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Post by jimsteel on Aug 4, 2023 19:45:57 GMT -5
Ken Suarez, a former Catcher in MLB passed away at the age of 80. Suarez attended Florida State University and took over catching duties for the Seminoles baseball team as a sophomore in 1963. After leading his team to the College World Series in 1963, Suarez erupted in his junior year. He batted .404 with 44 hits, six home runs, thirty runs batted in, 25 runs scored and 21 walks, all tops on his team. He was named a 1964 First Team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association.[4] He represented the United States in baseball at the 1964 Summer Olympics as a demonstration sport in Tokyo.[5] Suarez then signed with the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent.[6] Suarez's first professional hit was a grand slam while playing for the Lewiston Broncs in 1965. That season, he batted .253 with thirteen home runs and twenty RBIs while providing excellent defense for the Broncs and Double-A Birmingham Barons to earn an invitation to spring training in 1966. He won the starting job out of camp,[8] but lost the job to Phil Roof after batting just .185 with two RBIs through May. He hung around at the major league level through the All-Star break before being optioned to Double-A Mobile. An injury to Roof early in the 1967 season once again earned Suarez a promotion to starting catcher. He hit his first major league home run in his first start of the season against Mickey Lolich of the Detroit Tigers. He batted .235 with two home runs and four RBIs in eight games, filling in for Roof. Once Roof returned, Suarez remained with the club as a back-up catcher. After the season, he was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 1967 Rule 5 draft. Alvin Dark, who had been his manager with Kansas City, was now the Indians' manager and wanted the player on his new team. Suarez did not receive much playing time in Cleveland, appearing in only seventeen games in 1968, two of which were out of his natural position in extra-inning affairs. He had just one hit in ten at-bats. He split 1969 between the Indians and the Pacific Coast League Portland Beavers, batting .294 with nine RBIs in 85 major league at-bats. He spent all of 1970 in the minors with the Wichita Aeros and batted .301, marking the only time he batted over .300 in his professional career. Given a more regular role in 1971, Suarez appeared in 50 games for the Indians, hitting only .203 in 123 at-bats. He was traded with Roy Foster, Rich Hand and Mike Paul from the Indians to the Texas Rangers for Del Unser, Denny Riddleberger, Terry Ley and Gary Jones at the Winter Meetings on December 2, 1971. He spent most of his first season with the Rangers as a third string catcher before being reassigned to the Double-A Denver Bears. He platooned with Dick Billings behind the plate in 1973, and produced a .248 batting average while establishing himself as one of the best fielding catchers in the American League. On June 16, he broke up a Jim Palmer perfect game. Palmer retired the first 25 batters, but Suarez singled with one out in the ninth inning. Suarez earned $20,000 in 1973 for the Rangers and felt he was due for a raise. On February 7, 1974, he met with Rangers general manager Dan O'Brien Sr. to negotiate a new contract. Failing to reach an agreement, he became the first player on the team to submit a contract to arbitration. Five days later, he was traded back to the Cleveland Indians for shortstop Leo Cárdenas. Suarez was traded on September 12, 1974 to the California Angels with Rusty Torres for Frank Robinson. Overall, Suarez hit .227 with five home runs and 60 RBI in 295 games (661 at-bats). He walked 99 times and struck out 97 times. The following is an excerpt from Suarez's online obituary: "Ken grew up with a love and passion for baseball, taking him to Tampa Jesuit where he was their starting catcher. It was then that he met the first love of his life, Irene Lopez Suarez. Their lives took them to Florida State University, where he played baseball for three years before signing with the Kansas City Athletics after his junior year. He and Irene married in 1964 and had two girls, Denise (1966) and Kendra (1968). After leaving the Kansas City As, he played for the Cleveland Indians from 1968 to 1971. He then joined the Texas Rangers in their first two seasons in Arlington, Texas, where he retired from baseball. Following his baseball career, Ken did some radio and television commentary and color for the Rangers before spending the rest of his professional career in sales, where he was able to do his next favorite thing, talk to people and tell stories. In the meantime, Ken had two loving grandchildren, Marylynne and Griffin. Griffin was the son he never had. They spent countless hours, days, and years playing and watching baseball, as Griffin was also a catcher.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 6, 2023 12:22:28 GMT -5
