All posts by Jeff A

Happy Birthday–March 27

Miller Huggins (1878)
Effa Manley (1897)
Wes Covington (1932)
Bill Sudakis (1946)
Lynn McGlothen (1950)
Dick Ruthven (1951)
Dave Hostetler (1956)
Jaime Navarro (1967)
Tom Quinlan (1968)
Dee Brown (1978)
Michael Cuddyer (1979)
Brian Slocum (1981)

Effa Manley was the owner of the Brooklyn Eagles and the Newark Eagles in the Negro Leagues.

Dick Ruthven was drafted by Minnesota in the first round in 1972, but did not sign.

Brian Slocum was drafted by Minnesota in the fourteenth round in 1999, but did not sign.

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to Milt on Tilt.  Gone but not forgotten.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 27

Happy Birthday–March 26

Jack McCarthy (1869)
Bill Zuber (1913)
Ben Mondor (1925)
Harry Kalas (1936)
Mel Queen (1942)
Kevin Seitzer (1962)
Jarvis Brown (1967)
Jose Vizcaino (1968)
Shane Reynolds (1968)
Jason Maxwell (1972)
Eric Hacker (1983)

Ben Mondor was the owner of the Pawtucket Red Sox from 1977-2010.  He is a member of the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame and the International League Hall of Fame and won numerous minor league Executive of the Year awards from various organizations.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 26

Happy Birthday–March 25

Frank Dwyer (1868)
Clyde Milan (1887)
John Fetzer (1901)
Dutch Leonard (1909)
Ryohei Hasegawa (1930)
Woodie Held (1932)
Frank Peters (1944)
Lee Mazzilli (1955)
Jeff Kunkel (1962)
Tom Glavine (1966)
Dan Wilson (1969)
Erik Schullstrom (1969)
Travis Fryman (1969)

John Fetzer was the majority owner of the Detroit Tigers from 1961-1983.

Ryohei Hasegawa was a star in Japan in the 1950s and was also a coach, manager, and broadcaster there.

Frank Peters was a minor league player and manager.  On August 31, 1974, while managing the Portland Mavericks, he had each player play each position for one inning.  Portland won the game over the Tri-City Ports, 8-7.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 25

Happy Birthday–March 24

Kip Selbach (1872)
Roy Thomas (1874)
Fatty Arbuckle (1887)
Ernie Shore (1891)
George Sisler (1893)
Jesus Alou (1942)
Mark Marquess (1947)
Garry Templeton (1956)
Bruce Hurst (1958)
Wilson Alvarez (1970)
Steve Karsay (1972)
Jose Valverde (1978)
Chad Gaudin (1983)

Silent film comedian Fatty Arbuckle was the owner of the Vernon Tigers of the Pacific Coast League from about 1918-1921.

Mark Marquess is the longtime head baseball coach of Stanford.

No players with connections to the Twins were born on this day; however, we would like to wish a very happy birthday to Mom SBG.

This Week in Twins Transactions

I'm out of internet range today, so this was written yesterday morning.  If I missed something because of that, I'll try to pick it up next week.

Chad Rogers was signed to a minor league contract.
Miguel Sano was assigned to major league camp.
Eric Fryer was assigned to minor league camp.
Chris Colabello was assigned to minor league camp.
Mark Sobolewski was assigned to minor league camp.
Brian Dinkelman was assigned to minor league camp.
Clete Thomas was assigned to minor league camp.
Deolis Guerra was assigned to minor league camp.
Shairon Martis was assigned to minor league camp.
Pedro Hernandez was optioned to Rochester.
Joe Benson was optioned to Rochester.
Luis Perdomo was assigned to minor league camp.
Cole Nelson was released.
Gerardo Ramirez was released.
Tyler Herr was released.
Patrick Arnold was released.
Danny Rams was released.

This Week in Ex-Twins

I'm out of internet range today, so this was written yesterday morning.  If I missed something because of that, I'll try to pick it up next week.

Baltimore options Danny Valencia to AAA Norfolk.
Boston re-assigns Terry Doyle to minor league camp.
Camden of the Atlantic League signs Erik Lis.
Camden of the Atlantic League signs Armando Gabino.
Angels re-assign Trent Oeltjen to minor league camp.
Oakland assigns Tyler Ladendorf to major league camp.
Pittsburgh re-assigns Kyle Waldrop to minor league camp.
Toronto assigns Tony Davis to major league camp.
Washington assigns Erik Komatsu to major league camp.
Washington agrees to terms with J. C. Romero on a minor league contract.

 

Happy Birthday–March 23

Mike Smith (1868)
Gavvy Cravath (1881)
Cy Slapnicka (1886)
Ray Kremer (1893)
Johnny Moore (1902)
Johnny Logan (1927)
Jim Lemon (1928)
Lee May (1943)
George Scott (1944)
Pat Bourque (1947)
Lanny Frattare (1948)
Bo Diaz (1953)
Mrs. A (1954)
Mike Remlinger (1966)
Chris Turner (1969)
Ramon Ortiz (1973)
Mark Buehrle (1979)

Cy Slapnicka was a long-time scout.  Players he is credited with signing include Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, and Herb Score.  Somehow, "Cy Slapnicka" just sounds like a name a baseball scout should have.

Lanny Frattare was a radio broadcaster for the Pirates from 1976-2008.

Happy birthday to my Hall of Fame wife.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 23

Happy Birthday–March 22

Jack Boyle (1866)
Ernie Quigley (1880)
Goldie Holt (1902)
Bob Elson (1904)
Marv Owen (1906)
Billy Goodman (1926)
Al Schroll (1932)
Gene Oliver (1935)
Frank Pulli (1935)
Dick Ellsworth (1940)
Ron Wojciak (1943)
Jake Brown (1948)
Eddie Bane (1952)
Bob Costas (1952)
Eric Rasmussen (1952)
Scott Bradley (1960)
Matt Sinatro (1960)
Rich Monteleone (1963)
Glenallen Hill (1965)
Sean Berry (1966)
Ramon Martinez (1968)
Cory Lidle (1972)
Mike Morse (1982)
Ike Davis (1987)

Ernie Quigley was a National League umpire for twenty-six years and then became the NL supervisor of umpires.

Goldie Holt is credited with teaching Charlie Hough to throw the knuckleball.

Bob Elson was a baseball broadcaster for over thirty years, mostly in Chicago.

Frank Pulli was a National League umpire from 1972-1999.

Ron Wojciak helped the Minnesota Golden Gophers win the College World Series in 1964 and played in the Twins’ farm system in 1965.  He passed away from lung cancer in 1966.

Jake Brown was drafted by Minnesota in the thirty-third round in 1967, but he did not sign.

Scott Bradley was drafted by Minnesota in the twelfth round in 1978, but he did not sign.

Continue reading Happy Birthday–March 22