Archives for April 2020

There is no joy in Mudville – Major League baseball is in timeout.

With the major league baseball season suspended as we respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, fans of the national pastime are searching for hardball-related diversions.   We’re watching “classic” ball games from the past, cueing up baseball movies, revisiting our baseball card and memorabilia collections, playing dice- and computer-based baseball games, reading (even re-reading) countless baseball books and challenging others (online) with increasingly obscure baseball trivia.  Heck, even old “Pitch Backs” are being pulled out of the back of the garage and Wiffle (c) Balls are flying in rec (wreck?) rooms.

Where am I going with this? Early this week, another rite of spring brought baseball back to my home.  I received my annual Baseball Reliquary Shrine of the Eternals ballot; which means I can spend some joyous time pondering the character and characters that helped shape the history of our grand game (as presented in the always informative and creative biographies included with the ballot).

I’ll take a look at my choices from this year’s ballot in a bit, but first – for those not familiar with The Baseball Reliquary – a little background.

The Baseball Reliquary is an organization of fans dedicated to the free-spirited celebration of the human side of baseball’s history and heritage.

Reliquary (rel′ə kwer′ē)

Noun- a container or shrine in which sacred relics are kept and displayed for veneration.

While its “home” is in Pasadena, California, The Reliquary is not just a place.  The Reliquary really resides in the hearts of its founders, members, contributors and honorees – who all are important parts of the organization’s joyful (often irreverent, but always well-informed and fan-centric) celebration of all things baseball.  This celebration is fueled through The Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals, collection of historic artifacts, exhibitions and collaboration with the Whittier College Institute for Baseball Studies.

Let’s look at each of these.

The Shrine of the Eternals is the Reliquary’s best-known element and its honorees include (among others) a one-armed major league outfielder, a pitcher who once threw a no-hitter while high on LSD, a team owner who sent a midget to the plate, a man in a chicken suit, a member of Major League Baseball’s 3,000-hit club, a manager who won eight World Championships, a cartoon character who pitched his team to more than 1,000 losses, more than one best-selling author, a statistical wizard and even the sports editor of the Daily Worker (American Communist Party newspaper). The honorees are each unique in their roles in – and contributions to –   the national pastime, but they all share the distinction of having made a significant impact on the game.  Note: Each year, The Reliquary also recognizes distinguished service to baseball by a fan (The Hilda Award) and contributions to the preservation of baseball history (The Tony Salin Award).  

The Baseball Reliquary’s Collection of what BBRT would term “art-ifacts” is as diverse as its roster of Shrine honorees.  The collection includes (but is “oh-so not limited” to) the Walter O’Malley Tortilla, the Roger Bresnahan Potato, the Eddie Gaedel Jock Strap,  a Babe Ruth cigar, a Mother Teresa autographed baseball (a whole case actually), a heat-twisted 45-rpm record from the White Sox’ ill-fated Disco Demolition Night; and a  San Diego Chicken game-worn costume.

The Baseball Reliquary’s Exhibits have have covered such varied topics as Latino and Black baseball history, baseball in foreign policy, baseball literature and art, a celebration of baseball cards, and even the self-defining “Lasordapalooza.”

The Whittier (CA) College Institute for Baseball Studies is the first humanities-based baseball research center associated with a U.S. college or university, The Institute houses the Baseball Reliquary’s baseball-related research collection – books, periodicals and papers from distinguished authors, historians and journalists. It is open to students, scholars and the general public.

Why Not Join Now

As we now contemplate even more time with no action on the diamonds, I think joining The Baseball Reliquary would be a gem of an idea for all fans.    If you are interested, click here for BBRT’s full (and FUN) story of the history behind The Baseball Reliquary (You can skip the first few paragraphs, which mirror this post, and jump down to the text below the Reliquary logo.) Or, if you’ve already decided to consider membership, visit the Reliquary website at http://www.baseballreliquary.org.  

—–THE SHRINE OF THE ETERNALS 2020 VOTING—–

Now, on to the Shrine of the Eternals. Before I share my ballot, here’s what the Reliquary has to say about this honor.

“Similar in concept to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Shrine of the Eternals differs philosophically in that statistical accomplishment is not the principal criterion for election. The Baseball Reliquary believes that the election of individuals on merits other than statistics and playing ability will offer the opportunity for a deeper understanding and appreciation of baseball than has heretofore been provided by “Halls of Fame” in the more traditional and conservative institutions.

“Criteria for election shall be: the distinctiveness of play (good or bad); the uniqueness of character and personality; and the imprint that the individual has made on the baseball landscape. Electees, both on and off the diamond, shall have been responsible for developing baseball in one or more of the following ways: through athletic and/or business achievements; in terms of its larger cultural and sociological impact as a mass entertainment; and as an arena for the human imagination.”

Each year, the Baseball Reliquary submits a list of candidates to its members and the top three vote-getters are honored.  Reliquarians can vote for up to nine nominees.

