From Deseret News archives:

Place in history: Famous HR was key, but Vern Law played a role, too

Published: Thursday, Oct. 13, 2005 1:21 p.m. MDT
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"I wouldn't trade my life with anybody else," he said earlier this month. "I played during the golden day of baseball, back when it was a game and when it was fun."

By 1969, Law had moved to Provo to become a BYU assistant coach for the next 10 years. And when son Vance assumed the head job in 2000, his dad returned to the Cougars' field, sharing pitching tips, throwing batting practice and shagging foul balls hit out of the stadium.

A few years back, his wife, VaNita, persuaded Law to bring his collection of baseball memorabilia out of storage, saying that while their six children knew of their father's baseball career, their children's children needed to understand what Grandpa had done. The basement family room is now lined with jerseys, equipment, plaques, posters and photos.

The 29 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren — or any visitor to the Laws' Grandview Hill home — can see Law's Cy Young and Lou Gehrig awards, his cover photo from an October 1960 Sports Illustrated, and a shelf containing several dozen autographed baseballs bearing signatures of Hall of Famers or "guys I just respected."

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After a seven-bypass heart surgery earlier this year, the 75-year-old Law was swinging golf clubs within two weeks before succumbing to family and nurses' pleas to honor the appropriate period of recovery. Law has since returned to his two favorite surfaces — the fairways and the pitching mound.

In the many golf tournaments and appearances Law still makes with other baseball alumni, he reminisces with Pirate teammates, former Yankee foes and other old-timers about their era, their careers and the '60 Series. He ran into Mazeroski recently and kidded his former infielder about the 1960 World Series while — true to trait — downplaying his contributions.

"I said, 'Maz, if I hadn't screwed up that Game 7, you wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame.' "


E-mail: taylor@desnews.com

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Former Pittsburgh Pirates great Vern Law poses with his 1960 Cy Young Award in the basement of his Provo home.

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