Opening Day Is Here!! Let The Games Begin

[Edwards Kings]

Seem to remember Mahler was a fantastic opening day pitcher.

As always, you are right Dave. Actually, if memory serves (I do not have the numbers in front of me), he was a good all of April pitcher, then teams would start to be able to track his slow "stuff" better.

[Greg Ambrosius]

It's time for a Jackie Robinson photo!!!

[Philly High Hopes]

One of the coolest things I will remember from my many years working in Minor League Baseball is hosting George "Shotgun" Shuba at a Negro League Tribute night. Shuba is from Youngstown, Ohio, and played 7 years with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He is most noted for his historic handshake with Jackie Robinson during a minor league game in 1946 with the Montreal Royals. When Robinson hit a home run during the game, the first ever by a black player in modern organized baseball, Shuba congratulated him at home plate by shaking his hand.



Shuba was a complete gentleman and a joy to talk to that evening. I was lucky enough to get a personalized autographed print that I gave to my father (a Brooklyn Dodgers fan) that year as a Christmas present. Shuba passed away in 2014.

[Navel Lint]

Everyone knows who #42 is.

But for change of pace, here is a former Brave, Rick Mahler, who may have been known more for being pretty ugly (had a couple of good years pitching too in the day with 90+ heat was not required as his career K/9 was 4.4). Led the league in Hits Allowed FOUR times. Two of those years he also led the league in Games Started at 39. One of those years he won 17, the other lost 18.

From 1977 thru 1984, Bruce Sutter was one of the two most dominate 'Fireman' in baseball ( the other being Goose Gossage ).
His 250 saves during this period were 49 more than anyone else as he led the league 5 times and was the 1979 Cy Young Award winner in the NL.

Sutter was a 6-time All-Star during this period for the Cubs and the Cardinals.
He was the winning pitcher for both the '78 and '79 AS Games, and he picked up the save in the '80 and '81 AS Game.

After the 1984 season, during which he had 45 Saves and a 1.54era over 122 innings, Sutter signed a 6 year free-agent deal with the Atlanta Braves.

After wearing number 42 for the first 9 years of his career, Sutter was forced to switch to number 40 because another pitcher was already wearing #42.



Things went bad for Sutter right from the start.
Bruce had multiple shoulder and knee injuries that limited him to just 152 innings and 40 Saves over the next 4 seasons.
He did get to wear #42 during the 1988 season, but it was to late to change his luck. Bruce was forced to retire after the season because of the injuries.

The pitcher that had Sutter's #42???
Rick Mahler

[Edwards Kings]

Brilliant move by the Braves to spend big bucks for a guy who appeared in 63 games and tossed 122+ innings the year before (his fifth 100+ IP year in eight years). Sutters K/9 in '84? 5.6.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Brilliant move by the Braves to spend big bucks for a guy who appeared in 63 games and tossed 122+ innings the year before (his fifth 100+ IP year in eight years). Sutters K/9 in '84? 5.6.

Even better for the Cubs was the dominance of Lee Smith that followed Sutter.
Saves and saving money....

[Philly High Hopes]

I saw where there have been 346 players to wear the #42, and surprisingly not many big names. The list features some closers, including the best of all time:



Somebody already mentioned:



And even my name sake from 1991-1992:

[Philly High Hopes]

While better known throughout his career for wearing #33, Steve Avery wore #42 during his first year and a half in the majors (1990-1991), the latter of which he tied his career high in wins with 18. Ironically, in 1991, Avery wore #42 to start the season until you guessed it, Rick Mahler, returned to the Braves for one last hurrah after being released by the Expos. Mahler reclaimed #42 until his release just one month later. Armando Reynoso was the third Braves player that year to wear #42 upon making his major league debut that August. He went on to wear #42 over his 2 seasons with the Braves and 4 seasons with the Rockies.



Sorry, not that Steve Avery, this Steve Avery:

[Edwards Kings]

One of my favorite "dirt" players.



The Brookfield Bomber played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee,and Atlanta.

[Glenneration X]

Seems like an appropriate picture for a Countdown thread....


And as we know, there is one and only one appropriate choice for 41.



And a small reminder of the only thing that's been missing from this great thread.

[Navel Lint]

One of my favorite "dirt" players.



The Brookfield Bomber played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee,and Atlanta.

