Messer (weapon) of several "Fechtbücher" (fighting manuals) of the 14th and 15th centuries, including that of Johannes Lecküchner (dealing with the "langes messer"), the "Codex Wallerstein", Hans Talhoffer, Paulus Kal and Albrecht Dürer. Messer (weapon) A messer (German for "knife") is a single-edged sword with a knife-like hilt construction. While the various names are often used synonymously, messers are divided into two types: "Lange Messer" ("long knives") are one-handed swords used by Bourgeoisie (middle-class civilians) for personal self-defence. They were about a meter long and may have evolved from the "Bauernwehr" ("peasant's sidearm"). They are also known as "Großes Messer" (Great Knife).
Frank Messer urged team management to approve a traditional play-by-play sportscaster, which the Yanks had not had since the firing of Red Barber after the 1966 season. Messer was eventually given the gig of emceeing the Old-Timer’s Day ceremonies by 1970 – an event in which he participated until the year before his death – and special events, beginning with the retirement of Mickey Mantle’s Number 7 jersey in June 1969. Messer’s steadiness and dry wit blended well with Rizzuto’s enthusiasm. For many years, New York Yankees yearbooks would refer to Messer as "One of the real pros in the business." The