You Bet Your Life #58-23 Don Drysdale, LA Dodgers pitcher (Secret word 'House', Feb 26, 1959)

Nowadays, Edith Winslow's letter to Groucho would probably be considered grounds for a celebrity to hire a bodyguard. These were simpler times. . .
COUPLE #1: Newlyweds: Ginger & Don Drysdale, LA Dodgers pitcher
COUPLE #2: Edith Winslow (who sent Groucho a letter composed of cut-out letters from magazines) / Louis Rich (invited by Groucho to return to the show when he appeared 7 years earlier. He's now 94 years old)
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Episode identification and basic description based on "Tell 'em Groucho Sent You", © 1997 by Mark Petty. Used by permission.

[@madelschmadel]

It's amazing to see people sharing their home addresses on the show, too. Those were safer times because people were more moral.

[@justplainbrad7713]

Maddy Perennity - The safety factor was noticeable back then, because it was before the Federal Gov't pulled the funding on 500,000 beds for the criminally/mentally insane, and today, they roam free. Scary thought, isn't it?

[@EFFIEWalker-pn7hh]

Most people are not moral today because they don't raise their children the write way , that is God's way.

[@keithnaylor1981]

Amazing! The ending was just as thrilling as it was in 1959! Wonderful!

[@auletjohnast03638]

I like the way Ginger looks at Don when he says she can't cook.

[@alexandermarquis6197]

Love that he mentions the 1893 world's fair.

[@gavanhillebold3131]

Well after eating peanuts for 80 years I’m surprised you’re not Shell shocked 😮 Groucho is quick

[@soylentteal]

John Guedel built the show around Groucho's unmatched ability to ad-lib.

[@rubedogg6969]

Don Drysdale is one of the most respected players in The Los Angeles Dodgers history!

[@barbecuecity138]

May God bless him for taking a stand.

[@rentslave]

Remember one thing:Koufax wasn't a bank teller who could be replaced on a moment's notice but the best player on his team at the most important position.Suppose a Christain college basketball player refused to play on Good Friday in the NCAA Championships?When you're part of a team,you check your religion at the door.

[@Mutlap]

Remember watching Drysdale pitch against the Baltimore Orioles in the 1966 World Series. Orioles beat him game 1 - 5 to 2 game 4 - 1 to 0.

[@rentslave]

He didn't in that World Series,but in 1965.In 1963,he delayed a start vs St.Louis.

[@captainmorgan757]

@@rentslave yes, I'm sure that God would agree with you, on that. NOT!

[@Theman26642]

Wow the 94 year old guy was pretty quick and he won $5,000.

[@thomaswolf723]

Its great when you can aspire to go into sports broadcasting after your baseball career ends, and actually do it very successfully. He announced baseball (and a little football) with the networks and several teams for about 23 years. Don divorced his wife Ginger in 1982 and married former basketball star Ann Meyers in 1986. He died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 56.

[@joeapple100]

ginger seemed so in love with don, and he with her. What happened? Does anyone know??????????? I feel bad for her, especially. She seemed so nice, and so in love with Don.

[@michaelmenasco7467]

Ok

[@ladyofthewoods2448]

He didn’t seem very interested in her on this show I noticed . Thanks for nfo

[@anthonya2349]

@@joeapple100 You knew her for all of 2 minutes.

[@rockvilleraven]

The Marriage between Anne and Don was the first one between two Sports Hall of Famers, Ann is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and Don is in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown

[@mfb3042]

They won the world series against the White Sox in 1959. Great batter for a pitcher. Hit 12 home runs one year.

[@hiramnoone]

7

[@harleystine1840]

Louie, way ahead of his time, living in the moment.

[@annchovey2089]

I think it was easier to do that back then.

[@RRW1982]

@@annchovey2089 The absence of [smart]technology allowed people to live in a more deliberate and natural rhythm, even with whatever problems they were facing. Now most anyone out walking their dog is holding a phone and discussing...which is a variant of 'cussing'.

[@MrJamespeyton]

I remember watching all those ball players he named, all legends. Roberto Clemente was one of my favorites as I’m from Pittsburgh.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

Died in 1972. 😢

[@sweiland75]

Edith's letter looked like a ransom letter

[@AceripXF]

LMAOOOO

[@Krisesakes]

That old man was a classic !

