<— JUNE 05     JUNE 07 —>

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1849 Jim Devlin
1864 Ed McKean
1870 Gus Creely
1870 Jake Hewitt
1871 Bill Lange
1871 Jim St. Vrain
1874 Bill Mellor
1890 Harry Bauchman
1891 Carl Cashion
1892 Joe Pate
1896 Jose Maria Fernandez
1897 Ray Pierce
1902 Fresco Thompson

Lafayette Fresco Thompson was plucked out of Centreville, AL to become one of the more colorful ballplayers of the 1920s and 1930s before he took on a number of roles in the Dodgers chain – manager, scout, minor league director and finally GM and VP for Los Angeles in the late 1960s.

After graduating from Columbia, Thompson’s first professional job was in Grand Island, Nebraska – then Omaha, where he was noticed by the Pirates. For some reason he didn’t stick – Thompson was dispatched to Buffalo where he led the league with 145 runs scored and helped win a minor league World Series over Baltimore. The Giants took him and then moved him to Philadelphia. After about five seasons there, he bounced around between Brooklyn and New York. Early in his career, the term “Peppery” was used to describe Thompson – but I read a piece in TSN that said by the time he got to Brooklyn in 1931, he was handcuffed by an inferiority complex. Weeks later, he injured his leg in 1931 and couldn’t get his job back…

Toward the end of his major league career, Fresco was asked to join a spring training game as a pinch runner for the NY Giants. “Thank you, but I’ve just had my shoes shined…” As you can imagine, he wasn’t long for the majors by then.

He wasn’t done, though. He would spend a decade in the American Association before joining the Dodgers organization.

I bought his book recently (Not Every Diamond Sparkles) and it’s okay – mostly one liners from his many speaking engagements, but lacking in anything really interesting.

1907 Bill Dickey
1908 Izzy Goldstein
1910 Chet Morgan
1914 Eddie Silber
1914 Jesse Brown
1914 Wild Bill Wright
1915 Ray Stoviak
1916 Dario Lodigiani
1918 Jimmy Hill
1920 Jim Elam
1927 Bob Talbot
1931 Rudy Arias
1931 Carl Willey
1942 Bill Davis
1943 Merv Rettenmund
1944 Bud Harrelson
1945 Larry Howard
1946 Gaylen Pitts
1948 Bob Randall

For a few years, Randall was the manager of the Kansas Jayhawks baseball team.

1949 Jim Deidel
1953 Dave Bergman
1955 Chris Nyman
1955 Angel Moreno
1957 Steve Fireovid
1957 Max Venable
1959 Doug Frobel
1964 Edgar Caceres
1967 Ken Ramos
1972 Tony Graffanino
1972 Brooks Kieschnick
1972 Jeff Williams
1975 David Lamb
1977 Mark Ellis
1978 Jaime Bubela
1979 Jeremy Affeldt
1979 Jesus Feliciano
1980 Matt Belisle
1981 Eddie Bonine
1983 Irving Falu
1984 Emiliano Fruto
1985 Trystan Magnuson
1986 Junichi Tazawa
1986 Collin Balester
1989 Ethan Martin
1990 Anthony Rendon
1990 Tyler Collins
1991 Nolan Fontana
1993 Joey Lucchesi
1994 Brandyn Sittinger
1995 Will Vest
1996 Hector Perez
1998 Dylan Dodd

OBITUARIES:

1904 Chippy McGarr

McGarr, whose career included hitting for the cycle while a member of the Athletics in 1886, died in a Boston area insane asylum.  The dementia and resulting paresis that killed him was due to having contracted syphillis at some point in his life.  “‘Chippy’ McGarr Dead,” (Louisville Courier-Journal, June 7, 1904: 7.)

1911 Charley Jones
1915 Tom Berry

The article gives you a longer story – the short answer is tuberculosis.

