Where are they now?

[Paulmcall]

I realize the roster is shrinking every few weeks.
It seems (just in the last few years) more and more old Dodgers are passing away to the Ebbets Field in the sky.
The address list needs to be updated.
Do you have an idea how many old Brooklyn heroes are still alive?

[Macker]

There were 94 Brooklyn Dodgers living when this was first posted. The following has been edited to reflect recent deaths --
Jim Bucher, 1934-37, d. 10/21/2004
Tony Guiliani, 1940-41, d. 10/8/2004
Sam Nahem, 1938, d. 4/19/2004
Bob Kennedy, 1957, d. 4/7/2005
Eddie Miksis, 1944 & 1946-51, d. 4/8/2005
Mickey Owen, 1941-45, d. 7/13/2005
Gene Mauch, 1944, 1948, d. 8/8/2005
Al Lopez, 1928 & 1930-35, d. 10/30/2005
Mal Mallette, 1950, d. 11/25/2005
Rod Dedeaux, 1935, d. 1/5/2006
Paul Minner, 1946 & 1948-49, d. 3/28/2006
Chink Zachary, 1944, d. 6/24/2006
Jack Banta, 1947-50, d. 9/17/2006
Jack Radtke, 1936, d. 10/24/2006
Rocky Nelson, 1956, d. 10/31/2006
Ernie Koy, 1938-40, d. 1/1/2007
Bob Milliken, 1953-54, d. 1/4/2007
Ray Berres, 1934 & 1936, d. 2/1/2007
Clem Labine, 1950-57, d. 3/2/2007
Otis Davis, 1946, d. 7/23/2007
Clancy Smyres, 1944, d. 11/27/2007
Johnny Podres, 1953-55, 1957, d. 1/13/2008
Rene Valdez, 1957, d. 3/15/2008
Tommy Holmes, 1952, d. 4/14/2008
Preacher Roe, 1948-54, d. 11/9/2008
Joe Tepsic, 1946, d. 2/23/2009
Herman Franks, 1940-41, d. 3/30/2009

--------------

There are now 68 Brooklyn Dodgers still living.

As an indication of how few stars remain, here is the games played by position leaders among survivors:
1b Howie Schultz, 307
2b Don Zimmer, 68
3b Bobby Morgan, 148
ss Lonny Frey, 387
of Duke Snider, 1390
Gene Hermanski, 410
c Bobby Bragan, 118
p Carl Erskine, 294
Ralph Branca, 283
Don Newcombe, 247

Only Duke Snider & Gene Hermanski played 500 games with Brooklyn.


The list of survivors:
Lonny Frey 1933-36
George Cisar 1937
Tony Malinosky 1937
Cliff Dapper 1942
Boyd Bartley 1943
Chris Haughey 1943
Bobby Bragan 1943-44, 1947-48
Luis Olmo 1943-45, 1949
Gene Hermanski 1943, 1946-51
Howie Schultz 1943-47
Charlie Osgood 1944
Eddie Basinski 1944-45
Ralph Branca 1944-53, 1956
Clyde King 1944-45, 1947-48, 1951-52
Tommy Brown 1944-45, 1947-51
Cal McLish 1944, 1946
Cy Buker 1945
Lee Pfund 1945
Ray Hathaway 1945
Mike Sandlock 1945-46
Ed Stevens 1945-47
Don Lund 1945, 1947-48
Jean-Pierre Roy 1946
Marv Rackley 1947-49
Johnny Van Cuyk 1947-49
Duke Snider 1947-57
Elmer Sexauer 1948
Preston Ward 1948
George Shuba 1948-50, 1952-55
Carl Erskine 1948-57
Morrie Martin 1949
Pat McGlothin 1949-50
Don Newcombe 1949-51, 1954-57
Joe Landrum 1950, 1952
Bobby Morgan 1950, 1952-53
Billy Loes 1950, 1952-56
WayneTerwilliger 1951
Andy Pafko 1951-52
Johnny Schmitz 1951-52
Rocky Bridges 1951-52
Don Thompson 1951-54
Dick Williams 1951-54, 1956
Johnny Rutherford 1952
Ron Negray 1952
Ken Lehman 1952, 1956-57
Dick Teed 1953
Glenn Mickens 1953
Chuck Kress 1954
Tim Thompson 1954
Tommy Lasorda 1954-55
Don Zimmer 1954-57
Bob Borkowski 1955
Ed Roebuck 1955-57
Roger Craig 1955-57
Sandy Koufax 1955-57
Bob Aspromonte 1956
Chico Fernandez 1956
Don Demeter 1956
Gino Cimoli 1956-57
Randy Jackson 1956-57
Bill Harris 1957
Danny McDevitt 1957
Jackie Collum 1957
Jim Gentile 1957
Joe Pignatano 1957
Fred Kipp 1957
Rod Miller 1957

[Paulmcall]

You can get A Baseball Life of Palmyra's Jimmy Bucher from the Lebanon (PA) County Historical Society for $4.50.
It's a nice 30 page booklet on Bucher who played for Casey Stengel while he was on the Dodgers.

Does anyone know where Owen lives?
I had a couple of addresses but never made contact.

[donzblock]

It's amazing that Mickey Owen is still with us. I don't know how he survived the Mexican League. I've got a picture of him peering out of a dugout that appears to have sunk. The roof on the dugout seems to be barely a foot higher than the ground. He appears to be trapped in the dugout and on the verge of being crushed. He was fortunate to have escaped.

[jaykay]

The following article about Sam Nahem may be of more than passing interest to some - as it was to me. He had a semi-regular job for several years pitching batting practice for Brooklyn, and, as revealed here in a Gene Hermanski thread of a few months ago, Nahem played for the Bushwicks in 1946 (also at other times, I think). As to his presence at the Brighton Beach Baths, I pass on that one. brother shlevine, wasn't that your territory?




‘Subway’ Sam Nahem, ballplayer and union man, dies at 88

by joe eskenazi
staff writer

One spring day in 1940, after a particularly disastrous outing, young Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Sam Nahem was asked by a New York Daily News reporter what good he was doing the team.

“I am now in the egregiously anonymous position of pitching batting practice to the batting practice pitchers,” said the clever right-hander, without missing a beat.

Often the only New Yorker — and Jew — his teammates had ever met, he was nicknamed “Subway Sam.” A born raconteur and lifelong liberal, Nahem died Monday, April 19, of natural causes at age 88 in his Berkeley home.

Nahem, a former Brooklyn sandlot baseball legend, Brooklyn college quarterback, and law school graduate and licensed attorney, went on to pitch parts of four seasons in the big leagues sandwiched around a military hitch. After hanging up his spikes in 1948, he moved his family from the Big Apple to Berkeley nearly 50 years ago, where he was a longtime organizer and activist for the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers union.

“Sam believed in people. That’s why he was so political. He believed that people deserved more, and so there was a great faith in humanity,” said Joanne Nahem, Sam’s daughter.

Added his eldest son, Ivan, “I remember my dad said once he couldn’t understand James Joyce, and that was inconceivable to me he wouldn’t understand something, [especially] something literary, he was so well-read. As a kid, that was a shocking concept.”

Nahem, who grew up in a Syrian Jewish neighborhood where the first language was Arabic, excelled at a number of sports. His youngest son, Andrew, recalls tales of long, hot summers spent in backwoods towns during his minor league days — which Nahem would pass by “reading all of Balzac.” Sometimes, Nahem would even bring his books into the dugout.

“It was almost detrimental to him at that age. He was almost too bookish for the jocks he was around,” said Ivan Nahem. “He might have gone further [in baseball] if it weren’t for his bookishness, but that’s who he was.”

Besides being a Jew with an advanced degree, Nahem differed from his Major League teammates in his strong belief that baseball should be integrated.

“I was in a strange position. The majority of my fellow ballplayers, wherever I was, were very much against black ballplayers, and the reason was economic and very clear. They knew these guys had the ability to be up there and they knew their jobs were threatened directly and they very, very vehemently did all sorts of things to discourage black ballplayers,” Nahem told j. in a rollicking October 2003 interview.

Nahem enjoyed his best professional season in 1941, for the St. Louis Cardinals, when he went 5-2. A year later, however, he was a Philadelphia Phillie. The next year, he was drafted.

“Subway” Sam didn’t see combat in Europe. But, in 1945, he did team up with legendary Negro League pitcher Leon Day to lead the integrated Overseas Invasion Service Expedition all-stars over an all-white 71st Infantry Division team stocked with professionals. The high-pressure games were played in front of 50,000 rabid fans at the same Nuremburg stadium in which Hitler held his most infamous rallies.

Nahem made it back to the Big Leagues in 1948. In his career, he was 10-8 with one save and a 4.69 ERA.

After moving to Berkeley in 1955, Nahem threw himself into his work as a union organizer. Son Andrew recalls Nahem leading a successful strike against Chevron Chemical, “Being gone for days at a time and sleeping in his clothes and stuff like that.”

Nahem retired two decades ago, but would sometimes accompany friend and fellow union organizer David Aroner into negotiations as a volunteer, where his years of accumulated wisdom and legendary wit made him a formidable asset.

Nahem is survived by his children: Ivan of Hoboken, N.J.; Joanne of Minneapolis; and Andrew of New York City; and three grandchildren. His wife, Elsie died of cancer 30 years ago. Sam never remarried, but he did have a long-term relationship with Nancy Shafsky.

“I was always the envy of my friends because I had such a great father,” said Andrew Nahem.

“It’s been very hard the last few years. But, when I think about it overall, I feel tremendously lucky.”

The Nahem family requests donations in Sam’s name be sent to Doctors Without Borders, P.O. Box 1856, Merrifield, VA 22116-8056

[Macker]

Jim Bucher (1934-37) died October 21. Though he played more games at third base (204) & also played 73 games in the outfield, he had been the leader in games played at second base (142) among survivors.

[Paulmcall]

Jimmy played during the Stengel era. Casey straightened him out one day after Bucher stayed out past curfew. While most players were excused from playing both games of a doubleheader in sweltering heat, Bucher played all 18 innings.
Bucher said Casey said the same thing the whole day that he did the night before when Casey saw him sneaking in , "How ya doin kid?".
It was during the depression and although Bucher didn't like the lesson, he appreciated the fact that Stengel didn't fine him.

[Macker]

The recent death of Bob Kennedy leaves 89 Brooklyn Dodgers.

[ColtscorrAL]

Didn't Eddie Miskis recently pass away? :atthepc

[Macker]

Eddie Miksis died 4/8/2005. He had been the leader in games played at second base among the survivors with 87. That is now Don Zimmer.

[Macker]

The passing of Mickey Owen leaves 87 living Brooklyn Dodgers. Owen had played for the Dodgers 1941-45. Herman Franks is now the only survivor of the 1941 team, while Cliff Dapper is the only survivor of the 1942 club.

[Macker]

The passing of Gene Mauch leaves 86 living Brooklyn Dodgers. Mauch played for Brooklyn in 1944 & 1948.

[theAmazingMet]

It's amazing but not too surprising that many people (including myself) forget that "Newk" is still alive. His seclusion from the spotlight, and successful battle with alcoholism have kind of left him out of the spotlight, while others (with very good reason I might add) have taken the forefront in "reunion" type affairs, like Branca, Erskine, and Snider. By all accounts he was one of the dominant and over-powering pitchers of the 50's but could never relax come playoff time. We have all heard the rumors I am sure of him fighting fans walking to his car, and disappearing for days after bad starts, but it is a shame that he was never warmly embraced these last few years and brought back into the limelight, unless he chose to be as enigmatic these last few years as he was when he played.

[JACKIE42]

It's amazing but not too surprising that many people (including myself) forget that "Newk" is still alive. His seclusion from the spotlight, and successful battle with alcoholism have kind of left him out of the spotlight, while others (with very good reason I might add) have taken the forefront in "reunion" type affairs, like Branca, Erskine, and Snider. By all accounts he was one of the dominant and over-powering pitchers of the 50's but could never relax come playoff time. We have all heard the rumors I am sure of him fighting fans walking to his car, and disappearing for days after bad starts, but it is a shame that he was never warmly embraced these last few years and brought back into the limelight, unless he chose to be as enigmatic these last few years as he was when he played.

Newk, is very much in the public eye, he is evolved in speaking engagements, about alcohol addiction, mostly to the young people. He is still evolved with L.A team, to some extent, and will be at there 50th anniversary celebration, Aug. 28th.

********

Since we have a policy of no advertising on BBF, I have deleted that portion of Jackie 42's post which gives the information on how to contact Don Newcombe relative to contacting him for a speaking engagement, and also the portion which details how much he charges for his autograph on a bat or ball.

Yesterday, I asked Jackie42 to remove this portion himself, but he declined saying that he feels we have a double standard here because WE, and other Forums, allowed PaulMcall to publicize his recent book on Ebbets Field. The two incidents are not the same. PaulMcall has been a member of OUR Forum for a long time and during the course of the past few years, while he was writing his book, he frequently talked about it. It was therefore natural for all OUR members to ask where they could obtain a copy of the book, once Paul told US it was completed. The information that Jackie42 included in his post is essentially advertising/selling Don Newcombe's services, and THAT is against BBF policy and rules....and Jackie42 is well aware of that.

DODGER DEB

[Macker]

The death of Al Lopez leaves 85 living Brooklyn Dodgers. He had been the last surviving Dodger of the teams of 1928, 1930, 1931 & 1932. Lonny Frey is now the only survivor of the 1933 team. Ray Berres is now the leader among catchers with 142 games.

[Macker]

Mal Mallette, who pitched in relief in two games in 1950, died this past November 25. That leaves 84.

[crzblue]

USC Legend Rod Dedeaux Passes Away

From MLB:
_Born Raoul Martial Dedeaux in New Orleans, he moved to California as a youngster. He played three seasons for Southern California, and after being scouted by his mentor, Casey Stengel, Dedeaux appeared in two games at shortstop for the 1935 Brooklyn Dodgers, going 1-for-4 with an RBI. "Just going into Ebbets Field was an exciting thing," said Dedeaux in an interview with MLB.com in September 2005. "I just loved those fans there and that was important to me. Unfortunately, I had gotten hurt earlier and was playing under quite a bit of pain, and it never bothered me to this day that I didn't have a longer career in the big leagues."

RIP Mr Dedeaux.

