Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr., nicknamed The Ryan Express, is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year career that included play in four decades, Ryan pitched for the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. After his retirement in 1993, Ryan served as chief executive officer (CEO) of the Texas Rangers and an executive advisor to the Houston Astros. He is widely considered to be one of the best Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers of all time.
Octavio Víctor "Cookie" Rojas Rivas, is a Cuban former professional baseball second baseman / outfielder, coach, and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and Kansas City Royals. A five-time All-Star player, Rojas is currently the Miami Marlins' Spanish-language television color commentator. During his playing days, he stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall, weighing 160 pounds (73 kg). Rojas batted and threw right-handed.
John Anthony Franco is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed relief pitcher between 1984 and 2005. Franco established himself as an All-Star player with the Cincinnati Reds before spending the majority of his career with the New York Mets. He ended his 22-year career with one final season with the Houston Astros.
James Anthony Piersall was an American baseball center fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five teams, from 1950 through 1967. Piersall was best known for his well-publicized battle with bipolar disorder that became the subject of a book and a film, Fear Strikes Out.
Dagoberto Campaneris Blanco, nicknamed "Bert" or "Campy", is a Cuban American former professional baseball shortstop, who played Major League Baseball (MLB) for four American League (AL) teams, primarily the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics. One of the mainstays of the Athletics' championship teams of 1972 to 1974, he holds the A's franchise records for career games played (1795), hits (1882), and at bats (7180). Campaneris led the AL in stolen bases six times between 1965 and 1972 and retired with the seventh-most steals in MLB history (649). Defensively, he led the league in putouts three times; his career totals at shortstop place him among the all-time MLB leaders in games played and double plays, at that position. Campaneris is the cousin of former MLB player Jose Cardenal.
James Lee Kaat, nicknamed "Kitty," is an American former professional baseball player and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a left-handed pitcher for the Washington Senators / Minnesota Twins (1959–1973), Chicago White Sox (1973–1975), Philadelphia Phillies (1976–1979), New York Yankees (1979–1980), and St. Louis Cardinals (1980–1983). His 25-year playing career spanned four decades.
James William "Junior" Gilliam was an American second baseman, third baseman, and coach in Negro league and Major League Baseball who spent his entire major league career with the Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named the 1953 National League Rookie of the Year, and was a key member of ten National League championship teams from 1953 to 1978. As the Dodgers' leadoff hitter for most of the 1950s, he scored over 100 runs in each of his first four seasons and led the National League in triples in 1953 and walks in 1959. Upon retirement, he became one of the first African-American coaches in the major leagues.
Philip Ramond Regan is an American former professional baseball pitcher, scout, and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox; he also managed the Baltimore Orioles. Regan served as the pitching coach for the New York Mets for part of the 2019 season.
Claude Wilson Osteen, nicknamed "Gomer" because of his resemblance to television character Gomer Pyle, is an American former professional baseball left-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds, Washington Senators, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago White Sox.
James William Maloney is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Cincinnati Reds (1960–70) and California Angels (1971). One of the hardest-throwing pitchers of the 1960s, Maloney boasted a fastball clocked at 99 miles per hour (159 km/h), threw two no-hitters, won ten or more games from 1963 to 1969, and recorded over 200 strikeouts for four consecutive seasons (1963–66).
Patrick Corrales is an American former professional baseball catcher, manager, and coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1964 to 1973, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds as well as the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres.
Christopher Joseph Short, nicknamed "Styles", was an American professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (1959–1972), and Milwaukee Brewers (1973). He threw left-handed, and batted right-handed.
José Rosario Domec Cardenal is a Cuban American former professional baseball outfielder, who played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants (1963–64), Los Angeles/California Angels (1965–67), Cleveland Indians (1968–69), St. Louis Cardinals (1970–1971), Milwaukee Brewers (1971), Chicago Cubs (1972–77), Philadelphia Phillies (1978–79), New York Mets (1979–80), and Kansas City Royals (1980). Cardenal batted and threw right-handed. He is the cousin of former MLB infielder Bert Campaneris.
John Alban Edwards is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds (1961–67), St. Louis Cardinals (1968) and Houston Astros (1969–74). Known for his excellent defensive skills, Edwards was a three-time All-Star and a two-time National League Gold Glove Award winner. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 220 pounds (100 kg).
James Lucius Hickman, nicknamed "Gentleman Jim", was an American professional baseball outfielder and first baseman. He played thirteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals.
John Francis Paciorek is an American former baseball player. He attended high school in Michigan, and was signed by the Houston Colt .45s while playing for the school's baseball team. After a season in the minor leagues, he was promoted to the Colt .45's active roster, and played in one game at the end of the 1963 Houston Colt .45s season. In that game, he had three hits and two walks. However, injuries cut his career short; he missed most of 1964 and 1965 due to surgery, and retired after playing parts of four more seasons in the minors. He returned to school, graduated from the University of Houston, and became a physical education teacher after retiring.
Peter Gerard Richert is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a left-handed pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Washington Senators (1965–67), Baltimore Orioles (1967–71), St. Louis Cardinals (1974) and Philadelphia Phillies (1974).
Billy Rolland Cowan is an American former professional baseball player. Appearing primarily as an outfielder, Cowan totalled 493 games played, over all or part of eight Major League Baseball (MLB) seasons, for the Chicago Cubs (1963–64), New York Mets (1965), Milwaukee Braves (1965), Philadelphia Phillies (1967), New York Yankees (1969), and California Angels (1969–72).
Johnny Joe Lewis was an American professional baseball player, coach, scout and front-office executive. An outfielder, he appeared in 266 games in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets from 1964 to 1967. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as weighing 189 pounds (86 kg) and 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) in height. He was born in Greenville, Alabama.
The Williamsport Red Sox were a minor league baseball team, based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The team began in 1964 as the Williamsport Mets a class-AA affiliate of the New York Mets, in the Eastern League, from 1964 through 1967. The club played all of its games at Williamsport's Bowman Stadium. Among the future major leaguers who played for the Williamsport Mets are: Jerry Koosman, Ken Boswell, Kevin Collins, Nolan Ryan and Jim Bethke.