Gilles Gilbert, a former NHL goaltender who was drafted in the third round of the 1969 NHL Amateur Draft from the London Knights, passed away due to a battle with colon cancer he was 74. He played in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings, and most notably for the Boston Bruins. Gilbert played in the 1961 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the junior Quebec Aces. Gilbert played in the NHL between 1969 and 1983 and retired with a 3.27 goals against average. In net for the Minnesota North Stars, he surrendered Jean Beliveau's 500th career goal on February 11, 1971. In 1973-74, he was traded to the Bruins as a replacement for Gerry Cheevers, who had gone to the World Hockey Association (WHA), where he played in the NHL All-Star Game and helped the team to the Stanley Cup finals that year. In the 1975–76 NHL season, he set the NHL record for most consecutive wins by a goaltender with 17, and finished with a 33-8-10 record for a .843 winning percentage in 55 games. From 1976 to 1980, he teamed up with Gerry Cheevers to form one of the best goaltending duos in the NHL, becoming runner-up for the Vezina Trophy in 1980. Gilbert recorded 17 playoff victories for Boston. As of 2019 he ranks sixth in all-time playoff wins among Boston goaltenders. Gilbert was the Bruins' goalie during the 1979 Stanley Cup playoffs semifinal game 7 against the Montreal Canadiens, when Guy Lafleur tied the game after the infamous too many men penalty against Boston, and then Yvon Lambert scored the series-winning goal in overtime; Gilbert was still named the game's first star. Cheevers was benched after losing the first two games of the series, and Gilbert took over as the starter thereafter, overall being named the game's first star three times in five games against Montreal. Montreal's Steve Shutt exclaimed of these performances that “Gilles Gilbert stood on his head. He was the reason they got to the seventh game”. Gilbert was in the net for Detroit on February 11, 1982, when the Vancouver Canucks became the first team with two successful penalty shots in the same game, as Thomas Gradin and Ivan Hlinka scored for the Canucks in the third period of a 4-4 tie.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 6, 2023 22:41:16 GMT -5
Mel Roach, a former infielder-outfielder in MLB, passed awayat the age of 90. The following is an excerpt from Roach's online obituary. Mel joined the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 after signing his bonus contract. He graduated from Virginia with a BA in Economics in 1955. As an ROTC graduate, Mel proudly served two years of active military duty as an Ensign in the Navy. After he was discharged, the Milwaukee Braves called him up to play in their 1957 season. A major knee injury during the second game of a doubleheader left him with a long road to recovery. Up until his retirement in 1963, Mel played for the Milwaukee Braves, the Chicago Cubs, and the Philadelphia Phillies. He had many fond memories playing with Hank Aaron, Lew Burdette, Eddie Matthews, Warren Spahn, Johnny Logan, and other talented athletes. His career derailed by his bonus player status, military service and injury, he appeared in 227 games played over all or parts of eight years in Major League Baseball as a utilityman for the Milwaukee Braves (1953–54 and 1957–61), Chicago Cubs (1961) and Philadelphia Phillies (1962). A standout second baseman at the University of Virginia, he signed a $40,000 contract with Milwaukee in 1953 but was compelled by the era's bonus rule to spend his first two professional years on the Braves' major-league roster, appearing in only eight games and going hitless in six total plate appearances. Then, he lost two full seasons (1955–56) to service in the United States Navy. When his pro career began in earnest in 1957, Roach hit .304 in 107 games in the high minors. After his early-August recall by the 1957 Braves—en route to the world championship—he sat on the bench as a seldom-used pinch hitter and backup infielder. He appeared in only six regular-season games and was idle during the 1957 World Series. In 1958, Roach made the Braves' roster out of spring training and an early-season injury to centerfielder Bill Bruton opened a spot for Roach as the right fielder in the Milwaukee lineup (with baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron switching from right-field to Bruton's position). Roach started three games and collected seven hits in 15 at