Summer 2012 - The Official Site of Major League Baseball Players

Summer 2012
Former players enjoy camaraderie at Legends for Youth clinic
By Brian Hedger / Special to MLB.com
It didn’t take long for the old stories
to begin, whether it was Milt Pappas
talking about the stress of pitching
to Yogi Berra or Steve Sax sharing
a laugh about ribbing clubhouse
workers in certain ballparks.
The group of former Major League
players who conducted a free youth
clinic on Saturday morning at Triton
College in River Grove, Ill., covered
several generations, a number of teams
they played for and enough stories to
put smiles on their faces.
“We were in the car coming over here
and just cracking up telling stories,”
said former left-handed pitcher Mike
Remlinger, who spent three seasons
with the Chicago Cubs among his 12
seasons in the bigs.
“I think that’s what we miss more
than anything, is the camaraderie and
all of the goofy, funny things we’ve
done over the careers that we all had.”
Remlinger, who retired in 2006,
made his first appearance as an
instructor at the annual free “Legends
for Youth” baseball clinic put on by
the Major League Baseball Players
Alumni Association and sponsored by
Hanover Insurance Group, which will
sponsor similar clinics in Milwaukee
and Springfield, Ill., later this summer.
“I’ve always been a big fan of the
game,” said Remlinger, who now lives
in Phoenix and works as a life coach
with Pathways Group, Inc., which
helps professional athletes transition
back to everyday life after retirement.
“I love talking to the older guys. To be
around these guys now and get them
talking about some of the things they
did -- we were talking to Milt Pappas,
and he started talking about facing
story continued on page 3...
Left to right: Milt Pappas, Mike Remlinger, Bill Campbell and Gary Bell
A Publication of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association
Baseball Alumni News
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MLBPAA Board of Directors
MLAM Board of Directors
Jim Hannan – Chairman
Fred Valentine – Vice Chair and
Secretary/Treasurer
Brian Fisher – Asst. Sec.
Sandy Alderson, John Doherty,
Denny Doyle, Joseph Garagiola, Jr.,
Doug Glanville, Jim “Mudcat” Grant,
Rich Hand, Steve Rogers,
Will Royster, Jim Sadowski,
Jose Valdivielso
Sam Moore – Legal Counsel
David Mindell – Asst. Counsel
Jerry Moses – Chairman
Orestes Destrade, Noah Garden,
Paul Hartzell, Evan Kaplan, Al Leiter,
Ethan Orlinski, Andy Parton, Jim Poole,
Brooks Robinson
MLBPAA Officers
President
Brooks Robinson
Vice Presidents
Bob Boone, George Brett,
Carl Erskine, Mike Hegan, Chuck
Hinton, Al Kaline, Rusty Staub,
Robin Yount
Once a Major Leaguer, always a Major Leaguer. The Major League
Alumni Marketing is currently working on a project to ensure you
get compensated for your social media endeavors. If you use
Twitter and are a retired Major League Baseball player, please
email Nikki Warner, Public Relations Coordinator at
[email protected] with your Twitter handle or just mention
her in a Tweet by using the handle @NikkiWarner or
@MLBPAA. More info to follow in the coming months.
MLAM Officers
Tom Seaver – President
Fergie Jenkins – Vice President
Dave Winfield – Vice President
Sam Moore – Legal Counsel,
Secretary/Treasurer
David Mindell – Asst. Sec.
MLAS Board of Directors
Craig Skok – Chairman
Eddie Robinson – President
Vern Fuller – Vice Chairman
Bret Boone, Denny Doyle,
Rich Hand, Jerry Kindall, Mark
Kotsay, Jim McManus, Mike Myers
Jimmy Wynn – Secretary/Treasurer,
Sam Moore – Legal Counsel/Asst. Sec.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Former players enjoy camaraderie at Legends for Youth Clinic...................................................................................1,3
A Perfect Day for Doubleday: Heroes of the Game Thrill Fans in Cooperstown at Saturday’s Hall of Fame Classic.........4-5
2012 MLBPAA Clinic & Fundraising Schedule................................................................................................................6
Where are they now? Bill Campbell........................................................................................................................7,10
Step up to the Plate with John Rocker...................................................................................................................11-12
In Remembrance of Baseball Legends...................................................................................................................13-15
*photo on front and back cover courtesy of Nikki Warner, MLBPAA
2
Summer 2012
Yogi Berra in the seventh, eighth and
ninth inning and how tough he was.
Stuff like that is priceless to me.”
Bill Campbell, one of Remlinger’s coinstructors at a throwing mechanics
station, had some stories of his own
to share. After playing for seven
teams over 15 seasons in the Major
Leagues, Campbell also felt the void
of camaraderie after retiring following
the 1987 season.
Like a lot of former players, he
instructs pitching mechanics on his
own. Getting to do it on a bright,
sun-splashed day with a handful
of peers, however, was even more
enjoyable.
“We were sitting around in the
clubhouse over there, getting ready to
go and then the old stories started,”
said Campbell, who was drafted
by Minnesota and made his Major
League Debut in 1974.
picturesque day for baseball.
“It’s fun to kind of get you back and
remember all those good things you
had in baseball, and you put yourself
in the kids’ place,” said Sax, who ran a
hitting station in center field. “I wish
I’d had something like this as a kid.
