A '70s Miscellany - "Action Shots"

Lemme tell ya, there’s a lotta leftover stuff at the end of a decade. In fact, there were so many leftovers for the ‘70s that I had to create three whole posts. Last week, we concentrated on head shots. This week … "action"!

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Let go, Paul!  Let go!

Paul Lindblad’s been here before, looking like a school art project gone bad. I shared his stats there, but I’ll bet you didn’t know that Paul once set a record by going nine years (385 games) without making an error.

Let go, Catfish … er, I mean, Jim … Let go!

Everybody knows this guy. I’ll bet you didn’t know, though, that:

• His middle name was Augustus
• He was the youngest of eight children
• He lost a toe in a hunting accident as a teen
• His nickname was solely an invention of Charlie Finley’s
• He never played in the minors
• Bob Dylan wrote a song about him

Click here for a shot of Catfish looking a little different at the very beginning of his career.

Oh my God!  It’s like the ball is coming right at me. Duck!

Tom House is another repeat offender – and quite an interesting guy. Check out this link, and this link, to learn more about his stats, coaching career, PhD, and many publications.

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Byron, over here!  Look at the camera.  Byron!

Well, when you’ve got a blog with 164 posts, I guess everybody’s going to be a repeat, aren’t they? So, if you’d like to see a shot of Byron smiling at the camera – but still managing somehow to avoid eye contact – well then, click right here.

“Pow!  Take that.  I’m talkin’ to you, Mr. Pitcher.”

Another blogger took 1,700 words to speculate on Dick’s pose, finally coming to the conclusion that Dick is fly fishing! Dick himself then weighs in. Don’t miss it! Click right here.

Amazingly, Dick Sharon has not been in this blog before. 

“I don’t need no stinkin’ cap.  C’mon, hit me a pop up!”

Graig Nettles was not a bad third baseman. Over 22 years, he totaled 390 homers, 1314 RBIs, 1193 runs, and 2225 hits. He was a six-time All Star and a two-time Gold Glover as well.

He also has never appeared before in this particular blog!

Skip was a big KISS fan.  At home, he liked to paint his face with eye black and pretend he was one of the band.

A backup catcher, Skip Jutze managed to stick in the bigs for six years somehow. All that ever amounted to, though, was a .215 average and three homers in 656 at bats. Like Dick Sharon, Skip was Jewish.

No mistaking what Gene’s up to here.  “Have a seat, son.  I mean you!”

I’ve listed Gene Mauch’s not unimpressive managerial stats elsewhere in this blog. Few people know it, but Gene was a player as well. He was nowhere near as accomplished however. As a player, Gene bounced around for nine years, getting only 737 at bats and five homers, and finishing with a .237 average.

One away?  Or is Walter remembering an old tune from the ‘20s?  "Ink, a dink, a dink, a dink doo …"

Walt Alston is kind of like Gene Mauch on steroids. Here, let me explain …

Alston’s managerial career is legendary. I’m talking 23 years (all at the helm of the Dodgers), 2000 wins, seven pennants, four World Series titles, and a spot at Cooperstown.

As for his playing career? He was up once. Once! Not only that, but he struck out! Honestly, I can’t make this stuff up.

Continuing our finger theme, I do believe (look closely).

Another player/manager, Billy Martin was actually pretty decent at both. As a player, he was up for 11 years, about eight of those as a starter, and including one as an All Star. He was a better manager. Over 16 years, he finished 1253-1013, with two pennants and one World Series title. Oh, he was also a major a$$hole.


* - author has this card