bats (.467), but when the roster had to be trimmed from 28 to 25 players in mid-May, Roach was optioned to Triple-A Wichita, where he appeared in 20 games over a full month before getting recalled to the majors. Over the next two months, he got into 39 games, largely as a backup to Hall of Fame second baseman Red Schoendienst, and was hitting .309 with 42 hits and three home runs on August 3 when Daryl Spencer of the San Francisco Giants slid hard into Roach at second base, badly injuring Roach's left knee.He underwent surgery, missing the remainder of 1958 (and the 1958 World Series), and the first two months of the 1959 campaign. Although the knee injury didn't end Roach's career, as had been initially feared, his diminished infield range damaged his chances of regular second base duty. He batted only .097 in 19 games for the 1959 Braves and spent more time as a utility outfielder and third baseman as his career progressed. In 1960, he produced a near-carbon copy of his 1958 campaign. Appearing in 42 total games, he batted an even .300 with three home runs and 42 hits. But he was destined for journeyman status for the remaining two years of his MLB tenure. On May 9, 1961, the Braves dealt Roach to the Chicago Cubs straight-up for veteran outfielder Frank Thomas.[2] After a half-season in Chicago, the Cubs traded Roach to the Phillies during spring training of 1962. Although he spent both 1961 and 1962 in the majors, Roach lost his batting stroke, hitting only .147 and .190 respectively, then retired from baseball after the 1962 campaign. In all or part of his eight MLB seasons, Roach played in 227 games and had 499 at-bats, 42 runs, 119 hits, 25 doubles, seven home runs, 43 RBIs, one stolen base, 24 walks, .238 batting average, .275 on-base percentage, .331 slugging percentage, 165 total bases and nine sacrifices.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 7, 2023 22:42:36 GMT -5
Clifford Layton, a former Negro League pitcher, passed away at the age of 93. The following is an excerpt from Layton's online obituary: "Reverend Clifford Layton, 93, of 903 Greenfield Drive, Dunn, passed away, August 1, 2023. He was the son of the late Nathan and Gertrude Layton of Dunn. He received a formal education in the New York City public school system before dropping out of school and began working in the city's garment district. This is where he began to develop a love for the game of baseball. Clifford played infield and pitcher on company teams in Central Park. His ability and skill at placing his pitches drew the attention of a catcher for the Indianapolis Clowns, a Negro League team. Clifford earned the chance to play in the National Negro League and 1944, he played for the Metros in the Negro League. In 1949 Clifford played for the Raleigh Tigers and after leaving Raleigh, he went to New York, where he wouldn't take "NO" for an answer. In 1951 he wrote to the Indianapolis Clowns team owner, Syd Pollack, in TarryTown, NY, requesting a try-out. He was given the chance to try out and he successfully made the team and played for the Clowns from 1951 to 1953. After completing his time with the Clowns, he went on to play for the New York Black Yankees in 1954. After declining an invite to try out for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951, due to shoulder soreness, the opportunity to try out again never came. Soon thereafter in 1959, Clifford went on to honorably serve in the United States Army, where he did a tour in Germany."
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 8, 2023 14:42:40 GMT -5
Zenon Andrusyshyn, a former punter and kicker from 1971–1977, 1979–1982, primarily for the Toronto Argonauts and the Kansas City Chiefs, passed away at the age of 76. He also was a member of the Tampa Bay Bandits in the United States Football League and played college football at UCLA. Andrusyshyn was born in Germany to Ukrainian parents. His family moved to Ontario, Canada, where he attended Oakville Trafalgar High School. He set a high school javelin record that lasted for 35 years. Andrusyshyn participated with the Canadian team in the javelin throw, shot put and discus during the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. He held the Canadian javelin record with a throw of 242 feet 6 inches. He received a track and field scholarship from UCLA to compete in the javelin throw, but suffered an elbow injury while preparing for the 1968 Summer Olympics and decided to walk-on to the football team after kicking in a tryout 14 field goals in a row from 45 yards out. In one practice, he kicked field goals of 57 and 62 yards. Andrusyshyn was used both as a punter and placekicker. As a sophomore, he led the NCAA in punting with a 44.2 average and also