Baseball's Unmemorables
Even The Most Unmemorable In Baseball Have Memories To Share
In the entire history of major league baseball, fewer than 17,000 men have put on a uniform and stepped up to the plate, pitched a ball, or stood on the field during an official baseball game.
Think about that for a moment.
Of the uncountable millions of kids, teens and young men who played some form of organized or unorganized baseball over the past 140 years, whether it be Little League or sandlot ball, high school or college, American Legion or Babe Ruth league, A, AA, or AAA, fewer than 17,000 actually made it to the Show.
That's outright remarkable.
Even the most mediocre of players in the history of the Major Leagues have been better than the best of the rest who never made it. And yet, we tend to ignore those "common" players. We shy away from the memories of those untold heroes of baseball simply because they do not catch our eyes and interests on a nightly basis.
They are not in the record books. They are not on the highlight reels. They are not above the fold in our newspapers. They are not regaled with gushing platitudes of radio announcers when they step up to the plate. Most of them are relegated to line listings in box scores or prospectus magazines that usher in the season.
Yet without them, there is no baseball. There would be no singles hitters on base to count as an RBI for the power hitter. There would be no one at first to knock down that frozen rope, preventing a triple. There would be no one to step up to the plate who was a miracle worker with the sacrifice bunt, but who couldn't hit one out of the park to save their life. There would be no middle reliever to span the gap between the starting ace and the phenom closer.
The unsung heroes, working together as a team, make their team work.
They are the utility players who bounce from team to team, adding value to the trades involving the huge stars. They are the ones who get brought up for a cup of coffee, replacing the Gold Glove shortstop who made the 15-day disabled list. They are the curve ball specialists who round out the bull pen and are brought in to knock the wind out of the opposing team's sails for two batters.
But they are also the ones who provide the backbone of the game.
As kids (and even as adults) when we open that pack of baseball cards, we tend to go for the superstars and hot up-and-coming rookies while marginalizing or even discarding the rest. I've always paid attention to those "common" cards, though. I especially enjoy the remarkable stories of contribution by the unremarkable players.
Don Larsen is remembered for one game. Does anyone remember the rest of his career? Tony Cloninger, Ray Washburn, Bill Singer -- all average players in the annals of baseball history for specific accomplishments (look them up,) not career stats, awards, or longevity. Bobby Thomson? Good player over the years, but really, who would remember him except for one well-timed at bat? My favorite? The Al Weis home run in the fifth game of the 1969 World Series. That one at bat cost my parents a chandelier in our living room when I launched myself off the couch in celebration.
We all talk about Pujols, Jeter, Sabathia, Strasberg, and Hamilton. People who don't even follow baseball have at least heard those names. That's all fine and dandy, but give me the likes of Bruce Boisclair, Jack Lazorko, Elliot Johnson and Sixto Lezcano.
Those players, along with thousands of others, are the ones who facinate me. They are the ones with whom I would like to share my time, listening to the thousands of untold stories that make baseball the greatest game on Earth.
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Comments
bob oberlenti says:
October 14, 2014 at 12:12 PM
steve bilko, albie pearson, graney hamener, bob milaken, solly drake, solly heames, cho cho colman, jim marshal, ed bauada, & the list goes on & on
George Altman says:
July 2, 2013 at 11:19 PM
Bernie Carbo, Milt May game winnning hit in 71 WS (youngest ever) and Bruce Kison in same series, youngest to win a WS game. Pinson had near 2800 hits and Pascual won over 170 games for bad ball clubs
n222s says:
July 2, 2013 at 10:16 AM
Some great guys who never had great careers but were loved:
Mighty Joe Charboneau
Mark Fidrych
Cesar Giuttierez
Eddie Brinkman
Tony Horton (no, not the coffee shop guy)
Joe Pepitone
Clint Hurdle as a player
marty says:
June 9, 2013 at 7:50 PM
hector [what a pair of hands] lopez
bigmel says:
June 5, 2013 at 9:13 PM
How about Gene Tenace in the 1972 World Series? The A's would win most games by a run and he was a Superstar for that series..( 4 home runs )
Les says:
June 4, 2013 at 3:41 PM
How about Aaron Boone sending the Yankees to the World Series or Brian Doyle leading the team in hitting in the World Series.
Victor Thomas says:
June 3, 2013 at 7:49 AM
My favorite all time "no name" team: C-Hobie Landrith, 1B-Don Mincher, 2B Jose' Valdevioso, SS-Woodie Held 3B-Jim Davenport, LF-Wes Covington CF-Jack Reed RF-Jow Christoper LHP-"Lefty" Bob Miller RHP-"Righty" Bob Miller.
John Triolo says:
May 31, 2013 at 11:00 AM
How about Andy Pafko, Gene Hermanski, Billy Cox, Whitey Lockman?
Andy Grosso says:
May 30, 2013 at 8:22 AM
How about Andy Carey, Yankee 3rd baseman, saving Don Larsen's perfect game...twice!
Jim Collins says:
May 30, 2013 at 7:16 AM
Awesome comments sure bring back memories of the Pirates in the 50s and 60s . Thanks
Rick Malwitz says:
May 29, 2013 at 11:23 AM
I played Little League baseball with Elliott Maddox, and to think one of my teammates had a nice major league career is awesome. As 9-year-olds at a tryout they lined us up alphabetically and were were both anxious. The first two pitches he saw he hit over the fence. At 9 he was the Chosen One.
Ricko says:
May 28, 2013 at 10:39 PM
Carmen Fanzone. He played the National Anthem on his trumpet before one game at Wrigley and Dwight Smith sang the National Anthem before a Cub game.
Len Fagan says:
May 28, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Sure, we all remember the HOF-ers. But most of my favorite players never attained "Superstar" status, for one reason or another. Frank Thomas (50's/60's), Don Blasingame, Virgil Trucks, Roy Sievers, Dick Stuart, Don Hoak, Vada Pinson, Dick Hyde, Clint Courtney, Smokey Burgess, lots of outfielders who hit 20-25 homers every year, Ramos & Pasqual of the old Senators, and so many more. Hail the journeymen !!
Jarrod says:
May 27, 2013 at 10:58 PM
The Ron Oester's of the world salute you for this article. As you said, I'd rather sit and have a talk with one of those guys than a superstar.
gakski says:
May 26, 2013 at 8:42 PM
Van Lingle Mungo.
David Burnett says:
May 14, 2013 at 11:17 PM
Shout out to Bruce Boisclair. Also, if you are a Mets fan, who can forget George Theodore, Teddy Martinez and Don Hahn. :-)
Nova9047 says:
May 12, 2013 at 9:35 AM
These "no names" managed to make it to the Big Leagues in a 16 to 20 team universe, making them among the top 400-500 athletes of their era. Many of their offspring are stars today. They built the foundation for the $200 million payrolls of today.
Jim Keib says:
May 11, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Everyone knows of Bill Mazeroski's famous 7th game, 9th inning world series winning home run. True fans remember that catcher Hal Smiths 8th inning 3 run homer was the blow that really won the game or at least made Maz's significant. Hal Smith, I remember you. Thanks