[@parisbest105]

This is a great episode! Love it!! 😄👍

[@JenifAR87]

A credit to humanity indeed.

[@jaycimo]

Don Drysdale's St. Bernard almost ate me in Hidden Hills when I was 9 years old.

[@fonso1030]

Jay Cimo 🤣 that’s great

[@danielwachtenheim7641]

This is one of the best episodes!

[@davidluckens3479]

The Dodgers jumped from 7th place in the nl in '58,to first in '59,winning the world series as well.Drysdale won 17 games that year year ,and made the allstar team.After his retirement from baseball,he achieved his goal of becoming a sportscaster.

[@voxtango1916]

What I find truly extraordinary is that Louis was born DURING the Civil War~!!! And yet here he is, sharp as a tack on TV in 1959~!!! An even greater generation than the greatest generation.

[@johnmitchelljr]

Thanks for the history lesson, Louie's philosophy vs. Groucho's. All us little snot nosed kids living in Los Angeles in the 50's sure loved the Dodgers. Thank you for sharing.

[@venividiviking]

Brillant show 👍 Thanks for uploading

[@tommytwogloves16]

What a wonderful age in America.

[@TheoHockeyton]

Amazing to see and hear someone born in 1865 !

[@zquark1]

Ginger Drysdale separated and sued for divorce from Don in 1969 after 11 years of marriage. She claimed he had assaulted her 30 times and asked for a restraining order, as she weighed only 115 pounds, and he weighed 220. A settlement was not reached until 1984, nearly 15 years later.

[@kingbee1500]

Yes...the opening sure isn't showing a 1959 DeSoto, either-that's a '54 or '55 model. By 1959, the open and close had the famous "tell 'em Groucho sent ya!" bit.

[@marilynlarosa7449]

CLEAN HUMOR AT ITS BEST

[@jmsiii4751]

Don Drysdale a Hall of Fame great, in his entire baseball career, he didn't even make a million dollars playing baseball.... They are SO overpaid today!

[@justplainbrad7713]

Glad someone else here has a baseball base. Imagine being as good as he was, and have to take the $1000 and run. Don Drysdale is listed as making $17,500.00 in 1958. That's a fair bit of cash for that time, though living in LA was probably not very cheap. Took 8 more years to get to $100K Gordie Howe retired from the Wings in 1971, and never made better than $25,000/year, in the 25 years he played for them. To get the big money, he had to join the WHA, and with his wife as an agent...Gordie made more in one year with the WHA, then in all his 25 years with Detroit. From chump change, to millions, and only after his NHL stint.

[@vampira1409]

94 year old Louis Rich won, what, 5500 dollars. An insane sum in 1959. Did any other guest ever win the top prize?

[@mwilliamshs]

vampira1409 5,550 50 secret word 500 round 1 5,000 final round

[@MrMenefrego1]

Oh how far America has fallen since the Golden Age of the 1950's...

[@madelschmadel]

Very sad.

[@dylanhiggins4760]

The golden age... where there were only 24 letters in the alphabet? 😂

[@poetcomic1]

Hell, 2017 seems like a golden age now.

[@MrMenefrego1]

@@dylanhiggins4760 26

[@MrMenefrego1]

@Layton Ibrahim stop spamming!

[@louisep5178]

Wow this was real history Louis was born in 1865👌

[@aloisemason3044]

Sensational win for 5 ,000 dollars

[@519djw6]

Edith Winslow was quite a babe! And Louis Rich was amazing for someone who was 94 years old!

[@Johnnycdrums]

Groucho told him upon leaving, he was a credit to humanity. Louis replied, "You're a credit to the art". Groucho must have liked that.

[@WalterJoergLangbein]

Both men were right!

[@joeambrose3260]

@@Johnnycdrums I thought he said army, but that makes no sense

[@osmarmayoral3996]

Groucho was hilarious!!! Even more so than Rodney Dangerfield !!!

[@ITILII]

Rodney was great, but Groucho is the greatest comedic genius ever !

[@acousticshadow4032]

Apples & Oranges. Both were great, employing different methods of comedy.

