Cap, Backwards (60s Version)

You still see this look occasionally.  It’s nowhere near as popular as it was in, say, the ‘80s, but it’s still around.  You know, kinda like the mullet.

Personally, I think this look takes about 20 points off your IQ.  I’m sure these guys all went on to become nuclear rocket surgeons, but sometimes you just gotta wonder.  Here, let me show you what I mean …
 

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Carl Taylor had a pretty non-descript six years in the bigs.  Over about 850 at-bats, he hit only 10 homers, though he did manage a respectable .266 average.  Pretty versatile, Carl caught and also played first, third, left, and right.

A little different look at Carl right here.

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I’ll bet Carl and Jerry used to hang out together.

Jerry May was a true defensive whiz, .finishing with a .990 fielding percentage and a 42.75% caught-stealing percentage (11th all time). 

Jerry’s main claim to fame was catching Dock Ellis’s purported LSD-fueled no-hitter.  Apologies to Fritz Peterson, but I think that might be about as ‘60s as it gets.

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Jerry Zimmerman had an even more non-descript career than Carl Taylor – if that’s possible.  Jerry was up for eight years, retiring with 994 at-bats, 3 home runs, and a .204 average. 
 
“Zimmy” also coached for a number of years, managed the Twins for two games when Gene Mauch was sick, and even umped a game during the 1978 umpires’ strike.
 

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You’ve met Jimmie before.  And, yes, he looked pretty goofy and sad sack back there too.

I don’t think I mentioned it previously, but Jimmie Schaffer had a pretty non-descript (there’s that word again) coaching and minor-league managing career, in addition to his non-descript playing one.

Okay, now we’re getting into some seriously bad looks. 

Unlike the other losers in this post so far, John Bateman actually started or platooned for most of his career.  I’m talking over 1000 games and 3300 at-bats.

You know, John kinda reminds me of somebody. I'm not sure who though. Hmm, maybe this guy ...

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Tom’s definitely got that escapee-from-the-local-state-hospital look going on here. 

Another regular, Tom Haller played in just short of 1300 games and amassed just short of 4000 at bats.  He once hit 27 homers, for the ’66 Giants.  Tom was a three-time All Star.

His post-playing career included coach, minor league manager, and several executives positions, including GM for the Giants.  I believe he was also a stand-in for Peter Sellers on the set of Being There.
 

I’ll bet Tom and John escaped together.  I have a funny feeling, though, that Tom was the brains behind the operation. 

Though a regular, Johnny Edwards (what he typically went by) was primarily known for his defense.  He was a two-time Gold Glover, and led his league in assists and fielding percentage four times each, putouts three, and caught stealing twice.

Ironically, Edwards worked as an engineer for General Electric in research and development for nuclear fuel elements in the offseason.  Whooda thunk it?
 

Yup, they even got this guy to look like a moron.  Well, it was his “rookie star” card.  Guess you just do whatever they tell you to do for that one.  (More Johnny Bench here and here.)

Ron Tompkins, where are you now?

* - author has this card

 

Just can’t get enough of those backwards caps?  Well, I’ve got two (yup, that’s right – two!) posts on them for the ‘50s.  Check ‘em out here and here.