[Robb Schwartz]

Ok Brooklyn Fans,

One of you has graciously agreed to find out what happened to Bobby Giallombardo. That was cool, knowing at least that he pitched as late as 1960. So, whatever happened to:

Billy Harris (appears in 1 game at Ebbets in '57 and 1 in LA in '59)
Rod Miller (I think he appears in 1 game in either '57 or '58)
Rene Valdes ('57 Brooklyn who kept changing names)
Baxes (appears in '59 but was in the Brooklyn system forever)

One more note...too bad there wasn't a WBC in the 40's/'50's. Geez, the old Dodgers could have contributed to an Italian win...

Campanella
Pignatano
Gionfriddo
Furillo
Giallombardo
Cimoli

[VIBaseball]

A few years ago I heard about a book called "Baseball's Golden Greeks" and ordered it from the author, Diamantis "Adam" Zervos. It's a pretty nice little volume celebrating major-leaguers of Hellenic heritage.

Jim played in 1959 in LA; here's what stopped him from appearing at Ebbets. After two big seasons with Hollywood in the PCL in 1949 and '50, he spent 1951 and '52 in the army. But after that...

"I made my big mistake in 1953," Jim admitted. "I came out of the service and because I was on Brooklyn's big league roster, they had to keep me, according to baseball law. The only way they could send me out was by getting my permission. They said I was rusty because I had been in the service, and they asked me to go to Fort Worth. Foolishly, I signed a waiver. I didn't have anybody to tell me different."

He blames Buzzie Bavasi for burying him but also acknowledges that the Dodgers had three Triple-A teams in 1949 and '50. I wonder how much time he could have gotten in '53, though, considering he played 3B and 2B.

Jim Baxes died in 1996. His brother Mike also played in the majors.

[kramer_47]

Ok Brooklyn Fans,

One of you has graciously agreed to find out what happened to Bobby Giallombardo. That was cool, knowing at least that he pitched as late as 1960. So, whatever happened to:

Billy Harris (appears in 1 game at Ebbets in '57 and 1 in LA in '59)
Rod Miller (I think he appears in 1 game in either '57 or '58)
Rene Valdes ('57 Brooklyn who kept changing names)
Baxes (appears in '59 but was in the Brooklyn system forever)

One more note...too bad there wasn't a WBC in the 40's/'50's. Geez, the old Dodgers could have contributed to an Italian win...

Campanella
Pignatano
Gionfriddo
Furillo
Giallombardo
Cimoli

Jim Baxes died in 1996, He was signed by the Dodgers in 1947, he finally made it to the majors in 1959 with the LA Dodgers and Cleveland Indians, that was the only year he played in the major leagues.

[DODGER DEB]

Ok Brooklyn Fans,

One of you has graciously agreed to find out what happened to Bobby Giallombardo. That was cool, knowing at least that he pitched as late as 1960. So, whatever happened to:

Billy Harris (appears in 1 game at Ebbets in '57 and 1 in LA in '59)
Rod Miller (I think he appears in 1 game in either '57 or '58)
Rene Valdes ('57 Brooklyn who kept changing names)
Baxes (appears in '59 but was in the Brooklyn system forever)

One more note...too bad there wasn't a WBC in the 40's/'50's. Geez, the old Dodgers could have contributed to an Italian win...

Campanella
Pignatano
Gionfriddo
Furillo
Giallombardo
Cimoli


Don't forget BILL ANTONELLO, SAL MAGLIE and BOBBY ASPROMONTE!

c.

[kramer_47]

Ok Brooklyn Fans,

One of you has graciously agreed to find out what happened to Bobby Giallombardo. That was cool, knowing at least that he pitched as late as 1960. So, whatever happened to:

Billy Harris (appears in 1 game at Ebbets in '57 and 1 in LA in '59)
Rod Miller (I think he appears in 1 game in either '57 or '58)
Rene Valdes ('57 Brooklyn who kept changing names)
Baxes (appears in '59 but was in the Brooklyn system forever)

One more note...too bad there wasn't a WBC in the 40's/'50's. Geez, the old Dodgers could have contributed to an Italian win...

Campanella
Pignatano
Gionfriddo
Furillo
Giallombardo
Cimoli

Rene Valdes or Valdez is back in Cuba, he appeared in 5 games for the Dodgers in 1957, I guess he finished his career and went back before the revolution.

[VIBaseball]

Rod was a mere 17-year-old youth when he whiffed in his only major-league at-bat on 9/28/57.

So he is clearly the youngest surviving Brooklyn Dodger and therefore has perhaps the best chance of being the oldest survivor in time. It's getting to be like the Civil War veterans.

We can also tell that Rod never actually played in an MLB game at Ebbets, since the last Dodgers game there took place four days before. The shortstop had been called up from Class B Cedar Rapids earlier that month but must have ridden the bench. There's no further sign of him in the newspapers after a brief mention in spring training 1958.

[VIBaseball]

This short (5'8"), stocky (187 lb.) righty pitcher is one of the few major-leaguers to hail from New Brunswick. In recent years we've seen Rheal Cormier and Matt Stairs.

Harris pitched with the Montreal Royals, which is not surprising. He performed reasonably well in a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia's Jack Sanford on 9/27/57 -- one day before Rod Miller made his only appearance. Sandy Koufax finished up for Harris, who also singled in one of his two MLB at-bats.

Harris walked three in his other MLB appearance on 9/26/59. The last mention I see of him is that he was sold to Spokane in spring 1960. My guess is that he's still living in New Brunswick today.

From the LA Times, April 3, 1958:

[tonypug]

Rod was a mere 17-year-old youth when he whiffed in his only major-league at-bat on 9/28/57.

So he is clearly the youngest surviving Brooklyn Dodger and therefore has perhaps the best chance of being the oldest survivor in time. It's getting to be like the Civil War veterans.

We can also tell that Rod never actually played in an MLB game at Ebbets, since the last Dodgers game there took place four days before. The shortstop had been called up from Class B Cedar Rapids earlier that month but must have ridden the bench. There's no further sign of him in the newspapers after a brief mention in spring training 1958.
Miller was signed out of high school, he had in his contract that he would be brought to Brooklyn after his minor league season was over. At least he was able to wear a Brooklyn Dodger uniform and appear in a major league game. How many of us used to dream of that?

[Robb Schwartz]

Great work my friends,

Keep 'em comin'! If you can track any of these guys through the minors (tough to do I'm seeing), that would be wonderful. I've been into Baseballreference.com, an amazing tool, but have yet to see anything published with the comprehensiveness for the minors.

Thanks again everyone, I feel like I've found some long lost relatives!

[VIBaseball]

Great work my friends,

Keep 'em comin'! If you can track any of these guys through the minors (tough to do I'm seeing), that would be wonderful. I've been into Baseballreference.com, an amazing tool, but have yet to see anything published with the comprehensiveness for the minors.

Thanks again everyone, I feel like I've found some long lost relatives!

Robb, I think you'd like this product. I've had prior versions but have not gotten the latest update. It's exactly what you describe.

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/minor-league/

Unfortunately my old CD is not compatible with my current system, otherwise I'd have looked up Rod Miller and Bill Harris.

PS: tonypug -- amazing recall on Miller's contract perk!

[kramer_47]

Great work my friends,

Keep 'em comin'! If you can track any of these guys through the minors (tough to do I'm seeing), that would be wonderful. I've been into Baseballreference.com, an amazing tool, but have yet to see anything published with the comprehensiveness for the minors.

Thanks again everyone, I feel like I've found some long lost relatives!

The Dodgers had alot of one year or one game or like Rod Miller one at bat wonders but like Tony said they got to live out our dream of putting on that Dodgers uniform. Going back into the 1940's through 1957 lets see how many players we can name with one year or less with our Dodgers.

I'll start with Jean-Pierre Roy a pitcher who spent 6 days and appeared in 3 games for the Dodgers in 1946.

[VIBaseball]

Wow, I never heard of this guy, Kramer. I was instantly intrigued.

The name is clearly French-Canadian, and indeed J-P was born in Montréal.
The first evidence I see of him is pitching for the Rochester Red Wings in 1943. He lost to Jersey City. Future Brave Bill Voiselle won the nightcap with a two-hit shutout.

As you might expect, Roy pitched for his hometown Royals. He went 25-11 in 1945! Howver, he walked an alarming 150 men in 293 innings. He considered an offer from the Pasquel brothers to go to the Mexican League in 1946, but Branch Rickey convinced him not to go. He gave back $4,000 that he'd accepted to sign in Havana.

But then he decided on May 30 that he would go to Mexico after all. The last game he'd pitched in for the Dodgers was on May 11. And then in yet another flip-flop, he came back home to Montréal in June -- from what my Mexican encyclopedia shows, he didn't appear there that year. There was talk that he might be banned for five years, but that didn't happen. He pitched for the Hollywood Stars in 1949 and 1950, and then he finally did appear in Mexico in 1951. That seems to have been the end of the line.

[VIBaseball]

Here's another one-AB wonder: Dick Teed, 1953.

Glenn Mickens, who pitched four games in '53 with an 11.37 ERA, has a chapter in Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game. He pitched from 1959-63 in Japan and then spent 25 years coaching at UCLA. He lives in Hawaii today.

[kramer_47]

Wow, I never heard of this guy, Kramer. I was instantly intrigued.

The name is clearly French-Canadian, and indeed J-P was born in Montréal.
The first evidence I see of him is pitching for the Rochester Red Wings in 1943. He lost to Jersey City. Future Brave Bill Voiselle won the nightcap with a two-hit shutout.

As you might expect, Roy pitched for his hometown Royals. He went 25-11 in 1945! Howver, he walked an alarming 150 men in 293 innings. He considered an offer from the Pasquel brothers to go to the Mexican League in 1946, but Branch Rickey convinced him not to go. He gave back $4,000 that he'd accepted to sign in Havana.

But then he decided on May 30 that he would go to Mexico after all. The last game he'd pitched in for the Dodgers was on May 11. And then in yet another flip-flop, he came back home to Montréal in June -- from what my Mexican encyclopedia shows, he didn't appear there that year. There was talk that he might be banned for five years, but that didn't happen. He pitched for the Hollywood Stars in 1949 and 1950, and then he finally did appear in Mexico in 1951. That seems to have been the end of the line.
I thought all the players that went to Mexico for those better then major league salaries got suspended until 1949 but a few didn't. I didn't know about Roy but Vern Stephens went to Mexico for a few games then returned to the Browns in 1946, Luis Olmo, Mickey Owen and Sal Maglie were all suspended until 1949. Where did you get your minor league information about Roy, I'm doing some research on a few players and the PCL where players also made more money then they would in the majors.

[VIBaseball]

Where did you get your minor league information about Roy?

I pieced it together from various articles I read on ProQuest, the terrific newspaper search service you can use for free if you're a SABR member.

Note also the Old-Time Data CD-ROM I mentioned above to Robb Schwartz. It includes Mexican League data too -- I actually wrote away to the league in 1998 to get their encyclopedia, a big beauty with heavy green board covers. But if you want just the numbers, that CD is worth it. I do think I will get the latest edition.

[Robb Schwartz]

You guys are awesome...I checked out the minor league record samples that Kramer sent...good stuff...I'd love to see the big volume but may just go ahead and order the cd....$45 seems a good and reasonable investment. Nice call by Kramer.

VI...nice work on Jim Baxes. Yes, his brother Mike played and had quite a year for Buffalo in '57 or '58 I think. But as happens to many, he had AAA credentials but couldn't translate to the bigs.

Nice little story for you Koufax fans (and who isn't?). Last night, I attended my daughter's open house and met the husband of her teacher. Turns out he pitched in LA's low minors back in the 80's--never cracked AA but did receive some coaching from Sandy Koufax...who turns out to be true to the stories I've heard--a meek, quiet and retiring guy until he begins to talk about pitching...and then gets animated. Was pretty cool to hear that.

Thanks again to all of you who make me feel like family here. Wish i could meet all of you.

RS

[VIBaseball]

Here's a nice personal story about a man who pitched four games for Brooklyn in 1945 at age 28.

Ray Hathaway later became a manager for quite a few years in the minor leagues. He was in the Pirates chain in the early '60s. As I was researching a capsule biography I wrote on a Pirate from that time named Elmo Plaskett, I found that Mr. Hathaway was his manager with the Asheville Tourists in 1962, and that he still lived in that area.

The wedding of a college friend took me to Asheville in 1999, and Mr. Hathaway (we'd corresponded and then talked on the phone) agreed to come meet me at my hotel. He was age 82 at the time but drove himself over. We hung out on the porch for about half an hour, he told me stories about Elmo and other experiences, and showed me his 1960 Pirates World Series ring.

Then he politely took his leave. What a gentleman -- I'm glad he's still with us.

[VIBaseball]

I was corresponding with a friend who runs baseball tours to Cuba and is highly knowledgeable on Cuban baseball history. He asked around down there, and it is generally accepted that the only major-league vet still in the country is 94-year-old Conrado Marrero. The name Valdez did not ring a bell, and so my friend suggested that maybe he was known by another name down there.

I looked in "The Pride of Havana" by Roberto González Echevarría, and that is indeed the case. Our man went by René Gutierrez at home, and his sidearm motion got him the nickname "El Látigo" (The Whip).

I still hope to find out more. Meanwhile, I found this picture from a rare 1955-56 Cuban card series. See #55 in the middle row.

Note also Chico Fernández in the upper right corner, along with a few other major-leaguers including "Vinegar Bend" Mizell.

http://www.cubanbaseballauctions.com/bid/bidplace.asp?itemid=550#pic

[Centreville82]

How about Cookie Lavagetto ? Is he still alive ?

[wamby]

It's amazing that Mickey Owen is still with us. I don't know how he survived the Mexican League. I've got a picture of him peering out of a dugout that appears to have sunk. The roof on the dugout seems to be barely a foot higher than the ground. He appears to be trapped in the dugout and on the verge of being crushed. He was fortunate to have escaped.

Mickey Owen is the only player that I ever sent a letter to seeking an autograph. I sent him a letter just before I got out of the Navy (he had been in the Navy also) and he was kind enough to send me a response to my parents' house two weeks later.

[Brownie31]

Al Lopez was the last person who played major league baseball in the 1920s. Sad to think about! Brownie31

[Robb Schwartz]

Ok, VI...

You win the Great Gumshoe award! Where did you come up with these? I'm hootin' and hollerin!

Ok, I think I recognize a few others:

#72 (lower right hand corner: Elmer Singleton?) Pitched for the Cubs as late as 1959.

#54 (2nd row; 2nd from left--Is that Seth Morehead) another Cub?

#21 (1st row; top left--is that Gordon Jones from the Giants and Orioles--late 50's?)

