How about a song and dance?

[BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT]

BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT

Lee Maye, a mediocre major league outfielder, tried a career
as a vocalist and was even less successful than he was as a ball
player. Mickey McDermott, a lefty pitcher in the 50's tried his
singing voice in clubs and was soon forgotten as a professional
entertainer.

Black Jack McDowell had a group and so did Scott Radinsky,I
believe (don't quote me on that), but I haven't seen their recordings in any top 100 lists anywhere.

More successful as entertainers were Johnny Berardino and Chuck
Conners, the first as a soap opera star and the latter as a TV
western hero.

Did I miss anybody? Remember,tv and movie cameos don't count
or movies in which the player is giving a self-portrayal.

Can I get a list!!!

Have at it!!!

[Kroxquo]

Jim Bouton played himself sot of in the short lived TV series based on Ball Four.

Would Billy Sunday qualify as an "entertainer"?

I think you have to include Bob Uecker who has branched out beyond the microphone and done some acting (if Mr. Belvedere counts as acting).

[jman74]

Denny McLain was a pianist between trips to the slammer!

[jman74]

...and Phil Linz was a noted harmonica hummer on the team bus (according to Jim Bouton in Ball Four).

[BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Mar-16-02 AT 12:13 PM (EST)]BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT

Wow, I'm impressed you had this information
at your fingertips.

Regarding Maye, I know he started as a soloist
and never heard or saw any tecordings he might have
made, so I am very surprised to learn he has sung
with the Platters, although, as you know. he may have
sung with one of the later "oldies, but goodies"
versions of the Platters, which is more likely, because
I definitely know he didn't sing with the original group.
although I would be more than happy to be corrected
on that latter point

The information about Conigliaro is just another
prime example of what these forums are able to
dispense and I continue to marvel at how consequential
the trivial gems are to a baseball trivia nut --- I continue
to be amazed by each new tidbit and nuance dispensed
by the membership.

I knew of Pride's baseball aspirations and I thought
his tryout was tongue-in-cheek, like Selleck's, Costner's,
and Garth Brooks' , so, please advise further, if you can.

If you love baseball trivia, this is the place to be!

I am so impressed by the gems I encounter continually
on the message boards, that I am forewarning all so
inclined that they will be asked to provide a brief resume
detailing their evolution from novice to expert in the field
of baseball trivia - that should be just as interesting as
the "moniker" thread!

So, dust off those resumes, because you will be asked to let us see how a baseball trivia expert or
aficionado is developed following that first memorable
experience with America's national pastime.

It's coming soon to a theatre near you!

That's all, folks!

[ZbiSal]

Stan Musial, like Phil Linz, used to play harmonica and even recorded a CD in the 90s.
Maury Wills played a banjo in nightclub in the early 60s.
Ron Guidry once played the drums with the Beach Boys in the concert at Yankee Stadium.
Eddie Basinski who played in the majors in the 40s had different musical preferences.He was nicknamed "Fiddler" because he played violin for the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

[OKCRay]

BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT

Lee Maye, a mediocre major league outfielder, tried a career
as a vocalist and was even less successful than he was as a ball
player. Mickey McDermott, a lefty pitcher in the 50's tried his
singing voice in clubs and was soon forgotten as a professional
entertainer.

Black Jack McDowell had a group and so did Scott Radinsky,I
believe (don't quote me on that), but I haven't seen their recordings in any top 100 lists anywhere.

More successful as entertainers were Johnny Berardino and Chuck
Conners, the first as a soap opera star and the latter as a TV
western hero.

Did I miss anybody? Remember,tv and movie cameos don't count
or movies in which the player is giving a self-portrayal.

Can I get a list!!!

Have at it!!!

Thad Bosley (utility player for the White Sox and Cubs) released an LP sometime in the late 1980s. Been a long time since I've seen it anywhere... sorry I don't have more information on it.

As for Jack McDowell, here's everything he's done so far:

V.I.E.W. (McDowell, Wayne Edwards (fellow White Sox pitcher) and Lee Plemel (St. Louis Cardinals prospect, not sure if he ever played in the Majors), two CDs:
"Extendagenda" (1991) sorta folky-sounding 10-song debut, somewhat emulating REM. This appears on eBay every now and then, and you might have some luck finding it at used CD stores in the Chicago area.
"Replace The Mind" (1992, four-song EP, Edwards no longer with the group, however White Sox teammate Scott Radinsky joins in on percussion) These songs have a little more of an edge to them. This is extremely hard to find nowadays... it wasn't really distributed widely when it was released... I've NEVER seen this on eBay; I finally was lucky enough to get a copy recently from a dealer in Germany from the GEMM website (www.gemm.com).

