Field of Dreams

[Tobywan]

Bobby Moore


Robert Devell Moore was born on November 8, 1958 in Sweetwater, Louisiana. He was selected by the Oakland Athletics in the 11th round of the 1976 amateur draft. He began his journey with the Boise A's in the Northwest League. He was made a reliever in 1982 and in December he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. He spent half of 1983 at Double-A before he was released. He headed to the Milwaukee Brewers, played Single-A and was released the next spring. Days later he signed with SF Giants, started at AA but was promoted to the Triple-A Phoenix Giants near the end of the season and started with them in 1985. He pitched in 50 games that season even with serving a suspension for pine tar on his glove.


He made his MLB debut on September 11, 1985 for the Giants in relief during the second game of a doubleheader against the Houston Astros. SF won the first game easily 11-4. Mike Jeffcoat started game 2 and got tapped early for 6 runs through the middle of the fourth. Moore came in with two on and gave a home run to Denny Walling. He gave up another run on a double by Jose Cruz before being pulled. Giants lost 10-9.

He made his last MLB appearance on October 6, 1985 for the Giants on the last day of the season, he went 0-0 with a 3.24 ERA and 10 Ks in 16.2 IP for his career numbers.

He pitched 17 pro seasons, between the minors, independent, Mexican and less then a dozen games in the majors. His last pro season was for the Pueblo Bighorns in the Texas-Louisiana League in 1995.

He passed away on April 10, 2015 in Pensecola, Florida, he was 56.


**I was unable to locate an actual obituary with details on cause of death, family or funeral details. If anyone else happens to find any info, please add it.**

[Tobywan]

Ray Nemec



Raymond J. Nemec was born on June 19, 1929 (Lou Gehrig’s 26th birthday) in Chicago, Illinois and grew up a Cubs fan. While serving in the Army, he announced live talent shows on the Armed Forces Radio. He hosted a radio show in the early 70's called, "Music, News & Nemec" airing on WDGC-FM.

He had already spent 30 years tracking minor league statistics and box scores when he became one of the founding members of SABR, Society for American Baseball Research in August 1971. He was the first chairman of SABR's Minor Leagues Research Committee. The 1978 publication of SABR's Minor League Stars, the first in depth listing of career records for minor league players was his baby. He was also instrumental in bringing the Negro Leagues history and statistics
to a wider audience.

He coached Little League baseball and worked as an official scorer and statistician for local minor-league teams, including the Kane County Cougars (Midwest League) in the 90's. He coached and managed a little league team in Downers Grove, IL. His love of numbers translated to a successful career in logistics and planning for Corn Products Co. International (now Ingredion Inc.) for 45 years.


He and the other founders were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY. He was a recipient of the Henry Chadwick Award in 2012.

Other than stats his hobbies were included railroading and antiques, he was a charter member of the Antique Doorknob Collectors of America, their newsletter editor and has a collections of more than 2,000 doorknobs.

He passed away in Naperville, Illinois on April 17, 2015, he was 85. He was preceded in death his brother Robert and a great granddaughter. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Loretta Majerczyk; sons, Thomas and Allen; daughters, Alice and Jennifer, 2 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. He was interred atSaints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Naperville. IL.

[Tobywan]

Jim Fanning




William James Fanning was born on September 14, 1927 in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Iowa as a St. Louis Cardinals fan. He served in the U.S. Army in Germany during WW II, then earned a degree in physical education from Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, IA. He was a catcher for several semi-pro teams before signing as an amateur free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 1949. He was a Texas League All-Star in 1954 even though he didn't begin his season until June due to his other job as a high school history teacher in Stanhope, Iowa.

He made his MLB debut on September 11, 1954 for the Chicago Cubs, he went 0-for-3, but he was renowned more for his defense. He made the roster in 1957 as the back up catcher.

Fanning played in Venezuela during the winter of 1957-58, but wasn't in the Cubs plans anymore. His last MLB appearance was on September 29, 1957 for the Chicago Cubs.

He spent parts of four seasons as a player in the majors, he had a .70 BA with 24 hits and 5 RBIs in 64 games. He had played 11 seasons in the minors most with Chicago.

He started the 1958 season as a player-coach of the Fort Worth Cats of the Texas League, in July he became the player-manager of the Tulsa Oilers. He managed several minor league teams. He joined the Milwaukee Brewers was with them through their relocation to Atlanta. He was a scout in Atlanta before being promoted to the positions of Director of Minor League Operations and assistant general manager in the mid 1960's.

Fanning was briefly listed as a coach for the 1968 Braves, but before the season began he resigned to become the first director of the Central Scouting Bureau. A few months into the season his old boss during the Milwaukee days, John McHale was named president of the new expansion Montreal Expos joining the National League. John wanted to take Jim with him and in August Fanning was named their first General Manager. Just before opening day Montreal was doused with heavy snow, the team promised free tickets to anyone willing to come shovel, kids took off from school, adults took off work and Fanning was in the middle of it all with instruction and a shovel himself.

Montreal contended for the NL East title in 1973 but when Montreal struggled in 1976, Fanning was replaced by Charlie Fox. He would stay with the organization in various jobs for 25 years. He was the on-field manager in 1981-82 and again in 1984. The manager Dick Williams was fired in September of '81. Fanning stepped in and guided Montreal into the playoffs for the only time in the 46-year history of the franchise. The Expos won 16 of their last 27 games to capture the second-half NL East title, thus qualifying for the playoffs per 1981's strike-shortened, split-season format. They defeated the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the playoffs to advance to the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In Game 5, which came to be known in Montreal as "Blue Monday" (October 19, 1981), LA outfielder Rick Monday hit a tie-breaking home run in the ninth off Expos ace Steve Rogers. The Dodgers won, 2–1, heading to the World Series, where they defeated the New York Yankees. It would be the only trip to the post season for Montreal. They relocated in 2005 becoming the Washington Nationals.