Is there a possiblity that these players were part of the Cuban Winter Leagues which I remember being broadcast as late as 1959 or 1960??? Anyone else out there with that memory?

We're really diggin' here, aren't we?

[Centreville82]

Lavagetto died August 10, 1990 in Orinda, California.
OK, thanks.

[VIBaseball]

That's right, Robb -- the link I posted just above the pic shows that Gordon Jones and Elmer Singleton were part of this batch of Cuban Winter League cards. Although he is called "E Morehead" in the listing, my independent check of other cards shows you're also right on Seth Morehead, who was in the Phillies chain at the time. Just to Seth's left is former Giant Adrian Zabala, who jumped to the Mexican League in 1946 along with NY teammate Nap Reyes (same row). Bill Werle and Dick Smith were also big-leaguers.

[CaliforniaCajun]

I noticed Johnny Podres pitched 1953-55, 1957.

Was the World Series hero injured in 1956?

[DODGER DEB]

I noticed Johnny Podres pitched 1953-55, 1957.

Was the World Series hero injured in 1956?


OUR 1955 World Series hero was in the US Navy in 1956. He was drafted after his glorious win!

c.

[Robb Schwartz]

This life is made of success and failures...and a lot of stuff in the middle. To that end, I'd like to start a discussion on what happened to the players after their careers. For example, Carl Erskine ended up as a banker with a son named Jimmie (a sweet loving Downs child from the stories I've read). We also know that Jackie went into several business ventures including Chock Full o' Nuts. The tragic story of Don Bessent isn't very far away from today's headlines. What are your memories...good and bad?

[kramer_47]

Here's a nice personal story about a man who pitched four games for Brooklyn in 1945 at age 28.

Ray Hathaway later became a manager for quite a few years in the minor leagues. He was in the Pirates chain in the early '60s. As I was researching a capsule biography I wrote on a Pirate from that time named Elmo Plaskett, I found that Mr. Hathaway was his manager with the Asheville Tourists in 1962, and that he still lived in that area.

The wedding of a college friend took me to Asheville in 1999, and Mr. Hathaway (we'd corresponded and then talked on the phone) agreed to come meet me at my hotel. He was age 82 at the time but drove himself over. We hung out on the porch for about half an hour, he told me stories about Elmo and other experiences, and showed me his 1960 Pirates World Series ring.

Then he politely took his leave. What a gentleman -- I'm glad he's still with us.

I just sent him 2 photos, one for autograph and one for him, he not only autographed the photo but sent me a very nice note. In the note he said he had never saw that picture before and thanked me, he also told me he had a 30 year career managing in the minors for various teams. He seems like a very nice man and he's going to be 90 this year.

[kramer_47]

This life is made of success and failures...and a lot of stuff in the middle. To that end, I'd like to start a discussion on what happened to the players after their careers. For example, Carl Erskine ended up as a banker with a son named Jimmie (a sweet loving Downs child from the stories I've read). We also know that Jackie went into several business ventures including Chock Full o' Nuts. The tragic story of Don Bessent isn't very far away from today's headlines. What are your memories...good and bad?

Don Newcombe worked for the Dodgers for years in community relations. Joe Black worked for Greyhound bus as an executive. Carl Furillo was basically blackballed from baseball by O'Malley in 1960 because Carl was hurt and fought his release from the Dodgers. Carl went into construction and helped build the World Trade Center then became a sheriff back home in Reading Pa.
Duke Snider and Don Drysdale became announcers, LaSorda and Zimmer never worked outside of baseball.

[Blackout]

apparently theres an old Brooklyn Dodger living in a nursing home somewhere near Bangor, Maine

according to my sister atleast

I wanna find the guy and interview him

[The Real McCoy]

I noticed Johnny Podres pitched 1953-55, 1957.

Was the World Series hero injured in 1956?


He was in the Navy.

[Robb Schwartz]

Great posts guys!

Wow, such memories! And the people you meet...especially those who may have never been in the spotlight. I bet they really appreciate being remembered and appreciated.

[kramer_47]

Great posts guys!

Wow, such memories! And the people you meet...especially those who may have never been in the spotlight. I bet they really appreciate being remembered and appreciated.

Most of these guys a very appreciative of being remembered, some just sign the autograph but alot include a note thanking you or telling about their career. There has only been one that refused unless I send him $7 Cy Buker, I'm waiting on a bunch of these guys including Jean-Pierre Roy but the last time I did this about 10 years ago I got back over 90% with only Duke, Peewee, Monk Meyers and a few others refusing.

[Robb Schwartz]

Ah, yes, the endless pursuit of autos...

I have only 1 I would like to get....Sandy's on my scorecard of his perfecto in '65....yeah, I know it was in LA...but hey, Brooklyn in the heart, and all that, right?

Cool that most of them appreciate being remembered...that counts as far as I'm concerned...showing love back to so many who gave what they could on the field.

Carry on...I'm posting another name soon...

[Robb Schwartz]

Joe Black went into the transporation business with Greyhound and was an executive for a long time with them.

Trying to remember others...as it hits me, I'll post. Any more memories?

[kramer_47]

Does anybody remember this guy. This is from my personal collection.

[DODGER DEB]

Does anybody remember this guy. This is from my personal collection.

CHARLIE was a utility player for US in 1954!

c.

[kramer_47]

CHARLIE was a utility player for US in 1954!

c.

That's right he wasn't there long, he only had 12 at bats but he still was a Dodger.

[VIBaseball]

Charlie got some time in as a minor-league manager. In 1957, he was skipper of the Erie Sailors in the NY-Penn league (Class D then). Future Tiger Dick McAuliffe was one of his players. He remained in the Tigers chain with the Durham Bulls (Class B) in '58.

Then in '59, he joined the Phillies organization and won the pennant in the Three-I League (Class B) with the Des Moines Demons. He was rewarded with a move up to Class A with the Asheville Tourists the next year. But after that, Asheville switched to the Pirates and Ray Hathaway came in as manager. I didn't see Charlie listed among the '61 minor-league managers.

[VIBaseball]

...the Big O's website has an all-time roster of Dodgers who played in his era. There are nice photos on each page for these guys. In addition to Charlie Kress, I saw a beauty for René Valdés, the original of the Bill Harris photo I posted in newspaper form, and also one of the kid Rod Miller (#50).

http://www.walteromalley.com/hist_rost_m-p_miller_rod.php

[Robb Schwartz]

Played a bit for the Brooks in '54---hit .083.

Seems like I remember him as a coach. Was he also known as Red Kress?

Robb

1947 25 CIN NL 11 27 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 .148 .303 .148 4 1 0 0
1949 27 TOT 124 382 48 104 20 6 1 47 6 7 42 49 .272 .344 .364 139 18 0 8
CIN NL 27 29 3 6 3 0 0 3 0 3 5 .207 .281 .310 9 1 0 1
CHW AL 97 353 45 98 17 6 1 44 6 7 39 44 .278 .349 .368 130 17 0 7
1950 28 CHW AL 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 0 1 0 1
1954 32 TOT 37 49 5 8 0 1 0 5 0 1 1 4 .163 .180 .204 10 0 0 0 0
DET AL 24 37 4 7 0 1 0 3 0 1 1 4 .189 .211 .243 9 0 0 0 0
BRO NL 13 12 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 .083 .083 .083 1 0 0 0 0
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
4 Seasons 175 466 57 116 20 7 1 52 6 8 49 59 .249 .320 .328 153 20 0 0 0 9
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
162 Game Avg 431 53 107 19 6 1 48 6 7 45 55 .249 .320 .328 142 19 0 0 0 8
Career High 124 382 48 104 20 6 1 47 6 7 42 49 .272 .344 .364 139 18 0 0 0 8

[Robb Schwartz]

Here's another name.... any recollections?

http://www.walteromalley.com/hist_rost_i-l_lembo_steve.php

[VIBaseball]

Seems like I remember him as a coach. Was he also known as Red Kress?

Ralph "Red" Kress (1907-1962) was a different man. His MLB career spanned 1927-46, and he was a coach with the '62 Mets, passing away shortly after that season ended.

[kramer_47]

Played a bit for the Brooks in '54---hit .083.

Seems like I remember him as a coach. Was he also known as Red Kress?

Robb

1947 25 CIN NL 11 27 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 6 4 .148 .303 .148 4 1 0 0
1949 27 TOT 124 382 48 104 20 6 1 47 6 7 42 49 .272 .344 .364 139 18 0 8
CIN NL 27 29 3 6 3 0 0 3 0 3 5 .207 .281 .310 9 1 0 1
CHW AL 97 353 45 98 17 6 1 44 6 7 39 44 .278 .349 .368 130 17 0 7
1950 28 CHW AL 3 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 .000 .000 .000 0 1 0 1
1954 32 TOT 37 49 5 8 0 1 0 5 0 1 1 4 .163 .180 .204 10 0 0 0 0
DET AL 24 37 4 7 0 1 0 3 0 1 1 4 .189 .211 .243 9 0 0 0 0
BRO NL 13 12 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 .083 .083 .083 1 0 0 0 0
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
4 Seasons 175 466 57 116 20 7 1 52 6 8 49 59 .249 .320 .328 153 20 0 0 0 9
+--------------+---+----+----+----+---+--+---+----+---+--+---+---+-----+-----+-----+----+---+---+---+---+---+
162 Game Avg 431 53 107 19 6 1 48 6 7 45 55 .249 .320 .328 142 19 0 0 0 8
Career High 124 382 48 104 20 6 1 47 6 7 42 49 .272 .344 .364 139 18 0 0 0 8

No Red Kress was a player then a coach in the Majors with the Indians.

[VIBaseball]

Brooklyn-born Steve Lembo passed away in 1989 in Flushing, home of the Mets. The last mention I see of him is in August 1985. There was a ceremony for the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's signing at Jackie's gravesite in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Queens. Ralph Branca was there, as was somebody named Tommy Villante (?), and Steve.

Previously, in June '83, the Brooklyn Union Gas Company and Abraham & Straus held a party for nine Dodgers. Along with Steve (who seems to have had a long connection with A&S), the guests of honor were Barney, Gionfriddo, Hatten, Hermanski, Labine, Lavagetto, Olmo, and Shuba.

The key fact about Steve was that he was a longtime metro-area scout for the Dodgers. The first mention of him in this role is 1969, when he helped sign Terry McDermott, a Long Island boy who played 9 games for the '72 Dodgers. Lembo was still described as scout in the '85 article.

He must really have been a Dodger lifer: he also worked at the Dodgertown Camp for Boys as an instructor circa 1960-62.

[kramer_47]

Brooklyn-born Steve Lembo passed away in 1989 in Flushing, home of the Mets. The last mention I see of him is in August 1985. There was a ceremony for the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's signing at Jackie's gravesite in Cypress Hills Cemetery in Queens. Ralph Branca was there, as was somebody named Tommy Villante (?), and Steve.

Previously, in June '83, the Brooklyn Union Gas Company and Abraham & Straus held a party for nine Dodgers. Along with Steve (who seems to have had a long connection with A&S), the guests of honor were Barney, Gionfriddo, Hatten, Hermanski, Labine, Lavagetto, Olmo, and Shuba.

The key fact about Steve was that he was a longtime metro-area scout for the Dodgers. The first mention of him in this role is 1969, when he helped sign Terry McDermott, a Long Island boy who played 9 games for the '72 Dodgers. Lembo was still described as scout in the '85 article.
He must really have been a Dodger lifer: he also worked at the Dodgertown Camp for Boys as an instructor circa 1960-62.

I use to do baseball card shows in Brooklyn in the late 1980's and I remember Steve appearing at one of the shows it must have been 1988-89. I also remember Cal Abrams telling me he could get some Dodgers to do shows and one was Steve Lembo. I did a church show in Brooklyn in 1988 and they had Johnny Podres doing his first show ever along with Phil Rizzuto and Tommy Holmes, I think Podres only got a few hundred dollars while the superstars of the 1980's were getting thousands. Johnny was a very good player in the 1950's and 1960's and to think guys like Lenny Dykstra in his 3rd year could get 5 times as much as Podres a 15 year veteran is disturbing.

[runningshoes]

This is great.

If I started this thread in the Red Sox forum, I'd be lucky if I got three replies.

[kramer_47]

This is great.

If I started this thread in the Red Sox forum, I'd be lucky if I got three replies.

Us Dodgers fans are dedicated, it is ashame that more younger people aren't big baseball fans and into the history of the game like you.

[Flatbush Flock]

Cal Abrams was an agent for other players who participated in autographing at baseball card and other shows. George Shuba worked for the Post Office. Ralph Branca was in the life insurance business. Johnny Rutherford was a physician. Of course, Hodges, Rube Walker and others remained in baseball.
Don Newcombe lectured nationally against alcoholism.

[DODGER DEB]

CLEM LABINE was a Sportwear Designer. At first he worked for Jacob Finkelstein & Sons, then eventually owned his own company in Woonsocket, RI.

GINO CIMOLI returned to the SF Bay area and worked for UPS.

KEN LEHMAN went back to Washington State and operates a Bed and Breakfast with his wife, Pat.

c.

[tonypug]

If my memory hasn't completly failed me, I believe Charlie Neal also worked for Greyhound, but as a Bus driver.

[kramer_47]

Cal Abrams was an agent for other players who participated in autographing at baseball card and other shows. George Shuba worked for the Post Office. Ralph Branca was in the life insurance business. Johnny Rutherford was a physician. Of course, Hodges, Rube Walker and others remained in baseball.
Don Newcombe lectured nationally against alcoholism.

Cal Abrams worked for OTB in NYC for many years and got a pension from them, after he retired from OTB he started doing autograph shows thats where I met Cal and his wife in 1988 in East Brunswick NJ, after that he became an agent for other players who wanted to do autograph shows. In 1994-95 I was into telephone cards before they became big and I called Cal about doing a telephone card on the Brooklyn Dodgers but it never got done. In 1995 I bought a 3 card Brooklyn Dodgers set it featured Gil Hodges, a team photo and Ebbets Field that is the only Brooklyn Dodgers phone card set I've ever seen.

[SYLVIA HATTEN]

[QUOTE=VIBaseball]

Previously, in June '83, the Brooklyn Union Gas Company and Abraham & Straus held a party for nine Dodgers. Along with Steve (who seems to have had a long connection with A&S), the guests of honor were Barney, Gionfriddo, Hatten, Hermanski, Labine, Lavagetto, Olmo, and Shuba.QUOTE]


Are these the guys you mentioned before? Can you tell me who they are? I recognize a few of them. This photo is from our family collection. Thanks, Sylvia.