STICKFIGURE (Jack's current band... lots of lineup changes, although Mike Mesaros from the Smithereens has been the regular bassist), four CDs, good alt-rock, definitely edgier than his output from V.I.E.W., growth as a singer/songwriter/performer is evident with each successive release:
"Just A Thought": (1996)
"Feedbag": (1998)
"Ape of the Kings": (2002)
"Memento Mori": (2004)

STICKFIGURE CDs are usually available on eBay or Amazon.com, or you can order them directly from Jack himself at http://stickfigure.com (note: do not add the www in front of the URL). Happy listening!!!

[Bluesteve32]

[updated:LAST EDITED ON Mar-16-02 AT 12:13 PM (EST)]BASEBALL_TRIVIA_NUT
I knew of Pride's baseball aspirations and I thought
his tryout was tongue-in-cheek, like Selleck's, Costner's,
and Garth Brooks' , so, please advise further, if you can.

Charley Pride did indeed play baseball in the Negro American League with the Memphis Red Sox. He later was among the final cuts of the 1961 expansion Los Angeles Angels and the 1962 expansion New York Mets.

He also served in the military for a two year stint between playing for Memphis and the tryout with the Angels.

[Monarchs29]

Didn't Mike Schmidt appear on some soap opera, a one appearance only, at some time?

And I think some other MLB players did 'one-time only' stints on soaps. their names escape me now.

[Sweet Lou]

Well, right now Bernie Williams has a CD out. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B00009VGX9/baseballalmanac/002-6713321-1919206

[Mattingly]

Well, right now Bernie Williams has a CD out. ;)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/asin/B00009VGX9/baseballalmanac/002-6713321-1919206
During the 2002 All-Star Break, he played at the Chicago House of Blues, playing Latin jazz, and was introduced by a certain Yankee-loving ex-mayor of NYC. Guess who. :D

Oh, and I just realized that McGwire won't be able to sing (not even for his supper). He has a little frog in his throat. :p

[trosmok]

Carl Erskine plays "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" on his harmonica during the seventh inning stretch here on July 4th.

Scott Spezio plays guitar with a band called Sandfrog, that I've heard has that Seattle thrash/grunge flavor.

Most recently, HOF pitcher Jim Bunning can be seen as a ham actor portraying a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, but he has as much trouble with his lines as he did with that pitch to Stargell. :laugh :rolleyes:

[RuthMayBond]

Omar Vizquel has sat in at drums for fundraisers.
Novelists Zane Grey & Eliot Asinof played minor league baseball.
Dwight Eisenhower supposedly played semi-pro baseball.
Mario Cuomo was in the minor leagues.
Randy Savage (yeah, the wrestler) supposedly was third in his minor league in HR & RBI one year.
Conway Twitty got an offer to play for the Phillies minor leagues before and after the Korean War.

[KHenry14]

Denny McLain was a pianist between trips to the slammer!

Actually, he played the organ, which is far cheesier than the piano!

KH14

[mojorisin71]

Former Dodgers pitcher Scott Radinsky also had his grunge-like band (though the name escapes me at the moment). Bernie Williams has a CD out (and it's actually great), and Jose Lima has a CD out in Latin America, but it hasn't quite made it to the States.

[mojorisin71]

Actually, he played the organ, which is far cheesier than the piano!

KH14

Not if you're Ray Manzarek, who played with my namesake. :)

[CyNotSoYoung]

Any Twins or Indians fans remember Mudcat Grant? He pitched in the late 50s and early 60s. I seem to remember that he, like McLain, played around in clubs and minor musical events on the organ. Maybe I'm mixing him up with someone else.