It’s just amazing what they’ve done
here for these kids.”
What it did for the big “kids” was also
pretty remarkable.
“We had some unbelievable hilarity in
the car coming over here,” said Sax,
who now lives in Northern California
and works as a motivational speaker
after playing 18 seasons in the Major
Leagues. “Having all the generations
here is kind of a cool thing, too,
when you hear things from different
generations [of ballplayers]. Some
things never change.”
playing days seem even deeper in the
past.
“It really does go quick,” said
Remlinger, who retired in 2006.
“Those are definitely great memories,
though. I loved going out and doing
it, and coming out to do stuff like this
just prolongs it.”
Campbell agreed and put the day
into perspective with a simple selfcorrection. After calling the day-today grind of professional baseball
a “reality,” he quickly changed his
wording.
“Actually, it was more of a fantasy,”
Campbell said. “And when you leave
the game, you realize just how much
of a fantasy it was.”
This story was not subject to the
approval of Major League Baseball
or its clubs.
What does change is their age. And
each year that passes makes the
“I think every ballplayer misses that.
You realize you can’t strike everybody
out anymore, but you can always
have the memories of the old stories
playing the game or just riding the
bus. Those are the goofy things about
baseball that you miss.”
Or, as Pappas -- a Cubs fan favorite -put it: “The stories get longer and the
home runs get longer and all that.”
Indeed, they did. The fastballs got
a little faster, as well. It’s just what
happens whenever former ballplayers
get talking about the old days. The
added bonus was that it wasn’t at
some obscure watering hole.
The backdrop was a beautiful college
baseball field on an even more
Scott Sobkowiak gives insight on throwing to young players.
3
Baseball Alumni News
A Perfect Day for Doubleday: Heroes of the Game Thrill Fans
in Cooperstown at Saturday’s Hall of Fame Classic
Game MVP Desi Relaford Leads The Knucksies to 5-4 Win over
The Wizards in Legends Game at the Home of Baseball
By National Baseball Hall of Fame
COOPERSTOWN, NY – The
legends laughed, the sun shined and
the fans cheered – all amidst a little
baseball on Saturday, June 16th at
the Hall of Fame Classic at historic
Doubleday Field.
At the end of the afternoon, everyone
went home smiling on a perfect daybefore-Father’s Day in Cooperstown.
“This is where you connect
generations through the game of
baseball,” said Hall of Famer Ozzie
Smith, whose Wizards fell to Phil
Niekro’s Knucksies 5-4 in the annual
seven-inning legends game. “It
gives the kids a chance to share this
wonderful place. It’s always special to
come back to Cooperstown.”
On an 80-degree afternoon in front
of 5,116 sun-splashed fans, six Hall
of Fame legends and more than 20
former Major League Baseball players
laced up their spikes and dusted off
their uniforms for another bow on the
diamond. The fourth annual Hall of
Fame Classic was co-organized by the
National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Museum and by the Major League
Baseball Players Alumni Association.
For the fourth straight year, Ford
Motor Company was the Presenting
Sponsor of the Hall of Fame Classic.
Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven started on
the mound for The Wizards, pitching
Ben Davis and son enjoy an idyllic weekend at the Hall of Fame Classic. Photo courtesy of National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
4
Summer 2012
three innings and taking his legendary
curveball out for one more spin.
winner of the Bob Feller Player of the
Game Award.
“It was a lot of fun, but I’m just glad
no one hit one back up the middle,”
said Blyleven, who was elected to the
Hall of Fame in 2011. “It was great
seeing everyone again – the Hall of
Famers and all the guys.”
“I’m completely honored just to
be here in Cooperstown,” Relaford
said. “And now to have an award
named after Mr. Bob Feller, that’s
unbelievable.”
The Wizards took a 1-0 lead in the
first inning when Dante Bichette’s
long single off the left field wall scored
Smith. Brian Boehringer’s single scored
Ben Davis in the second inning to
make it 2-0 in favor of The Wizards.
The Knucksies tied the game at 2 in
the bottom of the third on a two-run
single by Dennis Rasmussen, but
Blyleven pitched out of a bases-loaded
jam by striking out Jesse Barfield and
getting Howard Johnson to ground out
to Bichette at first base.
Jack Lazorko put The Wizards back in
front 3-2 in the fifth inning with an
RBI double that scored Jesse Trail of
the Military All-Stars, who participated
in the game at the invitation of the
Hall of Fame and the MLBPAA. The
Wizards scored another run in the
sixth inning when Military All-Star
Karl Seiter singled in Brian Fisher –
with Fisher scoring on a belly flop into
home plate.
The fourth annual Hall of Fame
Classic Weekend was presented by
Ford Motor Company, and the game
featured Hall of Famers Bert Blyleven,
Carlton Fisk, Eddie Murray, Phil
Niekro, Tony Pérez and Ozzie Smith,
along with two dozen former major
leaguers. The former big leaguers
included Jesse Barfield, Joel Bennett,
Dante Bichette, Brian Boehringer,
Will Cunnane, Ben Davis, John
Doherty, Darrell Evans, Brian Fisher,
Todd Haney, Jim Hannan, Howard
Johnson, Rick Lancellotti, Jack
Lazorko, Rob Mackowiak, Oreste
Marrero, C.J. Nitkowski, Russ Ortiz,
Dennis Rasmussen, Desi Relaford, Jon
Warden, Rick Wise and Dmitri Young.
featuring the Hall of Famers and
former major leaguers. Fans lined the
Main Street route five-deep to see their
heroes in a traditional summertime
processional in America’s Most Perfect
Village.