[DODGER DEB]

[QUOTE=VIBaseball]

Previously, in June '83, the Brooklyn Union Gas Company and Abraham & Straus held a party for nine Dodgers. Along with Steve (who seems to have had a long connection with A&S), the guests of honor were Barney, Gionfriddo, Hatten, Hermanski, Labine, Lavagetto, Olmo, and Shuba.QUOTE]


Are these the guys you mentioned above? Can you tell me who they are? I recognize a few of them. This photo is from our family collection.


That is OUR own DICK YOUNG (with the white hair next to Clem Labine), of the NY Daily News, who covered OUR DODGERS for years.

I also recognize GEORGE SHUBA, GENE HERMANSKI and AL GIONFRIDDO.

Many of the "Brooklyn" companies like Brooklyn Union Gas and A&S tried to stay connected to OUR DODGERS, at least through the 80's. They held/sponsored these "get togethers" almost every year, bringing a few of OUR Dodgers back to BROOKLYN, even for just a day. These groups were also connected to OUR Brooklyn Dodger Baseball Baseball Hall of Fame. WE had inductions ceremonies every June, someplace in BROOKLYN. These were always fun to attend as WE got a chance to see OUR Heros, one more time. WE usually had a Dinner or Reception the night before at a local BROOKLYN restaurant.

c.

[VIBaseball]

Can we try to match the names with the faces, please? I bet kramer_47 will be right on here. Too bad those nametags aren't legible.

Front: Clem Labine?, Dick Young, ?, ?
Back: ?, ?, Steve Lembo?, Al Gionfriddo?, ?, ?, George Shuba?

I'm ID-ing Gionfriddo by height, Steve Lembo by the younger picture that's on the Big O's site, and Shuba by the picture in Boys of Summer.

[DODGER DEB]

Can we try to match the names with the faces, please? I bet kramer_47 will be right on here. Too bad those nametags aren't legible.

Front: Clem Labine?, Dick Young, ?, ?
Back: ?, ?, Steve Lembo?, Al Gionfriddo?, ?, ?, George Shuba?

I'm ID-ing Gionfriddo by height, Steve Lembo by the younger picture that's on the Big O's site, and Shuba by the picture in Boys of Summer.

In the front row, that is DICK YOUNG with the bush of white hair; CLEM LABINE is to his left. To CLEM's left is JOE HATTEN. In the back row, AL GIONFRIDDO is directly behind DICK YOUNG, and GEORGE SHUBA is to his right. That is GENE HERMANSKI to GEORGE SHUBA's right. I believe that is REX BARNEY to DICK YOUNG's right. Standing on the end, in the light suit, I think is HAROLD PAROTT, one time BROOKLYN Business Manager and Traveling Secretary.

c.

[kramer_47]

Top Row Gene Hermanski, George Shuba, Al Gionfriddo, Cookie Lavagetto, Rex Barney, Luis Olmo, Steve Lembo. Bottom Row ? , Dick Young, Clem Labine, Joe Hatten. I don't know who the lady is or the guy in the light suit on left or guy kneeling on Dick Young's right, they could be from Brooklyn Union Gas Company and Abraham & Straus.

[kramer_47]

Here's a baseball card of Steve Lembo from Ebay.

[VIBaseball]

I think it's just so remarkable that Sylvia could share the photo that matched the little story I found in the papers, and that Deb's and kramer's personal knowledge and great memories help those of us who know the names mainly in print.

It's remarkable how youthful Clem Labine looked then at age 56. I bet he still looks good for a 79-year-old now.

And that's a heckuva rug George Shuba is sporting...he didn't have that in his Boys of Summer photo from the '70s.

[kramer_47]

I think it's just so remarkable that Sylvia could share the photo that matched the little story I found in the papers, and that Deb's and kramer's personal knowledge and great memories help those of us who know the names mainly in print.

It's remarkable how youthful Clem Labine looked then at age 56. I bet he still looks good for a 79-year-old now.

And that's a heckuva rug George Shuba is sporting...he didn't have that in his Boys of Summer photo from the '70s.


You come up with some great stuff yourself, we all love the Dodgers here and work together to make this a great site. I bet that any question about the Dodgers could be be put up here and a few of us could answer the question. I hope by now Shuba has a better rug, I bet Labine still looks young at 79. I thank Sylvia for posting the picture I hope she has a few more in her treasure chest of memories.

[VIBaseball]

Cal -- he of the multiple middle names -- lives in his home state of Oklahoma. As of last year, he was still listed as a "special assignment coach" with the Mariners. It sounds like a nice honorarium for a retired gentleman who wants to keep his hand in -- and does. In 2004, he was playing in a golf tournament in Portland and saw Gil Meche, who'd been sent to Triple-A. Cal told him to stop nibbling and go after the hitters.

There sure were a lot of kids on that '44 wartime team. In addition to Cal (who took a repeated beating on the mound at age 18), Tommy Brown was 16; Eddie Miksis and Charlie Osgood were 17; Gene Mauch, Roy Jarvis, and Ralph Branca were 18; and Claude Crocker was 19. Not to overlook the immortal Frank Wurm (108.00 lifetime ERA as the 20-year-old gave up five walks and a hit while retiring one in his only major-league start).

Cal was part of the unusual trade in May 1947 in which the Dodgers sent Kirby Higbe packing along with Hank Behrman, Dixie Howell, and Gene Mauch to the Pirates for Al Gionfriddo and $100,000 (or more) cash.

He was also involved in the punch-up between Billy Martin --then a Cincinnati Reds teammate -- and Jim Brewer at Wrigley Field in 1960. It may have actually been McLish's wild swing that broke Brewer's facial bone.

Cal was the Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach from 1976 through 1982. "Harvey [Kuenn]'s Wallbangers" actually had some pretty decent pitchers that year, including suspected spit/greaseballer Mike Caldwell. Previously he'd been with his old buddy Gene Mauch as pitching coach of the Phillies (1965-66) and Expos (1969-75). In between he scouted for the Phils.

Final trivia note: McLish was ambidextrous and warmed up with both arms on occasion, though he never switch-pitched in an actual game. Apparently he tried it once in a Venezuelan winter-league game but the umpires wouldn't let him do it.

[VIBaseball]

Hello kramer_47: unfortunately many of these pictures are not posted to the site, but it looks like you can order copies from SABR member Alexandre Pratt, webmaster:

http://quebec.sabr.org/media.htm

Considering the Dodgers' Montreal connection, this looks like a mother lode for many fans here. They range from famous (Gilliam, Lasorda, Alston) to middling (Amoros, Banta) to obscure (Roy, Crocker, Wurm). There's one old beaut of Jacques Fournier from what could be a less built-up Ebbets from the early days:

http://quebec.sabr.org/media_fournier.htm

I bet Alexandre, who's a reporter for La Presse, could put you in touch with Roy.

[kramer_47]

Cal -- he of the multiple middle names -- lives in his home state of Oklahoma. As of last year, he was still listed as a "special assignment coach" with the Mariners. It sounds like a nice honorarium for a retired gentleman who wants to keep his hand in -- and does. In 2004, he was playing in a golf tournament in Portland and saw Gil Meche, who'd been sent to Triple-A. Cal told him to stop nibbling and go after the hitters.

There sure were a lot of kids on that '44 wartime team. In addition to Cal (who took a repeated beating on the mound at age 18), Tommy Brown was 16; Eddie Miksis and Charlie Osgood were 17; Gene Mauch, Roy Jarvis, and Ralph Branca were 18; and Claude Crocker was 19. Not to overlook the immortal Frank Wurm (108.00 lifetime ERA as the 20-year-old gave up five walks and a hit while retiring one in his only major-league start).

Cal was part of the unusual trade in May 1947 in which the Dodgers sent Kirby Higbe packing along with Hank Behrman, Dixie Howell, and Gene Mauch to the Pirates for Al Gionfriddo and $100,000 (or more) cash.

He was also involved in the punch-up between Billy Martin --then a Cincinnati Reds teammate -- and Jim Brewer at Wrigley Field in 1960. It may have actually been McLish's wild swing that broke Brewer's facial bone.

Cal was the Milwaukee Brewers pitching coach from 1976 through 1982. "Harvey [Kuenn]'s Wallbangers" actually had some pretty decent pitchers that year, including suspected spit/greaseballer Mike Caldwell. Previously he'd been with his old buddy Gene Mauch as pitching coach of the Phillies (1965-66) and Expos (1969-75). In between he scouted for the Phils.

Final trivia note: McLish was ambidextrous and warmed up with both arms on occasion, though he never switch-pitched in an actual game. Apparently he tried it once in a Venezuelan winter-league game but the umpires wouldn't let him do it.

Thank you for the great story about Cal Mclish, I found out a few things I didn't know about him. I could never understand that trade for Al Gionfriddo it seemed kind of lopsided unless it was for the cash, Kirby Higbe and Cal were 2pretty good pitchers Kirby won 17 games in 1946. It probably had something to do with the players who didn't like Jackie Robinson, Hank Behrman had won 11 games in 1946 and for some reason was returned to the dodgers within 2 months, a real strange trade. I just got Cal Mclish's autograph by mail last week.

[kramer_47]

Hello kramer_47: unfortunately many of these pictures are not posted to the site, but it looks like you can order copies from SABR member Alexandre Pratt, webmaster:

http://quebec.sabr.org/media.htm

Considering the Dodgers' Montreal connection, this looks like a mother lode for many fans here. They range from famous (Gilliam, Lasorda, Alston) to middling (Amoros, Banta) to obscure (Roy, Crocker, Wurm). There's one old beaut of Jacques Fournier from what could be a less built-up Ebbets from the early days:

http://quebec.sabr.org/media_fournier.htm

I bet Alexandre, who's a reporter for La Presse, could put you in touch with Roy.

Thank you VIBaseball some more great information, I have to join the SABR, I'm going to look over his site right now. I think I finally got the right address for Roy, I got it from Harvey Meiselman Baseball Address List, let's hope 3rd times a charm.

[VIBaseball]

Mr. Frey, who turns 96 on August 23, has been living in northern Idaho for a good while. It seems he's still got a sharp memory; he was quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer last year about a night game he played at Crosley Field as a member of the Dodgers:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/SPT04/505240379/1071/rss08

I saw a couple of other articles from several years before with his memories of the 1940 Reds World Series champs, including the grim story of catcher Willard Hershberger's suicide.

This is a nice photo of Lonny signing an autograph for some young women at Ebbets Field in the mid-30s:

http://www.pbase.com/doowopper/image/52766263

[VIBaseball]

This nice short bio tells you pretty much all you could want to know about "Stretch", who's doing well at age 83:

http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=1090&pid=12689

[kramer_47]

Mr. Frey, who turns 96 on August 23, has been living in northern Idaho for a good while. It seems he's still got a sharp memory; he was quoted in the Cincinnati Enquirer last year about a night game he played at Crosley Field as a member of the Dodgers:

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050524/SPT04/505240379/1071/rss08

I saw a couple of other articles from several years before with his memories of the 1940 Reds World Series champs, including the grim story of catcher Willard Hershberger's suicide.

This is a nice photo of Lonny signing an autograph for some young women at Ebbets Field in the mid-30s:

http://www.pbase.com/doowopper/image/52766263

Where are you getting these articles they are great, I just got back Lonny Frey autographs and he sent me a nice note along with them. He is very alert and has a good memory God bless him, you should write him and send some things to get autographed you'll get back an answer within 10 days. He's a real nice man, I wish all ballplayers were like him.

[VIBaseball]

Where are you getting these articles they are great.

Just good old-fashioned digging on Google. A little patience and the willingness to dig help research along. :)


I just got back Lonny Frey autographs and he sent me a nice note along with them. He is very alert and has a good memory God bless him, you should write him and send some things to get autographed you'll get back an answer within 10 days. He's a real nice man, I wish all ballplayers were like him.

I think I'll just send him a postcard wishing him well, no autograph requested. Although I just told an old friend who's a Reds fan that Mr. Frey -- a member of the 1940 WS champs -- surely must be the oldest living Red and is one of the oldest living major-leaguers, period.

[EbtsFldGuy]

What happened to the legendary Billy Loes?

For a time, he lived in Queens (Jackson Hieights, I think), but he is rarely mentioned on this board.

Anyone know what he did after baseball?

[DODGER DEB]

What happened to the legendary Billy Loes?

For a time, he lived in Queens (Jackson Hieights, I think), but he is rarely mentioned on this board.

Anyone know what he did after baseball?


Someone mentioned to me, a few months ago, that Billy spends most of his time in Tucson, AZ these days. I don't know if that means he's moved there.

c.

[VIBaseball]

I was corresponding with a friend who runs baseball tours to Cuba and is highly knowledgeable on Cuban baseball history...our man went by René Gutiérrez at home...I still hope to find out more.

I heard back from my friend, whose good Cuban friend believes that "El Látigo" may have passed away in Mexico some time ago. This is not currently reflected in the standard baseball references.

The Cuban friend suggested trying to contact Ossie Alvarez, who played for Washington in 1958 and Detroit in 1959. He was close to Valdez. If we get contact information for Alvarez, we can place a call and get the information about his life or death. This would be a nice historical find.

kramer_47: can you help here, please? I believe you have that Harvey Meiselman list. Please send me a PM if you prefer. Thank you.

[kramer_47]

I heard back from my friend, whose good Cuban friend believes that "El Látigo" may have passed away in Mexico some time ago. This is not currently reflected in the standard baseball references.

The Cuban friend suggested trying to contact Ossie Alvarez, who played for Washington in 1958 and Detroit in 1959. He was close to Valdez. If we get contact information for Alvarez, we can place a call and get the information about his life or death. This would be a nice historical find.

kramer_47: can you help here, please? I believe you have that Harvey Meiselman list. Please send me a PM if you prefer. Thank you.

Neither Ozzie Alvarez or Rene Valdez is listed in Harvey's address book. I have an old Smalling Address book from 9 years ago it lists Alvarez living in Jalisco, Mexico I will PM the address to you. Old ballplayers living in foreign countries especially Cuba are very hard to locate.

[zman]

This is becoming quite the mystery. I can't find anything on the net about his post baseball life. Isn't that unusual? Did he become a recluse? A CIA agent? A member of the Village People? What gives?

[VIBaseball]

This is just a preliminary report, but I'm told that René Gutiérrez Valdez is alive and well in Miami and that he has lived there for many years. I hope he's in good health. :)

My friend the Cuba tour operator will pass on more info as he gets it. We'll see about filling in the long gaps that zman, kramer_47, and others including myself have wondered about.

