George Brett Highlights

Ken Holtzman

Ken Holtzman’s misfortune was to break in with the Chicago Cubs in 1966, when the Cubbies would finish dead last in the National League. In his rookie campaign, he would finish with a record of 11-16 with an ERA of 3.79.

In 1969, on August 19, 1969, he would throw his first no-hitter besting the Atlanta Braves. June 3, 1971, Holtzman would no-hit the Cincinnati Reds at Riverfront Stadium. It would be the first no-hitter in that in the history of Riverfront Stadium. Holtzman was the first pitcher in modern baseball to toss two no-hitters.

After the 1971 season, he was traded to the Oakland A’s for an outfield named Rick Monday. Holtzman would have his best seasons in Oakland.

He was a two time all-star, three time World Series Champion with the Oakland A’s 1972-1974. The 1973 season would be his only twenty win season. He would finish his career with a record of 174-150 with an ERA of 3.49. He had 1,601 career strike outs. He made stops with the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, and came back to finish his career with the Cubs.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Kansas City Royals: Frank White

Frank White was a slick fielding second baseman for the Kansas City Royals playing from 1973-1990. His 18 seasons were all in a Royals uniform, a rare feat in the free agent era.

White was a light hitter in his early days, but improved his hitting to the point that he was able to win the Silver Slugger Award in 1986. He had his best offensive season of his career with 22 home runs and 84 RBI. He hit 160 home runs with 886 RBI, and a slash line of .255/.293/.383.

He won the Gold Glove Award eight times, and did it six straight seasons from 1977-1982. He was the ALCS MVP in 1980, and was a five time American League all-star. He was a member of the 1985 World Series Champion Kansas City Royals.

Joe Adcock: Milwaukee Brave

Joe Adcock broke into the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds in 1950, but was stuck behind first baseman Ted Kluszewski. Adcock requested a trade, and was sent packing to the Braves.

The hard hitting first baseman would play in the long shadows of Eddie Matthews and Hank Aaron. The trio home run hitters made the Braves middle of the order one the most formidable in all of baseball. The Braves would win the 1957 World Series.

Adcock would hit 336 home runs with 1,122 RBI, and a batting line of .277/.33/.485. He was a two time all-star, and on July 31, 1954, he would slam four home runs in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers.

At the end of this career he would spend time with the Angels and Indians. It included managing the Indians during the 1967 season to a 75-87 record. His .994 fielding percentage was 3^rd best all-time when he called it a career.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

Derek Jeter Career Highlights

Future first ballot Hall of Famer Derek Jeter will have his number retired by the New York Yankees this weekend. He was the team Captain of the Yankees from 2003-2014.

He had a career batting average of .310 with 260 home runs, and 1,311 RBI. His 3,465 hits has him sixth on the all-time list.

Jeter was a 14 times all-star, 5 time World Series champion, 2000 World Series MVP, AL Rookie of the Year in 1996, 5 time Gold Glove winner, 5 times he won the Silver Slugger award, 2 time Hank Aaron award winner, and the 2009 Roberto Clement Award.

Mel Ott: New York Giants

Mel Ott debuted with the New York Giants at 17, it was the beginning a 22 season Hall of Fame of career. Ott hit 511 home runs with 1,860 RBI, and batting line of .304/.414/.533.

Ott was a twelve-time National League all-star. He led the National League in home runs six-times. Ott managed the Giants form 1942-1948. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951 on the third ballot.

The Giants played in three World Series during Ott’s career in 1933, 1936 and 1937. The Giants won the World Series in 1933. His #4 has been retired by the Giants. 

Chicago Cubs: Tinker to Evers to Chance

Between 1902 and 1912 the trio of Joe Tinker shortstop, Johnny Evers second base, and Frank Chance. The trio were elected by the veterans committee in 1946 to the Baseball Hall of Fame.  During their time with the Cubs, they won 1907-1908 World Series, and four National League pennants. The only two World Series championship in Chicago Cubs history mastering the Detroit Tigers in both series.

 Franklin Pierce Adams of the New York Evening Post made the trio famous by penning the poem "Baseball's Sad Lexicon." It was originally titled "That Double Play Again" when it was published on July 12, 1910. The poem launched the trio into baseball immortality

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It is well documented that Evers and Tinker didn't speak to each other after September 14, 1905. Evers took a cab to the ballpark leaving Tinker in the hotel lobby, and they ended up having a fist fight on the field. 