Here’s a look at those who are getting my vote this year.

—–BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S 2020 SHRINE OF THE ETERNALS BALLOT—

Luke Easter (1915-79) … Sixth year on the ballot.

“Luscious” Luke Easter was one of the most prodigious home run hitters of all time. His titanic blasts were known as “Easter Eggs.” Among his notables, Easter:

• Was the first player to a homer into the farthest reaches of center field in the Polo Grounds;
• Hit the longest home run in the history of old Cleveland Municipal Stadium – clearing the distant right field scoreboard; and
• Was the first player to hit a drive over the CF scoreboard in Buffalo’s Offerman Stadium (at age 42), proving it was no fluke by hitting the second drive to ever to clear the scoreboard just a month later.

Easter began his baseball career in 1937, as an OF/1B and cleanup hitter for the St. Louis Titanium Giants (a company team) – and didn’t play his final game until 27 years later.  Everything about the 6’4”, 240-pound Easter was big – his stature, his bat, his love of the game, his love of life, his relationship with teammates and the fans and, later, even his Buick.

While he began showing his prowess at the plate in the late 1930’s, he really began carving his name into baseball history after getting out of the military in 1943.

In 1945, he starred with the barnstorming Cincinnati Crescents (for whom he hit the Polo Grounds home run noted above).

In 1947, he joined the Homestead Grays, where he hit .311, with 10 home runs in 219 at bats.  Research by Society for American Baseball Research Member Justin Murphy indicates Easter followed that up by hitting .363 for the Grays and tying teammate Buck Leonard for the Negro National League (NNL) lead in home runs (13) – helping the Grays to the NNL World Series Championship.

In 1949, Easter signed with the Cleveland Indians and made his major league debut on August 1 of that season – at age 34 – just the eleventh black player in the major leagues. While he hit only .222 in 54 games for the Indians, due in part to an injured knee, Easter showed his (already long-proven) power by going .363-25-92 in 80 games at Triple A San Diego.

Then, in 1950, he hit .280-28-107 in 141 games for the Indians – earning recognition from the Sporting News as the AL’s Most Outstanding Player.  In 1951, he went .270-27-103 for the Tribe and, in 1952, .263-31-97. Age and injuries were already taking their toll, however, and on May 4, 1954, the 38-year-old Easter played his final MLB game – ending his MLB career with a .274-93-340 line in 491 games.

Ah, but Luscious Luke was not done. He played on in the minor leagues until 1964 – putting up four seasons of 30 or more home runs and 100+ RBI – earning his way into the International League Hall of Fame.

Over his career, Easter also played winter ball in Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico and Hawaii. A Winter-League star, Easter hit .402 for Mayaguez in the Puerto Rican League in 1948-49 (winning league MVP honors); led the Mexican Pacific Coast League (for Hermosillo) in homers in 1954-55; and lead the Puerto Rican Winter League in homers in 1955-56 and 1956-57.

Easter, later serving as a Union Steward for TRW in Ohio, was murdered during a payroll robbery in 1979.

Why did Luke Easter get my vote? Consider that non-other than Bill James rated him the second-best Negro Leagues’ first baseman of all time (behind only Buck Leonard) and Al Rosen (a teammate of Easter on the Indians, as well as a four-time All Star, two-time AL home run leader, 1953 American League MVP and 1989 National Executive of the Year) maintained, “Had Luke come up to the big leagues as a young man, there’s no telling what numbers he would have had.”

Easter comes up big on the BBRT “Shrine” ballot.

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Rube Foster (1879-1930) …. Twenty-second year on the ballot.

Andrew “Rube” Foster was an outstanding hurler, confined – by history – to pitching primarily for Black teams. He was a star on such squads as the Chicago Union Giants, Cuban X-Giants and Philadelphia Giants. Just how good was Foster on the mound? Records are sketchy, but the Baseball Hall of Fame reports that, in 1902, Foster ran off a streak of 44 straight victories and the Negro League Baseball Museum credits Foster with a 54-1 record that season.

Rube Foster’s tireless efforts earned him the unofficial title of “The Father of Black Baseball.”

Foster’s contributions to the national pastime, however, went beyond the mound. In 1911, he partnered with John Schorling (son-in-law of Charles Comiskey) to establish the Chicago American (Black) Giants. Under Foster’s leadership, the Giants became Black baseball’s most dominant team.

But Foster wasn’t done yet.  In 1920, he was a key player (cited by many as THE key player) in the founding of the Negro National League.  As the league flourished, Foster wore many hats. He served not only as the league’s president and treasurer, but also was the owner and manager of the Chicago American Giants – winning the NNL’s first three pennants.  By 1926, his demanding schedule had taken a toll and Foster suffered a nervous breakdown. He never fully recovered and passed away prematurely in 1930. Fans might enjoy Larry Lester’s book “Rube Foster in His Time: On the Field and in the Papers with Black Baseball’s Greatest Visionary.”