[Macker]

Paul Minner, who pitched for Brooklyn 1946 & 1948-49, died March 28, 2006 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.

[kramer_47]

Paul Minner, who pitched for Brooklyn 1946 & 1948-49, died March 28, 2006 in Lemoyne, Pennsylvania.

It is sad to see another Dodger pass away, there aren't many left, I just sent Mr Minner an autograph request on March 13,2006 and received it back on March 24, 2006.

[EbtsFldGuy]

When did Rube Walker die?

[Macker]

When did Rube Walker die?

December 12, 1992

[Macker]

Two recent deaths:

Jack Radtke, an infielder who played in 36 games in 1936, died October 24 in Twin Falls, Idaho.

Jack Banta, a pitcher in 69 games 1947-50, died September 17 in Hutchinson, Kansas.

[Jason R. Maier]

Sad to see the old timers no longer with us :(

I found this list http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1957dodgers.stm on www.baseballlibrary.com showing the 1957 Dodgers lineup. Not out of morbid curiosity, but just to show the passage of time, I'll list the starting lineups and note in bold who is still alive:

REGULARS
1B Gil Hodges
2B Jim Gilliam
SS Charlie Neal
3B Pee Wee Reese
OF Gino Cimoli
OF Duke Snider
OF Carl Furillo
C Roy Campanella

STARTERS
R Don Drysdale
R Don Newcombe
L Johnny Podres
L Danny McDevitt
R Sal Maglie

BULLPEN
R Clem Labine
R Ed Roebuck
R Don Bessent
L Sandy Koufax
R Roger Craig

[hartman74]

I just read that former Brooklyn Dodger player Glenn "Rocky" Nelson died.
He died at the age of 81 on November 1st 2006 in Ohio.

He played on the 1952 Brooklyn Dodgers World Series team.
He also played on the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series team.

http://www.thedeadballera.com/passings.html

[bbdata]

We can add one name to the list.

Fred Kipp (1957) is very much alive and well in Leawood, KS.

[EbtsFldGuy]

This series of posts is informative.

I have a question that I don't believe has been addressed here.

Carl Erskine returned to Anderson, IN and in time became a bank president there.

Is his post-Dodger career the most successful of any of the Brooks?

[musial6]

This series of posts is informative.

I have a question that I don't believe has been addressed here.

Carl Erskine returned to Anderson, IN and in time became a bank president there.

Is his post-Dodger career the most successful of any of the Brooks?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Black
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chuck_Connors
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefty_O%27Doul
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Lopez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Richards_%28baseball%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_Stengel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Kennedy
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Lasorda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Bragan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Williams

[EbtsFldGuy]

While those are all good answers, I meant to be clearer in posing my question.

What I intended to ask is whether "Oisk" is the most successful ex Brook OUTSIDE OF baseball. Connors would fit in that category.

Any others?

[musial6]

While those are all good answers, I meant to be clearer in posing my question.

What I intended to ask is whether "Oisk" is the most successful ex Brook OUTSIDE OF baseball. Connors would fit in that category.

Any others?

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_24_101/ai_87210872


Vice-President of Greyhound Lines trumps bank manager.

[Bklyn Boy since 1936]

While those are all good answers, I meant to be clearer in posing my question.

What I intended to ask is whether "Oisk" is the most successful ex Brook OUTSIDE OF baseball. Connors would fit in that category.

Any others?

Jackie Robinson, Vice President, Chock Full 'O Nuts

[TheBulldog]

Jackie Robinson, Vice President, Chock Full 'O Nuts
Wasn't Clem Labine a successful clothing manufacturer?

[Flatbush Flock]

Wasn't Clem Labine a successful clothing manufacturer?


No, he was the manager of a clothing store. Possibly the best answer is pitcher Johnny Rutherford who became a physician.

[musial6]

No, he was the manager of a clothing store. Possibly the best answer is pitcher Johnny Rutherford who became a physician.


When he was with the Dodgers, his nickname was "Doc."

[TheBulldog]

Is Billy Loes still alive?

[musial6]

Is Billy Loes still alive?


...and kicking. Indeed! Remember what a bad hitter he was--.110 BUT .429 in the WS?

[TheBulldog]

...and kicking. Indeed! Remember what a bad hitter he was--,110 BUT .429 in the WS?
Loes was once described as a righthanded pitcher with a lefthanders mentality.

[Macker]

Recent deaths of Rocky Nelson, Ernie Koy and Bob Milliken leave 77 Brooklyn Dodgers.

Nelson played for the Dodgers in 1956. He died this past October. Koy, a Dodger 1938-40, had been the only survivor of the 1938-39 teams. Only Herman Franks remains from the 1940 team. Milliken was with the Dodgers 1953-54. He died yesterday.

[jimaxe]

I haven't seen him mentioned, but Chink Zachary who pitched in 4 games for the 1944 Dodgers, died last year on June 24 at the age of 89.

[Macker]

Didn't know Zachary had died. He was listed among the living in earlier post. Baseball Almanac agrees with the death date, do I will update the list. Thanks.

[CaliforniaCajun]

Sad to see the old timers no longer with us :(

I found this list http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/teams/1957dodgers.stm on www.baseballlibrary.com showing the 1957 Dodgers lineup. Not out of morbid curiosity, but just to show the passage of time, I'll list the starting lineups and note in bold who is still alive:

REGULARS
1B Gil Hodges
2B Jim Gilliam
SS Charlie Neal
3B Pee Wee Reese
OF Gino Cimoli
OF Duke Snider
OF Carl Furillo
C Roy Campanella

STARTERS
R Don Drysdale
R Don Newcombe
L Johnny Podres
L Danny McDevitt
R Sal Maglie

BULLPEN
R Clem Labine
R Ed Roebuck
R Don Bessent
L Sandy Koufax
R Roger Craig


Don Bessent is still alive, although an alcoholic. We discussed his alcoholism last year.

[bbdata]

Don Bessent died on July 7, 1990, in Jacksonville, FL.

[CaliforniaCajun]

Don Bessent died on July 7, 1990, in Jacksonville, FL.

I stand corrected.

Someone in an earlier post from 2006 thought Cookie Lavagetto was still alive but he died in 1990.

[hartman74]

Ray Berres the oldest living Brooklyn Dodger died at age 99. He was the oldest living player from the National League.
He was a longtime pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox.

[Brownie31]

Dodger catchers Al Lopez, Clyde Sukeforth and Ray Berres are shown in 1934. (Rucker Archives)

Brownie31

[hudsonharden]

Clem Labine passed away today at age 80.

[drftnaway]

would anyone be interested in an autograophed picture of jimmy bucher in his brooklyn uniform? it's like a baseball card only it's on paper with nothing on the back and measures 3 3/8" X 5 3/8".

[metrotheme]

Are Billy Loes and Luis Olmo responsive to mail requests? Loes lives pretty close to where I'm at in Queens, but someone stated earlier that he doesn't spend time there anymore. Information via private message would be helpful.

[jimaxe]

Otis (Scat) Davis died on July 23 in Florida. He was 87. Davis, from nearby Charleston, AR, played one game in the majors, pinch running for Brooklyn's Eddie Stanky on 4/22/1946. According to one report, with Billy Herman at the plate and Davis on second, Herman tried to bunt twice. Both attempts went foul, but Davis slid into third both times, wrenching his knee on the second. Pete Reiser doubled him home, but the injury ended his career without ever getting an at bat.

By the way, does anyone know what years Jack Dalton, Sam Fletcher & George Crable died? They were all born in the 1800s, but I've checked every resource I know and can't find out when they died. Thanks

[DODGER DEB]

OUR Hero, JOHNNY PODRES, passed away yesterday, January 13, 2008, at age 75.

c.

[jimaxe]

Tommy Holmes, who ended his career in 1952 with a brief stint in Brooklyn, died yesterday, April 14. My count shows 87 Brooklyn Dodgers still living, but could be wrong.:homeplate:

[VIBaseball]

R.I.P. René Valdez (a.k.a Látigo Gutiérrez at home in Cuba). :(

I received the SABR Biographical Committee newsletter today and it notes that Valdez passed away on March 15.

I'm sure many of us would appreciate it if an enterprising soul would do what Bill McCurdy has done on the Browns forum -- post and maintain a list of the surviving Dodgers. I know it's in another thread but it's buried and hasn't been maintained since Macker did some work on it.

I propose that it be a sticky thread too....once the work is done. If I have a spare moment I'll look to turn to it.

[VIBaseball]

(Updated list at end of thread)

[tonybaseball]

Would anybody know of any signings by Gene Hermanski? Or how I can find how to contact him? I'm a distant relative -

Thanks!

[bbdata]

Charlie played many years in the minors, coming up through
the Reds' organization. He had a couple of shots in the majors
but with little success. His best years were with Rochester
and Columbus, both of which had a short right field porch.

After retirement he lived in St. Joseph, MO, for many years.
After his wife died, he moved to Montana to be near his son.
The last I heard from him, in mid-2007, he was still active and
in relatively good health.

[VIBaseball]

The Dodgers had alot of one year or one game or like Rod Miller one at bat wonders but like Tony said they got to live out our dream of putting on that Dodgers uniform. Going back into the 1940's through 1957 lets see how many players we can name with one year or less with our Dodgers.

I'll start with Jean-Pierre Roy a pitcher who spent 6 days and appeared in 3 games for the Dodgers in 1946.

After kramer_47 first piqued my interest in this player, I read up more and eventually decided to work up his story for the SABR BioProject, which I did with Jean-Pierre's most gracious cooperation.

He's an entertaining character, and there are some fun bits in here about Branch Rickey and Leo Durocher too.

http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&bid=2468&pid=12288

[jdm]

Harris is in Kennewick, WA. He's to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame next week.

Cheers,
jdm

[jdm]

Let me try this again (not sure where my initial reply has ended up).

Billy Harris settled in Kennewick WA. He is to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame next week.

Cheers, jdm

[icee82]

I have actually done a little research on his career. He started out with the Reds. I have actually made contact with him but he sent me back a photocopied sheet outlining his career. He would not sign...believe it or not.

[VIBaseball]

Let me try this again (not sure where my initial reply has ended up).

Billy Harris settled in Kennewick WA. He is to be inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame next week.

Cheers, jdm

Here's a story on his induction that includes a video clip:

http://www.kndo.com/Global/story.asp?S=8705854&nav=menu484_4_1

[VIBaseball]

All I ever remembered about this player was that he hit the bad-hop grounder that struck Tony Kubek in the throat in the 1960 World Series. Gino was then with the Pirates.

Here is a nice piece about how he signed with the Dodgers in 1949:

http://thebgspot.blogspot.com/2007/12/forgotten-bucco-history-signing-gino.html

And here is a fine article about his career, including how he was a matinée idol for young female fans:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080527&content_id=7429&vkey=hof_news

The last information I have shows that Gino, who was born and raised in San Francisco, still lives in that area.

[Michael Green]

I heard that Cimoli was a solid player. The two stories I heard about him are funny and both told by longtime Dodgers executive Fresco Thompson.

One is that he talked about wanting to be traded because he wasn't playing every day, so Roy Campanella talked to him about other utility guys who wanted to play every day and wound up on 7th place teams, so they didn't get those nice World Series checks. Then Campy added that if you don't get to play every day, "you won't find out how lousy you are."

The other one is that Cimoli was on 3B the first year in LA. A photographer asked the 3B coach, Charlie Dressen, who the guy was on 3rd. He said, "Cimoli." The trouble is, the last name was the sign to go on a squeeze play. Dressen had to repeat the name for the photographer, so Cimoli took off for home. Gil Hodges was batting and hadn't gotten a squeeze sign. As Fresco said, if Hodges had swung, he might have hit Cimoli's head over the left field screen in the Coliseum. And since they traded Cimoli for Wally Moon, if Hodges had swung, the Dodgers might not have won the 1959 pennant!

[VIBaseball]

He is now a hitting coach for the Schaumburg Flyers of the indie Northern League:

http://www.flyersbaseball.com/playerbio.asp?id=267

http://www.hofmag.com/content/view/1187/190/

Here is a nice story from 1999 about his career:

http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com/gentile.html

I imagine Gil Hodges was blocking him with Brooklyn.

[DODGER DEB]

All I ever remembered about this player was that he hit the bad-hop grounder that struck Tony Kubek in the throat in the 1960 World Series. Gino was then with the Pirates.

Here is a nice piece about how he signed with the Dodgers in 1949:

http://thebgspot.blogspot.com/2007/12/forgotten-bucco-history-signing-gino.html

And here is a fine article about his career, including how he was a matinée idol for young female fans:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080527&content_id=7429&vkey=hof_news

The last information I have shows that Gino, who was born and raised in San Francisco, still lives in that area.


OUR #9, Gino, was quite a player, and might have made it real big had he not had the "misfortune" of coming up to a team with a solid lineup like OURS.

Gino was (and still is) one terrific guy, with a wild sense of humor, a great personality...and incredible good looks that could kill. He literally was tall, dark and ever so handsome. His parents (he was an only child) came to the USA from Southern Italy and settled in Santa Rosa. Gino was married to one beautuful and fabulous lady named Irene, from Chicago. They have two daughters, Cheryl and Linda. While they were married they built a house that literally was on a cliff off the SF Bay in Tiburon. He still lives in SF, though not in Tiburon.

After his baseball days were over Gino went to work for the UPS, from which he is now retired.

My sister DEBS and I always remained friends with him. We called him "JINX" (and still do), but that is a story for another day. We teased him constantly because of his "five o'clock shadow". An hour after he shaved he always looked liked he hadn't shaved at all.

Gino fit so perfectly into OUR BROOKLYN DODGER FAMILY. Everything about him oozed BROOKLYN, including his talent.

Another little story....when he played for Pittburgh he had two Catholic Nuns who were crazy about him. He always left them tickets for the games...and they loved cheering him on.

c.

[DODGER DEB]

A PS to my above post...

I read the link to the NHOF story on Gino, after I posted my reply.

To my great surprise I found that they mention Gilda Calabrese in the story. Gilda was one of my sister DEBS, and to say she loved Gino, is putting it mildly. He uncle was the head groundskeeper at OUR Ebbets Field, and being Italian, he be-friended Gino and Irene when they came up to BROOKLYN. He found them a house near where they lived and that is how Gilda came to know and love Gino. Sadly, Gilda died much too young, many years ago. But, her love and friendship for both Gino and Irene, as well and their daughters, was the joy of her young and short life.

c.

