The Daily Goodbye

It's been a rough month for the New York Yankees.

First Bob Sheppard, the so-called Voice of God who announced games at Yankee Stadium for more than half a century, died on July 11. Then George Steinbrenner. Now Ralph Houk, the Yanks' manager who guided the team to two World Series championships in the early 1960s.

Mr. Houk also managed the Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox. He died yesterday at age 90.

Another loss in the baseball world is Clint Hartung, a one-time New York Giants prospect who lasted only six seasons in the major leagues but had 15 minutes of fame in 1951.

Mr. Hartung died July 8 at age 87. His moment of fame came in Game 3 of the National League playoff against the Brooklyn Dodgers, when he was sent in as a pinch runner during the ninth inning. Bobby Thomson hit a homer, Mr. Hartung scored and the Giants won the pennant.