It is a bit surprising that he lists 1982 as one of his favorite seasons. The team didn't play well, was hit by many injuries and finished third. He was even challenged to a fight after the release of second baseman Rodney Scott on May 7, Bill Lee threw a tantrum. Lee placed his ripped up jersey in the manger's office, went to a bar while the team was playing the Dodgers He was fined and cut from the team, he confronted Fanning who because he was usually pretty mid mannered refused to fight him. Lee never played in the majors again and Fanning resigned on the last day of the season. After 1982 he returned to an executive position, giving the manger job to Bill Virdon who was fired near then of the 1984 season and Fanning again took over, the team finished fifth.

He got married for the first time in 1985 to Maria Malandra of Montreal, he was 57, she was a quite a bit younger. They met while she worked in the same building where the Expos had their offices. They spent their honeymoon in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico on a scouting trip, it led to the signing of Mel Rojas.

His managerial career numbers are 116-103. Along with playing, managing and an executive he spent time as a color commentator on Expos radio and TV broadcasts and had his own radio show for many years. He was a scout for the Colorado Rockies and a GM for them. He then became an ambassador to amateur baseball/Canada for the Toronto Blue Jays.

He was known as Gentleman Jim for his quiet demeanor (usually) on and off the field. He was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000, and received his Canadian citizenship in 2012.

He had been battling some heart issues for a few weeks, but managed to throw his wife a 65th birthday party on Monday. During dinner on Friday night he told his family how thankful he was for them and his long life.

He passed away from a heart attack on April 25, 2015 in London, Ontario, he was 87. He is survived by his wife Maria, son Frank and daughter Cynthia.


With Gary Carter.

[Tobywan]

Bill Valentine



William Terry Valentine, Jr. was born on November 21, 1932 in Little Rock, Arkansas. He worked odd jobs at the Ray Winder Ball field (now Travelers Field) in Little Rock during his high school years. He was offered a scholarship to Arkansas State Teachers College but turned it down to attend Bill McGowan’s umpiring school in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1951. He became the youngest professional baseball umpire in history at 18 years old when he took a position in the Class-D Ohio-Indiana League.

He moved on to the Double-A Texas League in 1954 and the Pacific Coast League in 1960 before being hired for the American league in 1963. He was the first (of 2) umpire to eject Mickey Mantle and was the home plate umpire when Hall of Famer Satchel Paige pitched his final game in September 1965. He was a member of the umpiring crew in the 1965 All-Star Game at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota (near Minneapolis) when the NL team won 6-5. Just two days after the event in the same venue Minnesota Twins manager Sam Mele got into it with Valentine, Mele was suspended for five games as he attempted to throw a punch. Bill was the home plate umpire when Tony Conigliaro was hit by a pitched ball at Fenway Park on August 18, 1967 by pitcher Jack Hamilton.


His last season in the majors was 1968, he was fired along with umpire Al Salerno for what American League president Joe Cronin claimed was poor umpiring. The two had been working to form a union of the AL umpires, they felt it was unfair that they were paid less then their unionized NL counterparts. They filed a $4 million lawsuit alleging federal antitrust violations and defamation of character. The new Major League Umpires Association filed a claim with the National Labor Relations Board, but they lost both cases. In 1970 a settlement was offered by the AL for full reinstatement, back pay, and $20,000 in salary on the provision that they go to the minor leagues to improve their skills, they refused. Valentine umpired 947 games.

He went to work as a basketball referee, an executive director for the AK Republican Party and as an announcer for the Arkansas Travelers (8 Seasons). In 1976 he became the GM for the Travelers, Attendance increased each season and the team won five league titles. In the 1980's in a combination of trying to keep kids "off the streets" and a promotion to get more families to the ballpark he gave out free admission to children with the idea that the adults would spend money to buy tickets for themselves and concessions. He gave up the GM position in 2007 but stayed as executive vice president before retiring in March 2009. He was named Executive of the Year by the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues five times.

He is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas League Hall of Fame, the Arkansas Officials Hall of Fame, the North Little Rock Boys Club Hall of Fame. On December 8, 2014 he was named King of Baseball by Minor League Baseball at the annual Winter Meetings.


He'd been in failing health, was sent to a hospice facility a few days ago and passed away on April 26, 2015 in Little Rock, Arkansas he was 82. He was preceded in death by his first wife Mary Pefferly (1989) and survived by his wife of 24 years Nena.

[Tobywan]

Fred "The Bear" Gladding

Fred Earl Gladding was born on June 28, 1936 in Flat Rock, Michigan. Despite being nearly blind in his left eye, he became a pitcher. The right-hander signed at the age of 20 with the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1956, it was his favorite team growing up. He spent time in the minors in such places as Valdosta, Birmingham, Knoxville and Denver. In 1957 he went 16-8 for Valdosta, leading the Georgia-Florida League with a 2.12 ERA. While pitching for the Augusta Tigers, he threw a 7-inning no-hitter against the Macon Dodgers on May 25, 1958.