[@AceripXF]

yus

[@robmclean4352]

$5,000 in 1959 = $44,000 today!

[@auletjohnast03638]

DON DRYSDALE'S WIFE IS A CUTE COOKIE.

[@soylentteal]

They had one child and divorced in 1982. Drysdale remarried and had three children with his second wife before his unexpected death in 1993.

[@rockvilleraven]

@@soylentteal His second wife was Ann Myers who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame, it was the first marriage of two different sports Hall of Fame members, Drysdale was in the Baseball Hall in Cooperstown.

[@soylentteal]

@@rockvilleraven Thanks. Did any of their kids make a splash in basketball?

[@FF11Freshstep]

somehow i remember the returning contestant... i either saw him on an outtake reel or i saw the original episode he was in....

[@marc7491]

It looked like Drysdale was reading from a list of the most challenging batters that he's faced.

[@SkyKingofMaricopa]

Agree. I found that odd.

[@Frank00]

It’s nice to know that at one time a wife liked to cook for her husband, I’m a lucky man then

[@daveqr]

Mr. Rich's story of meeting his wife is similar to the plot of a Wooster and Jeeves short story. I wouldn't be surprised at all to learn P. G. Wodehouse saw this episode and borrowed it.

[@gordonowens7794]

Also a popular British show called "As Time Goes By" starring Judith Dench.

[@iancockburn]

That would be "The Rummy Affair of Old Biffy" published way back in 1924

[@billfromnic7093]

A natural comedian

[@E.Carrillo]

The girl was probably kicking herself for not riding with the old guy for the extra money.

[@thesmartset5060]

The Dodgers won the World Series that year...

[@Tuning_Spork]

Ginger's a pistol, but Don knew all the answers. They were a good team. I hope they had 20 kids.

[@Page-Hendryx]

No, it went downhill real fast. Google it...

[@alfredgreene6288]

@@Page-Hendryx I can believe that. Didn't look that deep to me.

[@joeambrose3260]

Not that fast downhill, they were married 24 yrs

[@anthonya2349]

@@joeambrose3260 But you did see the fist he made at her during questions.

[@SkyKingofMaricopa]

"20 kids"? Sounds like you're mocking the idea of having children.

[@cefcat5733]

Ah, wonderful.

[@bullthrush]

The Hindenburg made 10 trips to the U.S. in 1936, the tragedy happened the first flight of second season May '37.

[@nealsausen4651]

bullthrush : That’s So Right! Groucho (or the writers) got that wording wrong!

[@annchovey2089]

@@nealsausen4651Technically he was right. It did happen at the Naval Academy at Lakehurst in New Jersey but the way he said it, and probably the way he meant it, was that Lakehurst was the city. Groucho only asked where it happened. He didn't say name the city so there was a technicality there and I think Grouch wanted him to win anyway.

[@nealsausen4651]

Ann Chovey : Yep....You are right! Thanx for clarification!

[@nealsausen4651]

@@annchovey2089 ; yes of Course I’m glad he did ! (Win)!

[@nealsausen4651]

You are quite right the tragedy happened on the first flight of the second season on May 6 37 and yes the gentleman did get the extra quite correct (Lakehurst Naval Air station)!

[@hunterreilly-hr9qt]

Drysdale was a mean pitcher regularly threw at batters

[@GeorgeSwift-qj1ik]

Don't ever under estimate those oldsters.

[@robertwiegand49]

The car shown in the intro is not a 1959 DeSoto. It is more like a 1953.

[@captainmorgan757]

"There are only twenty-four letters in the alphabet", said Groucho. I guess that due to inflation now there are twenty-six letters in the alphabet.

[@jimmiedee2315]

Great episode, which must be a rerun because the end credits are from an earlier season. *****SPOILER ALERT***** $5,000 in 1959 had the same purchasing power as $39,400 in 2012.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

If you mean a rerun during the original series run, possibly, but I suspect not. If memory serves, this one came from a public domain DVD that spliced in the same opening and closing credits on every show. It's far from a complete show-- only 22 minutes. So I have no idea what the real source was. If this were from the 16mm prints used for reruns from the 70s on, the NBC logo would have been obscured with a bright white spot, and it's not. So it appears to be edited, but I have no idea why!

