General Baseball Image Discussion

[FatJack]

Originally Posted by SPORTSMEM817

"Jack Hamilton, whose errant inside pitch damaged the eyesight of Boston's Tony Conigliaro in 1967 and caused a premature end to the career of the Red Sox star, died Thursday at the age of 79".

http://http//www.espn.com/mlb/story/...-pitch-dies-79

A few more thoughts about and images of Jack Hamilton. Its a shame Jack is only remembered as the pitcher who essentially ended Tony Conigliaro's career (though that's the kind of thing that, as soon as it happens, you know it's going to be the lead in your obituary). Jack was a pretty good pitcher before that, albeit one who pitched for really bad teams. People disagree on whether Jack had good or bad control. I remember him as someone who generally threw strikes but who lost focus from time to time. He averaged about 5 walks per nine innings and hit just 13 batters in his 8 years in the majors (5 in his rookie season).

He was the Mets closer for a while, before there was such a thing as a "closer", and he was pretty good in that role. As a Mets fan, I mostly recall two games which may, in fact, represent the highlights of Jack's entire career. One was a game he started against the Cardinals. It was a one-hitter, the only hit coming on a bunt single by Ray Sadecki in the third. Jack then buckled down, retiring the next 19 hitters and taking the win. The other highlight (also against the Cardinals) was a grand slam home run Jack hit off of former and future Mets hurler Al Jackson, giving the Mets the lead. Of course, these are the Mets we're talking about. Jack returned to the mound, walked a couple of hitters and, ultimately, the Mets lost that game (Jack got a no decision). It would be Jack's only major league home run.

The Phillies image below accompanied Jack's obituary while the Mets image was an eBay offering a while back.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Finally here is Ron Kotick. Listed on ebay

[FatJack]

Sammy Stewart, a World Series hero for the Orioles in 1983, passed away on Friday (March 2, 2018). He was 63.

Born in Asheville, North Carolina on October 28, 1954, “The Throwin’ Swannanoan” was drawn to sports. And he was drawn to excel. You have a lot to live up to when your father continues working after losing an arm in a mill accident and your mother works at the same mill having lost a leg in a train accident. Sammy stayed out of trouble, never missed a day of school, and developed into a promising pitcher.

The Royals drafted Stewart in 1974, but he didn’t sign with them. Soon after, however, Baltimore scout Rip Tutor convinced him to sign with the Orioles. The half season in Bluefield, where he went 3-3 with an ERA of 6.07, was a learning experience for Sammy. But he broke out big time in his first full season in 1976. Pitching for Miami, the right-hander hurled 182 innings to a 12-8 record with a 2.42 ERA. That got him moved up to Triple-A in 1977 and he struggled there. Dropped back to Double-A, he dominated once again. Sammy was ready for Triple-A in 1978. Come September, Stewart was in The Show.

On September 1, 1978, Sammy Stewart made his major league debut, starting against the Chicago White Sox, and he would make major league history. He was a bit shaky in the first, but struck out the side in the second and third and whiffed the leadoff batter in the fourth, as well. The seven consecutive strikeouts was a rookie record and the career feat Stewart was most proud of.

Sammy was moved to the pen the following year, a role for which he was perfectly suited. He was a bulldog with an arm that never seemed to tire and Earl Weaver already had a strong rotation. Weaver saw Stewart as Mr. Everything; he could start, he could close, he could pitch long relief and come back the next night and do it all over again. Weaver felt Stewart, in essence, gave Baltimore the luxury of having two starting pitchers every night. Stewart was the workhorse. His innings pitched were 117 in 1979, 118 in 1980, 112 in 1981, 139 in 1982, and 144 in 1983. His IP dropped to 93 in 1984, but that was because he was sharing closer duties with Tippy Martinez. In 1982, Sammy’s ERA was 2.32, second best in the league. And, in the championship year of 1983, Sammy would throw 5 scoreless innings against the Phillies in the World Series.