[RuthMayBond]

Any Twins or Indians fans remember Mudcat Grant? He pitched in the late 50s and early 60s. I seem to remember that he, like McLain, played around in clubs and minor musical events on the organ. Maybe I'm mixing him up with someone else.I seem to remember hearing something about that too. I do remember an Old-Timer's game years back. There were guys who had just retired a couple of years ago taking batting practice. The only old-timer to yank one in BP? Pitcher Mudcat Grant

[Bob Hannah]

Mike Donlin of the New York Giants played on the New York stage alongside his actess wife Mabel Hite, after the 1908 season. I believe he went on to do more stage work with Mabel as the years passed.

[RuthMayBond]

How could I forget? Don Drysdale was on the BRADY BUNCH!

[RuthMayBond]

http://www.baseball1.com/bookstore/reviews/0786404973.html

[RuthMayBond]

http://www.capanson.com/cap_anson_career.html

[trosmok]

Dwight Eisenhower supposedly played semi-pro baseball.
Mario Cuomo was in the minor leagues.


Fidel was long rumored to have been an outstanding ballplayer in Cuba, but the idea that he was actually given a tryout for a major league club is unfortunately just another urban legend.

http://www.snopes.com/sports/baseball/castro.asp

[CyNotSoYoung]

I seem to remember hearing something about that too. I do remember an Old-Timer's game years back. There were guys who had just retired a couple of years ago taking batting practice. The only old-timer to yank one in BP? Pitcher Mudcat Grant
He must have been a decent hitter as hit one in the '65 WS when he was pitching for the Twins - a 3 run shot I think to help himself win game 6.

[KHenry14]

Not if you're Ray Manzarek, who played with my namesake. :)

Hah Mojo, I would NEVER compare those two, what Ray did is classic rock organ, what Denny did was cheesy shopping mall/funeral home organ.

KH14

[NickG]

Red Sox GM Theo Epstein is in a band, but I forget their name. Theo is, from what I've heard, a great guitar player. :)

[brihev]

The Phillies had a song in the mid-70s brilliantly titled "Phillies Fever
some of the performers were Larry Bowa, Dave Cash, Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, and Garry Maddox.

[VTSoxFan]

Bronson Arroyo has a CD coming out this summer, covering some grunge hits from the early 90s.

Theo Epstein plays guitar for a band called "Trauser", most often seen at the annual Red Sox charity rock concert "Hot Stove, Cool Music." You'll see Peter Gammons onstage there, too.

And the Red Sox "house band", Dropkick Murphy's, recorded the song "Tessie" last summer as a tribute to the early Sox fans, The Royal Rooters. Arroyo, Johnny Damon and someone else from the Sox sang backup for that song. (That's a cool song, but the rest of DM's stuff is so harsh I wouldn't even play it in the garden to kill the potato bugs because it'd kill the plants, too. :p)

[Biggtone23]

Luis Sojo played drums in a production of Paul Simon's Capeman.
Ruben Sierra has a CD out I cant remember if its salsa or merenge

[Bluesteve32]

I remember the Cub's Carmen Fanzone playing the trumpet for the national anthem back in the early 1970s.

Wally Joyner played the left handed pitcher in the Mark Harmon baseball film "Stealing Home" in 1988. Chuck Conners was a minor league player for the Brooklyn Dodgers and was traded to the Chicago Cubs who sent him down to their PCL affliate, the Los Angeles Angels, and the rest is history.

In "Little Big League," Ken Griffey, Jr., Randy Johnson and Wally Joyner all make appearances.

"Pride of the Yankees" has Babe Ruth and many of the Yankee teamates playing themselves.

In recent years, there seems to be several movies that use some MLB players in cameo roles. However, who can forget Reggie Jackson trying to kill the Queen in "The Naked Gun."

[Yankeebiscuitfan]

Bret Saberhagen and Frank Thomas appeared in an episode of Married with children during the 1994 strike.

[I talk to myself]

This may have been mentioned but what about BROOKLYN DODGERS JUMP?

It displayed the vocal stylings of Ralph Branca, Irv Pallica and Carl Furillo,three Dodger players of the era.

It's a scarce record however there is a copy available for listening on BaseballRecordings.com. Use the menu on the left, click on "Recordings by players" It's about halfway down the page. Click the picture of the record label.


There is also a copy of Take Me Out to the Ballgame by PHIL RUZZUTO, TOMMY HEINRICH and ROY CAMPANELLA as well as a version of Wabash Cannonball by Dizzy Dean on the same page.

Enjoy