John Lee Bench is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career,which lasted from 1967 through 1983,with the Cincinnati Reds,primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of the Reds team known as the Big Red Machine that dominated the National League in the mid-1970s,winning six division titles,four National League pennants and two World Series championships. He is widely regarded as the greatest catcher of all time.
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo,also 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-ever World Series Championship in 1980. He was known as one of the best fielding second basemen of his era,with a strong throwing arm.
David Arthur Kingman,nicknamed "Kong," "King Kong," and "Sky King",is a former Major League Baseball left fielder,first baseman,third baseman,and designated hitter who was a three-time MLB All-Star with 442 career home runs and 1,210 runs batted in (RBI) in 16 seasons. In his career,Kingman averaged a home run every 15.11 at bats,tied for 14th best all-time.
Ricardo Gutiérrez is an American former shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1993 through 2004 for the San Diego Padres (1993-1994),Houston Astros (1995-1999),Chicago Cubs (2000-2001),Cleveland Indians (2002-2003),New York Mets (2004) and Boston Red Sox (2004). He batted and threw right-handed. He was also the only Houston Astros player to get a base hit in Kerry Wood's 20-strikeout game.
Jerome O'Terrell Walton is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Chicago Cubs,California Angels,Cincinnati Reds,Atlanta Braves,Baltimore Orioles,and Tampa Bay Devil Rays,between 1989 and 1998. He batted and threw right-handed. Walton was born in Newnan,Georgia.
Joel Randolph Youngblood III is a former American professional baseball player. He was a versatile player,who could play many different positions,as well as pinch hit. After his playing career ended,he served as the third base coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Lee Andrew May was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter from 1965 to 1982 for the Cincinnati Reds,Houston Astros,Baltimore Orioles,and Kansas City Royals.
Leonardo Lazaro Cárdenas Alfonso is a Cuban former professional baseball shortstop,who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1960 to 1975 for the Cincinnati Reds,Minnesota Twins,California Angels,Cleveland Indians,and Texas Rangers. Nicknamed "Mr. Automatic" and "Chico",he was a five-time all-star and one of the best-fielding shortstops of his era.
Harry M. Steinfeldt was an American professional baseball player. A third baseman,Steinfeldt played in Major League Baseball for the Cincinnati Reds,Chicago Cubs,and Boston Rustlers. He batted and threw right-handed.
Edward Joseph Mayo,nicknamed "Hotshot" and "Steady Eddie",was an American professional baseball player. He played as an infielder in the Major League Baseball from 1936 to 1948,most notably as a member of the Detroit Tigers team that finished either in first or second place in the American League pennant races between 1944 and 1947 and won the 1945 World Series. Mayo was selected to his only All-Star team in 1945 and,was the runner-up in voting for the 1945 American League Most Valuable Player Award. He also played for the New York Giants,Boston Braves and the Philadelphia Athletics.
Timothy John Foli,is an American former professional baseball player,coach and minor league manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a shortstop for the New York Mets,Montreal Expos,San Francisco Giants,Pittsburgh Pirates,California Angels and New York Yankees from 1970 to 1985. At age 17,Foli was the first pick in the Major League Baseball Draft in 1968 and went on to be a member of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates. Foli was known as a fiery player who was a reliable fielder but only an average hitter. Foli was a free swinger,especially in 1982 when he walked only 14 times,the lowest total ever for 150 or more games played. His free swinging did not aim for the fences,however,as he averaged less than two home runs per season.
Mervin Weldon Rettenmund is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1968 through 1980,most notably as a member of the Baltimore Orioles dynasty that won three consecutive American League pennants from 1969 to 1971 and,won the World Series in 1970. Rettenmund also won world championships as a player for the Cincinnati Reds and,as a coach for the Oakland Athletics.
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 1962 New York Mets season was the first regular season for the Mets,as the National League returned to New York City for the first time since 1957. They went 40–120 (.250) and finished tenth and last in the National League,60+1⁄2 games behind the NL Champion San Francisco Giants,who had once called New York home. The Mets were the latest team to be 60+ games behind in a division before the 2018 Baltimore Orioles finished 61 games behind the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox. The Mets' 120 losses are the most by any MLB team in one season since the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. Since then,the 2003 Detroit Tigers and 2018 Orioles have come the closest to matching this mark,at 43–119 (.265),and 47-115 (.290),respectively. The Mets' starting pitchers also recorded a new major league low of just 23 wins all season.
The Cincinnati Reds' 1984 season consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League West. It marked the return of Bob Howsam as General Manager,after Dick Wagner was fired during the 1983 season. The Reds finished in fifth place that year,as they escaped last place in the NL West,which the team had finished in 1982 and 1983.
The 1977 Chicago Cubs season was the 106th season of the Chicago Cubs franchise,the 102nd in the National League and the 62nd at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished fourth in the National League East with a record of 81–81,20 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
The 1970 Major League Baseball season:The Seattle Pilots relocated to Milwaukee and became the Brewers,thus returning Major League Baseball to Wisconsin for the first time since the relocation of the Milwaukee Braves to Atlanta following the 1965 season. Major League Baseball returned to Seattle in 1977,when the Mariners began play.
The 1965 Major League Baseball season was contested from April 12 to October 14,1965. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins were the regular season champions of the National League and American League,respectively. The Dodgers then defeated the Twins in the World Series,four games to three.
James Franklin Stewart was an American Major League Baseball utility man and scout. During his active career,he appeared in 777 MLB games for the Chicago Cubs,Chicago White Sox,Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros over ten seasons between 1963 and 1973. He was a switch hitter who threw right handed,and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 165 pounds (75 kg).
The 1987 Major League Baseball draft is the process by which Major League Baseball (MLB) teams select athletes to play for their organization. High school seniors,college juniors and seniors,and anyone who had never played under a professional contract were considered eligible for the draft. The 1987 MLB Draft took place as a conference call to the Commissioner of Baseball's office in New York from June 2–4. As opposed to the National Football League Draft which appeared on ESPN,no network aired the MLB Draft.
