Among the images I picked up from unclemaxie this past week were several of local pitching legend Jesse Cross. Jesse, who still lives in Ringgold just outside of Chattanooga, was drafted by Toronto in the 62nd(!) round in 1988 and signed, in his words, "for a set of cleats."
But he rose through the rank, especially with a superb 13-7, 3.29 in Dunedin in 1990, and after a 10-win season at Knoxville in 1991, he was selected by the Twins in the Rule V draft. Despite an ankle injury, he remained until the last cut, when he was returned to the Blue Jays -- who did not expect him to return and who initially did not have a place for him.
Cross hung tough and had a terrific 3.16 ERA for triple-A in '93 to earn an invite to the Toronto cam;;.
After a 14-win season for Class AAA Syracuse in 1994 and with the major leagues in the midst of a strike, Cross saw more of a future in raising a family of athletes and retired.