He made his MLB debut on July 1, 1961 for the Tigers, he pitched 16.1 innings all in relief with a 3.31 ERA in his brief time. In the minors though he was used quite a lot as a starter, when he lost nine straight decisions playing for the Triple-A Denver Bears in 1962 he contemplated the idea of quitting the game. He was moved to the bull pen with better success and stuck with it. He wasn't a permanent member of the ML roster until 1965, he got his one and only ML start in 1967 when he pitched a career high 77 innings. He was traded to the Houston Astros in November 1967 as the PTBNL for an earlier deal that sent Eddie Matthews to the Tigers, which was kind of a shock as he was coming off his best season.


The 1968 season was doubly hurtful, while he might have gotten a World Series ring as the Tigers became the 1968 champions, he spent most the season on the Astros disabled list, so he might not have participated much had he been a Tiger that year. He recorded 29 saves in 1969 leading the National League (the first year the stat was recognized) and made a career high 63 appearances in 1970. He was a terrible hitter (left handed) even for a pitcher, recording just one hit in 1969 in a career 63 at-bats for a .016 BA. That is currently the lowest non-zero career batting average in major league history. The hit was a single in the top of the 9th inning for the Astros in the first game of a double header against the New York Mets on July 30, 1969, off Ron Taylor. In the inning, Houston scored 11 runs, as Denis Menke and Jimmy Wynn each hit grand slams in a 16-3 victory for the Astros. Gadding closed out both games, they won the second game 11-5. He was released after the 1973 season and signed a minor league deal with Cleveland but never made it back to the majors.

He played his final game on June 2, 1973 for the Houston Astros. In a 13 year big league career he went 48–34 with a 3.13 ERA, 109 saves and 394 Ks and 223 walks in 601 IP. His .703 winning percentage with the Tigers is currently the highest in the franchise's history for a pitcher appearing in at least 200 games for the team. He currently ranks third all-time in saves among Astros pitchers.



He was a minor league instructor for Detroit in 1974 and '75, then served as their major league pitching coach from 1976-78 under Ralph Houk. His first coaching season was highlighted by the wonders of Mark "The Bird" Fidrych. He also was a minor league coach for the Tacoma Tugs in the Cleveland Indians organization. He then served in the Astros system as a coach with the Asheville Tourists in 1986, the Columbus Astros in 1987 and 1988, and the Columbus Mudcats in 1989. In 1990 he rejoined the Indians coaching for Kinston through 1991. He then was the pitching coach for the Columbus Red Stixx from 1992 to 1994.


He passed away on May 21, 2015 in Columbia, South Carolina, he was 78. He is survived by his wife, Margie (nee Clotfelter), daughter Brenda and two grandchildren. Though he was living in SC at the time of his death, he was buried at Woodhaven Memorial Garden in Powell, Tennessee where he had resided many years after retirement.

[realmofotalk]

Should add Brad Halsey. He died last Halloween from a falling off a cliff. No joke.

[Tobywan]

Since this just started, I only went as far back as the first of the year, but I will look him up.

[Tobywan]

Brad Halsey

Bradford Alexander Halsey was born on February 14, 1981 in Houston, Texas. He got plenty of pitching practice as a young boy when his mother built him a mound in the yard and was his personal catcher. He was first selected by the Yankees in the 19th round of the June 2000 draft, but didn't sign, he decided to attend Hill Junior College after graduating high school. After a couple seasons he transferred to the University of Texas at Austin becoming a starting pitcher for the Longhorns leading them to the 2002 College World Series where they took the title defeating the South Carolina Gamecocks 12-6.

He was again selected by the NY Yankees in the 8th round of the June 4, 2002 amateur draft signing on July 1st. He moved up quickly from Low A to Triple-A ball within three seasons including a brief stop with the Tampa Yankees in 2003. Between Tampa and the Trenton Thunder he went 17-9 with a 4.21 ERA in 28 starts and 175.1 IP. One of his new friends infielder Jared Koutnik bonded with him over late nights drinking in local bars while in the Yankees minor league system.

Halsey made his MLB debut on June 19, 2004 with the New York Yankees, they would be facing the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Hideo Nomo taking the mound for the opponents. His tandem partner was former Devil Ray and current Yankees commentator John Flaherty. He remembered Brad fondly as a quiet kid with a cool and confident air about him. The Yanks gave Halsey a nice lead before he even took the mound, putting up 4 runs in the first. He went 5.2 innings giving up 2runs on 5 hits and one walk while striking out three, he struck out the first batter he faced, Cesar Izturis. He did give up a homer in the fifth when his counterpart Nomo led off with a solo shot. He notched his first big league win, 6-2.

Two weeks later on July 1st he started a game that would be one of the most memorable that season for the Yankees but not really due to anything by Halsey. They had a lead against the Boston Red Sox heading into the 6th, but Brad gave up a two run homer to Many Ramirez and was lifted for Paul Quantrill. The game went into extra innings, in the 12th with Tanyon Sturtze pitching to Trot Nixon, Derek Jeter made a catch just inside fair territory of third base, he was running hard and the momentum heading near the stands propelled him into the fans, he came up bloody and bruised but it ended the inning. The Red Sox went ahead in the 13th with another homer off Ramirez, but was tied again 13th by the Yankees when Ruben Sierra singled then scored on a double from Miguel Cairo. John Flaherty hit a walk off single to score Cairo for the 5-4 win. Halsey made seven starts and got one relief appearance finishing with a 1-3 record with 25 Ks and a 6.47 ERA in 32 IP.


