucky) Harris and Mr. (Jimmy) Reese always talk to me and help me. That makes you feel good.”
Asked if he idolized our followed any players, he said:
“Phil Cavarretta of the Cubs. He may not be the best first baseman in baseball, but I like the way he plays.”
He also said Josh Gibson was the best Negro League player he ever saw and that “Doby” was his current “favorite Negro player.”
Easter said the quality of players was better in the PCL than he had faced when he played for the Homestead Grays in 1947 and 1948:
“It’s very good every day in the Coast League. The pitchers especially. You get the same class of pitching about every third or fourth day in the Negro circuits.”
Easter
On July 2, Easter had knee surgery at the Cleveland Clinic; he made his major league debut with the Indians 40 days later.
Baseball History Daily 