Though Sammy pitched well in 1984, the team finished 19 games off the pace. It was more of the same in 1985. Then he found himself traded to the Boston Red Sox in the offseason. It should have been a positive move, as the O’s would drop to last place in 1986 and the Sox were on their way to the World Series. But it would be “the beginning of the end” for Sammy. Stewart missed over a month of the season with an arm injury. And, for whatever reason, he and manager John McNamara did not get along. Come the World Series, Stewart sat and watched while Boston’s other relievers turned what should have been a World Series win into a World Series loss. “He [McNamara] lay down on me and it cost us the World Series,” Sam would later say. “I hated to see Al Nipper come out of the bullpen when I’ve never been scored on in the postseason and my arm was feeling good.”

After the season, the Red Sox opted not to resign Stewart. Sammy figured this was his moment to score the big bucks in free agency and he bought a big house in the Boston suburbs. But that was one of the collusion years and Sammy was without a team—without a job—until June 1987 when he was picked up by the Indians. The layoff was not a good thing for a player used to coming to the ballpark prepared to pitch seven innings everyday. At season’s end, Cleveland cut him loose and Stewart walked away from the game.

Stewart’s life had always been about the game. Without it, he was a bit lost. He went to a party in 1988 and noticed some girls “moving around a little funny after going into the bathroom”. When he asked, he was told they were smoking crack. He decided to give it a try. “It took away the absence of baseball,” he said.

Things spiraled downward from there. Sammy was stuck in Boston without any friends and without baseball. His 11 year old son would die of cystic fibrosis in 1991. He continued with the drugs, hocking his World Series ring and other possessions, losing his family, losing his home and living on the street, ringing up an astounding number of arrests, shooting up and getting shot at. Arrested again in 2006, he felt he’d reached rock bottom. He elected not to plea, telling the judge he needed to be locked up.

Sammy was released from prison in 2013, after serving 6 years and eight months for possession of $12 worth of crack cocaine. He came out clean and sober and, according to his former Orioles teammates, very much like his old (pre-drug) self. He settled into a humbler life in Henderson, NC, with a woman he reconnected with while in prison, living on his baseball pension, teaching some, and mending relationships with his children.

Images are from eBay and Topps Vault.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Couple of photos from ebay 1961 Reds Spring

[Cusick]

Originally Posted by rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com

Couple of photos from ebay 1961 Reds Spring

These appear to be all pitchers. #31 in first row is Jim O'Toole. I think #4x next to him in first row is Harvey Alex, who was on the '61 Reds spring roster. I think #33 in the second row is Bob Krop, who was a non-roster invitee with the '61 Reds. #37 next to him in the second row is Bob Purkey.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Originally Posted by Cusick

These appear to be all pitchers. #31 in first row is Jim O'Toole. I think #4x next to him in first row is Harvey Alex, who was on the '61 Reds spring roster. I think #33 in the second row is Bob Krop, who was a non-roster invitee with the '61 Reds. #37 next to him in the second row is Bob Purkey.

Might also be catchers far back ground #5 Larry Rancourt #6 Ed Bailey. On Spring Roster #21 Lou Skizas which was an infielder, #42 Jim Brosnan #46 Jim Maloney #47 Jay Hook (Bottom Pic). (Top Pic) #61 Dave Stenhouse # 8 Jerry Zimmermann, # 35 Johnny Briggs

[Cusick]

Originally Posted by rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com

Might also be catchers far back ground #5 Larry Rancourt #6 Ed Bailey. On Spring Roster #21 Lou Skizas which was an infielder, #42 Jim Brosnan #46 Jim Maloney #47 Jay Hook (Bottom Pic). (Top Pic) #61 Dave Stenhouse # 8 Jerry Zimmermann, # 35 Johnny Briggs

Thanks. I'll revise my previous identification of the player in the top photo, first row, third from left, from Harvey Alex to Jay Hook. I think you are correct that the uniform number is 47. Harvey Alex was 6'4" tall. Jay Hook was 6'2" tall, as was Jim Maloney, who is next to him, but with knees bent, so could well have been the same height. At this distance from the camera, the face could have been either Alex or Hook.

[FatJack]

There's an absolutely brilliant (imho) piece about Ichiro over at espn.com. Written by Wright Thompson. Check it out, if you're interested.

When Winter Never Ends

[dennis_keith]

Originally Posted by FatJack

There's an absolutely brilliant (imho) piece about Ichiro over at espn.com. Written by Wright Thompson. Check it out, if you're interested.