[VIBaseball]

The 16-year-old who played for the wartime Dodgers in 1944 now lives in the Nashville area. Here's something I found from August 2006.

EVENTS Grand Slam! Nashville, Baseball and Sulphur Dell The youngest player ever to hit a home run in major league baseball lives in Brentwood: his name is Tommy “Buckshot” Brown, and he managed that trick in 1945, off the notorious spitballer Preacher Roe, at the tender age of 17. Brown, among others, is being honored this summer by the Metro Archives as part of its celebration of the history of Nashville baseball. On Saturday, Aug. 19, the Archive is hosting a reception for ballplayers from the Nashville Vols, the old Negro League and several historic semi-pro teams. Nashville’s leading baseball authority, 90-year-old Junie McBride, will also attend. And, of course, Buckshot should be there too. The reception is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Metro Archives in the old Green Hills Library building, 3801 Green Hills Village Drive. —WAYNE CHRISTESON

http://www.nashvillescene.com/2006-08-17/arts/our-critics-picks/

On a separate note...


We called him "JINX" (and still do), but that is a story for another day.

Has that day arrived for your Gino Cimoli story, Dodger Deb?

[penncentralpete]

I attended a Brooklyn Dodger "festival" this past April here in New Jersey, and got some pictures of our beloved Bums.

[penncentralpete]

Here's Howie (85)................

[penncentralpete]

...another of Howie.......

[penncentralpete]

Here's Clyde King..............

[penncentralpete]

Here's Don Lund..........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Don Newcombe........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Lee Pfund..........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Mike Sandlock.........

[penncentralpete]

Here's my wife Linda and I with Shotgun Shuba........

[penncentralpete]

Here's yours truly with Wayne Terwilliger..........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Ralph Branca..........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Randy Jackson..........

[penncentralpete]

Here's Roger Craig..........

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

Here's Don Newcombe........
Big Newk looks as if he can still mow 'em down... unless, of course, it's a "must win" game. :-)

[Number 4]

Just saw a small two sentence article in today's sports page that Preacher Roe died Sunday at the age of 92. Funeral services will be Thursday (11/13) in West Plains, MO.

[shlevine42]

Big Newk looks as if he can still mow 'em down... unless, of course, it's a "must win" game. :-)

Slamming Newk is getting old. And it's not fair.

Newk was -- and still is -- a hero.

Side note to 9/30/51: The day before, Don ("He can't win the big ones") Newcombe had shut out the Phillies to keep the Dodgers in the race.

Now, on the final day...with the Giants having already won and with the Dodgers trailing the Phillies 6-1 in the third and with a depleted staff (the lame-armed Roe has started and lasted just two innings...then came Branca, then Labine, then Erskine), Dressen had no choice but to turn to his ace again.

In this "must-win" game, Newcombe responded with 5-2/3 innings of one-hit ball, holding the Phillies at bay while the Dodgers battled back to tie the game at 8, setting the stage for Robinson's heroic catch in the 12th and his game-winning home run in the 14th.

Let me say it again: The day before, Newcombe had thrown nine innings of shutout ball.

I bring this up because I'm tired of having Newcombe labeled a "loser."

Of course I'm aware of the Sisler home run and Newcombe's post-season failures against the Yankees, but his career with Brooklyn should be remembered for far more than those losses and his inability to get Berra out.

He was the workhorse of the staff...a durable and courageous pitcher who played a MAJOR role on five pennant-winning Dodgers teams.

He deserves better.

[penncentralpete]

Shlevine....I couldn't agree with you MORE. Newk was a great one for a few summers.......and man, could he hit. I told him (at the festival) that he should've played leftfield......he laughed, but agreed with me.

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

Shlevine....I couldn't agree with you MORE. Newk was a great one for a few summers.......and man, could he hit. I told him (at the festival) that he should've played leftfield......he laughed, but agreed with me.
I'll second that. Newk was a terrific hitter.
My previous comment about his well documented "big game woes" was not meant as a slam, but as a touch of humor. Nice to see picture of "The Humm Baby," Roger Craig. He is amongst the best pitching coaches in history.

[penncentralpete]

I'll second that. Newk was a terrific hitter.
My previous comment about his well documented "big game woes" was not meant as a slam, but as a touch of humor. Nice to see picture of "The Humm Baby," Roger Craig. He is amongst the best pitching coaches in history.

I, for one, Zig, know for certain you wouldn't "slam" Newcombe. I took it as a humorous remark. No harm, no foul. And yes, Roger Craig taught the splitter if memory serves. I spoke with all of these fellas (and more) that day, and learned a great deal. A really nice bunch of guys, eager to talk about the Brooklyn days.

[VIBaseball]

They're terrific photos, Pete -- this thread is just the right place for them, thanks for sharing.

Wayne Terwilliger in particular looks great for a man in his 80s.

[penncentralpete]

They're terrific photos, Pete -- this thread is just the right place for them, thanks for sharing.

Wayne Terwilliger in particular looks great for a man in his 80s.

Thank you. Wayne was a pleasure to talk with too. I spoke with him at length on both days of the "fest"................he gave me many insightful tidbits, even talking at length about his tenure as Ted Williams' 3rd base coach in Washington. Believe it or not, Wayne continues to coach for the Ft. Worth Cats. Great fellow.

[VIBaseball]

(This post marked the loss of Preacher Roe. Updated list at end of thread.)

[VIBaseball]

This pitcher went 14-7 for the Dodgers in 1951. However, he is perhaps best remembered today for his brief stint as Yankees manager under George Steinbrenner in 1982. He also managed the Giants and Braves and served as a scout. Apparently he is still an adviser to the Yankees.

Today Clyde still lives in the town where he was born, Goldsboro, NC. Here is a nice article about him from last year:

http://www.newsargus.com/sports/archives/2007/01/25/clyde_king_honored/

[tony67]

Billy Harris is alive and doing very well. He was inducted in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame during the summer of 2008. He was genuinely overwhelmed, and was very entertaining with his acceptance speech. He was telling us tales of the Dodgers and Jackie. He is living in Kennewick, Washington and operates his own business, Billy's Bullpen Tavern. Harris amassed 174 professional wins and 1373 strikeouts in a career that lasted from 1951-1965. He had the unfortunate luck of being a pitcher when the Dodgers lineup consisted of Koufax,Drysdale, Claude Osteen, Johnny Podres and Ron Perranoski. Billy had 45 shutouts in the minors and pitched a perfect game against Memphis on June 14, 1953.His 0.83 ERA in 1952 still stands as an organized baseball record for pitchers with 200 or more innings in a single season. Tommy Lasorda had this to say about Billy: "We were teammates, and I must say with all sincerity that he was one of the finest competitors to ever take the mound. He is very deserving of this induction." And Sparky Anderson said:"Billy came along at a tough time. If he'd pitched for another organization, or if he took the mound today, he would be regular and a big winner." Billy is now 76 and he and his wife Alice have been married 48 years and have three children. He signed an 8x10 photo for me, and he was the friendliest and nicest man. A true class act. Here are some pics. That is Tony Fernandez, who was also inducted, with his arm around Billy.

[tony67]

Here is the autographed photo

[Walt]

http://www.bayou.com/~brooklyn/rosters.html

The name was familiar

[strummer]

Actually, Clyde King is remembered by many for one other accomplishment. He was the guy George Steinbrenner sent to tell Yogi Berra he was fired, rather than doing it himself. That caused Yogi to break with the Yankees, which was not over until George appologized by coming to Yogi's Museum in Montclair, NJ

[VIBaseball]

As of 2002, this outfielder was a minister in Oklahoma City, his place of birth. This story on fellow Oklahoman and friend, pitcher Tom Sturdivant, has a photo and some background down at the bottom:

http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com/sturdivant.html

Don had three at-bats as a Brooklyn Dodger in 1956. In his second, on September 19, he hit a homer at Ebbets Field in a 17-2 romp over the Cardinals. That game also marked the debut of Bob Aspromonte.

[VIBaseball]

That game also marked the debut of Bob Aspromonte.

Speaking of whom, Bob lives in Houston, where he spent the bulk of his career with the Colt .45s and Astros. He also ran a Coors beer distributorship there for about 25 years before selling out to Miller when the companies merged.

[VIBaseball]

This lefty pitcher mopped up in Game 2 of the 1952 Series after spending 1951 in military service. He spent the next three seasons in Montreal, where he was a big winner in 1954 and '55, before returning to the Dodgers.

He quit pro ball after 1962 and returned to his native Washington. He coached the University of Washington from 1964 to 1971 and worked 31 years for the Mount Baker School Dsitrict. He lives in Whatcom County in the northwest corner of the state.

The last news I have of him is from this 2004 article in the Bellingham Herald (only available in full if you buy it):

REMEMBERING JACKIE ROBINSON; Jackie changed game, and America; Lehman had seat next to Hall of Famer, and history

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BEHB&s_site=bellinghamherald&f_site=bellinghamherald&f_sitename=Bellingham+Herald%2C+The+%28WA%29&p_multi=BEHB&p_theme=gannett&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=10215D1BF4BBB038&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

[VIBaseball]

Herman Franks turned 95 on January 4. He is one of the oldest living major-leaguers.

The Utah native lives in Salt Lake City today. However, I believe he is better remembered as a member of the Giants organization than as a Dodger (1940-41, a light-hitting backup catcher).

Ralph Zig Tyko, care to comment?

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

Herman Franks turned 95 on January 4. He is one of the oldest living major-leaguers.

The Utah native lives in Salt Lake City today. However, I believe he is better remembered as a member of the Giants organization than as a Dodger (1940-41, a light-hitting backup catcher).

Ralph Zig Tyko, care to comment?
Herman, when he was manager of the Giants in the late 60s and a very wealthy man, helped turn Willie's "messed up" financial world around. He was one of the myriad of folks who were managed by Leo, and went on to manage in the bigs.
http://pushpull.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/leo-durocher-managed-managers/

[VIBaseball]

Herman, when he was manager of the Giants in the late 60s and a very wealthy man, helped turn Willie's "messed up" financial world around. He was one of the myriad of folks who were managed by Leo, and went on to manage in the bigs.
http://pushpull.wordpress.com/2007/11/06/leo-durocher-managed-managers/

How did Herman make his fortune, Ralph? As a private investor?

I can add a couple of other well-known managers to your list: from the Dodgers, Gene Mauch; from the Giants, Bill Rigney. Also a couple of pitching coaches: Whit Wyatt (Dodgers) and Sal Maglie (Giants).

[VIBaseball]

The revised list will be reposted below.

[bbxpert]

Clancy Smyres died 11/27/2007 in Lancaster, CA.

[VIBaseball]

Clancy Smyres died 11/27/2007 in Lancaster, CA.

Guess I overlooked that in the last Bio committee newsletter...sorry to hear it.

[VIBaseball]

The 11-year major-leaguer (1951-52 with Brooklyn) and longtime minor-league manager (as well as several years as a coach in the majors) now lives in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. You know who else lives up around there? Don Larsen.

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

How did Herman make his fortune, Ralph? As a private investor?

I can add a couple of other well-known managers to your list: from the Dodgers, Gene Mauch; from the Giants, Bill Rigney. Also a couple of pitching coaches: Whit Wyatt (Dodgers) and Sal Maglie (Giants).
Franks made his fortune in real estate... and thank you for the names. I'll update my blog.
Z

[VIBaseball]

With the passing yesterday of Bill Werber, former Brooklyn Dodger Tony Malinosky is now the oldest living major-leaguer.

Tony had 79 at-bats in 1937, and that was all.

I have not been able to uncover anything on this man after his playing days ended. However, I encountered an interesting reference in the Chicago Tribune of May 12, 1937. It was also in an Iowa paper called the Le Grand Reporter:

"The real name of Tony Malinosky, recruit infielder of the Dodgers, is Malununus. Tony, a Lithuanian, changed the name, explaining that he had taken Malinosky for short and did not notice until some time later that both names have nine letters..."

This information may be news to baseball biographers, though -- it's not in any of the references that I can see.

Also of note: Tony played at Whittier College (California) while former president Richard Nixon was there.

It appears he lives today in Oxnard, CA. Hope he's in good health -- I imagine interviewers will come calling.

[VIBaseball]

This pitcher from South Carolina saw limited action with Brooklyn in 1950 and 1951. The Clemson ROTC member served a couple of years in Korea (1953-54) and finished his pro career in 1955. He is the father of Bill Landrum, who was a pretty good reliever in the majors, especially with the Pirates from 1989-91.

On March 29, 1946, while attending Clemson, Landrum defeated Carl Erskine, throwing a no-hitter. This is listed in the book Clemson -- Where the Tigers Play. I'm curious about this game, though, since it doesn't appear that Erskine pitched college ball. Landrum also faced George H.W. Bush while the future president was at Yale.

Landrum remains today in Columbia, SC. A local paper, The State, carried an article about him and his career on July 5, 2004.

[VIBaseball]

This 6'4" pitcher from Wake Forest was a Dodgers bonus boy in 1948. He pitched with Danville that year and Brooklyn called him up for two games in September. Then he came down with a sore arm. He was in spring training and also (because of his bonus, it appears) was carried on the roster for the early part of the '49 pennant-winning season, before cutdown time. From what I can tell, he never pitched another pro game.

He lives today in a retirement village in Tampa. See the top of page 3 here:

http://www.universityvillage.net/userfiles/File/Newsletters/Newsletter%20January%202008.pdf

[VIBaseball]

Duke Snider (along with Don Newcombe) threw out the opening pitch before the first Dodgers-Cubs playoff game last October. Yet I saw a passing mention that he was in a wheelchair flanking Jeff Kent when Kent announced his retirement in January.

Any further info on Duke's health?

[penncentralpete]

Duke Snider (along with Don Newcombe) threw out the opening pitch before the first Dodgers-Cubs playoff game last October. Yet I saw a passing mention that he was in a wheelchair flanking Jeff Kent when Kent announced his retirement in January.

Any further info on Duke's health?

No new information, but here's a couple of pix from that day.............

[penncentralpete]

I attended a Dodgers Weekend Festival in New Jersey last April (2008). The Duke was scheduled to attend but did not. I questioned the promoter about Duke's health. The promoter of the show told me Duke's absence was not health-related. I didn't believe him then, nor do I now.

[VIBaseball]

As far as I can tell, "El Jíbaro" -- his Puerto Rican nickname, loosely translated as "The Hillbilly" -- is still alive and well at home at age 89.