Frank Chance managed the Cubs from 1905-1912, and afterwards managed both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. He was a lifetime .296 hitter and twice led the National League in stolen bases.  Tinker would be a player-manager for the Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. He only hit .262 in his career.  Johnny Evers would hit .270 over the course of his long career. In era of high batting averages, the trio were helped by the famous poem.

Joe Glasgow is a former senior staff writer at Fanstop.com, and is the author of the book Play Ball! Growing Up With Baseball https://amzn.to/2o4M62h

New York Yankees Catcher Elston Howard

Elston "Ellie" Howard was one of the best catchers in storied history of the New York Yankees. Following in the footsteps of a the great Yogi Berra. In his career with the Yankees, he would be on four World Series champion teams. His career started in the Negro Leagues with the famed Kansas City Monarchs under Buck O'Neill.  Where he would be the roommate of a future member of the baseball Hall of Fame, a kid named Ernie Banks. In 1950, he was signed by the New York Yankees. Howard was signed as an outfielder, and it wasn't until the spring training of 1954.

In 1955, he made his debut with the Yankees.  He would spend his first three seasons playing between outfield, and serving as the backup catcher. In his first season, he hit .290/.336/.477 slash line with 10 home runs, with 43 RBI, in 305 plate appearances. On April 14, 1955, he became the first black player to wear the uniform of the New York Yankees. 

During the course of his career, he was a 12 time all-star in as a member of the New York Yankees. 1963 was his best season, he hit 28 home runs with 85 RBI, and a slash line of .287/.342/.528. He would be named Most Valuable Player in the American League, and becoming the first black player to win the award in the junior circuit. He also was the Gold Glove award winner that season, and would capture the award again in 1964. 

He finished his playing career with the Boston Red Sox. After his playing days, he would return to the Yankees as a coach for two seasons, and being a part of the staff on the World Series champions in 1977 and 1978. Tragically Howard would die at the young age of 51 of heart failure after being diagnosed with myocarditis. His #32 was retired by the Yankees. 

The Baltimore Orioles Dave McNally

Dave McNally is now remembered as being part of the 1975 Seitz decision, which ushered in the free agent era, but from 1968-1971, he was one of those most dominating pitchers in baseball. He won 20 games or more in each of the four seasons. Including the best season of his career in 1970, when he led American League in wins with 24, and had a 3.22 ERA in 40 starts.

He made his debut as a 19 year-old with the Baltimore Orioles in 1962.  In 1963, he would become a starter for the Orioles, and would pitch for them for 13 seasons. He would finish with 181 wins and 113 losses as a Baltimore Oriole. He was 184-119 with a career ERA of 3.24. At one point between the end of the 1968 season, and a 15-0 start to the 1969 season winning 17 straight decisions.

He pitched for the 1966 and 1970 World Series champion Baltimore Orioles.  In game 3, of the 1970 World Series, McNally became the only pitcher in Major League history to hit a grand slam in a World Series game.  The Orioles would also win the American League pennant in 1969, and 1971.

McNally was a 3 time all-star in 1969, 1970, and 1972.  In 1971, he was part of the Orioles staff that produced four twenty game winners (Mike Cuellar, Pat Dobson and Jim Palmer were the other three). McNally would die from lung cancer on December 1, 2002.

The Cleveland Indians Lou Boudreau

When the Cleveland Indians last won the World Series in 1948, Lou Boudreau was the starting shortstop, and manager. He also won the American League batting title. That season he would hit 18 home runs and drive in 106 runs, a career high. In 676 plate appearances he struck out only nine times. He finished with a slash line of .355/.453/.534, and was the American League MVP.

He would spend 15 seasons in the major leagues, 13 seasons with the Cleveland Indians and part of two seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Boudreau managed the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Kansas City Athletics, and Chicago Cubs. He would go on to serve as play-by-play announcer for the Chicago Cubs.

In 1970, the eight time all-star was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The same year the Cleveland Indians retired his #5. Boudreau died in 2001. 

Mark Grace's First Major League Hit

May 2, 1988. Chicago Cubs rookie Mark Grace gets his first hit against the San Diego Padres. Grace would go on to notch 2,445 hits in a sixteen-year career with the Cubs and Diamondbacks. He would win four Gold Glove Awards playing first base. Grace was a three time All-Star, and played on the 2001 World Series champion  Arizona Diamondbacks.