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Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Tony Perez Before the Big Red Machine

TRIVIA QUESTION: When Cuban born Tony Perez arrived with the Reds in 1964 there were two other players on the club who were also born in Cuba. Who were they?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: Bobby Richardson was the Yankee's lead off hitter for much of his career. During the 1960 World Series, when he was named the only Series MVP on a losing team, he only led off once in the seven game series. 

 You knew from Game One of the 1967 season, it was going to be Tony Perez's breakout year. He started off with a seven game hitting streak over the first eight games. He did not play in one of the eight. He was hitting .333 and the Cincinnati Reds were 6-2 to start the season off right. 


While Perez did most of his career damage with the group known as the Big Red Machine in the 1970's, the groundwork for that special group of guys was laid in the 1960's. The Cuban born Perez arrived in Cincinnati as a 22 year old kid in 1964. He got a real taste of the big leagues the following year sending 12 homers out of the park in 104 games while batting a respectable .260. His power fell off drastically in 1966 but when 1967 rolled around he was moved from first base to third and a star was born. 


 Typical of his '67 year was a game on May 5th at home against the Pirates. The two clubs battled into the 10th tied at 7-7. Perez had been a machine with three hits, three runs and an RBI. In the bottom of the 10th, facing Juan Pizarro with Tommy Harper at second and two out, Perez banged a double deep to the outfield and Harper came around to score the game winner. 

It was in the middle of a five game win streak while the Reds were winning nine of 11 and ran their record to 22-10. Before the season was over Perez breakout was complete. He hit 28 doubles, 26 homers and 102 RBI, while batting .290.

It was the first of his seven 100+ RBI seasons. Nine times Perez would hit 20 or more homers, topping the list with 40 in 1970, when the BRM was in full swing. Around him as part of that future squad in 1967 was Pete Rose and Lee May, Tommy Harper, Gary Nolan, Jim Maloney and a young kid who came up for a cup of coffee named Johnny Bench


Perez would play 23 years in the Bigs, finishing his final season at age 44. He left the Reds for the Expos, Red Sox and Phillies, but came back to play his final three seasons in the place he knew as home; Cincinnati. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2000. Not bad for a kid from Cuba who grew up in a two bedroom home owned by the Sugar mill where his father, and he eventually would work before coming to the USA in 1960 under contract with the Reds.


"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.     

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Bobby Richardson Class of AL Second Sackers

TRIVIA QUESTION: While Bobby Richardson was known for batting lead-off for the Yankees, he did NOT bat lead-off in every game of the 1960 Series. How many times did he bat first in the 1960 Series?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: In the 1968 All-Star Game, Harmon Killebrew's career almost came to an end when a throw from shortstop to first caused the hulking first sacker to do a split. The injury limited him the rest of the year. The throw came from all-star shortstop, Jim Fregosi. 

He might be overlooked today but during the 12 seasons Bobby Richardson anchored second base for the New York Yankees, he was a town favorite. Overlooked perhaps because of Mantle, Maris, Berra and even Pepitone, the sterling defensive whiz had some solid years at the plate and even garnered fame with an award no one else of his stature ever got.

Richardson's career .266 BA belied his value and even his bat. Twice he hit .300 or better which for a lead off man who drew few walks, such an average was extremely important. Most years however he hovered around the .260 mark. He only smacked 34 homers in his career, but he did lead the league in hits with 209 in 1962. He also had 692 AB, one of three times he led the league in the category.

Of course with the team around him scoring so many runs so often, he had far more opportunities than most. However, it was in the post season where he excelled and especially in the strange 1960 Series against Pittsburgh.
The second baseman most noted for the series is Bill Mazeroski, whose walk off homer in Game 7 capped a wild set and sent the Yankees down to defeat. Maz could have easily been named MVP. He hit two key home runs in the seven games and played flawlessly at second. Richardson WAS named MVP.

Richardson was the only member of a World Series losing team to be named Most Valuable Player. He clubbed 11 hits and drove in a Series record 12 runs in the seven games. He also had 2 doubles, 2 triples and a home run while batting .367. Again it was the team around him giving him the opportunities because they scored 55 runs. Still, it was Richardson who drove in 12 of them and scored 8 in 30 AB's. 
The following year in the Yankees Series win against the Reds, he had 9 hits in the five game series and batted .391. In the 1964 Series which New York lost to St. Louis, he batted .401 with 13 hits in 32 AB. The Series went seven games. 

There would be no more post seasons for Richardson as New York began to slide. He'd retire after the 1966 season. Three times he led the AL in singles, twice in sacrifice bunts and three times striking out the fewest times per at bats. While Richardson never led the AL in fielding he often led in other defensive categories including four times being involved in double plays.