The last articles I can see where he's speaking in person come from 2007. They're in Spanish, but even English-only readers can get the gist:

http://www.terra.com/deportes/articulo/html/fox428572.htm: his view that if Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's record, it would be a lie.

http://www.primerahora.com/noticia/beisbol/accion_deportiva/olmo__siguio_sus_pasos/51406: memories of the first Puerto Rican in the majors, Hiram Bithorn (Olmo was the second).

I'm going to see if I can get an update from a friend in Puerto Rico.

[VIBaseball]

The lefty who pitched the Dodgers' last game at Ebbets is living in Georgia today. Here's a good article about his life, which the L.A. Times published just following the 50th anniversary of that sad day:

http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/25/sports/sp-crowe25

Here too are a few stories (the first two with pictures) talking about Danny's appearance with Joe Pignatano at a Cyclones game in June 2007:

http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/26/30_26upsdowns.html
http://mets.scout.com/2/656354.html
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-06-25-dodgers-reinactment_N.htm

[VIBaseball]

This righty pitcher went 1-1 in eight games for Brooklyn in 1949 and 1950. He lives today in Knoxville, Tennessee. At 88, his memory appears very sharp indeed:

http://www.govolsxtra.com/news/2008/mar/22/mcglothin-was-an-artful-dodger-of-1949-50/

[VIBaseball]

"Bear Tracks" didn't do much for the Dodgers during his relatively brief stay with them in 1951-52. However, this 1996 article in Baseball Digest states that Brooklyn wanted to get him in the Andy Pafko/Joe Hatten deal with the Cubs because he'd beaten them so much!

http://books.google.com/books?id=xyoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA77&lpg=PA77&dq=%22Johnny+Schmitz%22+Wausau&source=bl&ots=LrbpfKrS2c&sig=oTXEHBJVX7Y7Q2PDNCBYYyVGpAk&hl=en&ei=7z6cSZvBGdWDtweO88HoBA&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result

Schmitz still lives today in the town where he was born, Wausau, Wisconsin.

[Brooklyn Baseball Bill]

Thanks so much for these updates! As a long time Brooklyn Dodger fan and baseball "junkie" a lot of these players names are familiar to me as I have been playing table top baseball simulations (cards and dice) for over 40 years. That hobby has kept my memory of all those boys of summer forever fresh!

Bill

[VIBaseball]

I chose him at random today as another subject for this thread. I was sad to find that Joe Tepsic, who had 15 at-bats for the 1946 Dodgers, passed away on February 23. Here is a good capsule biography on the Baseball in Wartime site:

http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/tepsic_joe.htm

Here is his obituary from The Center (County, PA) Daily Times:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.obituaries/browse_thread/thread/55775fe1e78e8cce

[VIBaseball]

(Updated for passing of Herman Franks)

[pgsuperfan]

Don't forget BILL ANTONELLO, SAL MAGLIE and BOBBY ASPROMONTE!

c.

And don't forget Tommy Lasorda

[VIBaseball]

Following up on the recent loss of Joe Tepsic, we turn to another WWII-era Dodger. Charlie Osgood was a 17-year-old from Somerville, Mass. who pitched one game for the Dodgers in 1944. That June 18 at Shibe Park, he followed Cal McLish (18) and Ralph Branca (18) to the mound. He allowed just one earned run in his three innings and never appeared again in the majors. His minor-league career ended in 1947.

I found a little curiosity from 1950 -- he was part of a baseball comedy troupe:

http://www.betweenthecovers.com/btc/item/85098

This is your kind of thing, penncentralpete.

Charlie still lives today in the Boston area, from what I can tell, although I see a couple of different possible towns.

[VIBaseball]

This North Carolinian was born in Swepsonville, which is near Chapel Hill. The Dodgers sold the outfielder to Triple-A Montreal in July 1954. He finished out the season with the Royals and then retired.

Thompson moved to Asheville in the western part of the state, where Ray Hathaway also lives. According to The History of Professional Baseball in Asheville by Bill Ballew, Don sold real estate there.

Something I had not known was that he came up as a pitcher.

[VIBaseball]

Rod was a mere 17-year-old youth when he whiffed in his only major-league at-bat on 9/28/57.

So he is clearly the youngest surviving Brooklyn Dodger and therefore has perhaps the best chance of being the oldest survivor in time. It's getting to be like the Civil War veterans.

We can also tell that Rod never actually played in an MLB game at Ebbets, since the last Dodgers game there took place four days before. The shortstop had been called up from Class B Cedar Rapids earlier that month but must have ridden the bench. There's no further sign of him in the newspapers after a brief mention in spring training 1958.

Rod's pro career continued through 1960. Imagine, being all done at age 20.

He lives today in Reno, Nevada, where he played for part of 1958. I guess he really liked it there.

[VIBaseball]

The infielder, who appeared in the 1952 and 1953 World series for Brooklyn, is living in Oklahoma. He was born in Oklahoma City and went to Classen High there. He also played basketball; here's a neat photo of him with Cal McLish as schoolboys:

http://books.google.com/books?id=8YPvqFDj0nAC&pg=PA42&lpg=PA42&dq=%22Bobby+Morgan%22+Classen&source=bl&ots=4bGdpyokUw&sig=s_LO2J-acPLkmrOXVoY0KJ89mz8&hl=en&ei=DKK6SZ3qOtSBtgfzp4jjDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result

As a young player, he was with the Oklahoma Natural Gas Company's ball team, the Gassers, which produced many major-leaguers besides Morgan and McLish.

I haven't found much of anything on his life after baseball except for a reference to serving as a scout for the Twins in the '80s. He signed a pitcher called Toby Nivens, who was a top draft pick for Minnesota, went to the Mets in the Wally Backman deal, but never got past Double-A.

Willie Mays has always said the greatest catch he ever made was not the one off Vic Wertz in the 1954 Series, but one to rob Morgan at Ebbets Field. I've seen different dates given for this play, including September 1951, but this article from April 1952 pinpoints it.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Q0ILAAAAIBAJ&sjid=H08DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6455,1452418&dq=bobby-morgan+willie-mays+catch

[VIBaseball]

I was curious about this man of 96 years, since he's #3 on the list of oldest Dodgers and is right up there on the list of oldest surviving MLB vets.

He played just 20 games for the Dodgers in 1937, which is a big reason why there's not that much out there on him. But I found this delightful article from 2007 in the Riverside/Brookfield Landmark (the Illinois paper serving Mr. Cisar's residence). At that time he was in good health and his memory was excellent -- let's wish that's still the case.

http://www.rblandmark.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=2694&TM=83171.24

[VIBaseball]

As of March 31, 2009:
Reflects passing of Herman Franks 3/30/09

Name DOB Age (y-e 2008)

Tony Malinosky 10/5/1909 99
Lonny Frey 8/23/1910 98
George Cisar 8/25/1912 96
Mike Sandlock 10/17/1915 93
Ray Hathaway 10/13/1916 92

Bobby Bragan 10/30/1917 91
Cy Buker 2/5/1919 89
Lee Pfund 10/10/1919 89
Luis Olmo 10/11/1919 89
Cliff Dapper 1/2/1920 88

Boyd Bartley 2/11/1920 88
Gene Hermanski 5/11/1920 88
Jean-Pierre Roy 6/26/1920 88
Pat McGlothin 10/20/1920 88
Johnny Schmitz 11/27/1920 88

Andy Pafko 2/25/1921 87
Johnny Van Cuyk 7/7/1921 87
Marv Rackley 7/25/1921 87
Chuck Kress 12/9/1921 87
Howie Schultz 7/3/1922 86

Morrie Martin 9/3/1922 86
Eddie Basinski 11/4/1922 86
Don Lund 5/18/1923 85
Don Thompson 12/28/1923 85
Tim Thompson 3/1/1924 84

Clyde King 5/23/1924 84
George Shuba 12/13/1924 84
Ed Stevens 1/12/1925 93
Johnny Rutherford 5/5/1925 83
Wayne Terwilliger 6/27/1925 83

Chris Haughey 10/3/1925 83
Cal McLish 12/1/1925 83
Ralph Branca 1/6/1926 82
Bob Borkowski 1/27/1926 82
Randy Jackson 2/10/1926 82

Dick Teed 3/8/1926 82
Elmer Sexauer 5/21/1926 82
Don Newcombe 6/14/1926 82
Bobby Morgan 6/29/1926 82
Duke Snider 9/19/1926 82

Charlie Osgood 11/23/1926 82
Carl Erskine 12/13/1926 82
Jackie Collum 6/21/1927 81
Preston Ward 7/24/1927 81
Rocky Bridges 8/7/1927 81

Tommy Lasorda 9/22/1927 81
Tommy Brown 12/6/1927 81
Dick Williams 5/7/1928 80
Ken Lehman 6/10/1928 80
Joe Landrum 12/13/1928 80

Joe Pignatano 8/4/1929 79
Billy Loes 12/13/1929 79
Gino Cimoli 12/18/1929 79
Roger Craig 2/17/1930 78
Ron Negray 2/26/1930 78

Glenn Mickens 7/26/1930 78
Don Zimmer 1/17/1931 77
Ed Roebuck 7/3/1931 77
Fred Kipp 10/1/1931 77
Bill Harris 12/3/1931 77

Chico Fernandez 3/2/1932 76
Danny McDevitt 11/18/1932 76
Jim Gentile 6/3/1934 74
Don Demeter 6/25/1935 73
Sandy Koufax 12/30/1935 73

Bob Aspromonte 6/19/1938 70
Rod Miller 1/16/1940 68

[VIBaseball]

This enterprising blogger caught up in February with Tony Malinosky, oldest living Dodger:

http://letsgosox.blogspot.com/2009/02/my-interview-with-tony-malinosky-oldest.html

Tony is apparently in good shape. He'll hit the century mark on October 5.

[VIBaseball]

I have corrected the living Dodgers list. Ed Stevens is 84 now, not 94. I was wondering about the guy who was apparently the fourth-oldest on our list and came to realize the year of birth was incorrect.

Ed turned pro at the age of 16 in 1941. He made his big-league debut in 1945 and was the Dodgers' regular first baseman at age 21 in 1946. The next year, he played only five games in Brooklyn as Jackie Robinson played 1B. Here is a very interesting letter that Ed wrote in 1995 about the situation -- it looks like he got a raw deal from Branch Rickey:

http://www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?documentid=276450&start=4&page=77

The Pirates purchased him in November '47 and he spent the next two seasons in Pittsburgh. His last big-league action came in 1950, but Ed's minor-league career continued through 1961, mainly in Triple-A (he did not play in 1960).

"Big Ed" then spent 29 years as a scout, as I found in this Houston Chronicle article from 2007 that also discusses the Jackie Robinson deal:

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30340412_ITM

He lives in Houston today.

[Macker]

The passing of Herman Franks leaves 67 [now 66 with the addition of Joe Tepsic, whose death preceded that of Franks] Brooklyn Dodgers. Franks was the last survivor of 1940 & 1941 clubs. See Post #2 on first page for the list.

[VIBaseball]

Thanks Macker...we've also been maintaining this list on the "Where are they now?" thread. (I've been considering whether to merge these two.)

[VIBaseball]

I hadn't noticed this name in the list before until I saw the way Macker's version is presented, based on years played in the majors rather than year of birth.

It makes a difference for Haughey because he pitched his only game in the majors on his 18th birthday: October 3, 1943. It was the last day of the season, and he pitched seven innings in relief of John Wyatt vs. Johnny Vander Meer.

Haughey lives in the Oakland area today, and the Oakland Tribune ran a few articles on him in 2005. I can only see little bits unless I pay for them, but it appears that he was a sandlot player from Bayside, Queens who pitched batting practice for the Dodgers. It looks like he also served in the Army in 1944 and 1945, and when he came back, he pitched as a pro for 1946 to 1950. In 1947, he was 15-7, 2.64 for St. Joseph of the Western Association (Class C) in the Cardinals chain.

Here's some more info from the fine website Baseball in Wartime:

http://www.baseballinwartime.com/player_biographies/haughey_chris.htm

[Macker]

I see I had missed Joe Tepsic's passing. List is updated again.

[VIBaseball]

Your version should also include Johnny Van Cuyk, Macker. That was something I noticed some weeks back.

I am going to merge the threads to save duplicate effort. I'm going to look to incorporate the years played in Brooklyn, though, which is a nice feature. I'll try to set up one of thos embedded spreadsheets.

[metrotheme]

I interviewed Ed regarding his baseball career and he told me the same story. Once he started to make the rounds at AAA, the teams never really gave him a second look even though he being among the leaders of the International League in homeruns for multiple seasons, hitting 26 in 1952, 27 in 1954 and 28 in 1957. He's finishing up a book on his baseball career. It should be pretty interesting.


I have corrected the living Dodgers list. Ed Stevens is 84 now, not 94. I was wondering about the guy who was apparently the fourth-oldest on our list and came to realize the year of birth was incorrect.

Ed turned pro at the age of 16 in 1941. He made his big-league debut in 1945 and was the Dodgers' regular first baseman at age 21 in 1946. The next year, he played only five games in Brooklyn as Jackie Robinson played 1B. Here is a very interesting letter that Ed wrote in 1995 about the situation -- it looks like he got a raw deal from Branch Rickey:

http://www.historyforsale.com/html/prodetails.asp?documentid=276450&start=4&page=77

The Pirates purchased him in November '47 and he spent the next two seasons in Pittsburgh. His last big-league action came in 1950, but Ed's minor-league career continued through 1961, mainly in Triple-A (he did not play in 1960).

"Big Ed" then spent 29 years as a scout, as I found in this Houston Chronicle article from 2007 that also discusses the Jackie Robinson deal:

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-30340412_ITM

He lives in Houston today.

[metrotheme]

Does anyone have any contact information for Don Thompson?


This North Carolinian was born in Swepsonville, which is near Chapel Hill. The Dodgers sold the outfielder to Triple-A Montreal in July 1954. He finished out the season with the Royals and then retired.

Thompson moved to Asheville in the western part of the state, where Ray Hathaway also lives. According to The History of Professional Baseball in Asheville by Bill Ballew, Don sold real estate there.

Something I had not known was that he came up as a pitcher.

[VIBaseball]

Signed in 1947, this righty pitcher from Ontario climbed through the ranks, going 15-8, 2.94 for St. Paul in 1951. The so-called "right-handed Preacher Roe" started 11 games and relieved in 11 others for Brooklyn in 1952, going 7-7, 4.25. He made one World Series appearance, giving up a triple to Mickey Mantle in relief of Joe Black.

A sore arm hampered Rutherford in 1952, and it looks like it got worse after that. He didn't pitch at Triple-A in 1953 -- only at Fort Worth (AA) and Newport News (B). He didn't see much action in 1954, though at least he made it back to AAA. After an ineffective 1955 season, he retired.

