All posts by Jeff A

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 14

Cannonball Redding (1890)
Marvin Miller (1917)
Gordon Gillespie (1926)
Don Mueller (1927)
Marty Keough (1934)
Pete Rose (1941)
Joe Lahoud (1947)
Ron Schueler (1948)
Greg Maddux (1966)
David Justice (1966)
Greg Myers (1966)
Mike Trombley (1967)
Brad Ausmus (1969)
Steve Avery (1970)
Gregg Zaun (1971)
Kyle Farnsworth (1976)

Gordon Gillespie holds the record for most wins by a college baseball coach.

It must be kind of a bummer for a big league ballplayer to not only not be the best player born on the day and year he was born, but to not even be the best player with his first name born on the day and year he was born.

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Keeping Track

Where They Stand

Minnesota is 2-4, fourth in the AL Central, three games behind Detroit.  The Twins have won two consecutive games.

Rochester is 5-3, second in the IL North, one game behind Lehigh Valley.  The Red Wings have lost one consecutive game.

New Britain is 5-3, second in the EL East, two games behind Reading.  The Rock Cats have won one consecutive game.

Fort Myers is 4-3, tied for second in the FSL South, one game behind St. Lucie.  The Miracle has won four consecutive games.

Beloit is 3-4, tied for fourth in the ML West, two games behind Burlington and Cedar Rapids.  The Snappers have lost one consecutive game.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 12

Vic Willis (1876)
Addie Joss (1880)
Bill Bailey (1888)
Eric McNair (1909)
Bill Wight (1922)
Bob Zuk (1927)
Johnny Antonelli (1930)
Charlie Lau (1933)
Terry Cooney (1933)
Woodie Fryman (1940)
Vicente Romo (1943)
Terry Harmon (1944)
Mike Macfarlane (1964)
Paul LoDuca (1972)
Antonio Osuna (1973)

Bob Zuk was a long-time scout who was responsible for signing, among others, Reggie Jackson, Willie Stargell, and Gary Carter.

There do not appear to be any players with connections to the Minnesota Twins born on this day.

Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 11

Pop Corkhill (1858)
Ossee Schreckengost (1875)
Matsutaro Shiriki (1885)
Sam Chapman (1916)
Barney McCloskey (1917)
Jim Hearn (1921)
Futoshi Nakanisi (1933)
Sid Monge (1951)
Bret Saberhagen (1964)
Turner Ward (1965)
Sean Bergman (1970)
Robin Jennings (1972)
Jason Varitek (1972)
Trot Nixon (1974)
Todd Dunwoody (1975)
Kelvim Escobar (1976)
Mark Teixeira (1980)

Matustaro Shiriki is known as the father of Japanese baseball.

Jason Varitek was drafted by the Twins in the first round in 1993, but did not sign.

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Keeping Track

Happy Birthday–April 10

Ross Youngs (1897)
Bubba Hyde (1908)
Chuck Connors (1921)
Frank Lary (1930)
Robert Nederlander (1933)
Wes Stock (1934)
Joe Gibbon (1935)
Bob Watson (1946)
Lee Lacy (1948)
Tom Lundstedt (1949)
Ken Griffey (1950)
Mike Devereaux (1963)
Starvin’ Marvin Freeman (1963)
Alberto Reyes (1971)
Mike Lincoln (1975)
Andre Ethier (1982)

Better known as an actor, Chuck Connors was a first baseman for the Chicago Cubs in 1951.  He also played professional basketball, and was the first player to break the glass backboard with a slam dunk in a professional basketball game.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–April 10 →