Ralph McPherran Kiner was an American Major League Baseball player and broadcaster. An outfielder,Kiner played for the Pittsburgh Pirates,Chicago Cubs,and Cleveland Indians from 1946 through 1955. Following his retirement,Kiner served from 1956 through 1960 as general manager of the Pacific Coast League San Diego Padres. He also served as an announcer for the New York Mets from the team's inception until his death. Though injuries forced his retirement from active play after 10 seasons,Kiner led all of his National League contemporaries in home runs between 1946 and 1952. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Billy Leo Williams is a former left fielder and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played from 1959 to 1976,almost entirely for the Chicago Cubs. A six-time All-Star,Williams was named the 1961 National League (NL) Rookie of the Year after hitting 25 home runs with 86 runs batted in (RBI). A model of consistent production,he went on to provide the Cubs with at least 20 home runs and 80 RBI every year through 1973,batting over .300,hitting 30 home runs and scoring 100 runs five times each. Along with Ernie Banks and Ron Santo,Williams was one of the central figures in improving the Cubs' fortunes in the late 1960s after the club had spent 20 years in the bottom half of the league standings. His 853 RBI and 2,799 total bases in the 1960s were the most by any left-handed hitter in the major leagues.
Luis Ernesto Salazar Garcia is a Venezuelan former professional baseball player,coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball from 1980 to 1992 as a third baseman and outfielder for the San Diego Padres,Chicago White Sox (1985–86),Detroit Tigers (1988),and the Chicago Cubs (1989–92).
Brian Stephen Giles is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. During his career he played for the Cleveland Indians,Pittsburgh Pirates and San Diego Padres. The left-handed Giles was a two-time All-Star and had a career line of .291/.400/.502 with 287 home runs,411 doubles,1,078 runs batted in (RBI),and 1,183 walks in 1,847 games.
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. A nine-time All-Star,Burgess 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 188 pounds (85 kg). Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
James Barton"Mickey"Vernon was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who played for the Washington Senators,Cleveland Indians,Boston Red Sox (1956–1957),Milwaukee Braves (1959) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1960). He also was the first manager in the history of the expansion edition of the Senators,serving from 1961 through May 21,1963,and was a coach for four MLB teams between 1960 and 1982.
Charles John Grimm,nicknamed "Jolly Cholly",was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman,most notably for the Chicago Cubs;he was also a sometime radio sports commentator,and a popular goodwill ambassador for baseball. He played for the Pittsburgh Pirates early in his career,but was traded to the Cubs in 1925 and worked mostly for the Cubs for the rest of his career. Born in St. Louis,Missouri to parents of German extraction,Grimm was known for being outgoing and chatty,even singing old-fashioned songs while accompanying himself on a left-handed banjo. Grimm is one of a select few to have played and managed in 2,000 games each.
Henry John Sauer was an American professional baseball player,coach and scout. He appeared in 1,399 games,primarily as a left fielder,in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Reds,Chicago Cubs (1949–1955),St. Louis Cardinals (1956),and New York / San Francisco Giants (1957–1959).
Richard Dale Long was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates,St. Louis Browns,Chicago Cubs,San Francisco Giants,New York Yankees and Washington Senators between 1951 and 1963. Listed as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 205 pounds (93 kg),he batted and threw left-handed.
Frank Conrad Baumholtz was an American professional baseball and basketball player. He was an outfielder for Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds (1947–49),Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies (1956–57). He played two seasons of professional basketball for the Youngstown Bears of the National Basketball League during the 1945–46 season,and the Cleveland Rebels of the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season. He was born in Midvale,Ohio.
Earl Homer Sheely was a first baseman for the Chicago White Sox (1921–27),Pittsburgh Pirates (1929) and Boston Braves (1931).
William Edward "Kitty" Bransfield was an American professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1898 to 1911 for the Boston Beaneaters,Pittsburgh Pirates,Philadelphia Phillies,and Chicago Cubs.
Robert Gordon Addis was an American professional baseball player. The outfielder appeared in 208 Major League Baseball games over four seasons (1950–53) for three National League teams. He threw right-handed,batted left-handed,and was listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 170 pounds (77 kg).
The 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the team's 71st season in Major League Baseball,and their 66th season in the National League. The Pirates posted a record of 42 wins and 112 losses,their worst record since 1890,and one of the worst in major league history.
The 1953 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 72nd in franchise history. In April 1953,the New York Yankees visited Forbes Field and played two preseason games against the Pirates. Mickey Mantle hit a 500-foot home run that landed on the roof.
The 1953 Chicago Cubs season was the 82nd season of the Chicago Cubs franchise,the 78th in the National League and the 38th at Wrigley Field. The Cubs finished seventh in the National League with a record of 65–89.
Harold Housten Rice,nicknamed "Hoot",was a professional baseball left fielder in Major League Baseball from 1948 to 1954. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals,Pittsburgh Pirates,and Chicago Cubs. Most of his career was spent with the Cardinals,where he backed up Stan Musial in left field.
Elwood Vernon "Kettle" Wirts was a professional baseball player who spent four seasons in Major League Baseball. In total,Wirts played 17 seasons in professional baseball,beginning his career in 1918 with the minor league Spokane Indians. Over his major league career,Wirts played for the Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox and batted .163 with 14 hits,2 doubles,1 home run,and 8 RBIs in 49 games. Wirts also managed the Sacramento Senators for a part of the 1935 season.
Nicholas Nicholie Koback was a Russian American professional baseball player whose career spanned eight seasons,three of which were spent with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates (1953–55). At the age of 17,Koback signed with the Pirates as a bonus baby out of Hartford Public High School. He made his MLB debut without ever playing in the minor leagues. At the time,he was the youngest Pittsburgh Pirates player ever. During his first career start,Koback caught a complete game shutout by Pirates pitcher Murry Dickson. Most of Koback's time with Pittsburgh was spent as a bullpen catcher. Over his three-year MLB career,Koback compiled a .121 batting average with one run scored,four hits,one triple and one base on balls in 16 games played. The majority of his playing career was spent in the minor leagues with the Lincoln Chiefs,Williamsport Grays (1956),Hollywood Stars (1956–57),New Orleans Pelicans (1956–57),Columbus/Gastonia Pirates (1958) and Charleston Senators (1960). He batted and threw right-handed. During his career,he weighed 187 pounds (85 kg) and stood at 6 feet (180 cm). After retiring from baseball,Koback played pro–am golf in Connecticut.
Reese Jackson McGuire is an American professional baseball catcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago White Sox.