The players arrived at Doubleday
Field following the parade and then
participated in the Hitting Contest,
which was won by Dmitri Young, who
hit 171 home runs for four teams in
his 13-year big league career. Young
defended his 2011 Hitting Contest
title, edging Classic newcomer Bichette
in the finals. For winning the hitting
contest, Young received a Tiffany
watch courtesy of Tiffany & Co.
“Now I’ve got one watch for weekdays
and one for weekends,” joked Young
following the hitting contest. “And
if they’ll have me, I’ll keep coming
back for more. It’s an honor to be in
Cooperstown for this event.”
The day got under way with the
Cooperstown Game Day Parade
In the bottom of the seventh, Oreste
Marrero cut The Wizards’ lead to
4-3 with a leadoff home run, and
three more batters followed with
hits off Fisher before Bichette – an
outfielder in his big league days –
came on in relief. But Desi Relaford
greeted Bichette with a single to right
field, scoring Military All-Star Ryan
Hurtado and Will Cunnane to give
The Knucksies a 5-4 walk-off win. The
hit cemented Relaford’s status as the
Darrell Evans & Dmitri Young. Photo courtesy of Milo Stewart Jr. / National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
5
Baseball Alumni News
2012 MLBPAA
Clinic & Fundraising Schedule
EVENT
Stockton Legends Clinic and Game
Springfield Clinic
Baltimore Fundraiser
Newport, Rhode Island Clinic
Basalt, CO Clinic
Pittsburgh Golf Event
D.C. Clinic
Huntington Beach Clinic
UNC-Wilmington’s Clinic
Denver Clinic
Calhoun Clinic
Colorado Springs Clinic
Belgrade Lakes Clinic
Belgrade Lakes Fundraiser
Cape Cod Clinic
Williamsport L.L. Golf Event
Boston Clinic
Commerce Clinic
Milwaukee Fundraiser
Commerce Fundraiser
Kansas City Gala
Philadelphia Clinic
Cartersville Clinic
Newburge, IN Golf Event
Copperas Cove Clinic
Houston Clinic
Bulle Rock, MD Fundraiser
Bridgeport Clinic
Milford, CT Fundraiser
Palm Coast Fundraiser
McKinney Clinic
San Diego Fundraiser
Safety Council of Kansas City
Yorktown Heights, NY Golf Event
Hit with the Pros Golf Outing
Peoria Clinic
DATECITY/STATE
July 4, 2012 Stockton, Calif.
July 7, 2012
Springfield, Ill.
July 9, 2012
Baltimore, MD
July 11,2012
Newport, RI
July 15, 2012
Basalt, CO
July 16,2012
Pittsburgh, PA
July 17, 2012
Washington, D.C.
July 18, 2012
Huntington Beach, CA
July 19, 2012
Wilmington, NC
July 21, 2012
Denver, CO
July 27, 2012
Calhoun, GA
July 28, 2012
Colorado Springs, CO
July 28, 2012
Belgrade Lakes, ME
July 30, 2012
Belgrade Lakes, ME
July 31, 2012
Harwich, MA
August 6, 2012
Williamsport, PA
August 7, 2012
Boston, MA
August 12, 2012
Commerce, MI
August 12 & 13, 2012
Lake Geneva, WI
August 12 & 13, 2012
Commerce, MI
August 21, 2012
Kansas City, MO
August 24, 2012
Philadelphia, PA
September 8, 2012
Cartersville, GA
September 10, 2012
Newburge, IN
September 15, 2012
Copperas Cove, TX
September 16, 2012
Houston, TX
September 21, 2012
Bulle Rock, MD
September 23, 2012
Bridgeport, CT
September 24, 2012
Milford, CT
September 22-24, 2012
Palm Coast, FL
September 29, 2012
McKinney, TX
October 1, 2012
San Diego, CA
October 8, 2012
Kansas City MO
October 8, 2012
Yorktown Heights, NY
October 15, 2012
Horsham, PA
November 11, 2012
Peoria, AZ
*All dates and times subject to change.
Please check www.baseballalumni.com frequently for updates.
If you are interested in bringing a fundraising event to your community, please contact
Mike Grole at (719) 477-1870, ext. 104 or by emailing [email protected].
6
Help us grow your
Alumni Association
to new heights!
Our members work in a variety of industries
spanning the United States and we are
looking to YOU for support in finding
new member benefits.
•Does your company want to promote
business to our members?
•Can you offer an exclusive discount to
our elite fraternity?
•Do you have family or friends that may
be able to assist?
•Do you have a connection with an
organization that aligns with our
mission?
•Or do you have a great idea that will
benefit your fellow players?
Our goal my goal is to double your
membership benefits by the end of the year.
Our strength is in our numbers,
and we are eager to
bring new membership benefits to you.
Please e-mail any ideas directly to
[email protected], and help us build
a stronger Alumni Association for all!