In January 2005 he was traded in a three team deal, Halsey went to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with pitcher Javier Vázquez, and catcher Dioner Navarro. The DBacks then sent Navarro and three minor-leaguers to the Dodgers for Shawn Green and New York received Randy Johnson. By this time his buddy Koutnik was living in Chicago, when the Dbacks came into play the Cubs the two went out, Halsey was so trashed he had to be carried into his hotel room then pitched six scoreless innings to earn a 6-0 victory the next day.


He then was traded to the Oakland A's for Juan Cruz in March 2006. On May 20th, he threw the pitch that Barry Bonds hit out of the park for his 714th home run, tying Babe Ruth for second place on the all-time home run list. Oakland was play-off bound but decided to use left-hander Joe Kennedy instead. He then lost a roster spot for the 2007 season to Kennedy when he didn't pitch well in spring training. He was passed over for promotion in favor of Dallas Braden at the end of April as he was scheduled to have an MRI, he blasted the A's over the move. He did end up having surgery in mid-July to repair a torn labrum, he was released the next spring.

He played in the Puerto Rican Winter League in 2008 then signed with the Dodgers before the 2009 spring training season, he was released just before they broke camp. He got no ML offers, he signed with the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. One of his teammates was Ron Flores who noticed bouts of anger and paranoia by Halsey. In June he didn't show up for BP or the game, after several days his mother filed a missing persons report but Brad suddenly showed up the next day. According to her, he had been taking Adderall, the drug had become popular among athletes to improve focus. Another teammate claimed Halsey had been talking about a force from the fourth dimension taking all of his energy. His agent , Tom O'Connell, told authorities Halsey was addicted to painkillers. When he showed up, his mother flew to NY to bring her son home.

In December he went missing again, he had been ranting about how he was hearing voices and needed to go to France to join a cult headed by a mystic. His friend Koutnik said Brad told him he began hearing alien voices shortly after he was released by the A's, that he had sold his BMW and the national championship ring he won at Texas to finance the trip to France.

In 2010, he pitched for the Gary SouthShore RailCats of the independent Northern League, he completed the season with no incidents, but no contract on the horizon. Broke, he stayed with Koutnik who helped him tryout for some teams including his original team, the Yankees. They signed him and he played for the Trenton Thunder of the Class AA Eastern League, but was released after the season.

He went back to Chicago to stay with Koutnik but started heavily abusing Adderall, he couldn't sleep wouldn't shower and began to have outbursts in front of young players that Koutnik was coaching, he called Brad's mother. Loretta showed up again to get her son. Soon, Halsey was displaying even more bizaar behavior, he was arrested after he commandeered a barge on the San Antonio River Walk. His father died of cancer in 2012 and Brad continued public displays leading to six more arrests within six months, he was accused of breaking into cars and would fight with officers when they tried to question him.

Halsey was telling friends he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but his mother has always denied any such mental health issues.
He had been renting someone's guesthouse and frequenting a bar in a local hotel, getting hammered a few times a week, but he wasn't getting arrested anymore. He was also working occasionally with a local pitching instructor helping him at his facility.

In May of 2014 friends say Halsey spoke openly about his mental illness and drug use, that in fact he was on cocaine when he gave up the Bonds' home run and blew all his earnings on drugs. In August local police responded to a complaint that a man was throwing rocks at people floating on inner tubes in the Comal River and talking to himself. He identified himself as "Lucifer" and claimed he was arguing with someone named "Mitch" that no one else could see. He got combative with officers, they shackled him and took him to a local hospital for observation.

He moved back in with his mother and on the morning of October 31, 2014 left their home, his mother said he was going to go to a nearby river for a walk. In the early afternoon Halsey's body was found on a small road leading up to a high cliff in New Braunfels, Texas, he was just 33. The land was private property located near the Guadalupe River. According to Brad's mother, the two used to fish near there and he loved the peaceful area.

Detective Juan Guerrero investigated the death, he even trekked up the steep hill, he found the climb difficult, the edges sand based and unstable. He checked out Halsey's black Honda parked near the site, it contained a baseball glove, a baseball and a flier advertising pitching lessons on the passenger's seat.


An autopsy determined that he suffered injuries consistent with a fall from a great height, the cliff is approximately 100 ft tall. A toxicology report found no drugs or alcohol in his system. This, together with the position of his body, the terrain, the contents left behind in Halsey's car and abscence of a suicide note lead Guerrero to lean more toward an accidental fall in his official report.

Halsey was preceded in death by his father Marcus Halsey Jr. (2012) and is survived by his mother Loretta (nee Holmberg) and older brother Marcus III. A memorial service was held at the river near where he die. It was to be private but more than 200 people showed up, including Det. Guerrero. His brother Marcus, a chaplain in the National Guard, presided, he was cremated and his ashes retained by his mother.

[Tobywan]

Skeeter Kell





Everett Lee Kell was born on October 11, 1929 in Swifton Arkansas, he got his nickname "Skeeter" as a young boy. He was invited to spring camp with the Tigers in 1949 and everyone was amazed how much the brothers that were seven years apart in age resembled each other in every way right down to their batting stance. They couldn't guarantee him a spot so he stayed in college at Arkansas State University. During that summer, George was on the DL with a fractured jaw, he, Skeeter and their father Clyde drove to St. Louis to see the Browns play the visiting Philadelphia A’s, George had gotten his start with them. Connie Mack (owner and manager of the A's) offered Skeeter a tryout at Sportsman’s Park. He showed his skills for three days and Mack signed him to a minor league contract.