made 11 of 24 field goal attempts. Against the University of Southern California in a contest that was called "the game of the century", he missed one field goal, had two blocked, and failed a critical extra point that gave them the victory and the eventual 1967 National championship. Then USC head coach John McKay remarked that "Andrusyshyn kicks with low leverage," and that is why he employed 6-foot-8 offensive tackle Bill Hayhoe to affect his kicking game. As a senior, he scored 8 of 12 field goals, 33 of 44 extra points and had a 42.1-yard punting average. He was a two-time All-American punter (1967, 1969) and was voted into UCLA's All Century Team. Andrusyshyn was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the ninth round (231st overall) of the 1970 NFL Draft but was waived before the start of the season on September 2. On May 5, 1971, he signed as a free agent with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. On October 23, 1977, he recorded a 108-yard punt against the Edmonton Eskimos, which still stands as the longest punt in professional football history. On April 14, 1978, he signed as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was named the team's starting punter, registering 79 punts for 3,247 yards (41.1-yard avg.), a long of 61 yards and one blocked punt. On August 21, 1979, he was waived after being passed on the depth chart by Bob Grupp. This led him back to the CFL where on September 7, 1979, he was signed as a free agent by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He appeared in the last 8 games handling both the punting and kicking roles where he scored 10 of 20 field goals, 15 of 16 extra points and averaged 43.2 yards on 51 punts. On June 15, 1980, he was traded to the Toronto Argonauts in exchange for offensive lineman Al MacLean. In 1980, he was named the starting kicker and punter over Ian Sunter. He was named a CFL East All-Star for two straight seasons. On September 14, 1980, against the Saskatchewan Roughriders, he kicked a career-longest 57-yard field goal. He was passed on the depth chart by Dean Dorsey and was released in September 1982. In September 1982, he was claimed off waivers by the Edmonton Eskimos to replace Hank Ilesic, who walked out in a contract dispute. On December 29, 1982, he signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Bandits of the United States Football League. He was the starter at kicker and punter for three seasons until the team folded in 1986. On October 1, 1986, he signed as a free agent with the Montreal Alouettes to replace an injured Roy Kurtz.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 8, 2023 14:44:22 GMT -5
Jim Price, a former professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Detroit Tigers from 1967 to 1971 passed away at the age of 81. He was also a color commentator for the Detroit Tigers Radio Network. Price was originally signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960, and was listed as a top prospect in the Pirates’ early-1960s yearbooks. His best minor league season was 1963, slugging 19 home runs while batting .311 for the Kinston Eagles of the Single-A Carolina League. For Price’s efforts he was named Pirates Minor League Player of the Year. His MLB debut came with the 1967 Tigers, after his contract was purchased from the Pirates. 1967 was also Price’s best big league season, when he hit .261 in 44 games. Price also played on the 1968 Tigers, who won the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. During his time with the Tigers, Price served as the backup catcher to starter Bill Freehan. His final season in the MLB was 1971 with Detroit. Price began his broadcasting career after retiring from baseball, working in local television in the Detroit area and for the fledgling ESPN, serving as an announcer for the first live sports broadcast on the network, the APSPL World Series for professional softball in 1979. He first worked as a color analyst on the Tigers' cable telecasts with PASS Sports in 1993, moving to the Detroit Tigers Radio Network in 1998. He worked alongside Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell from 1999 to 2002. Currently, Price teams up with play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson on the Tigers' radio broadcasts. As a former catcher, Price offers insight into baseball strategy, especially into pitching strategy, including each pitcher's "arsenal." Since he handled pitchers during his major league career, Price has informed fans about approaches to various hitters. He often refers to the Tigers as "we."
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Post by TTX on Aug 8, 2023 14:57:07 GMT -5
RIP. Getting to work with Ernie must have been amazing.
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Post by on_the_edge on Aug 8, 2023 15:39:12 GMT -5
Ernie was truly one of the greats. I was blessed to hear many of the games he called as I grew up.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 8, 2023 18:47:58 GMT -5
Harland Carl, a former NFL halfback, passed away at the age of 91. The following is an excerpt from Carl's online obituary: "Harland Carl, the speedy left halfback carried the ball for the last time and scored his final touchdown on July 28, 2023 when he cut outside and shook off the defenders to break the goal line into the big endzone in the sky He was 91on A small-town kid from tiny Greenwood, WI "Hy" as he was called by his family and friends was born on October 1, 1931 to Ida and Irvin Carl. He excelled at sports in high school and ended up starring for the Wisconsin Badgers on the football field and on the track where he held indoor records in the 40 and 60 yard dash... He went on to play football for the Chicago Bears in the NFL before another knee injury ended his football career. In his free time, he also earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education while attending The University of Wisconsin. When your name is mentioned with some of the greatest Wisconsin Badgers running backs of all time, you're in pretty good company! James White averaged 6.2 yards per carry, Ron Dayne 5.2 yards, Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsh 5.4 yards, Billy Marek 5.2 yards, Alan "the Iron Horse" Ameche 4.8 yards, Rufus "the Roadrunner" Ferguson 3.3 yards and the small-town kid from Greenwood, Harland Carl,. He also. If only he could have outrun the injury bug that plagued him throughout his football career Harland had the great honor of playing in a Rose Bowl (1953) and the NFL Championship game (1956), not bad for a kid from Greenwood, WI. One of his best stories about his days with the Bears was driving down to Chicago for the first time in his new car and parking it outside the players housing units and when he went out the next morning his car was up on blocks and the tires were gone welcome to the NFL rookie! Harland served in the Army for 2 years between his college and pro football days. He also got married during that time to Lesley Jean Riley and they had 4 children – Lesa, Rick, Jeff and Greg. After his playing days were over, Harland started coaching football and teaching at Neenah High School, where they won many conference and state titles. He returned to the Badgers to coach football in the late 60's as the "offensive backfield coach" under Head Coach John Coatta. After his coaching career, Harland worked at Valley School Supply in Appleton, WI for the great Green Bay Packer Legend Bob Skoronski (#76), running their athletic division supplying high schools and colleges with athletic equipment. After he "retired" Harland went to work as a manufacturer's rep selling printed garments to stores and resorts around the state. Harland was also the proud owner of his company called "Wisconsin Athletic Products". For the last 50 years he sold a basketball rack called the "Rol-O-Bin" that can be found today in many high school and college gyms across the country and he always made sure it was manufactured entirely in the state of Wisconsin. He probably worked way too long but he enjoyed what he did, meeting people and talking to them and boy could he talk! If you listen closely, you can probably hear him talking right now up in heaven! Harland loved going to his cottage in northern Wisconsin and fishing and telling stories with his buddies. He had a close group of friends that would go to the fishing opener every year and try to catch dinner and have a few cold ones and play his favorite dice game "Olay" If only those cottage walls could talk, they would tell some great stories! He also enjoyed going to deer camp at "Dewey's Woods" with his brother Dewey and his nephew David and their friends. He wasn't much of a hunter; I think he went for good food and good company and I'm sure he helped keep the conversations and good times rolling Harland also kept active playing handball in the early days after football, before progressing to paddle ball and eventually racquetball, where he won the 50 and over Wisconsin State Singles Championship when in his early 50's. The Chicago Bears drafted Harland in the 14th round (162nd overall) of the 1953 NFL Draft.
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Post by jimsteel on Aug 9, 2023 19:40:36 GMT -5
Leigh Verstraete, a former right-winger in the NHL, passed away at the age of 61. This was announced on social media by the Toronto Maple Leafs. No official news on his cause of death has been released. He was originally drafted by the Leafs in the 10th round of the 1982 entry draft. He appreared in 8 games over three seasons for the Maple Leafs. Below are the teams he played for in the WHL, IHL, NHL and AHL. Season Team League 1978–79 Billings Bighorns WHL 1979–80 Billings Bighorns WHL 1979–80 Calgary Wranglers WHL 1980–81 Calgary Wranglers WHL 1981–82 Calgary Wranglers WHL 1982–83 Calgary Wranglers WHL 1982–83 St. Catharines Saints AHL 1982–83 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1983–84 Muskegon Mohawks IHL 1983–84 St. Catharines Saints AHL 1984–85 St. Catharines Saints AHL 1984–85 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 1985–86 St. Catharines Saints AHL 1986–87 Newmarket Saints AHL 1987–88 Newmarket Saints AHL 1987–88 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL.
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