Dick "Dirt" Tidrow


Eddie Mathews was a great player.
As you know, Mathews hit 512 HR's during his career. It's the exact same number as Ernie Banks hit for the Cubs.
I would have loved to use a Banks picture here, but his number was 14, not 41.

Oh, what the hell, "let's play two" and post one of Ernie anyway...




One more note....
On June 14th, 1980 I went to Old Timers Day at Wrigley Field.
Prior to the regular game, they had an old timers rematch of the 1945 Cubs vs the 1945 Tigers

There was also a special HR hitting contest that day.
Ernie Banks vs Eddie Mathews
If my memory is correct, Mathews beat Banks 1-0

The regularly scheduled game that day was Cubs vs the Braves
Phil Niekro had one of the worst starts of his HOF career, the Cubs won 10-5

Dick "Dirt" Tidrow pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief to pick up a 'hold"

[DOUGHBOYS]

Absolutely love the Cubs uni that Banks is wearing.
The Tidrow outfit, I can do without!
As a kid, I wondered why baseball players had wind breakers and sweatshirts adorned while their picture was being taken, but hardly ever saw a player in a game dressed that way.
There was a Tommy Davis baseball card (I think it was '62) with Davis finishing a swing wearing a bulky sweatshirt under his uni. I thought it looked especially cool as a kid.
I realized later that these pictures were taken during colder temperatures and players dressed appropriately.

[Philly High Hopes]

While Mickey Mantle gets all the glory in the classic 1952 Topps Set, the Eddie Mathews Rookie Card, #407 and the last card in the set, carries the second highest value.

[Philly High Hopes]

#41 is worn by a former Indians Catcher turned DH:


Victor Martinez
Current ADP - 270

as well as a current one:


Carlos Santana
Current ADP - 190

[Edwards Kings]

And a small reminder of the only thing that's been missing from this great thread.

May I just say, with out fear of contradiction...

[jaybvl]

ball

1973 Topps Tommy Davis.jpg (75.27 KiB) Viewed 8133 times

[Philly High Hopes]

Madison Bumgarner
Current ADP - 30

He's been a model consistency over the past 5 years. You can count on 200+ IP, 3.00 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 15-18 Wins and 200 Ks. Yet many continue to predict that he is due to break down. Once again, he appears to be part of the 3rd round pitcher run.

And keeping with the Giants theme and to not disappoint Glenn ...



I believe she has multi-position eligibility.

[Glenneration X]

And keeping with the Giants theme and to not disappoint Glenn ...



I believe she has multi-position eligibility.

I love when someone just gets it.

[Glenneration X]

In keeping with my new Mets only theme......





Schiraldi may not have done much in his time with the blue and orange, but he was traded for Ojeda, and he was a huge part of the greatest inning in Mets history.....


Yup Calvin, you were only one strike away.



But as we know, it was not meant to be for ya.




Not that all's wrong in Boston.....

[Navel Lint]

Kevin Joseph "Chuck" Connors



Chuck wore number 40 during his only season with the Cubs.
In 214 plate appearances, Connors hit .239 with 2HR's 18 RBI and 4SB's

As for the other "baseball" pictures I've seen the past couple of days.
There are a few beautiful women that like other teams, but ........

Just remember a couple of things.......
Wrigley Field
Bleachers
Summer
Sun
Daytime
Budweiser
And the list continues ......... I could post pictures like this all day long




As Chuck might say....
Don't bring a knife to a rifle fight

[Stevekiel]

Love all the old pictures, and the women. It just reminded me of the first day of Cubs Spring training several years ago. Some young kids were gathering paper and baseballs at the concession stand, and I asked what was going on. They told me some old guys were signing autographs, but they did not know who they were. As I walked onto the field I see Billy Williams, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo and Fergie Jenkins. Just some old guys.

[Edwards Kings]

Ahhh...the Mad Hungarian. Led the league in obnoxious facial hair and crowd pleasing mound antics.



"Ya'll got tickets to the ball game?"

[Philly High Hopes]

I somehow remember him for his 1982 Fleer error card.



Not only was his name spelled wrong, but he was listed at 5'1". There's been some crazy error cards throughout the years, but we all remember ...

[Bjs2025]

I somehow remember him for his 1982 Fleer error card.



Not only was his name spelled wrong, but he was listed at 5'1". There's been some crazy error cards throughout the years, but we all remember ...

How do they spell Al wrong but not Hrabosky?

[Greg Ambrosius]

I'm noticing a lot of silicon in this thread...and not by the ballplayers.