The Toughest Debut - Culver vs Red Sox 1966

 

TRIVIA WINNER: There were two sets of triple brothers in the big leagues in the 1970's. The Allens; Richie, Hank and Ron, and the Cruz brothers who played for St. Louis; Jose, Hector and Tommy.  Son, Jose Cruz Junior would later play in the Bigs.  

We will still provide a trivia question each week and we hope you participate even though there is no prize at the end. 

NOTE: First of all thank you to those who "follow" the column and if you would hit the "follow" button if you not done that, it would be appreciated. I do this column for free and I am NOT asking for money. We had a sponsor years ago and if you know of a company who would like to sponsor the column, please have them reach out to me at my email which is brillpro@prodigy.net, or provide theirs to me and I'll follow up. Thanx.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION:  There were two players who played in the game cited below which had either a father or a sibling who also played in the big leagues. Who were they?

You couldn't blame anyone for asking George Culver how he drew the team which would win the pennant in just one year later, and the team's best pitcher. It was Culver's debut with Cleveland on September 7, 1966, facing future Cy Young winner, Jim Lonborg and future Triple Crown winning MVP Carl Yastryzemski. For Culver's sake there were only 4300 fans in Boston that day and likely many were his relatives.

Culver drew the start against Lonborg. George walked the first big league batter he faced; Jose Tartabull. He got Joe Foy to pop out and he got Yaz. But Tony Conigliaro would not be denied and he drove a Culver pitch for a double and Tartabull raced around to score. George Scott was a victim and at the end of his first inning, Culver was down 1-0. It got much better and the it didn't.

The Indians tied it in the first and it remained 1-1 until the sixth. Up until then he'd been effective. He did give up a single and a walk to the Yaz the 1967 MVP but he also struck him out. In his first big league at bat, Lonborg K'd Culver. In the sixth however, the roof caved in.

A lead off walk followed by a single, and a sacrifice attempt loaded the bases. Then a single by Tartabull (his nemesis on the day, 2/4 2 runs and an RBI) drove home three and Culver was gone, relieved by Tom Kelley. Another run scored and was charged to Culver. Before the dust had settled the Sox won it 5-4. Culver took the loss giving up five earned runs in five innings plus, eight hits, three walks and four K's. 

While this was a miserable debut, it was his first. His next two outings weren't much better but he was learning. He would finish the 1966 season 0-2 in nine innings. He won his first game in 1967 when he went 7-3. He became a solid starter in 1968 and was 11-16. 

===========================================================

I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA. The newest book is an international thriller called ":05 Seconds to Die."

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Ken vs. Clete - The Boyers

 

TRIVIA WINNER: The first player in modern major league history to go thru arbitration was Dick Woodson of the Twins. He was 34-32 in five years in the bigs, mainly with Minnesota.  

We will still provide a trivia question each week and we hope you participate even though there is no prize at the end. 

NOTE: First of all thank you to those who "follow" the column and if you would hit the "follow" button if you not done that, it would be appreciated. I do this column for free and I am NOT asking for money. We had a sponsor years ago and if you know of a company who would like to sponsor the column, please have them reach out to me at my email which is brillpro@prodigy.net, or provide theirs to me and I'll follow up. Thanx.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Aside from the Alou brothers, who were three brothers who played in  big leagues in the 1970s ?

There were lots of brother teams in the big leagues and the 1960s were no exception. While the Alou's may have been the most successful, no one can deny the prowess of Ken and Clete Boyer. They both played mainly for legacy franchises. Clete mostly with the Yankees and Ken with St. Louis. They both played 3rd base with Ken moving to first in later years.

In 15 seasons as a major leaguer Ken Boyer hit 282 homers, batted .287 and drove in more than 1100 runs. Clete, less the hitter and more of a defender, lasted 16 seasons with 162 homers, a .242 average and less than 700 RBI. 

While Clete may have been overshadowed by his brother, even as a defender. Clete won a Gold Glove and had a .953 fielding average. Twice he was involved in more than 40 double plays. Ken's FA was .957, once he went over 40 Double plays but he also won five Gold Gloves.

When it came to the post season, Clete was better. He made six appearances including five World Series with the Yankees, winning two. One of those he lost was to Ken's Cardinals in 1964. It was Ken's only post season effort and he was named MVP of the National League that season. He was also an 11 time All-Star. Clete never made the All-Star team. 

In that 1964 World Series Clete hit .208 with a home run and three RBI. Ken hit .222, with a pair of homers and six RBI.  Neither is in the Hall of Fame. Ken was six years older than Clete. Ken also went on to manage the Cardinals and has his best season in 1979 with 86 wins and a third place finish. He managed parts of the following and previous seasons. 

===========================================================

I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA. The newest book is an international thriller called ":05 Seconds to Die."