As a second baseman he played for several years in the minor leagues in Georgia before making his MLB debut on April 19, 1952 for the Philadelphia Athletics as a defensive replacement at Fenway Park against the Red Sox and went 0-for-1. Less than 2 weeks later he got his first ML hit against the great Bob Feller, then later in the game he earned his first RBI. The highlight was on May 4th at Shibe Park during a doubleheader against his brother George and the Tigers, the A's swept and Skeeter belted three hits the same as George.


He made his last MLB appearance on September 26, 1952 for the A's, playing just the one season in the majors. His glove was stellar but his bat wouldn't keep him on the roster. He played a couple more seasons in the minors in Savannah and Ottawa before calling it quits. He finished with a .221 BA with 47 hits, 8 doubles, 14 walks and 17 RBIs in 75 games.

He returned home and to Arkansas State University to finish up a few classes to earn his degree in physical education. He opened Skeeter Kell Sporting Goods (he sold it long ago but it still has his name) in Kennett, Missouri in 1955. He then worked as a sales as a representative for L.G. Balfour Graduation Products and opened Kell Athletic Goods in 1964. He retired from Balfour in 2000.

George was 10 time All-Star and HOF member (inducted in 1983) who played 15 seasons mostly with the Tigers including 1949 when he won the batting crown.
Kell Field in Tomlinson Stadium, located at Arkansas State University was opened in 1993 and is named after Skeeter and brother George.

He passed away on May 28, 2015 at the age of 85 in Newport, Arkansas. He was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers George (2009) and Frank. He is survived by his wife of 67 years Sue, sons Roger and Jerry,daughters Becky and Karla, 10 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren and an uncle Wilson Kell. He is interred at Swifton Cemetery in Swifton, AK.

[Tobywan]

Lennie Merullo




Leonard Richard Merullo Sr. was born on May 5, 1917 in East Boston, Massachusetts, one of of 12 children born to Italian immigrants. He played baseball at Villanova University in Pennsylvania before he signed as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs in 1939. He played for three seasons in the minors before making his ML debut with the Cubs on September 12, 1941 against the Philadelphia Phillies as the starting shortstop, he went 0-3.

He became the regular SS in 1942, but on September 13, he committed four errors in a single inning (still a ML record for shortstops) against the Boston Braves, in the second game of a double header. It had been a long day and night, he had gotten word his wife was in labor while the team was out of town and he had taken a plane, a train and a bus to be at his wife Jean's side before the birth. After his son Len Jr. arrived at 5 am, he reported to the park before the first game as scheduled. He played both games with no sleep, a sports writer for the the Chicago Daily News suggested the name "Boots" for the baby and it stuck.


After the Cubs defeated the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Pennant, he appeared in three games during the 1945 World Series against the Detroit Tigers. They were defeated in seven games, the last WS appearance for the Cubs to date. He was let go by the Cubs after the 1947 season and he played for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League in 1948, but never made it back to the majors.

His final ML game was August 22, 1947 for the Chicago Cubs, he played all seven seasons with the club, finishing with a .240 BA, 497 hits, 6 home runs and 152 RBIs in 639 games. He has a career fielding average of .945. With the exception of one game at first he played shortstop. He got playing time due to so many top tier players serving during WW II. He was deferred from service due to color blindness.

He became a chief scout for the Cubs from 1950-72, one of his signings was reliever Moe Drabowsky. In 1973 he joined the then-fledgling MLB Scouting Bureau, he was there until his retirement in 2003.

Over the years the loveable loser Cubs have been the fodder for fans and media alike, in the 1980's a Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, often cited Merullo in his annual quizzes centering on the futility of past Cubs teams. Merullo wrote him and Royko published the letter in his column.

An excerpt read:
“I thought you might like to know whatever became of your favorite Cub shortstop,” Merullo wrote. “I’m now 66 years old, the father of four wonderful grown sons, grandfather of three, and still married very happily to my girl-next-door sweetheart. And I’ve spent my entire years in baseball — a very much respected scout here in the New England area and in special assignments throughout the country.”

Merullo told Royko that he had always worked hard at his game and that “perhaps my contribution to baseball can be described as being able to understand and have a feel for the player who is having a bad day — as I have had many.”

In response Royko promised “no more wise-guy remarks about Lennie,” but he had one final note. He mentioned that Merullo had knocked a few front teeth of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Dixie Walker in a 1946 brawl at Ebbets Field, and told him “Don’t tell me you never gave us anything to cheer about, pal.”


Lennie is a member of the Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame as he led the Barnstable Townies to the Cape League title in 1935. He was Scout of the Year in 1990 and was awarded the Judge Emil Fuchs Award for long and meritorious service to baseball in 2006.

When Andy Pafko died on October 8, 2013, Merullo became the only living player to have played for the Cubs in a World Series, as well as being the oldest living former member of the Cubs.

Boots went on to play in the Pittsburgh Pirates' minor league system for three seasons, he was never the same after he broke his leg in his first season. His son Matt had a six-year career as a catcher playing in the majors, mainly the Chicago White Sox, a scouting gig with the Arizona Diamondbacks and is now manager of the Aberdeen IronBirds. Matt's son Nicholas signed and played in the Baltimore Orioles organization in 2014 including the Ironbirds, but retired in January.


Lennie threw out a ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Miami Marlins and the Cubs in Chicago in June 2014. He also led the crowd in the singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch, part of the many events marking Wrigley Field’s 100th anniversary.



