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This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.

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How are you doing baseball fans? This is Russ Hodges speaking for American Legion Junior Baseball.

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And today we're all set to bring you another dugout interview with a former American Legion Junior Baseball player

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who is now one of the brightest stars in the major leagues.

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We're talking to you from the polo grounds in New York today

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and we're watching the Giants warm up for this afternoon's game of the Brooklyn Dodgers.

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And strangely enough, our guest today is a young man who was born in Brooklyn, still lives in Brooklyn,

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and yet plays with the New York Giants.

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Well, they say that everything happens in Brooklyn and this is just one more point in favor of that argument.

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Fans, we're talking about Sid Gordon, third baseman of the New York Giants

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and one of the most powerful sluggers in the game.

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He hit a flock of homers last year and had more round trippers in training this spring than any other big league ball player.

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Say, Sid, give us the word. Just how does a Brooklyn boy wind up in a giant uniform?

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Well, Russ, it's this way. All my life, my greatest ambition was to become a major league ball player.

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I played baseball with every team in Brooklyn that would let me swing a bet.

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I played San Lot, high school, American Legion, and semi-pro baseball.

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I even played with the Bushwicks.

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Finally, I sat down and wrote to the New York Giants and asked them for a trial.

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They answered that if I would pay my own fare to Milford, which is a giant...

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That's in Delaware, isn't it?

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That's right. That's a giant farm team. They would give me a tryout.

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That was in 1938.

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Well, I made the ball club and the Giants refunded my expenses.

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I went up to Jersey City the next year and stayed there until 1942 when New York called me up.

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Except for three years with the Coast Guard during the war, I've been with the Giants ever since.

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And at that time, you were with Uncle Sam.

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Well, Sid, many baseball men consider that total of 221 home runs that the Giants hit during the 1947 season

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as one of the most amazing records in all baseball history.

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Didn't you help set that mark?

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Yes, Russ. I hit 13 of those homers.

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But I don't think I really came into my own until the 22nd of May of 1948.

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That's funny that you'd remember one particular date as such an important milestone.

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Say, Sid, tell us what happened on last May 22nd.

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Well, prior to that date, I had been just a so-so outfielder and not hitting much when Melop,

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who was managing the club, put me at third base.

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I got two hits that afternoon, one of them a home run with the bases loaded, as we beat the Cubs 11 to nothing.

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We started winning and I really went on a batting streak.

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I got 17 hits in the next 10 games, including five homers.

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I remember the way you were going then, Sid.

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Well, I just kept hitting all season and I stayed on third base.

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And as you know, I wound up with 30 home runs for the year, 107 runs batted in.

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That explains the way I feel about that specialty date.

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Well, that specialty date of May 22nd is really something and I can see why you'd have a red ring around that calendar from last year.

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And I might add that most of those 30 home runs were really socked.

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In almost every park in the National League, someone will point out a distant spot and remark,

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that's where Sid Gordon hit one over the wall.

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By the way, Sid, a few minutes ago you mentioned playing American Legion Junior Baseball in Brooklyn.

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Did you pick up any pointers in junior league competition that helped you get ahead in organized ball?

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I certainly did, Russ.

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I played for Rugby Post, number 101-1 in Brooklyn.

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It was about the first taste of real high class competition that I had ever had and it did a lot for me.

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It was also my first experience with an organized system.

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And aside from a lot of baseball know-how that I picked up, I learned something about the team play

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and cooperative effort that is so important in winning ball games.

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Speaking for American Legion Junior Baseball as a whole, I can say without reservation

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that every boy in the United States who hopes to be a professional ball player should take advantage of this fine program.

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We have about 19 men on our 1948 roster who were with the American Legion.

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And most of the top stars in the National League came up the same way.

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We have players like Stan Musial, Ralph Keiner, Spahn, Rex Barney, Richie Ashburn, and Phil Cavaretto.

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It's really quite a thing for boys.

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Well, thank you, Sid Gordon, and may you keep right on blasting out those long home runs.

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Thousands of boys all over America will be playing American Legion Junior Baseball again this year.

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And the story of your rise to fame should be an inspiration to all of them.

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And before letting you go, Sid, I think we should wish you your very biggest year in 1949. Good luck to you.

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Thank you, Russ.

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That was really well done, Sid.

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I had the privilege of doing the broadcast of the National Finals of the Legion Junior Baseball Tournament a few years ago.

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And I fully agree with Sid Gordon that the program is one of the finest in the world.

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Well, our time's up now, fans, but we'll be back from time to time with more diamond interviews

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presented in the interest of the 22nd consecutive season of American Legion Junior Baseball.

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