Rube Foster was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.

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Julio Franco (1958 –) … Second year on the ballot.

If you believe “Old Guys Rule” – Julio Franco should be your king. 

As Rod Serling often said:  For your consideration: Only 25 Major League home runs have been hit by players who had passed their 45th birthday – and Julio Franco hit 20 of them.

Franco is also the oldest player to homer in an MLB game. Franco went deep at age 48 years, 254 days, hitting a two-run shot off Arizona’s Randy Johnson as Franco’s Mets topped the Diamondbacks 5-3 on April 26, 2006). In that same game, Franco also became the second-oldest MLB player to steal base – and, thus, the oldest player to homer and steal a base in the same game.

Franco is also the:

• Oldest player to hit a grand slam (46 years, 308 days) – connecting as a pinch hitter for the Atlanta Braves in a 7-2 win over the Marlins on June 27, 2005;
• Oldest player to record a multi-homer game, belting a pair of homers on June 18, 2005 (age 46 years, 299 days), as his Atlanta Braves topped the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Franco started at first base and went two-for-four with two homers and three RBI;
• Oldest player to hit a pinch-hit home run, in the eighth inning of a Mets’ 7-2 win over the Padres at San Diego (April 20, 2006 – 47 years, 240 days);
• Oldest player to steal two bases in a game (and in an inning) – (June 16, 3005 – 46 years, 297 days)’ and
• Oldest player to be put into a game as a pinch runner (July 29, 2006 – 47 years, 340 days) … he delivered, promptly stealing second base, going to third on an errant throw.

From 1982 to 1994, Franco played primarily as a middle infielder and DH for the Phillies, Indians, Rangers and White Sox – making three All Star teams (MVP of the 1990 All Star Game), earning five Silver Slugger Awards and leading the American League in hitting at .341 for the Rangers in 1991. In that 1991 campaign, Franco collected 201 hits, 15 homers, 78 RBI, 108 runs scored and 36 steals in 45 attempts. At season’s end, he had hit .300+ in five of the previous six seasons – the lone exception being .296 in 1990.

In 1994, when the remainder of the MLB season was lost to a strike, Franco was in the midst of possibly his best campaign.  After 112 games, he was hitting .319, with 138 hits, 20 home runs, 98 RBI, 72 runs scored, and eight steals.  Franco was determined to keep swinging the bat and signed to play in Japan with the Pacific League Chiba Lotte Marines.  In the 1995 Japanese season, Franco hit .306 and won the Pacific League’s equivalent of the Gold Glove at first base.

Franco returned to MLB in 1996, joining the Cleveland Indians, hitting .322-14-76 in 112 games. In August of the following season, the Indians released Franco – who was hitting .284-3-25 at the time. He finished the 1997 campaign with the Brewers, hitting .241 in 14 games with Milwaukee.

In 1998, at age 39, Franco was back in Japan playing for Chiba Lotte; where he hit .290, with 18 home runs and 77 RBI in 131 games. Then in 1999, he celebrated turning 40 (when most ballplayers are retired or coaching) by hitting for a .423 average in the Mexican League and getting one late-season MLB at bat with Tampa Bay.

As he moved into his forties, Franco was far from finished as a player. He played in South Korea in 2000 (age 41), hitting .327-22-110.  In 2001, the well-traveled batsman was back in the Mexican League (Mexico City Tigers), where stellar play (a .437 average in 110 games) earned him a spot on the Atlanta Braves’ roster in September. Franco hit .300, with three home runs and 11 RBI over the final 5 ½ weeks of the MLB season.

From 2001 to 2007, the ageless wonder – professional hitter and pretty darn good first sacker – played for the Braves and Mets.  From 2001 through 2006 – ages 42 to 47 – Franco averaged .290 over 581 games.  He hit .222 in 55 games in his final MLB season – 2007 with the Mets and Braves.

Even at 49, Franco was not done battering baseballs. In 2008, he could be found at first base with the Tigres de Quintana Roo of the Mexican League (where he hit .250 in 36 games). That season, Franco – after 23 Major League seasons and 30 years after his first professional baseball game – announced his retirement as a player.

Oops? Not so fast. In 2014, at the age of 55, he appeared in seven games for the Fort Worth Cats of the independent United League – going six for 27.   Then in 2015, Franco was signed as player-manager of the Ishikawa Million Stars of the Japanese independent Baseball Challenge League (identified as a semi-pro league).

In 23 MLB seasons, Franco hit .298, with 2,586 hits, 173 homers, 1,285 runs, 1,194 RBI and 281 stolen bases. He also collected 618 minor league (U.S) hits, 316 in the Mexican League, 286 in Japan, 267 in the Dominican Winter League and 156 in South Korea and six in independent ball (U.S.).

Forever young, Mr. Franco – baseball’s Energizer Bunny – got my vote.