As a lot of people here know, Rutherford became a doctor. He went to college at University of Detroit Mercy and still lives in the Detroit suburbs today.

I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen any interviews with him, but maybe he prefers not to do such things. Metrotheme, sounds like this is another mission for you!

[metrotheme]

Caught up with Ralph Branca and Joe Pignatano at the Sports Angels charity Spring Kickoff Auction. See what they're up to with their charity work for the foundation.

http://www.baseballhappenings.net/2009/04/sports-angels-4th-annual-spring-kickoff.html

[metrotheme]

Ralph Branca reflects on Jackie Robinson's April 15, 1947 debut, shortly after his it's 62nd anniversary last week. To listen to the interview, check the link below.
http://www.baseballhappenings.net/2009/04/ralph-branca-reflects-on-jackie.html

[VIBaseball]

This name didn't ring a bell with me at all, but shows what I know -- the lefty pitcher was in the majors for part or all of 10 seasons. His pro career lasted from 1941 to 1960, with time out for World War II from 1943-45.

He made it to The Show in 1949. He pitched 10 games for Brooklyn, starting 4, and had a 7.04 ERA. It doesn't look like he was on the postseason roster.

Here's a link to Morrie's page on the excellent Baseball in Wartime website:

http://www.garybed.co.uk/player_biographies/martin_morrie.htm

Plus some other terrific stories from 2007 about his wartime experiences, with his personal recollections. Penicillin saved Morrie's leg and his baseball career.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20041110&content_id=912663&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=null

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2007-11-22-2277065345_x.htm

[metrotheme]

Rutherford answered a questionnaire that I sent him last year regarding his AAA experiences. I'm using it for the book that I am working on. He also signed a few items. From the answers he gave me, I think I would be able to get him on the phone.




I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen any interviews with him, but maybe he prefers not to do such things. Metrotheme, sounds like this is another mission for you!

[VIBaseball]

This man is #10 on the list of oldest surviving Brooklyn Dodgers. He caught eight games for the 1942 Dodgers, but his pro career started in 1938 and ended in 1957 (with three years out during World War II).

He was traded for broadcaster Ernie Harwell in 1948! The writeup on Dapper at the Baseball Reference bullpen has other good detail, so I don't need to duplicate that effort, or that of Baseball in Wartime.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Cliff_Dapper

http://www.baseballinwartime.co.uk/player_biographies/dapper_cliff.htm

He lives today in Fallbrook, California...Duke Snider territory.

[VIBaseball]

This outfielder came to Brooklyn when the Dodgers traded Joe Black to Cincinnati in 1955 -- he was the player to be named later.

He went 2 for 19 as a Dodger and was not on the postseason roster. That was his last major-league action, though his pro career continued through 1958.

Borkowski is the subject of a SABR biography:

http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=l&pid=1325&bid=1370

He lives in Dayton, Ohio, the same place he was born.

[VIBaseball]

This Pennsylvanian was a catcher by trade, and he signed with the Dodgers in 1947. It's no wonder, then, that he didn't get a sniff of the majors until 1954 -- he was stuck behind Campy. Early in his pro career, he hit for good average but had hardly any power.

Tim played in just 10 games for Brooklyn before going back to Montreal. He was dealt to Kansas City the next year for two guys who never wore the Dodger uniform, Tom Saffell and Lee Wheat. His last major-league action came with the Tigers in 1958, but he remained at Triple-A Toronto through 1962.

He became a scout for the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Orioles. Here's former Dodger GM Fred Claire talking about Tim in 2003 (the article is on one of his finds, Joey Eischen).

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030423&content_id=287197&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Among the players Tim signed for the Cards: Brian Jordan, John Mabry, and Tommy Herr.

It looks like he splits his time between Pennsylvania (where he grew up) and Florida today. I'm not sure whether he's still actively scouting, though he was as of 2003 (when he was 79).

[VIBaseball]

This pitcher originally signed with the Dodgers in 1949 and pitched four games for them in September 1952. He was traded to Philadelphia in June 1955 for cash and pitcher Dave Cole, who never got into a game for Brooklyn (his MLB career was over).

After spending the rest of '55 and 1956 with the Phillies, Negray came back to the Dodgers in the Chico Fernandez deal. He didn't play again for Brooklyn but did get into four games for L.A. in '58. He spent the bulk of his career in Triple A, finishing in 1963.

Negray was born in Akron, Ohio (where he was a big high school star) and still lives there today. That's true of quite a few of these old-timers. As of 1994, when he was 64, he was still a salesman for Russell Athletic Wear. One of his clients was the Cleveland Indians.

The Akron Beacon Journal runs a story with him every several years or so. The last was in 2008 (this is just the intro, since it's not a free article).

http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=AK&s_site=ohio&p_multi=AK&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=1201734D9F7BD850&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

This Pennsylvanian was a catcher by trade, and he signed with the Dodgers in 1947. It's no wonder, then, that he didn't get a sniff of the majors until 1954 -- he was stuck behind Campy. Early in his pro career, he hit for good average but had hardly any power.

Tim played in just 10 games for Brooklyn before going back to Montreal. He was dealt to Kansas City the next year for two guys who never wore the Dodger uniform, Tom Saffell and Lee Wheat. His last major-league action came with the Tigers in 1958, but he remained at Triple-A Toronto through 1962.

He became a scout for the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Orioles. Here's former Dodger GM Fred Claire talking about Tim in 2003 (the article is on one of his finds, Joey Eischen).

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20030423&content_id=287197&vkey=perspectives&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Among the players Tim signed for the Cards: Brian Jordan, John Mabry, and Tommy Herr.

It looks like he splits his time between Pennsylvania (where he grew up) and Florida today. I'm not sure whether he's still actively scouting, though he was as of 2003 (when he was 79).
Sadly, Tim has passed. His son posts on this site on a regular basis.

[VIBaseball]

When did that happen, Ralph? I don't see it in Baseball-Reference.com (which often lags) or any news stories. Sorry to hear it.

[Ralph Zig Tyko]

When did that happen, Ralph? I don't see it in Baseball-Reference.com (which often lags) or any news stories. Sorry to hear it.
Baseball Almanac says I'm wrong, and gawd knows it isn't the foist time and won't be the last... Sorry.
I confused Tim with Ferrell "Andy" Anderson... both catchers. Old men like me have faulty memories sometimes. :-)

[metrotheme]

I caught up with former Brooklyn Dodger farmhand and LA Dodger coach Danny Ozark a few months before his death for the book project I am working on. I have decided to publish excerpts from the interview that I had with him about his career in the Dodger organization. Enjoy!

http://www.baseballhappenings.net/2009/05/danny-ozark-85-phillies-manager-wwii.html

Death is never a timely thing, especially when there are questions that are left unanswered. That is the feeling that I had when I learned of Danny Ozark's passing on May 7, 2009. A few months earlier, I had interviewed a spry Ozark on his cell phone for almost an hour about his baseball career and his attempts to ascend through the Brooklyn Dodgers organization in the late 1940's and early 1950's. Ozark, like many others of his era, was whisked away from professional baseball to serve in World War II, only to return to a crowded minor league system that was about to experience the effects of integration.

[baseballwise]

Back again after a long time away and need an assist regarding Dick Teed, catcher, who played seventeen years in the minor leagues with the Dodgers, Cardinals, and Phillies before he became a longtime scout.

On July 24, 1953 Teed made his only ML appearance with the Dodgers as a pinch hitter, and struck out. Then it was back to the minors.

Does anybody know the name of the player for whom he hit or the team the Dodgers played that day?

I'm scratching my head over this one. :noidea

[EdTarbusz]

The Dodgers played the Milwaukee Braves that night. Dick Teed batted for Jim Hughes in the bottom of the seventh and struck out. The Braves won the game 11-6.

http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1953/B07240BRO1953.htm

[jayzeeg]

the boxscore is listed in the retrosheet.org web site. he struck out for jim hughes in the 7th inning against max surkont. the braves won the game 11-6.

[baseballwise]

Thanks, guys. I lost a bet on that one....twenty-five big ones.....cents, that is.

[VIBaseball]

After Pee Wee Reese returned, this wartime Dodger (1944-45) was traded to the Pirates in December 1946 for lefty Al Gerheauser, who never pitched a game for Brooklyn.

Basinski played 56 games for Pittsburgh in '47, and that was it for him in the majors. He played 12 more years in the PCL, however, mainly for Portland. I saw an amusing article from 1954 noting that he was apparently a skilled violinist. In fact, he played for the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra and supposedly also at Carnegie Hall, although I doubt that arenegie would really have billed him as "Basinski and his Magic Violinski."

Eddie must have liked Oregon, because that's where he still lives today. Here's a piece from 2006:

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3366907

[tonypug]

It is an absolute disgrace, that Eddie Basinski is not in the Polish Hall of Fame. We need to start a campaign, lets form a committee. Somebody pass me another beer.

[tonypug]

http://polishsportshof.com/organization/mission/ Look at all these great names, Eddie belongs right alonside all of them.

[VIBaseball]

Dick Teed is another one of those guys whose pro career went on long after his cup of coffee. He remained an active player through 1965. He managed for the Phillies at Class A in 1965 and 1966.

Teed was born in Springfield, MA, which is significant because he became head scout covering New England for the Phillies as of 1967. Among other future major-leaguers, he went on to sign Dave Wallace for the Phils after seeing him pitch semi-pro in Connecticut. In 1981, then with the Dodgers, Teed helped Wallace land a job as a minor-league pitching instructor. Wallace went on to become a big-league pitching coach with L.A., the Mets, and the Red Sox (the Astros too, if I recall).

Teed -- along with another cup-of-coffee Dodger, Steve Lembo -- also recommended that the Dodgers draft John Franco.

In 2001, Teed was inducted into the National Baseball Scouting Hall of Fame in Hagerstown, MD. He lives in Windsor, CT. Here's an article from 2005.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=15560801&BRD=1651&PAG=461&dept_id=12347&rfi=6

Moving to "Where Are They now?"

[Stantonm]

This short (5'8"), stocky (187 lb.) righty pitcher is one of the few major-leaguers to hail from New Brunswick. In recent years we've seen Rheal Cormier and Matt Stairs.

Harris pitched with the Montreal Royals, which is not surprising. He performed reasonably well in a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia's Jack Sanford on 9/27/57 -- one day before Rod Miller made his only appearance. Sandy Koufax finished up for Harris, who also singled in one of his two MLB at-bats.

Harris walked three in his other MLB appearance on 9/26/59. The last mention I see of him is that he was sold to Spokane in spring 1960. My guess is that he's still living in New Brunswick today.

From the LA Times, April 3, 1958:


Billy is my boss and one of the best people Ive ever met, he's the reason
I joined this site. Im building him a website ideally looking for footage to embed from either Brooklyn or the royals. I don't know if anyone on here played ball with him. But if they want to contact him contact me for the info.
My email is hoteladman@yahoo.com
His latest news was that he was named in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last year.

[VIBaseball]

--moved to bottom of thread--

[VIBaseball]

Billy is my boss and one of the best people Ive ever met, he's the reason
I joined this site. Im building him a website ideally looking for footage to embed from either Brooklyn or the royals. I don't know if anyone on here played ball with him. But if they want to contact him contact me for the info.
My email is hoteladman@yahoo.com
His latest news was that he was named in the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame last year.

Glad to hear it, Stantonm -- keep us posted on the site!

[VIBaseball]

Thanks to SABR for this story by Bill Traughber:

http://www.multibriefs.com/briefs/sabr/TommyBrown.php

[VIBaseball]

As of February 24, 2010:
Reflects passing of Bobby Bragan and George Cisar

A few other notes:
The list is now down to 61 (please correct me further if I've omitted any losses)
Two out of the oldest five passed away recently.
Even the youngest man here, Rod Miller, is now 70.

Name DOB Age (y-e 2010)

Tony Malinosky 10/5/1909 101
Mike Sandlock 10/17/1915 95
Ray Hathaway 10/13/1916 94
Cy Buker 2/5/1919 91
Lee Pfund 10/10/1919 91

Luis Olmo 10/11/1919 91
Cliff Dapper 1/2/1920 90
Boyd Bartley 2/11/1920 90
Gene Hermanski 5/11/1920 90
Jean-Pierre Roy 6/26/1920 90

Pat McGlothin 10/20/1920 90
Johnny Schmitz 11/27/1920 90
Andy Pafko 2/25/1921 89
Johnny Van Cuyk 7/7/1921 89
Marv Rackley 7/25/1921 89

Chuck Kress 12/9/1921 89
Morrie Martin 9/3/1922 88
Eddie Basinski 11/4/1922 88
Don Lund 5/18/1923 87
Tim Thompson 3/1/1924 86

Clyde King 5/23/1924 86
George Shuba 12/13/1924 86
Ed Stevens 1/12/1925 85
Johnny Rutherford 5/5/1925 85
Wayne Terwilliger 6/27/1925 85

Chris Haughey 10/3/1925 85
Cal McLish 12/1/1925 85
Ralph Branca 1/6/1926 84
Bob Borkowski 1/27/1926 84
Randy Jackson 2/10/1926 84

Dick Teed 3/8/1926 84
Elmer Sexauer 5/21/1926 84
Don Newcombe 6/14/1926 84
Bobby Morgan 6/29/1926 84
Duke Snider 9/19/1926 84

Charlie Osgood 11/23/1926 84
Carl Erskine 12/13/1926 84
Preston Ward 7/24/1927 83
Rocky Bridges 8/7/1927 83
Tommy Lasorda 9/22/1927 83

Tommy Brown 12/6/1927 83
Dick Williams 5/7/1928 82
Ken Lehman 6/10/1928 82
Joe Landrum 12/13/1928 82
Joe Pignatano 8/4/1929 81

Billy Loes 12/13/1929 81
Gino Cimoli 12/18/1929 81
Roger Craig 2/17/1930 80
Ron Negray 2/26/1930 80
Glenn Mickens 7/26/1930 80

Don Zimmer 1/17/1931 79
Ed Roebuck 7/3/1931 79
Fred Kipp 10/1/1931 79
Bill Harris 12/3/1931 79
Chico Fernandez 3/2/1932 78

Danny McDevitt 11/18/1932 78
Jim Gentile 6/3/1934 76
Don Demeter 6/25/1935 75
Sandy Koufax 12/30/1935 75
Bob Aspromonte 6/19/1938 72

Rod Miller 1/16/1940 70