Minor League Baseball Players

[Cusick]

Wayne Wilson was an outfielder on the 1961 Jacksonville Jets. Prior to turning pro, Wayne was a star baseball player for Springfield (MA) College. The photo shows him with the Springfield team. It's from the Springfield Union of April 28, 1958.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=wilson002way

[Cusick]

Ed Wolf was a catcher with the 1961 Jacksonville Jets, the only minor league team with which he would see playing time. The photo on the left shows him signing a Houston Colts contract soon after he has departed from the University of Cincinnati. It's a classic pose with the major league scout hovering over him as he signs. The photo appeared in the Raleigh Register (Beckley, WV) of July 6, 1961, among other newspapers.

The photo on the right shows him in the uniform of the University of Cincinnati baseball team. It's from the Cincinnati Enquirer of April 27, 1961.

https://baseball-reference/register/...d=wolf--001edw

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

From 1955 Terryville High School Yearbook Harold DeMars

[Cusick]

For those interested in the 1961 Jacksonville Jets (if anyone is besides Lumpkin), I suggest you go back one page to the posting for Hal Norris, as I've added an improved photo to that posting.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

1961 Jacksonville Suns Joel Kelfer. From Jacksonville history site.

[Cusick]

Dave Jacobs was playing second base and shortstop when he was with the 1961 Jacksonville Jets. However, back when he was with the 1954 Burlington-Graham Pirates, he was a first baseman. He is shown in the first baseman's pose in this photo from the April 25, 1955 issue of the Greensboro (NC) Daily News, when he was still with Burlington-Graham.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=jacobs001dav

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Here is an Interesting story on Richard Towers. Born Jan. 2, 1945 Graduated from Paris, Tx High school in 1962. Went to Univ. of Alabama on a baseball scholarship, transferred to East Texas State and graduated with double majors. At the age of 25 hadn't touched a baseball in four years and was an Assistant Manager of a Steel Plant in Longview Texas. and got the urge to get back into baseball. He took a vacation to Shreveport were the Atlanta AA team played. He went and ask for a tryout, he got that tryout and was signed by scout Clint Courtney. 30 minutes after he signed that contract he was starting a game for Shreveport (August, 1970). Pitched 5 inning of 2 hit shutout ball before being removed. He was a NRI for the 1972 Braves. He pitched in their system 1970-1972. Photos are from 1961-62 Paris Texas High School. Had a career 14-8 record with 12 svs. 4.08 E.R.A for the Braves System.

[Pinetarpress]

my fault- this should be in MLB players....I thought i was in that thread when i posted


3B Dave Cripe played 7 games for the 1978 Royals going 2-13 with 1 RBI. He made his debut in Anaheim on September 10th entering the game at 3B in the bottom of the 7th inning. He got his 1st big league AB in the 8th inning delivering an RBI single off of Nolan Ryan.

Cripe played in 944 minor league games with the Royals (1972-79) and Astros (1980) batting .277 with 49 HR

[Cusick]

Pitcher Paul Menking was on the Chicago Cubs' spring roster in 1954. He died recently on October 7th. The photo was displayed on eBay back in March of 2011.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/re...d=menkin001pau

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

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[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

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[Cusick]

Art Lamb passed away on October 31, 2017. He was a non-roster invitee with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960.

The photo shows him with his Housatonic Valley High School team in Connecticut. The photo is from his high school yearbook.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/r...d=lamb--001art

[Pinetarpress]

Red Sox career minor leaguer Mike Howard in 1980 (TV release on E Bay)

Howard was 44-38 over 7 seasons with the Red Sox after being drafted in the 6th round in 1975 from South Portland HS in Maine. His best season was in 1979 at High A Winston Salem when he was 12-3 with a 2.96 E.R.A in 33 games with 16 starts striking out 161 in 149 IP.

[Pinetarpress]

Quency Hill was a lefty from Dallas...He was the Phillies 7th round pick in 1972 out of Bryan Adams HS. He cut like a knife threw hot butter going thru the Phillies system winning 44 games in his first 4 seasons and getting to AAA in 1975. He was moved to the bullpen in 1976 and was traded along with big league backup C Johnny Oates to Los Angeles for big league 2B Ted Sizemore. He spent just one season in LA pitching for their AAA club before moving onto the White Sox for the 1978 season. He pitched for the Sox AA and AAA clubs going 6-2 with a 4.65 E.R.A in 12 games (all starts) and that was it for him

Hill pitched 7 seasons as a pro going 58-39 in 183 G (106 GS) and a 3.63 E.R.A. He was a coach in the Cubs organization after his playing career ended

[Pinetarpress]

A.J. Hill was the White Sox 3rd round selection in 1976 out of Hollywood HS...Not surprisingly his HS has an impressive alumnus base of actors but Hill is the only "Sheiks" student to play pro baseball. The infielder made it to AAA in 1977 as an 18 year old when he played 9 games for Iowa. But he mainly was on their AA team for 1978 and 1979. He returned to AA in 1980 but closed the season with the A ball club at Appleton and returned there in 1981. He did not play affiliated ball in 1982 before spending 1983 with the Cubs AA team and 1984 with the Mariners AA team.

His career numbers are 758 G, 2826 AB, 7 HR, 228 RBI, 436 RS, 253 SB with a .250 .AVG and a .312 OBP. He played all but 29 games at AA or lower during his 8 year pro career.

[Penale52]

Gordon Lewis with the 1910 Columbus Foxes

[Penale52]

Herbert McLeod with the 1910 Columbus Foxes

[Penale52]

Arthur Granville with the 1910 Columbus Foxes

[Penale52]

Elmer Bensen with the 1910 Columbus Foxes

[Pinetarpress]

Mitch Johnson was the Red Sox 3rd round pick in 1980 out of HS in Pennsylvania. Johnson pitched for short season Elmira to kick off his career going 5-3 with a 2.61 E.R.A in 14 starts. He spent 1981 and 82 in Winter Haven going a combined 10-17 in 66 games with 29 start and 236 IP.

Going to High A Winston-Salem in 1983 he began to show signs of being a legitimate prospect. The 20 year old was 15-8 with a 3.11 E.R.A in 28 starts with 146 K in 214 IP. He got the bump to AA New Britain in 1984 and was 11-10 with a 2.89 E.R.A in 26 starts.

The 6'5 RHP then spent 1985-1988 at AAA with Pawtucket...In 1985 he struggled with a 5-13 record and a 4.48 E.R.A in 157 IP. In 1986 he was just 4-5 with a 5.21 E.R.A and missed the end of the season with an injury and that same injury seemed to have cost him the start of the 87 season too.

Now a reliever Mitch pitched in 24 games for the 87 Pawtucket club going 2-4 with a 2.82 E.R.A and 8 SV. His final season with the Boston organization was 1988 as he was 4-3 with a 2.92 E.R.A and 11 SV in 49 G.

He pitched for the Astros AAA team at Tucson in 1989 and after 7 games and a 1.20 E.R.A he was done finishing his 10 season career with a 56-64 record and a 3.63 E.R.A in 266 G with 25 SV.

Mitch did well for himself after his career graduating from Bryant University before receiving his MBA at Duke. He has been the VP of Sales for LEO Pharma since 2015