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Mamie “Peanut” Johnson (1935 – 2017) … Seventh year on the ballot.

Mamie Johnson was one of three females to play for the Indianapolis Clowns during the declining days of the Negro Leagues (and the only woman ever to pitch in the Negro Leagues).  Johnson took the mound to the Clowns for three seasons (1953-55), running up a 33-8 record.  Her exploits are chronicled in the children’s book “A Strong Right Arm: The Story of Mamie ‘Peanut’ Johnson,” by Michelle Y. Green.

________________________________

Mike Marshall (1943 –  ) … Fifteenth year on the ballot.

I should probably say Doctor Mike Marshall, since this former major league reliever (14 seasons … 1967, 1969-81) earned three college degrees, including a Ph.D. in Kinesiology from Michigan State University. Kinesiology is the study of muscle movement and Marshall used his knowledge to develop his own exercise program focused on minimizing stress, reducing injury and accelerating recovery time.  While his unorthodox methods, advanced education and outspoken approach often had him at odds with baseball’s traditionalists (and may be part of the reason he pitched for nine teams in 14 seasons), they did get the job done.

The fact is, we never saw a closer quite like Mike Marshall before he came along – and we’re not likely to see one like him again. In 1974, as a Dodger, he put up the grand-daddy of all relief seasons – setting the single-season MLB records for appearances with 106 and innings pitched in relief at 208 1/3. He finished the campaign 15-12, with a league-topping 21 saves and a 2.42 ERA.  That season, Marshall was called on to go more than one inning in 74 games (68.5 percent of the time) and he toiled three or more innings 22 times. He also relieved in 13 consecutive regular-season games – an MLB record later tied (1986) by the Rangers’ Dale Mohorcic. His efforts won him the 1974 Cy Young Award and recognition as The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year.

Marshall led his league in games pitched four times and saves three times – finishing 97-112, 3.14 with 188 saves.

A true “fireman” from an era when closers came in to put out fires and stayed on the mound to ensure they were no flare ups, Marshall gets my vote for the Shrine.

______________________________________

Pete Reiser (1919-1981) … Eighth year on the ballot.

Combine Willie Mays’ skill set (younger folks, think Mike Trout) with Pete Rose’s hustle and on-field abandon and you have Pete Reiser. In his first full MLB season (CF, Dodgers, 1941), a 22-year-old Reiser dazzled defensively and led the NL in runs scored (117), doubles (39), triples (17), batting average (.343), total bases (299), Slugging Percentage (.558) and hit by pitch (11) – tossing in 14 home runs and 76 RBI for good measure. He was an All Star and finished second in the National League MVP balloting.  Unfortunately, unpadded outfield walls, helmet-less at bats (the fiery Reiser was a frequent bean ball target) and aggressiveness on the base paths (Reiser twice led the NL in stolen bases and holds the NL record for steals of home in a season at seven) took their toll.

In his ten-season career, Reiser endured five skull fractures, a brain injury, a dislocated shoulder and a damaged knee.  He was carted off the field 11 times during his career (six times unconscious) and once actually given last rites at the stadium – and he played on. The three-time All Star retired as a player with a .295 career average, playing in 861 games over ten seasons. No telling what he might have done with padded outfield walls and batting helmets.  Pete Reiser was a true – and talented – gamer. For more on Reiser, try “Pete Reiser: The Rough and Tumble Career of the Perfect Ballplayer,” by Sidney Jacobson.

For a combination of pure talent and reckless abandon – Pete Reiser gets my vote.

__________________________________________

Bing Russell (1926-2003) … Fifth year on the ballot.

Nate Oliver “Bing Russell” is probably best known to the general populace as Deputy Clem Foster in the TV series Bonanza.  His TV and film credits, in fact, run long and deep.  He was cast in the film The Magnificent Seven and had guest roles in such television series as Wagon Train, Johnny Ringo, The Rifleman and The Big Valley.  And he was more than just a cowboy, he was also seen in television roles in series ranging from The Rockford Files to The Twilight Zone to The Monkees.

For baseball fans, Russel’s greatest role may have been as owner of the Portland Mavericks – an independent entry into Northwest League.  Shepherding the only independent team in the league, Russell took a group of ballplayers described in his Shrine of the Eternals nomination as “misfits, reprobates, hangers-on and washouts” and turned them into winners and the toast of the town – much to the chagrin of baseball’s organized franchises.

It all came about after organized ball moved the struggling Triple A Portland Beavers out of the city after the 1972 season. Russell led a move to establish the Class C Portland Mavericks (as an independent franchise) in the city.  As an owner, Russell’s focus was fun – and perhaps a bit of rebellion.  He had no ties to any MLB franchise, banned corporate advertising in the ball park and filled his team from open tryouts.  (He also, eventually, hired professional baseball’s first female General Manager, as well as its first Asian-American General Manager.)