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Royals Win No. 1

 

TRIVIA WINNER: The last home run in Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Braves before the team moved to Atlanta was hit by Gene Oliver.  

We will still provide a trivia question each week and we hope you participate even though there is no prize at the end. 

NOTE: First of all thank you to those who "follow" the column and if you would hit the "follow" button if you not done that, it would be appreciated. I do this column for free and I am NOT asking for money. We had a sponsor years ago and if you know of a company who would like to sponsor the column, please have them reach out to me at my email which is brillpro@prodigy.net, or provide theirs to me and I'll follow up. Thanx.

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the first player to go through the official arbitration process in Major League Baseball?

 Opening Day for the Kansas City Royals in 1969 was a success.  The first batter Royal's starter, Wally Bunker faced was Minnesota Twins outfielder, Ted Uhlaender who hit a flyball to right-fielder Bob Oliver for an out. He proceeded to set the side down in order, bringing the home team to bat for the first time since the A's left KC after the previous season. 

Lou Piniella led off for the Royals and smacked a double (the first of his four hits on the day). Jerry Adair singled him home and the Royals led 1-0. Tom Hall seemed on the ropes but set the rest of team down to end the inning. 

Graig Nettles homered off Bunker in the second to tie it 1-1, and that is where it stayed until Minnesota pushed across two runs in the 6th to take a 3-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning the Royals scored two of their own, Piniella driving in one of them. It was 3-3. And there is stayed until the 12th. Bunker and Hall were long gone and a series of relievers took their turns. 

In the bottom of the 12th, with Joe Grzenda on the mound and one out, Joe Foy singled, moved to second on a Passed Ball and to third on a Wild Pitch. Bob Oliver was walked (it was the second intentional pass of the inning), and Joe Keough stepped up to the plate. Manager Billy Martin brought in Dick Woodson, normally a starter. Woodson gave up a single and the Royals had win no. 1 in franchise history. Moe Drabowsky got the win. They won the next day as well, and finished 59-63-1, in fourth place in the new AL West. 

===========================================================

I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA. The newest book is an international thriller called ":05 Seconds to Die."

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

The Menke Effect

 

TRIVIA WINNER: The former Dodger executive who wanted to sign Sandy Koufax but moved too slowly was Branch Rickey when he was the GM for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  

We will still provide a trivia question each week and we hope you participate even though there is no prize at the end. 

NEW TRIVIA QUESTION: Who hit the last home run in Milwaukee for the Milwaukee Braves before the team moved to Atlanta?.  

When it comes to steady players in the 1960s the word enigma comes to mind when discussing shortstop Denis Menke. Menke was pretty much a starting shortstop for the Braves, the Astros, and later in his career as a member of the Big Red Machine. He had flashes of real positives at the plate mixed in with some downers. He held his job despite probably being one of the worst fielding shortstops in the NL.

Menke came up with the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 as a 21 year old with some pop in his bat. In 1963 he became a starter with modest success, but in 1964 he became a start shortstop. By today's standards he'd likely get a 6-year contract worth $150 million. In reality back then he was making about $20,000 a year. That was far less than minimum wage today (Today at $15 an hour an employee makes about $31,000). When he signed with the Braves he was given a $175,000 bonus. That would be $1.6 million today.

In his breakout 1964 season he smacked 20 homers, batted .283 and drove in 65 Runs.  He rivaled many of the start shortstops of the era, and was well ahead of many as there were light hitters such as Roy McMillan, Hal Lanier and Al Weis around at the time. Where he did not shine is in the field. In 1964 he committed 25 errors at short and fielded a lowly .964. It became his trademark.

Weighted against a modern day statistic; Total Fielding Runs Above Average, Menke was horrible at -25. It makes a purist wonder how could they keep him on the field. He was moved around to second and third base occasionally but a natural shortstop, the era was a victim of him. He played, he hit and drove in runs but often gave up more than he drove in.

Menke was sent to Houston in a deal with Denny Lemaster which brought shortstop Sonny Jackson to Atlanta. He was later moved to Cincinnati in the massive and lopsided Joe Morgan deal. He would play behind Dave Concepcion there. He made the All-Star Team in 1969 and received a few votes for MVP despite making 24 errors and the following year made 28 errors but batted .304. It was his only .300 plus season. His lifetime BA was .250 with 101 homers over 13 seasons.

Menke would go on to coach in the minors and the majors with several teams. He died in 2020 at the age of 80. 

===========================================================

I've written more than a dozen books including at least two sports books. You can find these at my own website www.bobbrillbooks.com. Please take a look at the sports books, the western novel series or the "Tattoo Murder," which is a crime book set in Ventura, CA. The newest book is an international thriller called ":05 Seconds to Die."

Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment.