Wednesday, February 24, 2010

The New Orleans Times Picayune ~
By Nakia Hogan, Staff writer



George "Bo" Strickland, a big league shortstop
for 10 seasons and a coach, manager and scout
for 11 more, died Sunday. He was 84.


Strickland, a New Orleans native who was
a standout baseball player at S.J. Peters High
School in the early 1940s and played two
seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans of the
Southern Association, was one of the city's
more celebrated players.


He also was one of the more provocative
speakers among a group of retired local athletes
who met once a week for lunch and some
good-old-days conversation.
Strickland often was the life of the party.


"Everybody wanted to sit near George at those
things," said local baseball historian Peter
Barrouquere, a former Times-Picayune reporter.
"He told the most amazing stories. When (Hall
of Fame pitcher) Bob Lemon passed away, he
kept us going for 3 1/2 hours with Bob Lemon
stories. He had us in stitches."


Mel Parnell, a former All-Star pitcher with the
Boston Red Sox and a high school teammate
of Strickland, agreed.


"It was great getting together like that because we
had a mixture of athletes," Parnell said. "We have
baseball, football, basketball, a boxing referee
and a race horse trainer. And we all talked about
our profession. We would bring up stories about
our playing days, which were interesting."


Strickland had much to talk about.


After graduating from high school, Strickland
served in the Navy in 1944 and '45. He then spent
five years in the minor leagues, including two
seasons with the Pelicans, before making his major
league debut in 1950.


Strickland played for the Pittsburgh Pirates
(1950-52) and Cleveland Indians (1952-57, 1959-60).

Jamie Gillis, a legend in the adult film industry died Friday February 20 in his native NYC of cancer. He was 66. Jamie was a graduate of Columbia University and also appeared on the legitimate stage and such main stream movies as "Nighthawks,"

FROM: The Chicago Tribune ~
(Paid obit)



George J. Cisar, age 99, of North Riverside,
2nd oldest Major League Baseball player who
played with the Brooklyn Dodgers. US Army
Veteran 1944-11945, beloved husband of the
late Irene, nee Trepina; loving father of Gayle
and George Cisar; fond grandfather of Nicole
and Jacqueline; preceded in death by one
brother; and two sisters.





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