1916 Fred Siegel

Died in Philadelphia just two months after his wife, Helen, passed away.  His death certificate says kidney disease was killing him, but he also suffered from heart disease (and a broken heart).

1939 Simmy Murch

Like Fred Siegel, above, Simeon Murch’s demise was the result of two attacks – a pain near his kidneys, followed by a heart attack a day later.  He actually coached his Phillips Exeter Academy baseball team to an upset win over Andover the evening before his first kidney attack.  From what I have read, Murch was an extraordinarily popular baseball coach in his two stops, and well liked by all who knew him.

1950 Walt Thomas

Died suddenly – heart attack per the death record…  A lifelong Altoona, PA resident, Thomas recently retired from his gig working passenger cars for the Pennsylvania Railroad.  He got a five day tryout with the Boston Doves in 1908, getting a pair of hits in thirteen at bats.  He also stole three bases…

1955 Mike Kelley

At one time a major leaguer – most of his time was spent as the president, owner or manager of the Minneapolis Millers.  Kelly fell in late May, cracking a hip and requiring surgery.  His 79-year-old body was rattled; on the morning of June 6th he died of heart failure.

1958 Bert Daniels

According to his obituary, Daniels was a former Yankee centerfielder, coach at Manhattan College, city inspector, and baseball scout.  It left out the part about his playing with the Reds…  He had a heart attack and died at home.  (“Bert Daniels, 75; Ex-Yankee Scout,” Passaic Herald-News, June 9, 1958: 2.)

1963 Charlie Mullen
1967 Otis Brannan
1968 C. B. Burns
1973 Fletcher Low

Worthy of a full bio – Dartmouth grad, baseball player, chemistry professor, state legislator in New Hampshire, and then several years as a VISTA volunteer.  Professor Low died at 80.

1987 Barney Koch
1989 Whitey Glazner
1999 Eddie Stanky
2001 Ford Garrison
2003 Ray Medeiros
2010 Jerry Stephenson
2018 Red Schoendienst

The red haired manager and player died at 95…

2018 Larry Owen
2019 Dave Marshall

Already weakened by a heart condition and a golf cart accident, Marshall’s wife died of complications related to MS.  Two days later, Marshall passed, too.

2020 Bill Oster
2023 Jack Baldschun

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

1888 Henry Porter tosses a no-hitter for Kansas City in the American Association, beating Baltimore, 4 – 0.

According to MLB Profiles, Porter’s gem was sandwiched between losses where he allowed a combined 30 hits. A converted outfielder, he was frequently erratic – either because of his behavior or his drinking…

1915 Philadelphia’s Denny Sothern goes 5 for 5 with four doubles, tying a major league record… Indians catcher Sandy Alomar would match the feat in 1997.

1925 Eddie Collins smacks a double off of Walter Johnson for his 3000th hit.

1944 – You actually couldn’t have been there. With the Allies launching D-Day, baseball cancelled all of its games.

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1912 The Phillies signed Eppa Rixey – who, I believe, had just finished school at the Univerity of Virginia… This would likely cost Ben Tincup a job a few years later…

1915 Boston selects future Hall of Famer Herb Pennock from the Philadelphia Athletics as a waiver claim.

1944 The Cubs send Eddie Stanky to the Dodgers for Bob Chipman. This is one of the most lopsided trades you can imagine because someone in Chicago didn’t see the value of Stanky’s ability to NOT MAKE OUTS. He had little power, but walked over 100 times a year, leading to .400+ on base percentages…

1962 The Kansas City As sign amateur free agent Tony LaRussa.

1967 Atlanta sent Gene Oliver to the Phillies for catcher Bob Uecker.

And, it’s Draft Day!!! Ron Blomberg was the first pick, taken by the Yankees. Other first rounders? Jon Matlack (4, Mets), John Mayberry (6, Astros), Ted Simmons (10, Cardinals), Dave Rader (18, Giants), Bobby Grich (19, Orioles)… Later picks include: Jerry Reuss (2, Cardinals), Ralph Garr (3, Braves), Richie Zisk (3, Pirates), Steve Yeager (4, Dodgers), Darrell Evans (7, Athletics), Rick Dempsey (15, Twins), Dusty Baker (26, Braves), John Wockenfuss (42, Senators).