How’d all of this work out?  Well, major league baseball did not expect the ragtag Mavericks to do well against their “in-the-system” prospects. They underestimated the impact of  Russell’s focus and style – and the determination of his last-chance hopefuls.

In 1973, the Mavericks went 45-35 and finished first in the league’s South Division.

In 1974, they went 50-34 and finished second in the West Division – just two games behind the Dodgers’ Bellinger farm club.

In 1975, it was 42-35 and first place in the North Division.

In 1976, it was 40-32 and another North Division first-place finish.

In 1977, 44-22 and first place in the South Division. The Mavericks, that season, had the best record in the league, won their division by 22 games and drew 125,000 fans to 33 regular season home games (a minor-league short-season record).  Their average attendance was 3,788 fans per game.

Russell and his Mavericks had rekindled Portland passion for baseball with a combination of fun, irreverence and winning (Sounds like a Reliquary-friendly combo.) They had proven that an independent franchise could compete and win on the field and at the turnstiles. And, organized baseball took notice. They wanted the territory back and eventually – after some hard-fought legal battles – got it (although they had to pay Russell what was, at the time, by far the highest ever minor-league territorial rights payment; a victory for Russell and independent baseball).

So, in 1978, the Mavericks were dissolved and were replaced by the PCL Portland Beavers. By the way, the Beavers drew an average of just 1,397 per game. Oh, and Russell’s success was ultimately documented in the 2014 film “The Battered Bastards of Baseball.”  You should see it.

Three final fun facts about Russell and his life-long love affair with baseball.:

1) He grew up near the Yankees Spring Training Camp in St. Petersburg, Florida and – as youngster – became a kind of unofficial mascot for the team – mingling with the likes of Joe DiMaggio, Lefty Gomez and Lou Gehrig.  (Reportedly, Gehrig gave Russell the bat he used to hit his last major-league home run);

2) Later, pre-Mavericks, Russell created a number of detailed baseball training/instructional films; and

3) Bing Russell’s son, noted actor Kurt Russell, played four seasons of minor league baseball and his grandson Matt Franco played eight MLB seasons (Cubs, Mets, Braves).

For a life-long commitment to baseball, an attitude consistent with The Baseball Reliquary’s values  and a solid measure of success on the field and at the gate, Bing Russell gets my vote.

____________________________________

Justine Siegal (1975- ) … Second year on the ballot.

In 1988, a baseball coach told 13-year-old pitcher-third baseman Justine Siegal that she wasn’t wanted on his (boys) baseball team, that she should play softball instead. That denied opportunity to play the game she loved helped create a powerful gender-equity dynamo and, while there is still a long way to go, baseball is becoming the better for it.

Being from Minnesota, I take pride in the fact the Siegal earned a Bachelor’s Degree (Concentration: Leadership: Religion, Military and Baseball) from Northfield, Minnesota’s St. Olaf College. She went on to earn a Masters degree in Sport Studies from Kent State University and a Ph.D. in Sport and Exercise Psychology from Springfield (MA) College.  And through all of this, Siegal never lost her passion for – and focus on – baseball and generating opportunity for women (and girls) to take their place in the national pastime.

Consider:

• In 1998, Siegal organized the Baseball for All Foundation focused on expanding opportunities for girls to “get in the game” of baseball (Baseball for All;
• In 2002, she organized Sparks – the first all-girl baseball team to compete in a national boys’ tournament;
• In 2008-10, she was an assistant coach of the Springfield College Baseball Team;
• In 2009, she became the first female coach of a professional men’s baseball team, – the Brockton Rox of the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional baseball;
• In 2011, she was the first woman to throw batting practice to a major league team (Cleveland Indians Spring Training);
• In 2015. She was the first female hired for coaching duties with a major-league franchise (coaching in the Arizona Instructional a league for the Oakland A’s franchise); and
• In 2016, she was brought on as Mental Skills coach for the Israel Team for the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Siegal currently serves as Director of Sports Partnerships at the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University – a position she has held since 2011. For more on Siegal and the impact of her work, I’d suggest visiting the baseballforall.com website

When major league baseball sees its first female player, she will owe a tip of the cap to Justine Siegal. For her contributions to that eventuality, Siegal gets my vote.

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Rube Waddell (1876-1914) … Twenty-second year on the ballot.

Rube Waddell is almost universally recognized as the zaniest player in MLB history (that alone should earn him a spot in the Shrine).  Add the fact that he also was one of the best pitchers (at least when he was focused) in the game and Waddell seems a perfect fit for Reliquary honors.

Waddell was known to:

• Leave a ball game to chase fire engines;
• Miss a game he was scheduled to start because he was fishing or playing marbles with neighborhood kids;
• Bring his outfielders in to sit on the grass and then proceed to fan the side;
• Wrestle alligators in the off-season; and
• Much too frequently do battle with owners and managers.