He passed away on May 30, 2015 following a stroke in Reading, Massachusetts, he was 98. He is survived by his wife Jean, and sons Len Jr.(Boots), Rick, Dave and Charles, several grandchildren (including Matt) and great-grandchildren (including Nick). He is buried at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield, MA.









June 2014 at Wrigley Field


Matt, Nick and Len (Boots) Merullo in 2010

[Tobywan]

Larry Eshen



Lawrence Edward Eschen was born on September 22, 1920 in Suffern, New York. His father Jim Eschen played for the Cleveland Indians. Larry signed with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1942. While he was with the Lancaster Red Roses he played with HOF player George Kell, they walked together to the ballpark. Due to some irregularity about being "illegally optioned" to the team, his stats for the season with them are unavailable.


He made his ML debut on June 16, 1942 for the the Philadelphia Athletics managed by Connie Mack. He took over at shortstop for Pete Suder, just one at bat in the game and struck out and he was sent back to the minors after a month, he was released at the end of the year. He play 42 games between the Utica Braves (Single-A in the Phillies system) and the Binghamton Triplets a Single-A affiliate to the NY Yankees in 1943. He had been drafted and played until he was shipped overseas with the U.S. Army Air Corp. Promoted to Captain in just two years, he fought at the Battle of the Bulge and was involved in some of the postwar reconstruction of Wiesbaden and Cologne, Germany.


After his service he went back to play briefly for the Phillies minor league Schenectady Blue Jays and the Hartford Chiefs of the Boston Braves, just 17 games in 1946 and then decided to retire.

His last MLB game was on July 17, 1942 for the A's. He played in just 12 Major League games with 11 at bats, he never recorded a hit, but did walk four times.

Just 26 years old, he returned to college earning a Master of Education (M.S.Ed) degree. He was a teacher, coach and counselor in New York State until he retired in 1975. He moved to Georgia and became involved in the local community and a volunteer at Brenau University in Gainesville.

He passed away on June 9, 2015 at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Georgia, he was 94. He was preceded in death by his wife. There is a conflicting report on his daughter, one notice stated she also preceded him in death, Another says she was last known to be residing in Mexico with two sons. There was to be no service at Eshen's request and he was cremated.

[Tobywan]

Douglas D. Danforth


Douglas D. Danforth was born on September 25, 1922 in Fayetteville, New York. He attended Syracuse University where he played baseball as a catcher, but broke his fingers so many times he gave up the sport, he graduated with an engineering degree in 1947.

He began his business career with General Electric working in Central and South America. In 1955 he became an executive vice president and general manager for Industria Electrica de Mexico, a company affiliated with Westinghouse. In 1961, he served as the assistant to the vice president of manufacturing for the Pittsburgh region with the parent company. By the late 1970's he was the CEO's right hand man and took over as Chairman and CEO in 1983. He was there for the height of the company's success. While shareholders were happy, during his tenure the company cut more than 23, 000 jobs and by the 1990's was heavily in debt. In 1997, it was renamed the CBS Corporation, two years after it's merger with the broadcasting company.


Danforth joined the Pirates’ board of directors in 1984. He formed a public-private ownership group with his business partner Carl Barger and Mayor Richard Caligiuri, Carnegie Mellon University and area corporations. The collaboration's goal was to keep the Pirates in Pittsburgh when the Galbreath family of Columbus, Ohio, put the team up for sale in 1985. The team had been mired in bad seasons, a huge drug scandal and even a trial, he negotiated the price for the team down to $22 million. Danforth served as the board chairman and CEO of the Pittsburgh Pirates from December 1987 to 1992. he was instrumental in helping Kevin McClatchy obtain the team in 1996 for $90M.

Aside from his business career he was also a property developer, he raised and sold llamas on his family farm, and grew and sold Christmas trees.

Along with his wife Janet they started a philanthropy fund that is now part of The Pittsburgh Foundation where he was a director. He has also been director and on the board of trustees for numerous corporations like Dal-Tile International, Inc., Enivosource and Greenwich Street Capital Partners, Sola International Inc., Travelers, PNC Bank, PPG Industries, Rubbermaid, The Whirlpool Corporation, Atlantic Express Transportation Corp., AETG and was a Member of Board of Trustees of Carnegie Mellon University. At Syracuse University he established the Douglas Danforth Dean of Engineering and Computer Science Deanship and the Douglas D. Danforth Award for Quality in Manufacturing. Syracuse University awarded him an honorary Doctor of Law degree in 1999.

He split residency between Ligonier, PA and Naples, FL. He passed away on June 9, 2015 after being hospitalized at UPMC Montefiore in Pittsburgh, he was 92. He was preceded in death by his wife Janet (69 years) in 2012 and his daughter Susan. He is survived by daughters Barbara and Debra and a son Douglas Jr., 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.




Danforth (standing) with the 1977 Top three winners of the Science Talent Search, Richard Schirato 1st place, James Propp 2nd place, and Annie Murray 3rd place.

[Tobywan]

Andrés Mora



Andrés Mora Ibarra was born on May 25, 1955 in Rio Bravo, Coahuila, Mexico. He was the sixth born of eleven children, grew up playing ball with his siblings and friends. He started playing organized ball at 14 for the local Rio Bravo team in the Saltillo municipal league, two of his brothers also played in semi and pro Mexican Leagues.


He made his pro debut with the Zacatecas Tuzos of the Mexican Center League in 1971 at the age of 16. He signed as a free agent with the Montreal Expos in 1973, his time was short lived playing just eight games with the West Palm Beach Expos in the Florida State League. He was released in March 1974 and went back to Mexico for a couple seasons.