[@jimmiedee2315]

I guess what I should have said was that the end credits weren't for the original production of this episode. Like you say, they somehow got tacked on for whatever reason - I really can't think of a good one.

[@grouchomarx-youbetyourlife7476]

Jimmie Dee Cheapo public domain DVD companies do this kind of thing sometimes to make the shows look complete when they're actually from incomplete prints, or sometimes to avoid any possibility of copyright problems over theme music by replacing the openings and closings with something they consider to be safer.

[@percboy555]

$40,921.28 in 2016

[@CamhiRichard]

Ah, but what would the equivalent of a present day $500 computer have cost in 1959?

[@djdon60]

How many letters, did Mr. Marx claim, are in the alphabet?! Mr. Marx-Y, U! Regardless, it's a wonderful program-from the 1950s('50s). The decade wasn't in possession, of something(1950's).

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

Don Crabbe Z wasn’t on the phone either.

[@joeambrose3260]

I just checked my Moms phone from the 70s, it has a Z ( princess phone)

[@nealsausen4651]

Actually Groucho (or the writers) got the wording of that question wrong! The Hindenburg’s maiden voyage was NOT in 1937. It crashed on its FIRST (1st.) flight of the 1937 season, - 6 of May 1937- (its 2nd. season)! It’s 1st. (Maiden?!) flight was on March 4 1936 and made s grand total of 63 flights in its short but illustrious career! Also, do “test” or “shake down”. flights count as a “maiden flight”?! I dunno! You’ll have to ask my good friend, Eric Brothers, the respected L T A authority!

[@mizzury54]

picky , picky , picky !

[@WalterJoergLangbein]

The answer was correct!

[@gordonowens7794]

Good thing the question asked where it crashed not when.

[@nealsausen4651]

@@WalterJoergLangbein ; Yes the gentleman got the answer right! But what I was saying if you read my comment again is that the QUESTION was worded wrong!The Hindenburg what’s destroyed on the first flight of its second season the first flight of the second season was not its maiden voyage its maiden voyage was the year before yes the answer was right but the question was wrong read my comment again and you’ll see!

[@nealsausen4651]

@@mizzury54 : Yeah I know I’m anal retentive that way! LOL stay good!

[@hogfarmersforjustice4804]

Damn, I don’t remember hearing of Drysdale’s death.

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

Hog Farmers For Justice It was devastating at the time. He died in Montreal at the age of 58 - he’d broadcast the Dodgers/Expos game the night before and was found dead (from a heart attack) in his hotel room after he failed to arrive to broadcast the following game. Vin Scully, his partner, was heartbroken.

[@joeambrose3260]

@@paultheaudaciousbradford6772 DD checked out at 56

[@soylentteal]

The fact that Drysdale chose to hang onto his $500 said plenty about how much young players were paid at that time. Regarding wise old Louis Rich, does anyone know what age he lived to?

[@gwenniegirl50]

He died in 1993 of a heart attack.

[@scottlahti1252]

​@@gwenniegirl50How is that possible, given his age in this 1959 episode, 94? That would have made him 128 going on 129 in early 1993. Perhaps a different Louis Rich.

[@zquark1]

It was Don Drysdale who died of a heart attack in 1993 at the age of 56, not Mr. Rich.

[@soylentteal]

I never said he did. I just wondered how long he lived (Rich, not DD).

[@scottlahti1252]

The claim of death in 1993 was made in the first reply above by a commenter who may have thought the inquiry regarding longevity was regarding Don Drysdale rather than Louis Rich (b. 1864 and not to be confused with the turkey-lunchmeat merchant Louis Rich, 1896-1970). This Louis Rich has only this episode as his sole credit at the IMDb. I just Googled "Louis Rich" "peanuts" and "real estate" and found two UPI stories from 1964 timed to his 100th birthday on October 29.

[@Umustbekidn]

She's amazingly beautiful

[@Umustbekidn]

I would have been just a few months old.... She's gorgeous. I would NOT have left her alone lol....