Waddell simply was more interested in the freedom to enjoy life and do things his way than in money or professional stability.  But, when Waddell was on his game, he was arguably the best pitcher of his time. The 6’1”, 195-lb. lefty led the AL in strikeouts six consecutive seasons (1902-1907) – by a wide margin.

In 1902, Waddell joined the Philadelphia Athletics in June – making his first start on June 26 (with just 86 games left in the season). Waddell proceeded to win 24 games (the league’s second-highest total) against seven losses, with a 2.05 ERA.  Despite his shortened season, he led the AL with 210 strikeouts, fifty more than the runner-up (none other than Cy Young).

In 1904, Waddell set a modern (post-1900) MLB record with 349 strikeouts that stood until 1965.  Waddell, elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946, finished with a 193-143, 2.16 stat line – leading the AL in strikeouts six times, ERA twice, wins once and complete games once. For more on Waddell, BBRT suggests: “Rube Waddell: The Zany, Brilliant Life of a Strikeout Artist,” by Allan Howard Levy.

Honoring the zaniest player in history – a title it appears Waddell will hold into eternity – just seems right for the Shrine of the Eternals. Rube gets my vote.

Primary Resources:  The Baseball Reliquary; Baseball-Reference.com; The Baseball Reliquary; The Society for American Baseball Research.

Coming in May – The Results of The Baseball Reliquary’s 2020 Shrine of the Eternals balloting – and a full list of past honorees.

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In 2014, Baseball Roundtable launched the John Paciorek Award (JPA). The JPA recognizes players who have had short, often very short, major league careers, but whose accomplishments, nonetheless, deserve recognition.  Past winners have included a player whose every MLB hit (three in nine career at bats) was a home run;  a player who had only one MLB at bat, but earned  a World Series ring and a Purple Heart; a player who had just two home runs in 61 MLB at bats (for the vaunted Yankees and Dodgers), but whose “body of work” made him one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter’s box; and more.  (Note: Information on John Paciorek’s career – the inspiration for the JPA – can be found at the end of this post. Paciorek’s day in the sun constitutes arguably the best one-game MLB career ever.)

For 2020, given the circumstances across our nation and around the globe. Baseball Roundtable decided to look for a major-league short-timer who exemplified heroism – and who exhibited courage, commitment, perseverance and high spirits in the face of adversity. Let me diverge for a moment here and thank today’s heroes – those who are (still) working to respond to our health care needs, keep us safe or make our lives as comfortable/normal as possible.  You know who I’m talking about: medical professionals and support staff; first responders (police, fire, paramedic); big rig drivers; shipping and delivery workers; postal employees; grocery store workers; public transit workers; restaurant staff.   I’m sure I missed some, but to all of those working hard for all of us, thank you for the risks you take and the services/comfort you provide. And, a thought for the day, let’s all say thank you to – and tip – these people whenever we can.

Now let’s take a look at this year’s John Paciorek Award winner – an individual who showed tremendous courage, commitment to duty, perseverance and endurance in the face of adversity – qualities we can all use right now. This year’s JPA honorees was a true hero both off and on the baseball diamond.

—-BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE 2020 JOHN PACIOREK AWARD HONOREE —-

BERT SHEPARD

Robert “Bert” Shepard was born and raised in western Indiana – a natural athlete who, during his high school years, played basketball and football, as well as semipro baseball (his high school did not have a baseball team). His dream? To become a professional baseball player. Little did he know that his pursuit of that dream would be interrupted by a global conflict.

In 1939, Shepard signed a minor-league deal with the White Sox.  Over the next four seasons (1939-42) he played for six minor-league teams, never rising above Class C. While he often showed good stuff, Shepard had control issues. In his best season, 1942 (by this time in the Cardinals’ system), Shepard went 9-13, 4.45 – but walked 122 batters in 172 innings.  With Shepard still working on his command, World War II came calling with a different kind of command.

Photo by San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives

In 1943, Shepard interrupted his baseball pursuits to enlist in the U.S. Army, where his natural athleticism helped him earn a commission as a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot. Stationed out of England, Shepard flew more than thirty combat missions. On May 21, 1944, a critical air attack on an airfield near Hamburg, Germany was in the works and, although he was not scheduled to take part, Shepard volunteered for the mission (which would prove to be 34^th and final combat flight). On the return from the attack, Shepard’s plane was shot down and he was injured and captured.  His wounds required the amputation of his right leg below the knee.

While he was a Prisoner of War, a fellow prisoner (a Canadian medic) cobbled together an artificial lower leg for Shepard (out of scrap metal, wood and leather) and Shepard actually pitched in Stalag cricket matches using the makeshift prosthesis. After eight months as a P.O.W., Shepard was released as part of a prisoner exchange. Shortly after his return,  Shepard he began practicing with a local semipro team – noting that he was lucky his prosthesis was on his right leg, since (as a southpaw) it was his landing leg rather than his push-off limb.