1972 Draft Day!!! Dave Roberts (Padres) was the #1 pick that year. Other first rounders? Rick Manning (2, Indians), Dave Chalk (10, Angels), Scott McGregor (14, Orioles), Chet Lemon (22, Athletics)… Five first round picks didn’t sign. Later picks included: Bruce Bochte (2, Angels), John Candelaria (2, Pirates), Dennis Leondard (2, Royals), Ellis Valentine (2, Expos), Gary Carter (3, Expos), Dennis Eckersley (3, Indians), Craig Swan (3, Mets), Don Aase (6, Angels), Willie Randolph (7, Pirates), Ray Burris (17, Cubs), Mike Hargrove (26, Rangers), Lyman Bostock (26, Twins).

1973 St. Louis trades Jim Bibby to Texas for Mike Nagy and (my favorite baseball name) John Wockenfuss.

1978 Atlanta drafts Bob Horner with the first pick in the draft. Other first round picks? Lloyd Moseby (2, Blue Jays), Mike Morgan (4, Athletics), Kirk Gibson (12, Tigers), Tom Brunansky (14, Angels)… Later picks include: Steve Balboni (2, Yankees), Cal Ripken (2, Orioles), Steve Bedrosian (3, Braves), Britt Burns (3, White Sox), Rob Deer (4, Giants), Dave Steib (5, Blue Jays), Mike Boddicker (6, Orioles), Tim Flannery (6, Padres), Mike Marshall (6, Dodgers), Charlie Lea (9, Expos), Charlie Leibrandt (9, Reds), Steve Sax (9, Dodgers), Kent Hrbek (17, Twins), Ryne Sandberg (20, Phillies), Dave Dravecky (21, Pirates), Vance Law (39, Pirates).

1983 Tim Belcher chose not to sign despite being the #1 pick of the draft (Twins). Other first rounders? Kurt Stillwell (2, Reds), Robby Thompson (2 – secondary, Giants), Roger Clemens (19, Red Sox), Dan Plesac (26, Brewers). Later picks included: Chris Sabo (2, Reds), Rick Aguilera (3, Mets), Wally Joyner (3, Angels), Ron Gant (4, Braves), Charlie Hayes (4, Giants), Jeff Montgomery (9, Reds), Terry Steinbach (9, Athletics), Doug Drabek (11, White Sox).

2003 Texas trades outfielder Ruben Sierra to the Yankees for Marcus Thames.

2006 Draft Day!!! Kansas City selected Luke Hochevar with the #1 pick. Other first rounders? Evan Longoria (3, Rays), Andrew Miller (6, Tigers), Clayton Kershaw (7, Dodgers), Tim Lincecum (10, Giants), Max Scherzer (11, Diamondbacks), Chris Coghlan (36, Marlins), Joba Chamberlain (41, Yankess). Later picks included: Alex Cobb (4, Rays), Chris Archer (5, Indians), Jeff Samardzija (5, Cubs), Doug Fister (7, Mariners), David Freese (9, Padres), Daniel Murphy (13, Mets), Josh Reddick (17, Red Sox).

2011 Pittsburgh drafts Gerrit Cole with the first pick of the draft. Other first rounders: Trevor Bauer (3, Diamondbacks), Anthony Rendon (6, Nationals), Francisco Lindor (8, Indians), Javier Baez (9, Cubs), George Springer (11, Astros), Jose Fernandez (14, Marlins), Sonny Gray (18, Athletics), Jackie Bradley (40, Red Sox).

2013 Chicago drafts Kris Bryant with the first pick of the 2013 draft. Other first rounders include: Aaron Judge (32, Yankees)…