Summer 2012
Bill Campbell
By Sam Lovstad and Spencer Heintz
Over
the course of many years,
the game of baseball
changes in many ways and former
players take notice. Some may say that
the power of hitters has increased or
the speed and athleticism of players
has improved. For pitchers, however,
the change in strategy from the ‘70s
until now has left some wondering if
their careers would have been different
had they played in the modern day.
Bill Campbell, nicknamed “Soup”
because of his last name, is one of
those pitchers from the ‘70s era who
thinks his career could have been much
different today.
Born August 9, 1948 in Highland
Park, Michigan, Campbell grew up in
Southern California graduating from
Ganesha High School in Ponoma, CA.
Signed as an amateur free agent in 1970
by the Minnesota Twins, Campbell
recalls the most memorable moment of
his career being called up to big leagues
on Friday the 13th of all days. Campbell
eventually made his MLB debut with
the Twins on July 14, 1973, pitching
one inning of relief for Jim Kaat.
Throughout his 15 year career in the
majors, he spent time with the Twins,
the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago Cubs,
the Philadelphia Phillies, the St. Louis
Cardinals, and the Detroit Tigers. After
arm trouble began to surface in 1978,
a 3.54 ERA and an 83-68 record.
Today, Campbell is still recognized as
one of the most dominant relief pitchers
of his time. In 1976, he amassed a 17-5
record as a closer, which still stands
tied for the American League record for
wins in a season by a reliever. Campbell
signed with the Red Sox after his
dominant ’76 campaign as one of the
first high profile big money free agents
in baseball. Following
the 1976-1977 season,
Campbell was awarded the
AL Fireman of the Year by
The Sporting News and the
“Rolaids Relief Man of the
Year Award”. Campbell still
views his 1977 selection to
the All -Star game as one of the most
exciting moments of his career.
“Campbell is still recognized
as one of the most dominant
relief pitchers of his time.”
Campbell spent time in the minors
working hard to make it again in the
majors. Finally, he pitched in his final
game with the Montreal Expos on April
30, 1987 ending his storied career with
During the 1970s and 1980s, it was
extremely common to see closers pitch
story continued on page 10...
7
Baseball Alumni News
Honoring
YOUTH DINNER
2012
13th LEGENDS FOR
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PL AYERS
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Rusty Staub, started out as a
Major League outfielder
for 23 years making six
All Star appearances.
He founded the
Legends for Youth Dinner.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
New York Marriott Marquis
1535 Broadway NY, NY
Hall of Famer Dave Winfield
is a seven-time Gold Glove
winner and six-time
Silver Slugger throughout his
22 years playing in
the Major Leagues.
Ticket Pricing:
Program Advertising:
$600 per individual plate
Full-page advertisement $2,000
$6,000 Legends for Youth Legends Table
Half-page vertical advertisement $1,000
$11,000 Legends for Youth Hall of Fame Table
Half-page horizontal advertisement $1,000
$25,000 Legends for Youth Dinner Honoree Table
Quarter-page advertisement $500
If you would like to donate auction items, please contact Nikki Warner,
Public Relations Coordinator, at [email protected].
Featuring:
Visit MLBPAA.com
for more info
@MLBPAA
8
Summer 2012
Sed mil ilignimil incit, nimus estorpos nobisi dio
LEAVE A LEGACY
Support the MLBPAA’s future by leaving a legacy
A gift to the MLBPAA through your estate delivers crucial benefits to us at no cost to you during your lifetime. A
bequest by will helps ensure we continue doing the work you value today, long into the future. Even if you have already
written a will, you can add a bequest to the MLBPAA by using a simple codicil.
Here are some options to include a gift to the MLBPAA in your will:
Residual Gift Language
A residual bequest comes to the MLBPAA after your estate expenses and specific bequests are paid:
I give and devise to Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (Tax ID #52-1276284), with offices located in
Colorado Springs, CO, all (or ____%) of the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, both real and personal, to be
used for its general support (or for the support of the Legends for Youth Clinic series).
Specific Gift Language
Naming MLBPAA as a beneficiary of a specific amount from your estate is easy:
I give and devise to Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (Tax ID #52-1276284), with offices located in
Colorado Springs, CO, the sum of $___________ to be used for its general support (or for the support of the Legends
for Youth Clinic series).
Contingent Gift Language
MLBPAA can be named as a contingent beneficiary in your will or personal trust if one or more of your specific
bequests cannot be fulfilled:
If (insert name) is not living at the time of my demise, I give and devise to Major League Baseball Players Alumni
Association (Tax ID #52-1276284), with offices located in Colorado Springs, CO, the sum of $_______ (or all or a
percentage of the residue of my estate) to be used for its general support (or for the support of the Legends for Youth
Clinic series).
For more information, contact Elaine Vanek, Development Coordinator at
1-800-336-5272, ext. 107 or email at [email protected].
NOTE – the information contained herein is not intended as legal or financial advice.
Please consult your attorney or tax advisor when considering a donation.
99
Baseball Alumni News
story continued from page 7...
not one, but two or three innings to
finish a ball game. In today’s modern
era, it’s uncommon for a closer to
pitch more than one inning to close
a game with the set-up pitchers
throwing during the middle to late
innings. Campbell wonders if he
could have managed to squeeze a
couple more years out of his career
had this been the case during his
playing days.