Bert Shepard’s World War II heroism earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross,

Air Medal and Purple Heart.

Then came a lucky coincidence. Shepard, while being fitted for a new leg at Walter Reed Hospital, was fortunate enough to be visited by Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson – who just happened to be a baseball fan and friend of Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith. In his conversation with Patterson, Shepard mentioned his desire (and commitment), despite his injuries, to once again play professional baseball. Patterson relayed Shepard’s comments to Griffith, who brought the decorated veteran in for a tryout and signed him to serve as a coach and batting practice pitcher – and to take the mound in the occasional exhibition games (where Shepard acquitted himself well).  After an effective four-inning outing against the Dodgers in a July 1945 exhibition (raising funds for the War Relief effort), Shepard was added to the Senators’ active roster. Another step toward his major-league dream.

Bert Shepard made many visits to veterans hospitals, made a training film for amputees and was an inspiration for injured veterans – which may be exactly what Undersecretary of War Robert Patterson and Washington Senators owner Clark Griffith had in mind.

While Shepard was on the Senators’ active roster, the team was involved in a tight pennants race (the club would finish 1 ½ games behind the AL Champion Tigers) and manager Ossie Bluege was reluctant to use him in critical situations.

Then, on August 4, 1945, the opportunity to bring the war hero to the mound surfaced. It came with the Red Sox leading the Senators 14-2, with a runner on second and two outs in the top of the fourth. The Senators were in the second game of a double header, had already played twin bills on August, 1, 2, and 3 and were slated for another double dip on August 5.  The pitching staff was beleaguered and Shepard would prove to be just what the doctors ordered.

He came into a game  in which the BoSox bats were sizzling. They had already scored 12 runs (seven hits, six walks) in the inning, had a runner on second and clean-up hitter George “Catfish” Metkovich at the plate.  Shepard looked comfortable on the mound and pitched as well as he ever had (maybe even better). He struck out Metkovich to end the inning – and went on to finish the game – giving up just one run over 5 1/3 frames.

It was to be Shepard’s sole MLB appearance – but it was a good one, ending in a career 1.69 ERA for the only one-legged pitcher in baseball history.  Shepard was released by the Senators on September 30, 1945, but retained his passion for the game.

In 1946, with major league players now returning from military service, Shepard did not make the Senators’ active roster, but was signed as a coach. Shepard’s competitive fires were still burning however, and he  asked to be sent down to the minors, where he could prove himself on the field. His control issues continued and his situation was complicated by additional surgery (to remove more of his leg) after the season. Shepard signed with the St. Louis Browns for 1947, but was released after a stint with the Elmira club of the Eastern League. Additional surgeries followed, but Shepard continued to play the game he loved – taking the minor-league mound as late as 1955, pitching in semi-pro leagues and managing in the minor leagues in 1949, 1952 and 1954.

After finally hanging up his baseball spikes, Shepard’s competitive spirit continued and he took up golf – winning the United States Amputee Gold Championship in 1968 and 1971/

Shepard passed away in 2008, at age 87.

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; Bert Shepard Society for American Baseball Research biography, by Terry Bohn; Shot Down in the Prime  of Life: Bert Shepard, Who Pitched One Major League  Game With One leg, Searched  for years to Find Out Who Saved His Life,  by Chris Dufresne, Los Angeles Times, October 6, 1995; Valor  of Many Stripes, by Scott Baron, 2019. McFarland and Company; Bert Shepard, 87, Who Pitched in Majors After War Amputation Dies, by Richard Goldstein New York Times, June 20, 2008.

—- PAST JOHN PACIOREK AWARD HONOREES (with links) —-

2014 – Brian Scott Dallimore

In his first start (not his first game) for the 2004 Giants, Dallimore had two singles, a Grand Slam (his first MLB hit and only MLB home run), a walk and a hit by pitch.  For the full JPA take on Dallimore’s 27- game MLB career, click here.

2015 – Roy Gleason

Gleason played in just eight MLB games, had a double in his only MLB at bat – but also earned a World Series ring (1963) and a Purple Heart. Ultimately, he was the only ballplayer with MLB experience to serve on the front lines in Vietnam. For the full JPA take on Gleason, click here. Note: Gleason’s life is detailed in the book “Lost in the Sun – Roy Gleason’s Odyssey from the Outfield to the Battlefield.”

2016 – John Allen Miller

Miller played just 32 MLB games (during the 1966 and 1969), taking the field (at 1B/LF/3B/2B) for the Yankees and Dodgers. Miller collected ten hits in 61 MLB at bats (.164 average) and hit just two home runs – but he made those long balls count.  Miller made his MLB debut with the Yankees on September 11, 1966 and hit a two-run homer in his first big league at bat – making him (surprisingly) the first Yankee ever to homer in his first MLB at bat. (Little did Miller know he would not get another home run or RBI until the final at bat of his MLB career.)  Miller’s final at bat came as a Dodger (September 23, 1969) and he stroked a solo home run.  That narrow “body of work” made Miller one of just two players in MLB history to homer in their first and final official appearances in a major league batter’s box. For more on Miller, click here.