"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

 
Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.     

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Killer Instincts Harmonize

TRIVIA QUESTION: When Harmon Killebrew got injured stretching for a throw at first base in the 1968 All-Star game, the throw came from shortstop. Who was the shortstop?

ANSWER TO TRIVIA QUESTION IN THE PREVIOUS COLUMN: In 1962 legendary manager Birdie Tebbetts oversaw the Milwaukee Braves to a fifth place finish with a record of 86-76. It was a one year stint for Birdie as he replaced Chuck Dressen and was replaced in 1963 by Bobby Bragan. While Tebbetts, who took over in the final weeks of the 1961 season, improved the Braves by three games, Bragan actually failed to reach the 1962 mark of 86 wins set by Tebbetts. Bragan managed 84 wins. 

 Having met the man and hosted him in my baseball card store for a public signing, I can attest to the fact Harmon Killebrew was one of the nicest guys I ever met, and certainly one of the most pleasant ballplayers to grace the diamond. On that diamond however, he terrorized the pitchers of the 1960's arguably more than any other. I once said of him "Harmon Killebrew was so strong he could 'break' a baseball with his bat." He may never have done that but if it could happen, I'd bet dollars to donuts he'd be the first.
                 (Home Run Derby Killebrew vs. Mays)
While his reign began in the 1950s it's the 1960s we concentrate on in this column and when 1960 rolled around it set Killer off on a string of homer years for the decade. Every year save one, he pounded the ball deep. That one year was 1968 (the year of the pitcher) when an injury in the all-star game almost cut short his career. 
When the decade turned the corner from the 1950's Killebrew fell off. The 24 year old slugger, coming off a league leading 42 homer season slipped to 31 in only 124 games. He even trailed teammate Jim Lemon who had 38. Then however, it was Killebrew off to the races.

In the Home Run Race of 1961 when Roger Maris hit 61 and Mickey Mantle blasted 54, few remember it was Killebrew in third with 46 (tied with Jim Gentile) and 122 RBI. The next three years saw HR totals of 48, 45 and 49. He led the AL in each season. Two of those seasons he led the majors. 

A dip to 25 in an injury shortened 1965 pennant winning season which saw him only play in 113 games, preceded a rebound to 39 in 1966. The following season it was a first place tie with 44 homers with Triple Crown Winner Carl Yastrzemski

The 1968 season was awful. It was thought an awkward stretch at first base in the All-Star Classic might be career ending. Killebrew was never the same during the season and played in only 100 games, hitting 17 homers and batting a lowly .210. 

You can see the video of the game in 1968 at this link, and the play where Killebrew got hurt is at 1:06:35 of the YouTube video. 
However, he would not be denied as he led the Twins to the AL West title in 1969. He rebounded to bang a league leading 49 homers, 140 RBI and a .276 BA. His league topping on-base percentage was an amazing .427 as he drew 145 walks (20 of them intentional)! At age 33 Killebrew played in all 162 games. It was the third time in his career he played in all of his club's games. He was named AL MVP for his efforts.

He followed up the decade with 41 more homers in 1970 but began to fade with age. When he called it a career, Harmon Killebrew finished with 573 home runs, 1584 RBI and 1559 bases on balls. His .256 lifetime BA was considered respectable for a slugger of his caliber. Six times he either led or tied for the league lead in home runs, nine times he drove in 100 or more runs, in seven seasons he drew over 100 walks and only once did he ever top the league in strikeouts. 

He played all but one season, his last, as a Washington Senator/Minnesota Twin (a final season in Kansas City) and after 22 seasons he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1984. Harmon Killebrew died May 17, 2011. 


"NEW SPECIAL OFFER"
Need to get out of a baseball hitting slump, or a golf swing slump? Order my new book "Beating the Slump; An athlete's guide to a better career." See it on Amazon for only $5.99. That is for the Paperback, you can also order Kindle on that link. You can also order paperback copies directly from me via the email below for my other books.

You can get a signed paper back copy of the above book
"Tales of My Baseball Youth - a child of the sixties"
for $15 Shipping Included 
Use PayPal to brillpro@prodigy.net or contact us at the same email for other payment. 

Thank you to those of you who purchased my book after reading this column.

Also: Please check out our new Western Short Film. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/iron-gun-western-feature-film/#/

 
Please share this blog with your friends and colleagues and leave a comment at the bottom of the blog if you have one. Thank YOU VERY MUCH!! Please pick up a copy of my book "Tales of My Baseball Youth; A Child of the 60's" at www.bobbrillbooks.com, or on Amazon.