[@MichaelBrown-hx7gf]

Edith screwed up, should have had faith with the old wise partner 5k in the 50s was like 50k today.

[@deweydodo6691]

She had a very wise partner .

[@anthonya2349]

Michael Brown, sure she was kicking herself.

[@MichaelThorpeNJ]

So your saying her 500....was 5,000 today.....their parents / Grandparents lived through the Depression......they were taught the value of money😊

[@LyleFrancisDelp]

Um…no. The standard octave contains twelve notes.

[@joeylocognato2198]

🥜 are not the answer. This you man has super longevity in early 1959, @94? But, whatever it was, God bless him.

[@joeambrose3260]

The alphabet had only 24 letters in '59 ? They must have added one each when Alaska and Hawaii joined the union

[@joeambrose3260]

@John Mortellaro Thanks for the "compliment", they're few and far between

[@joeambrose3260]

You're welcome

[@AceripXF]

how was there only 24 letters in the alphabet

[@terrywayland1222]

26 letters Groucho

[@toddmckenzie0420]

That octave question isn't as simple as 8. My first thought was 12. There are actually 12 notes in an octave, or the full chromatic scale. There are 8 notes in the C major scale,(The white keys on the piano), but technically there are only 7 different pitches/notes, because the octave is the same note as the first. The word octave actually mean 8 in Latin though. I wonder what they would've said if they answered, "There are 12 notes in an octave, but the major scale has 7 pitches"? That would be correct, without the answer 8.

[@henningandersen9027]

20,55 I can+t hear what the 94 old gentleman wants to do with the money.`??

[@annchovey2089]

He said "Well, all my creditors watch this show and they will be on my neck way ahead of the revenue man." He never really said what he would do with it.

[@elwoodblues6663]

contestant marries the guy who moved in when her mate was not there and doesnt gamble on the guy who wins the 5000 which would have 10,000 if she stayed. wonder how long she was married for.

[@jaymorgenthal9479]

He didn’t mention Willie McCovey as one of the toughest hitters because he was a rookie when this was on . McCovey owned Drysdale when he pitched against the Giants.

[@gwenniegirl50]

According to IMDb Don and Ginger Drysdale were marred September 1958. She comments that they had been married about 2 1/2 months at the time of the show. This airing would be the end of 1958, roughly. They divorced in 1984, being married nearly 25 years. After his baseball career at some point, he did go on to do color commentary at baseball games. He actually died of a heart attack a few hours before he was scheduled to do commentary for a game a few hours later. This happened in Canada 1993.

[@timrobinson5626]

Big D will beat my White Sox in the world series BOOOO But he did broadcast the White Sox in the 80's

[@paultheaudaciousbradford6772]

6:02 “Let’s hope you finish at least in the first division and that you get your twenty games next year.” They did better than that. They won the World Series. Drysdale wouldn’t win 20 until 1962, when he led the NL with 25 victories.

[@janepatterson6779]

Ginger...h-m-m-m...

[@extrasolar213]

:D

[@darranwigg3722]

Ginger divorced him because he beat her about 30 different times.

[@mikeyposs3132]

The man is dead! Without real Proof you are way out of bounds!

[@zquark1]

The 30 assaults over an 11 year period were claimed in Ginger's 1969 divorce filing. A settlement was not reached until 1984, nearly 15 years later. Hard to know the truth if it's only "he said, she said." Would be interesting to see the divorce records, though am guessing they may be sealed. Ginger currently is alive at 85 years of age in early 2024.

[@Page-Hendryx]

What is it with models and jocks constantly marrying each other? It's as if they're both hard-wired to not see beyond their physical appearances.

[@Spokenwisdom1]

Zero spirituality.

[@ironhorse1962]

Do you think joey Biden could answer any questions? No.

[@freddyfurrah3789]

26 letters in the English alphabet. The 94 year old has a great genetic makeup.

[@rick2340atyahoocom]

Impressive that Louis has a full head of hair. Also, he was a baby during the Civil War.

[@GOLDFOLDS1]

AM I wrong... or.. are folks back then WAY MORE EDUCATED??? No i'm not wrong.. they are. we ARE DOOMED. sooooo sad. we are in ruins.

[@mikeyposs3132]

You are wrong!