In 1975 he hit a Mexican League-leading 35 homers, batting .307 and slugging .585 while driving in a league-high 109 RBI for the Saltillo Saraperos.


On August 11, 1975 his contract was purchased by the Baltimore Orioles from Saltillo.

He made his ML debut on April 13, 1976 with the O's in part due to the infamous Reggie Jackson "hold out". He went 1-for-4 against the Yankees' Dock Ellis at Memorial Stadium. On the 17th he got his first home run, as a pinch hitter off Paul Lindblad in Oakland. He was demoted in August but was back during September call-ups.


Baltimore sent him back to Mexico for the 1979 season, he hit .344 with 23 homers and 102 BI, slugging .606 and helped lead the Saltillo Saraperos to the best season in the 20th century Mexican League when they went 95-40.

On December 3, 1979 he picked up in the rule 5 draft by the Cleveland Indians. His time there was done when he went just 2-for-18. He played his last MLB game on May 6, 1980 for the Tribe, he was 25 years old. He just could never achieved the success at the ML level that he did in the minors. In parts of four seasons he batted .223 with 156 hits, 27 home runs and 83 RBI in 235 games.


In 1981 he went back to the Saraperos, he went on to play for three different teams in the Mexican Leagues until 1997 at the age of 42, played most of his career as an outfielder.

During his success in the Mexican League he was part of a trio named the Los Tres Mosqueteros (The Three Musketeers). His hit a career high 41 homers in 1985 and hit over .300 in eight straight seasons from 1983 to 1990. Due to a contract dispute and personality clash with manager Zacatillo Guerrero he was traded away from the Dos Laredos Tecolotes in 1989 after seven seasons missing out on their only championship season. He did get to play for one champion, the 1987-88 Tijuana Potros and played in the just one Caribbean Series, going 3 for 16 in Santo Domingo in 1988.


He played for 27 years in the Mexican and minor leagues, he also managed for 10 seasons (MOY in 1995) and coached in between, his last managerial position was in 2009 with the Petroleros de Minatitlan. When he officially retired (just after his 42nd birthday) as a player he was 2nd all-time in the minors in home runs behind Hector Espino with 419, but when Nelson Barrera surpassed him and Espino a few years later he was bumped to third then fourth in 2009 behind Alejandro Ortiz. In 2000, he was ranked 9th all-time in the Mexican League in runs, 6th in hits (2,259), 4th in RBI (1,498), 3rd in intentional walks, 5th in total bases and 12th in BA (.311).

Between all the different leagues in Mexico, the US minors and Majors he has 619 recorded home runs. He won the LMP home run title three times. One July 21, 2003 he was inducted into the Salon de la Fama (Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame).


He had been in declining health for a few years, he passed away on June 13, 2015 of pneumonia, he was 60. He was married twice and is survived by three sons and a daughter.

[Tobywan]

Nelson Doubleday, Jr.

Nelson Doubleday, Jr. was born on July 20, 1933 in Oyster Bay, New York to Ellen McCarter and Nelson Doubleday. Nelson Sr. was the owner of the Doubleday publishing company that was founded by Jr.'s grandfather Frank Nelson Doubleday in 1896. His great-great-grand uncle, Abner, has long been credited with inventing the game of baseball. Junior was a Brooklyn Dodgers fan while growing up on Long Island. He attended the Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts and went on to Princeton where he earned a degree in economics and played football, baseball and hockey. After graduating he served in United States Air Force being stationed at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In the 1960s and ’70s, he invested in two hockey teams, the California Golden Seals and the New York Islanders. He worked for the family company in promotions, trade publications and was executive vice president in charge of sales. In 1973, he gained control of the stock left to him by his father who died in 1949, when the family fought with other shareholders over the company going public. He got controlling interest with the stock left to him by his mother after her death in 1978 becoming president and chief executive.


In 1980 he was the driving force behind the company's purchase of the New York Mets from the Payson family along with the City Investing Corporation and Fred Wilpon, of the real estate investing firm Sterling Equities. He was the last president of Doubleday and Company (1978-1986) before its sale to Bertelsmann A.G. in 1986 for $500 million. He bought 50 percent of the ownership stake in the Mets the other 50 bought by Fred Wilpon away from the company for $80M. He normally stayed in the background but took the lead role in the successful ousting of Bowie Kuhn as commissioner of baseball in favor of Peter V. Ueberroth in 1984. He turned the Mets around with a hands off approach unlike the other owner of a New York team during that time. They made a significant profit, expanded their television exposure and quadrupled their fan attendance. They also improved their rankings in 1984 and '85, finishing with their 1986 World Series title. He was chairman of the board of the Mets until he sold his interest to Wilpon in 2002 for $135M, though they had a bit of a falling out over the team's worth.

In his private time he enjoyed the outdoors, sailing his yacht, playing golf and hunting at his plantation in South Carolina. he was also a CB radio enthusiast and was part of a group called the Cuckoo’s Nest Convoy. His handle was Bookworm.


He passed away on June 17, 2015 of pneumonia at his home in Locust Valley, N.Y. , he was 81. He is survived by his two sisters Neltje and Ellen, his four daughters from his first marriage, Wendy, Lillian, Nanki and Phoebe, his wife Sandra Pine Barnett, two stepchildren, Duke and Alexis, 13 grandchildren and a great-grandson.



