Minor League Baseball Players

[Cusick]

Ralph was a second baseman who appeared on the Cincinnati Reds' spring roster in 1945. He died two days ago (8/4/2015). He is shown here in the uniform of the Quebec Alouettes.

[Cusick]

Dom Scala was a curious case. This catcher was a minor league player in the Oakland A's system in 1976 and 1977. He was a non-roster invitee as a player to the New York Yankees' spring camp in 1979. He won a world championship ring with the Yankees in 1978, but never played in a major league game. How did he do that? He was the Yankees' bullpen catcher all that season. I last located him as the head baseball coach at Adelphi University in 2012.

[rico43]

[Dto7]

Wilbur Buchanan 1936 Louisville Colonels

[BklynJace]

Howdy folks, wondering if anyone has ever run across photos of the following:

1) Ray Daviault with the '61 Tacoma Giants (or San Francisco, if he was ever in camp with them)

2) Steve Chilcott with any of the Mets' minor-league affiliates from '66 through '71 (or, as above, with the Mets themselves)

Huge thanks for any help!

[FatJack]

Originally Posted by BklynJace

Howdy folks, wondering if anyone has ever run across photos of the following:

1) Ray Daviault with the '61 Tacoma Giants (or San Francisco, if he was ever in camp with them)

2) Steve Chilcott with any of the Mets' minor-league affiliates from '66 through '71 (or, as above, with the Mets themselves)

Huge thanks for any help!

If it helps anyone, Ray was included in the 1960-61 National Bank of Washington "Tacoma Giants" set. Unfortunately, you rarely see cards from that set and, when you do, they tend to be the stars (Marichal, Gaylord Perry, etc.). Never seen the Daviault card, myself. But maybe someone has access to the set or, at least photos thereof.

I think my favorite story about Ray is that he was quite proud, upon retiring and returning to Canada, that he'd spent all those years playing ball in the states and hadn't learned a word of English.

[Merkle923]

Prominent enough in the Reds' plans to make the yearbook in 1977 and spring training the next year, Dave Moore never pitched in a major league game. Topps Vault posted a couple of images of him today.

Dave Moore Minor League Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com

[tnfoto]

Originally Posted by BklynJace

Howdy folks, wondering if anyone has ever run across photos of the following:

1) Ray Daviault with the '61 Tacoma Giants (or San Francisco, if he was ever in camp with them)

2) Steve Chilcott with any of the Mets' minor-league affiliates from '66 through '71 (or, as above, with the Mets themselves)

Huge thanks for any help!

Here is Chilcott with the Mets in 1969 and 1970, respectively.

[tnfoto]

Originally Posted by BklynJace

Howdy folks, wondering if anyone has ever run across photos of the following:

1) Ray Daviault with the '61 Tacoma Giants (or San Francisco, if he was ever in camp with them)

2) Steve Chilcott with any of the Mets' minor-league affiliates from '66 through '71 (or, as above, with the Mets themselves)

Huge thanks for any help!

Here is Daviault with the 1961 Tacoma Giants.

[FatJack]

Nice on the Chilcott (with Rich Folkers in the background no less).

[tnfoto]

Originally Posted by FatJack

Nice on the Chilcott (with Rich Folkers in the background no less).

Folkers is a nice bonus but my favorite part of the background in the 1970 Chilcott photo is the batboy(?) missing the ball on the left edge of the photo.

[Merkle923]

J.D. McCarthy shot him in Spring Training - either 1969 or 1970. Lord knows if McCarthy - who made his living making and selling postcards for the players to have when autograph requests came - ever made any for Chilcott, but the color image exists thanks to his efforts.

[FatJack]

One of many images I figured I'd never see in my lifetime that you've shared here. Thank you, Merkle.

[BklynJace]

Thank you both!

Love that McCarthy image -- as Jack noted, it's an image I'd feared didn't exist, let alone think I'd get a chance to see.

Found the Tacoma Daviault card Jack mentioned, from an auction that didn't attract a bid.

[Amazin69]

Screen-shotting the above so I can play with my sliders…



Still can't get enough definition on the right side of his face, but at least it's not all yellowed now.

[Cusick]

This is career minor leaguer Mike Schmid, not HOFer Mike Schmidt. Pitcher Mike Schmid showed up in the Boston Red Sox spring camp in 1984 as a non-roster invitee along with another promising NRI -- Roger Clemens. Schmid is shown here with the Burlington Rangers.

[Merkle923]

Lefty prep star out of Brooklyn, drafted by the Tigers in the second round, in camp as a teenager - and out of the game at age 24:

John Murphy Minor League Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com

[Merkle923]

The dates are technically correct, though Mull's last playing days came in the mid 70's. But he was a catcher, coach and manager all those years.

Jack Mull Minor League Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com

Mull's entire big league experience consisted of bullpen coach for the suitably forgotten 1985 Giants, and a few weeks in camp with the Cubs in 1970.

[Merkle923]

This one stumped me for awhile. Kansas City pitcher, spring training, probably 1972, with a last name probably starting with "MU"...

Chuck Murray Minor League Statistics & History | Baseball-Reference.com

[Merkle923]

The former Royals and Twins farmhand shows up on a Venezuelan winter league card from 1973 and the hair conceals the clincher. Look at the "hooded eyes" effect created by skin under the eyebrows.