After retiring in 1987, Campbell
went into sports broadcasting and has
been a long time analyst for ESPN
radio and television contributing his
baseball expertise to fans across the
country. Campbell currently lives in
Palatine, Illinois, with his wife Linda,
a college professor whom he met in
Minnesota when he was playing for
the Minnesota Twins. The Campbell’s
have two daughters, one son and
one grandson. Since his playing
days, Campbell has continued to be
involved with the game of baseball
through coaching, clinics and various
events. From 1991 to 2002, Campbell
coached for nine years with the
Milwaukee Brewers’ organization and
three years in the St. Louis Cardinals’
organization. He has also participated
in clinics at Triton College, fantasy
camps for the Minnesota Twins and
Boston Red Sox, and numerous
Major League Baseball Players Alumni
Association (MLBPAA) events to
promote the game of baseball by
inspiring youth players.
Ride in Style!
$10 including shipping and handling
Order your MLBPAA license plate frame today
and show off your alumni status!
Please email Kate Hutchinson, Membership
Development Coordinator, at [email protected]
or call 1-800-366-5272 ext. 113.
*Artist rendering, not actual photo of product
10
Summer 2012
Step up to the Plate
with John Rocker
Interview with Nicki Keller, MLBPAA
1. What do you miss most from
your Major League playing days?
As far as the physical act of
performing on the field, I don’t
think I will ever feel the same
sensation and level of intensity as
is generated in a playoff baseball
atmosphere. It’s truly indescribablethe sights, sounds and feelings that
one experiences during an LCS or
World Series. I regret that I will
never experience that again from a
player’s perspective. As far as the
game in general, I very much miss
the camaraderie with teammates
as well as the other members of
an organization. Most days in the
clubhouse, on the bus, plane or in
the hotel was like spring break with
the boys. The day to day social
time to me was perhaps the most
enjoyable part of “the game”.
2. C
an you describe what you were
feeling on your MLB pitching
debut on May 5, 1998 for the
Atlanta Braves?
Unless you’ve been there it’s very
difficult. There were a thousand
different emotions and thoughts
I was trying to control as I was
living the culmination of a decade
long journey to the Major Leagues.
First and foremost I was simply
trying to stay intense and attack
my first Major League hitter, Todd
Hollingsworth. Secondly, I was
trying to play down the magnitude
of my reality by telling myself that
I was now officially a Big Leaguer
which could never be taken from
me and that whatever happens
from here is just icing on the cake.
Basically a little mind manipulation
101. And thirdly, I was just trying
not to throw it to the back stop.
Photos courtesy of the Atlanta Braves and John Rocker
I guess the simplest way to put
it would be to imagine your car
spinning out of control at 80 mph
and then someone asking you 5
minutes after it was over to describe
what you were seeing, feeling and
thinking during that time. That’s
about what your Big League debut
as a 22 year old kid resembles.
3. What is your proudest moment
as a baseball player?
My proudest moment was in
the 1999 Division Series against
Houston in the old Astro Dome.
The best of 5 series was tied at 1
when they brought me in during
the bottom of the 10th with the
bases loaded, no one out, the score
tied at 3, and the infield in. I can’t
think of a tougher situation. Well,
2 weak ground balls and a strike
out later I let out a primal scream
story continued on page 12...
11
Baseball Alumni News
that could be heard well over the
now 60,000 dejected Astro fans as
I walked off the field. I struck out
the side in the next inning and we
ended up winning in 12 and took
the series the next day to propel
ourselves to the NLCS.
4. The Ultimate Team Up for the
Wheelin’ Sportsmen in Alabama;
Georgia Transplant Foundation,
Safari Club International,
the Empty Stocking Fund;
Cornerstone for Living; the
Starlight Children’s Foundation;
Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital;
United Special Sportsman
Alliance...These are a number
of the things you participate in
for your community, can you
describe why these are important
to you?
I have been unbelievably blessed in
so many areas and just extremely
lucky in several others. Most of
the people I work with and have
worked with in the groups listed
above unfortunately cannot say
the same thing. I enjoy taking the
opportunity if just for an hour,
a day, or maybe even a weekend
to help people who are having a
consistently hard time to just forget
about their lives for a while. If
even just for a moment give them
a reason to smile. Let them forget
they have leukemia and just enjoy
the NASCAR race or the hunting
trip. It’s the least I can do when
given the opportunity. I just wish I
could do more.
12
5. What are you up to now?
What are some of your favorite
hobbies? What do you like to do
in your spare time?
I started a real estate development
company about a year before
I officially retired in 2005. To
date I have personally developed
about 700 units of single family
residential lots, multi-family
apartments and single family
attached houses. As the lending
environment has become
increasingly more difficult for a
little guy like me to borrow the
funds to do 20 million dollar deals
I have focused my attention during
the last year exclusively to buying
single family REO assets. I foresee
doing nothing but this for the next
3 to 5 years until the real estate
market forces me to adjust again.
In addition to real estate I wrote
and published a book that came
out in December of last year called
Rocker: Scars and Strikes. It’s
doing pretty well so far and can
be found in about a dozen stores
around the southeast as well as all
of the “.com’s” such as Amazon,
Barnes & Noble, etc. along
with my personal web site www.
johnrocker.net.
Favorite hobbies are pretty much
what they’ve always been. I hunt
and fish as much as I can. I prefer
to hunt anything with horns on
his head, but don’t mind wing
shooting. I also find myself in the
gym about 6 days a week mainly
to satisfy my vanity which I guess
would qualify as a hobby.
