Mel Ott was born in Gretna, on the West Bank of New Orleans, in 1909. He played right field for the New York Giants from 1926 to 1947. At only 5’9” and 170 pounds, Ott led the National League in home runs 6 seasons, finishing with 511 home runs for his career. Known for the way he lifted his front leg when batting, Ott was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. At the age of 49, Ott died in an auto accident in New Orleans. The park in Gretna that bears his name was a place I often visited as a kid. I'll never forget a particular football game I was playing there being interrupted by the mounumental announcement that the 1982 LSU Tigers football team had defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 20-10.
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