Doubleday with Joe Torre

[Tobywan]

Darryl Hamilton


Darryl Quinn Hamilton was born on December 3, 1964 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He never played high school ball so it was quite an accomplishment that he made the baseball team at Nicholls State University (Thibodaux, LA) as a non -scholarship athlete. He became an All-American, stole 140 bases, scored 193 runs, and in 1985, batted a career-high .379.

He was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 11th round of the 1986 draft beginning his career with the Helena Gold Sox of the Pioneer League. Three years after being drafted he made his MLB debut on June 3, 1988 as a defensive replacement for Robin Yount in the top of the seventh against the California Angels. He singled in his first at-bat off Stew Cliburn. His first home run came off of Bret Saberhagen of the Kansas City Royals on July 19, 1988. His first time up was short, heading back to the minors for the entire 1989 season, but from 1990-1995 he was a regular fixture in the Brewers outfield. He took on a major role when Paul Molitor choose free agency before the 1993 season, battling injuries and losing playing time in May and July he still led the team in batting average (.310), hits (161), singles (130) and stolen bases (21).

He had brief stints with the Rangers, Giants, Rockies and Mets, he hit .300 plus in four seasons with a career high .315 in 1999 splitting the season between the Rockies and Mets. He went to the post season four times, winning the AL West title with the Texas Rangers for the first play-off appearance in their franchise history. He was also a member of the 2000 National League Champion Mets, playing in the Subway World Series as a bench player, witnessing the Roger Clemens/Mike Piazza standoff in Game 2.

Nagged with injuries including a back issue in 2001, he retired making his last ML appearance as a Met on June 28, 2001, he was 36.


In 13 seasons he batted .291, with 1,333 hits, 51 home runs, 454 RBI and 707 runs scored in 1328 games. He has a career .995 fielding percentage, with 2711 putouts and 46 assists, committing only 14 errors in 2771 total chances.

He had made his home in the Houston area for many years, after baseball he worked with KPRC (Channel 2), KFNC (97.5 FM) and KGOW (1560 AM) and for MLB Advanced Media from 2003-2006 and with NBC Sports Network's "Sports Talk" . He then spent three years in the MLB Commissioner's Office of On-Field Operations, reporting to Vice President Bob Watson. In 2012 he was the color analyst for a limited series of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim games broadcast nationally by Compass Media Networks radio. He became an on-air analyst with the MLB Network in 2013. in 2014 he also was a part-time color analyst on Brewers radio broadcasts, rotating with Craig Counsell and Jerry Augustine to call games with Joe Block when primary announcer Bob Uecker wasn't available.


He is a member of University High and Nicholls State University's Hall of Fame, the State of Louisiana's Hall of Fame and the Milwaukee Brewers' Wall of Honor.


He was once married to Access Hollywood anchor Shaun Robinson ending in divorce, he married fashion model Ursaline Steinke in 2000 also ending in divorce, though they remained close.

He had been in a relationship with an attorney, Monica Jordan, that produced a son, the couple never married, on June 19, 2015 the two had resolved a custody dispute. She represented herself in the proceedings. Hamilton's lawyer claims the situation didn't seem out of the ordinary, just a usual hammering out of visitation and financial arrangements pursuant to the minor child. According to an anonymous friend of Hamilton, what started as a good relationship had spiraled downward the last few months.

Jordan had been the perpetrator in a previous domestic incident with her then-husband Rohaven Richards in 2008. According to Richards, Jordan had chased him around the house trying to throw gasoline on him before setting fire to the house, he was unharmed. After pleading guilty to felony arson, she received a deferred judgment and a sentence of community service, which she served. This resulted in a non-conviction and she continued to work as an attorney. According to the Texas State Bar Committee, Jordan has never been disciplined over the incident.

On the afternoon of June 21, (Father's Day) 2015, Hamilton was returning their son to Jordan's home (in a suburb of Houston), she shot him multiple times, she then made a frantic call to Richards, asking him to come over, take the child and call the police. Excerpts of his call to 911 can be found on the internet. When police arrived on scene, Hamilton's body was lying just inside the front door. Jordan's body was found in another room with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, their 14 -month old son unharmed. He was placed in the state's Child Protective Services.

The Mets mourned the loss holding a moment of silence before Friday night's home game to honor both Hamilton and Nelson Doubleday Jr., their former owner who died last week at the age of 81. There have been many tributes in the days following the tragedy. Grieving family, former teammates and colleagues have expressed their shock and sorrow in the aftermath, Hamilton was 50, victim of a murder-suicide at the hands of Monica Jordan (age 44).

He is survived by his mother Geraldine and father John Sr. (they were divorced), sons Donovan and Julian from his second marriage to Ursaline and Jaxon (from his relationship with Monica Jordan), sister Andrian and brother John Jr.(his agent during his playing days) and a large extended family. Services held in both Houston and Baton Rouge, Hamilton’s former Giants manager, Dusty Baker, gave the eulogy in Houston. Among the mourners was a group of Hamilton's oldest son's Little League teammates dress in uniforms with "D-Ham" embroidered on them.

It is reported that Ursaline and Daryl were planning a trip to Cooperstown with their two sons in July, the boys are scheduled to play in a baseball tournament during the HOF induction weekend. The plan was to bring them early to the MLB Network Studio in NJ to take a tour of where Daryl worked before the weekend games. She has been involved with helping Darryl's family with funeral arrangements.








Hamilton was very active on social media talking about baseball.One of Darryl's last tweets was a photo of himself with his sons at a Houston Astros game on June 12, 2015.