As far as my spare time is
concerned, what little I get is
generally spent engaged in one of
the hobbies mentioned above or
just simply relaxing and taking a
deep breath.
6. What recent events have you
participated in for the MLBPAA?
During the second week of May I
pitched a couple of innings in the
MLB alumni game in Boca Raton,
FL. I have no idea how I used to
make a living like that.
7. D
o you have a favorite quote?
“…. at the end of the day when it’s
all on the line and you reach that
place where success and failure go
their separate ways there is only one
person you ultimately must be able
to depend on, and that person had
better be you!”
Next Month’s
‘Step up to th Plate’
Email your questions to
[email protected], for the next
‘Step Up To The Plate’ featuring
2012 Lifetime
Achievement Award Winner
Rusty Staub
Summer 2012
In Remembrance of Baseball Legends:1940 and made his Major League debut
Herbert “Herb” Loren Adams was born
on April 14, 1928 in Hollywood, CA. He
signed with the Chicago White Sox as an
amateur free agent in 1947 and made his
Major League debut with the White Sox on
September 17, 1948. Adams played three
seasons for the White Sox. Adams passed
away on February 1, 2012 in Tulsa, OK.
Hubert “Hub” Andrews was born
on August 31, 1922 in Burbank, OK.
Andrews made his debut on April 20,
1947 for the San Francisco Giants. From
1947-1948, he had 8 appearances for the
Giants. Andrews passed away on March
11, 2012 in Dodge City, KS.
Richard “Rick” Kipp Behenna was
born on March 6, 1960 in Miami, FL.
Behenna was drafted by the Atlanta
Braves in the fourth round of the 1978
amateur draft and made his Major League
debut on April 12, 1983. He played in
MLB from 1983-1985 with the Braves
and the Cleveland Indians. Behenna
passed away on January 31, 2012 in
Newnan, GA.
Dennis John Bennett was born on
October 5, 1939 in Oakland, CA. He was
signed as an amateur free agent in 1958
by the Philadelphia Phillies. Bennett
made his debut May 12, 1962. Bennett
played from 1962-1968 with the Phillies,
the Boston Red Sox, the California Angels
and the New York Mets. Bennett passed
away on March 24, 2012 in Klamath
Falls, OR.
Fred Langdon Bradley was born on July
31, 1920 in Parsons, KS. He made his
debut on May 1, 1948 for the Chicago
White Sox. Bradley played for the White
Sox from 1948-1949. Bradley passed
away on April 24, 2012 in Pico Rivera,
CA at the age of 91.
Eldred “Bud” William Byerly was born
on October 26, 1920 in Webster Groves,
MO. He was signed by the St. Louis
Cardinals as an amateur free agent in
on September 26, 1943. After 3 seasons
with the Cardinals, Bud played 3 seasons
with the Cincinnati Reds, 3 seasons with
the Washington Senators, 1 season with
the Boston Red Sox and 2 seasons with
the San Francisco Giants with his final
debut game on July 21, 1960. Byerly
passed away on January 26, 2012 in St.
Louis, MO.
Gary Edmund Carter (Kid) was born
on April 8, 1954 in Culver City, CA.
He was drafted in the third round of
the 1972 amateur draft by the Montreal
Expos. Carter played from 1974-1992
with the Expos, the New York Mets,
the San Francisco Giants and the Los
Angeles Dodgers. Over his career, Carter
has made 11 All-Star game appearances
and received the Major League All-Star
Most Valuable Player Award in 1981 and
1984. He received the Gold Glove award
consecutively from 1980-1982 and the
Silver Slugger award consecutively from
1981-1986. Carter’s final game was
September 27, 1992 for the Expos. He
was inducted into the Hall of Fame in
2003. Carter passed away on February 16,
2012 in West Palm Beach, FL.
Clifford “Cliff” Day Chambers (Lefty)
was born on January 10, 1922 in
Portland, OR. He attended Washington
State University before being drafted
by the Chicago Cubs as an amateur
free agent in 1942. Chambers made his
Major League debut on April 24, 1948,
as a left-handed pitcher. He played in
MLB from 1948-1953 with the Cubs, St.
Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chambers passed away in January 21,
2012 in Eagle, ID at the age of 90.
David “Dave” Baird Cheadle Jr. was
born on February 19, 1952 in Greensboro,
NC. He attended the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill before being drafted
in the first round of the 1970 amateur draft
by the New York Yankees. Cheadle made
his Major League debut on September
16, 1973 with the Atlanta Braves. He
story continued on page 14...
13
Baseball Alumni News
In Remembrance of Baseball Legends continued...
passed away on February 25, 2012 in St.
Augustine, FL.
Alfred “Allie” Aloysius Clark was born
on June 16, 1923 in South Amboy, NJ.
Signed by the New York Yankees as an
amateur free agent in 1941, he made his
debut on August 5, 1947. Clark would go
on to play one season with the Yankees,
four seasons with the Cleveland Indians,
three seasons with the Philadelphia
Athletics and one season with the Chicago
White Sox. Clark passed away on April 2,
2012 in Morgan, NJ at the age of 88.
