The Chicago Tribune this weekend ran a tribute to homegrown hero Bill "Moose" Skowron, a 14-year major leaguer now battling lung cancer.  Skowron, 80, collapsed while attending a spring training game, his son, Greg, told the Tribune.  "We were leaving a spring game around the fifth inning, which was unusual for him," his son said. "Then he turned down an autograph request, which I'd never seen him do before. Then he turned to me and said, 'I don't feel so good.' "  According to the story, the initial diagnosis was pneumonia, but tests later found lung cancer, and Skowron has since undergone chemotherapy and radiation sessions.  The story centers around the life and career of Skowron, who was a good-sized guy for his time, but hardly hulking by today's standards at 6-0, 195. He got his nickname, "Moose," because folks thought a haircut he received as a youngster left him looking like the Italian dictator Mussolini.  Born in Chicago, Skowron attended Purdue University. He played halfback, once got off a school-record 82-yard punt and played baseball for coach Hank Stram. As Skowron says in the Tribune story, "Yes, that Hank Stram."  Skowron would make his mark as a first baseman for the Yankees, hitting 28 of his 211 home runs during the magical 1961 season of Maris and Mantle. Some of his biggest homers came in the World Series -- a grand slam in Game 7 of the 1956 Series, a decisive three-run shot against the Milwaukee Braves in 1958 and a homer in Game 2 in 1963 against the Yankees for the Los Angeles Dodgers after he'd been traded by New York.  A .282 career hitter, Skowron had struggled at the plate since being dealt, but batted .385 in L.A.'s four-game sweep.  The story, authored by Jim O'Donnell, offers several telling comments from those close to Skowron. Here are s couple:  See photos of: New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox  To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor  . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to  . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to
Yankees great Moose Skowron has lung cancer - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com