Darrell Ray Porter was an American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1971 to 1987 for the Milwaukee Brewers,Kansas City Royals,St. Louis Cardinals,and Texas Rangers. The four-time All-Star was known for his excellent defensive skills and power hitting ability. He struggled but was never able to overcome a substance abuse problem,yet went on to become the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. Porter died from accidental drug toxicity in 2002 at the age of 50.
William Ashley Freehan was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played his entire 15-year career with the Detroit Tigers. The premier catcher in the American League for several years from the 1960s into the early 1970s,he was named an All-Star in 11 seasons,the most All-Star seasons for a player to not be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was the MVP runner-up for Tigers' 1968 World Series winning team,handling a pitching staff which included World Series MVP Mickey Lolich and regular season MVP Denny McLain,who that year became the first 30-game winner in the majors since 1934.
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo,nicknamed "Indio",is a Venezuelan former professional baseball second baseman,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics (1973–1974),Chicago Cubs,Philadelphia Phillies (1979–1982),Cleveland Indians (1983),Montreal Expos (1983),San Francisco Giants (1984–1985),and Cincinnati Reds (1989). A four-time All-Star,he was the Phillies' starting second baseman when the franchise won its first World Series Championship in 1980. He was known as one of the best fielding second basemen of his era,with a strong throwing arm.
John Rikard Dempsey is an American former professional baseball player. He played for 24 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1969 to 1992,most prominently for the Baltimore Orioles where he played for 10 years and was a member of the 1983 World Series winning team. Dempsey was known for being one of the best defensive catchers of his era. In 1997,he was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
Paul Rapier Richards was an American professional baseball player,manager,scout and executive in Major League Baseball. During his playing career,he was a catcher and right-handed batter with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1932),New York Giants (1933–1935),Philadelphia Athletics (1935) and Detroit Tigers (1943–1946). After retiring,he became the manager of the Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles (1955–1961). He also served as the general manager for the Orioles,the Houston Colt .45s / Astros and the Atlanta Braves.
Charles Edward Johnson Jr. is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball with the Florida Marlins,the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998),the Baltimore Orioles (1999–2000),the Chicago White Sox (2000),the Colorado Rockies (2003–2004),and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005).
Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess was an American professional baseball catcher,pinch hitter,coach,and scout,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1949 to 1967. Burgess was selected as an All-Star in six seasons. He became known,later in his career,for his abilities as an elite pinch hitter,setting the MLB career record for career pinch-hits with 145. He stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall,weighing 245 pounds (111 kg). Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A statue of Burgess was unveiled in his hometown on November 9,2024.
Delmar Wesley Crandall was an American professional baseball player and manager. Crandall played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1949 to 1966,most prominently as a member of the Boston / Milwaukee Braves where,he was an eleven-time All-Star player and was a member of the 1957 World Series winning team.
Gus Triandos was an American professional baseball player and scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman,most prominently as a member of the Baltimore Orioles where he was a four-time All-Star player. He also played for the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers of the American League (AL) and the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros of the National League (NL). In 1981,he was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. Triandos is notable for being the first catcher in MLB history to catch a no-hitter in both the American League and the National League,catching a no-hitter by Hoyt Wilhelm in 1958 while on the Orioles in the AL and Jim Bunning's perfect game while on the Phillies in the NL.
Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty,nicknamed "Beeg Boy",was a Dominican professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1963 to 1979,most prominently as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He had the first hit for the team in their first game in Atlanta on April 12,1965. In 1969,he helped the franchise win its first National League Western Division title. Carty had a career batting average of .299,most notably hitting .366 to become the 1970 National League (NL) batting champion while also garnering him a start at the 1970 All-Star Game as a write-in candidate. In a fifteen-year major league career,Carty played in 1,651 games,accumulating 1,677 hits in 5,606 at bats for a .299 career batting average along with 204 home runs,890 runs batted in,.369 on-base percentage and .464 slugging percentage. He ended his career with a .974 fielding percentage. During his career,he played as a catcher,first baseman,third baseman,outfielder,and designated hitter.
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).
William Lavier Killefer,nicknamed "Reindeer Bill",was an American professional baseball player,coach,and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1909 to 1921 for the St. Louis Browns,Philadelphia Phillies,and Chicago Cubs. Killefer,who was nicknamed "Reindeer Bill" due to his speed afoot,is notable for being the favorite catcher of Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander and,for being one of the top defensive catchers of his era. After his playing career,he continued to work as a coach and a manager for a Major League Baseball career that spanned a total of 48 years.
Herold Dominic "Muddy" Ruel was an American professional baseball player,coach,manager and general manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1915 to 1934 for the Washington Senators,St. Louis Browns,New York Yankees,Boston Red Sox,Detroit Tigers,and Chicago White Sox.
Manuel De Jesus Sanguillén Magan is a Panamanian former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher in 1967 and from 1969 through 1980,most notably as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won five National League Eastern Division titles in six years between 1970 and 1975 and won the World Series in 1971 and 1979,twice over the Baltimore Orioles. He also played one season for the Oakland Athletics.
JoséJoaquín Azcue López is a Cuban former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher,most prominently as a member of the Cleveland Indians where he played the bulk of his career and was named to the 1968 American League All-Star team. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds,Kansas City Athletics,Boston Red Sox,California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers. Nicknamed "The Immortal Azcue",he was known for his strong throwing arm.
Harold Delano "Butch" Wynegar Jr. is an American former professional baseball catcher who played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Minnesota Twins,New York Yankees and California Angels,and was a two-time All Star.
Clayton Errol Dalrymple is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies (1960–1968) and Baltimore Orioles (1969–1971). Dalrymple was known for his strong throwing arm and solid defensive skills. Over his career,he threw out 48.8% of the base runners who attempted a stolen base,placing him 30th on the all-time list.
Timothy P. Blackwell is an American former professional baseball player,coach,and minor league manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1983 for the Boston Red Sox,Philadelphia Phillies,Chicago Cubs,and Montreal Expos. He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. Blackwell was known as a light-hitting,defensive specialist with good pitch-calling skills and possessed a strong,accurate throwing arm.
The 1985 New York Mets season was the 24th regular season for the Mets. They went 98–64 and finished second in the National League East;the team stayed in contention to win the division title until the last week of the season. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played their home games at Shea Stadium.
Frank Anthony Pytlak,nicknamed "Rabbit",was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Cleveland Indians (1932–40) and Boston Red Sox. He was known as a line drive hitter and an excellent defensive catcher.