When Winter Never Ends

Browsed the article you referred to.
I don't think Ichiro will make it to age 50 in the majors - and that comes from one of his biggest fans. Playing MLB through next year when he will be age 45 seems like a much more attainable goal.. After that he can continue playing in Japan, where Japanese teams and fans probably would like to see him play until he is 60.


He set some pinch hitting records last year:
109 games used as a Pinch Hitter and 109 Pinch Hitter Plate appearances (both new records).
100 Pinch Hitting At Bats. (New Record).
27 Pinch Hits. (Just missed the record - fell one pinch hit shy of John Vander Wal's record of 28 pinch hits in a Season (1995) - quite remarkable that Vander Wal accomplished this in a 144 games season that had been shortened by a strike)..
He hit .270 as a Pinch Hitter, hit .255 overall, as well as getting into 136 of the Marlins' games last year (84% of the team's scheduled games)..
Not at all bad stats for a 43-year-old.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Anyone know who this Red is? from 1962 spring. photo from my collection

[FatJack]

Originally Posted by rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com

Anyone know who this Red is? from 1962 spring. photo from my collection

If the photo is from the spring of '62, it would be Wally Post who wore #29 into May '63.

[Rainier 1]

Looks like Ken Walters to me.

[dennis_keith]

There are just 43 living players who played major league baseball in the 1940s. The list is topped by 99 year olds Chuck Stevens - 1B
(MLB: 1941,1946-1948) - current age: 99 years, 8 months and Fred Caligiuri - P (MLB: 1941-1942) current age: 99 years, 5 months.
40 of the 43 have reached their 90th birthdays.
The only players on the list of 43 who have not reached age 90 are:
Curt Simmons - P (MLB:1947-1967) current age: 88 years, 10 months.
Del Crandall - C (MLB: 1949-1966) current age: 88 years, 0 months.
Johnny Antonelli - P (MLB: 1948 - 1961) current age: 87 years, 11 months.
LHP - Antonelli pitched to C - Crandall as a pair of 19 year olds on the 1949 Boston Braves.
Antonelli and Crandall were National League all-star teammates in 1954, 1956,1958 and 1959.
Simmons and Antonelli were National League all-star teammates in 1957.
Simmons and Crandall were National League all-star teammates in 1953.
All three players were never selected as all-stars the same year.

[SPORTSMEM817]

Fresno Bee — Stephen Lewis Stroughter, 65, of Visalia died March 6. He was a professional baseball player. Private service. Arrangements: Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel.

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Originally Posted by FatJack

If the photo is from the spring of '62, it would be Wally Post who wore #29 into May '63.

I thought it was Post. was hard to tell on this photo.

[SPORTSMEM817]

The link is a direct link to the obit,the photos are from Lexi Files and the card is from a forum on this site years ago

http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local...ign=user-share

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

photo of 1962 Reds during Spring training #46 Jim Maloney. #62 Andy "Rube" Rubilottia. Eyes not good enough to see the other #'s

[rlumpkin1@tampabay.rr.com]

Ed Bailey Cincinnati Reds teaching his son catching

[bru]

This seller (vintagecentral) has several dozen photos of guys I've mostly never heard of listed on eBay. Couple of the Astros popped up in my search results. He's got colors listed as Brace/Burke photos. Also has a bunch of black and white postcards.

I'm not up on who we're keeping an eye out for, but there's bound to be someone in here, right?

Here's a cool looking B&W: Joe Palmisano, who got into 19 games with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1931.

[Cusick]

Originally Posted by bru

This seller (vintagecentral) has several dozen photos of guys I've mostly never heard of listed on eBay. Couple of the Astros popped up in my search results. He's got colors listed as Brace/Burke photos. Also has a bunch of black and white postcards.

Appreciate the link to the photos, but have to chuckle when I see a vendor labeling a photo as Brace or Burke when it depicts an Astro, Angel, or Royal. George Burke died in 1951, so he could not possibly have taken the photo. It would have taken little research on the part of the vendor to figure that out. From 1951 forward, George Brace was the sole photographer in that particular enterprise.