Danny Clyburn Jr. was born on April 6,
1974 in Lancaster, SC. After attending
Lancaster High School, he was drafted
by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second
round of the 1992 amateur draft. A
right-handed outfielder, Clyburn made
his debut on September 15, 1997 for the
Baltimore Orioles. After two seasons with
the Orioles, he played one season with the
Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Clyburn passed
away February 7, 2012 in Lancaster, SC.
Glenn Melvin Cox was born on February
3, 1931 in Montebello, CA. In 1950,
he was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers
as an amateur free agent. Cox made his
debut for the Kansas City Athletics on
September 20, 1955. He went on to play
four seasons for the Athletics. Cox passed
away on January 8, 2012 in Los Molinos,
CA.
Eugene ”Gene” Leon Crumling (Lefty)
was born on April 5, 1922 in Wrightsville,
PA. He attended Wrightsville High
School in Wrightsville, PA. Crumling
made his Major League debut on
September 11, 1945 as a catcher for the
St. Louis Cardinals. He passed away on
February 11, 2012 in Yorkana, PA at the
age of 89.
William Troy Herriage (Dutch) was
born on December 20, 1930 in Tipton,
OK. Herriage attended Oakdale High
School in Oakdale, CA before he was
drafted by the Kansas City Athletics on
14
November 27, 1955. He made his Major
League debut on April 25, 1956. Herriage
passed away on January 21, 2012 in
Atlanta, GA.
Kevin John Hickey was born on
February 25, 1956 in Chicago, IL. He
was signed as an amateur free agent in
1977 by the Chicago White Sox. He
made his Major League debut on April
14, 1981 for the White Sox as a lefthanded pitcher. He played three seasons
with the White Sox and went on to pitch
three seasons with the Baltimore Orioles.
Hickey passed away on May 16, 2012 in
Chicago, IL.
Lloyd Eldon Hittle Sr. was born on
February 21, 1924 in Acampo, CA. Hittle
attended Lodi High School in Lodi, CA
before being singed by the Washington
Senators. He made his debut on June
12, 1949. Hittle pitched two seasons
for the Senators for an overall win- loss
percentage of .389. Hittle passed away on
March 3, 2012 in Lodi, CA at the age of
88.
Stanley “Stan” Lucius Johnson was born
on February 12, 1937 in Dallas, TX.
Johnson was signed by the Chicago White
Sox as an amateur free agent in 1957. He
made his debut on September 18, 1960
for the White Sox. After one season with
the White Sox, Johnson played one season
for the Kansas City Athletics. Johnson
passed away on April 17, 2012 in San
Francisco, CA.
Howard “Howie” Dean Koplitz was
born on May 4, 1938 in Oshkosh, WI.
Drafted by the Detroit Tigers as an
amateur free agent in 1956, Koplitz made
his Major League debut September 8,
1961. Koplitz had an ERA of 4.58 for his
two seasons with the Tigers. He went on
to play three seasons with the Washington
Senators and played 40 games. Koplitz
passed away on January 2, 2012 in
Oshkosh, WI at the age of 73.
Gerald “Jerry” Thomas Lynch was born
on July 17, 1930 in Bay City, MI. He
made his Major League debut on April
15, 1954 for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Overall in his career, he played seven
seasons with the Pirates and seven seasons
with the Cincinnati Reds from 19541966. Lynch passed away on April 1,
2012 in Austell, GA.
Terry Alan Matthews was born on
October 5, 1964 in Alexandria, LA.
Drafted by the Texas Rangers in 1987,
Matthews made his Major League debut
on June 21, 1991 pitching for the Texas
Rangers. He signed on as a free agent
with the Marlins from 94’-96’, traded to
the Orioles in 96’-98’ and finally signed
on as a free agent to the Royals in 99’.
Matthews had an ERA of 4.25 for 324
games in eight seasons. He passed away
on February, 24 2012 in Alexandria, LA.
Donald “Don” Ray Mincher was born
June 24, 1938 in Huntsville, AL. He
made his Major League debut as a first
basemen on April 18, 1960 for the
Washington Senators. He was later
traded to the Twins where he played for
seven years. Mincher made his first All
Star appearance in 1967 for the Angels,
and his second All Star appearance in
1969 for the Seattle Pilots. During his
career he also played for the Athletics and
Rangers. Mincher passed away on March
4, 2012 in Huntsville, AL.
Raymond “Ray” Edmond Narleski was
born November 25, 1928 in Camden,
NJ. Signed by the Cleveland Indians in
1948, he made his Major League debut
on April 17, 1954. Narleski pitched five
seasons with the Indians and his final
season with the Tigers ending with a 3.60
average ERA in a total of 266 games. He
was an All-Star for the Indians in 1956
and 1958. Narleski passed away on March
29, 2012 in Clementon, NJ.
Summer 2012
Howard “Howie” Ralph Nunn was
born October 18, 1935 in Westfield,
NC. He made his Major League debut
on April 11, 1959 pitching for the St.
Louis Cardinals. A year later Nunn
was purchased by the Cincinnati Reds
where he pitched his two final seasons.
Nunn passed away February 17, 2012 in
Winston-Salem, NC.
John Francis O’Neil was born on April
19, 1920 in Shelbiana, KY. He made his
Major League debut on April 16, 1946
playing shortstop for the Philadelphia
Phillies. O’Neil also played 15 seasons
in the minor leagues. He passed away on
April 18, 2012 at the age of 91.
James “Jim” Thomas Obradovich was
born on September 13, 1949 in Fort
Campbell, KY. He made his Major
League debut on September 12, 1978 for
the Houston Astros. He played first base
for one year for the Astros. Obradovich
passed away on March 3, 2012 in
Lancaster, KY.
Melvin “Mel” Lloyd Parnell (Dusty) was
born on June 13, 1922 in New Orleans,
LA. His Major League debut was on April
20, 1947 for the Boston Red Sox. He
pitched for the Red Sox from 1947-1956
where held an all-time win-loss record of
123-75 Dusty was an All-Star for the Red
Sox in 1949 and 1951. He passed away
on March 20, 2012 in New Orleans, LA.
David “Dave” Earl Philley was born
May 16, 1920 in Paris, TX. He made his
debut with the Chicago White Sox in
1941, but entered into the military service
from 1943-1945. He once again joined
the White Sox in 1946, and had a 22
season long career also having played for
the Blue Jays, Athletics, Indians, Orioles,
Tigers, Phillies, Giants, and Red Sox.
Philley passed away March 15, 2012 in
Paris, TX.
Andrew “Andy” David Replogle was
born October 7, 1953 in South Bend,
IN. He was drafted by the St. Louis
Cardinals in the 9th round of the 1975
amateur draft and made his Major League
debut on April 11, 1978. He pitched for
the Milwaukee Brewers in 1978-1979.
Replogle passed away April 10, 2012 in
Fort Meyers, FL.
Robert “Bob” A. Roesner was born in
1926 in Baltimore, MD. He made his
debut appearance as a Major League
umpire in 1978 and umped for one year.
Roesner passed away on February 26,
2012 in Naples, Florida at the age of 86.
William “Bill” Joseph Skowron
(Moose) was born December 18, 1930 in
Chicago, IL. He made his Major League
debut with the New York Yankees on
April 13, 1954. He was an All-Star for
the Yankees from 1957-1961 and for the
White Sox in 1965. During his 16 seasons
in the Major Leagues he also played
for the Senators, Dodgers and Angels.
Skowron passed away on April 27, 2012
in Arlington Heights, IL.
Martin “Marty” John Springstead was
born on July 9, 1937 in Nyack, NY. He
made his debut appearance as a MLB
umpire in 1966. Springstead umped for
twenty years in the Major Leagues with his
last appearance in 1985. Springstead passed
away January 17, 2012 in Sarasota, FL.
Thaddeus “Thad” Asa Tillotson was
born December 20, 1940 in Merced, CA.
Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an
amateur free agent in 1960, Thad made
his Major League debut April 14, 1967
with the New York Yankees. He started
five games for the Yankees in his first
year and was then a reliever in 1968. In
two seasons with the Yankees, Thad had
an ERA of 4.06. His final game was on
August 11, 1968. Tillotson passed away
on May 16, 2012 in his hometown of
Merced, CA.
Allen “Al” Francis Veigel was born on
January 30, 1917 in Dover, OH. Veigel
was a right handed pitcher who only
played one season for the Boston Bees.
He made his debut with the Bees on
September 21, 1939. In a one season
career, Veigel had a 6.75 ERA over two
appearances. At the age of 95, Veigel
passed away April 8, 2012 in Dover, OH.
John “Jay” Francis Ward was born
September 9, 1938 in Brookfield, MO.
Signed by the New York Yankees as an
amateur free agent in 1956; he made
his big league debut in 1963 with the
Minnesota Twins. Ward was able to play
both second base and third base and was
also frequently used as a pinch hitter. He
played two seasons with the Twins from
1963-1964 and later finished his career
with the Cincinnati Reds. In his final
season with the Reds, Ward appeared
in six games and his final game came
on June 7, 1970. Ward passed away on
February 24, 2012 in Kalispell, MT at the
age of 73.
Daniel “Danny” Webster Litwhiler
was born August 31, 1916 in Ringtown,
PA. He attended Bloomsburg University
of Pennsylvania before being signed as a
free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies,
and made his debut with the team on
April 25, 1940. Litwhiler played for the
Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston
Braves, and Cincinnati Reds from 19401951, winning a World Series with the
Cardinals in 1944. Litwhiler passed away
September 23, 2011 in Clearwater, FL.
Frank Lee Wills was born October 26,
1958 in New Orleans, LA. Wills attended
Tulane University and was drafted 16th
overall by the Kansas City Royals in the
1980 amateur draft. Wills was a member
of the Royals from 1983-1984. He was
then traded to the Seattle Mariners, where
he played for one season before going to
the Cleveland Indians for the 1986 and
1987 seasons. Wills finished his 9 season
career with the Toronto Blue Jays and had
his best statistical season in 1989 with
a 3-1 record and an ERA of 3.66. On
May 11, 2012, Wills passed away in his
hometown of New Orleans, LA.
15
Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association
1631 Mesa Avenue, Suite D
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: (719) 477-1870
Fax: (719) 477-1875
Email: [email protected]
www.baseballalumni.com
@MLBPAA
MLBPAA Mission Statement
To promote the game of baseball, raise money
for charity, inspire and educate youth through
positive sport images and protect the dignity
of the game through former Major League players.
Herm Winningham spends
time with eager learners at
the Douglasville, GA Clinic.
A Publication of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association