The Dentist Laureate: Dodger Verse

Another quick verse by my uncle, Dr. John L. McAteer.

It was dire, dire, dire,
With the tension mountin' higher
As the Flock approached the wire
In this gruelin' baseball war.

But the boys went in there swattin'
So, my friend, you ain't seen nottin'
It's all over but the "Shotton"
And it won't be Dyer, Dyer anymore.

Uncle John often referred to his beloved Dodgers as the Flock. In this piece, "It's all over but the Shotton" is a reference to Burt Shotton who was the Dodger manager in 1950 when this poem was published. Dyer, Dyer is a reference to Cardinals manager, Eddie Dyer. The Cardinals and Dodgers had been very close rivals during this time.

Brooklyn Dodgers: An Ode From The Dentist Laureate

Earlier this week, I wrote about my great uncle, Dr. John L. McAteer, known as the Dentist Laureate of the Brooklyn Dodgers (you can read that post here). Following is a poem Dr. McAteer wrote to John Collins, business manager of Ebbets Field, published in the Brooklyn Eagle on July 19, 1944.

With deep concern I start: Dear Jack,
The world was cold-the skies were black.
Twas mine, I thought, henceforth to grope
Without a single ray of hope.
Through fog and bog and mental gloom
Until the fatal day of doom
When mortal woe at last succumbs
And mourn for our bewildered bums.
Whose mental poise and pennant hopes
Are hanging limply on the ropes.
As deaf to pleas and threats and prayers
They stagger down the cellar stairs.

My family link to Dodgers organization

Growing up, I had heard of my family's involvement with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1940s and 1950s. I never really mentioned it very often because I didn't think it could be proven beyond family folklore. Recently, through some research as well as my father's extensive research, I can now proudly prove these claims.

Dr. John L. McAteer

My great great uncle, Dr. John L. McAteer, was a prominent dentist in Brooklyn. He had garnered many prominent contacts in both the political and business sectors during his professional career. This included being a mainstay in The Anvil Chorus, a political satire group of the time. It's unclear how it came to pass, but Dr. John McAteer was also the team Dentist for the Brooklyn Dodgers. There isn't much information out there that mentions any particular player interactions with him, but several newspaper articles, including his obituary, specifically name him as the team dentist. He was a very dynamic and fascinating man, and was a noted poet in addition to his profession and political affiliations. He's been referred to as The Dentist Laureate and also The Poet Laureate of Borough Hall. In the coming days, I will post a poem that Dr. John McAteer wrote about the Brooklyn Dodgers.