2017 – Chris Saenz

RHP Chris Saenz’ big day came on April 24, 2004 – when he was called up from Double A Huntsville (where he was 1-1, 3.86) to make a spot start against the Saint Louis Cardinals, whose powerful lineup included the likes of Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, Jim Edmonds and Reggie Sanders.   The rookie went six innings, giving up just two hits, three walks and no runs, while fanning seven. There was some speculation (primarily among sportswriters and fans) that Saenz’ performance might earn him another start or two, but two days after his debut, he was on his way back to Huntsville.  Unfortunately, his minor league season included a September elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery and he never returned to the majors. Statistics before 1900 can be sketchy, but baseball-reference.com shows that Saenz is the only pitcher to complete a one-game MLB career of at least five innings pitched, without giving up a single run (earned or unearned). For more details on this JPA honoree, click here.

2018 – Keith McDonald

Keith McDonald’s MLB career (Cardinals 2000-2001) covered just eight games and 11 plate appearances (nine at bats) and three hits – but he made them count.  All of McDonald’s safeties were home runs – making him the only MLB player with more than one career hit who can look back on major league career in which his every hit was a home run.  McDonald is also one of only two players – and the only National Leaguer – to homer in his first two major league plate appearances.  For the full story, click here.

2019 – Harley Hisner

Harley Hisner’s MLB tenure encompassed the day of September 30, 1951. That’s when the 24-year-old righty faced the New York Yankees – and a lineup that included five future Hall of Famers: Mickey Mantle in RF; Joe DiMaggio in CF; Phil Rizzuto at SS; Johnny Mize at 1B; and Yogi Berra behind the plate. In is very first MLB inning, Hisner faced five batters, four of them future Hall of Famers, and gave up two singles and no runs.  His place in history? One of those singles was Joe DiMaggio’s last MLB safety. He faced Mickey Mantle four times in the game – walking him once, fanning him twice and getting him to hit into a double play.  Hisner’s final career stat was 0-1, 4.50, with six innings pitched, seven hits, three earned runs, four walks and three strikeouts. For more on Harley Hisner and his ongoing involvement in and love of the game (he went on to earn the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association Colin Lister Award for “dedication to the game of baseball and its historic legacy,” click here.

–—-INSPIRATION FOR THE JPA—–

John Paciorek – signed out of Saint Ladislaus High School in Hamtramck, Michigan (where he had starred in football, basketball and baseball) – appeared in his first major league game on the final day of the 1963 season (September 29) at the age of 18.  The 6’ 1”, 200-pound outfielder had spent the 1963 season with Class A Modesto Colts. The Colts’ parent club, the Houston Colt .45s (that was the current Astros’ franchise name back then), was suffering through a difficult season. The team was 65-96 going into that final game.  Looking to the future, Houston had, in fact, fielded an all-rookie lineup (average age 19) on September 27. Youth was still being served two days later when John Paciorek started his first MLB game. The results were surprising – and worthy of recognition.

Playing right field and batting seventh in a 13-4 win over the NY Mets, Paciorek ended up with three hits and two walks in five plate appearances, with four runs scored and three runs batted in.  Perhaps equally surprising is that it was not only Paciorek’s first major league appearance, it was to be his only MLB appearance.  Back pain the following spring, followed by surgery (he played 49 minor league games in 1964 and missed all of the 1965 season), put an end to his MLB playing days. (Paciorek did play in four more minor league seasons.)  Still, you will find John Paciorek in the Baseball Encyclopedia and his is arguably the greatest one-game MLB career ever.  Among one-gamers, he holds the record for times on base and runs scored, and shares the record for batting average, on base percentage and RBIs.

Paciorek, by the way, went on to become a high school teacher and multi-sport coach and is the author of four books (Plato and Socrates – Baseball’s Wisest Fans; The Principles of Baseball: And All There Is To Know About Hitting; and If I Knew Then What I Know Now.  You also can enjoy Paciorek’s prose (and expertise) directly at his blog “Paciorek’s Principles of Perfect Practice” by clicking here. You can find out even more about Paciorek in Steven Wagner’s 2015 book “Perfect: The Rise and Fall of John Paciorek, Baseball’s Greatest One-Game Wonder.”  (See the review of “Perfect” by clicking here.)

A final note. John Paciorek’s insight into the national pastime should come as no surprise. Paciorek comes from a true “baseball family.”  He was the first born of eight siblings and was followed to the big leagues by younger brothers Jim and Tom Paciorek.  (Like John, Jim’s MLB career was short – 48 games for the Brewers in 1987. Brother Tom, however, achieved a .282 average over an 18-season MLB career.

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