Header - Baseball by the Letters

Year: 2010

Cub Johnny Goryl Nicknamed Himself!

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Identical Autograph,
50 Years Later!

“I know you are, but what am I?”

— Pee-wee Herman

The wise Mr. Herman was too late to warn utilityman-turned-manager Johnny Goryl. Goryl’s blanket ribbing of others boomeranged into his own nickname.

“My nickname ‘Mullion’ came about because I used it so often to call my teammates and friends that it stuck to me as a nickname.

I like the nickname, although the intent of the word is to not flatter you as a person. Its meaning, I am told, is ‘not very handsome.'”

Hearing from Johnny Goryl was a delight. One collector received a RTS for Goryl mistakenly marked DECEASED. An August 3 blog post detailed the finding. Actually, a same-named person who died may have been the cause of the confusion. Thankfully, the response from Goryl (who moved this year) proved that he wasn’t playing possum to avoid autograph collectors.

Tomorrow: More from Johnny G, including his memories of Billy Martin.

Tito Francona Pardons HOFer Jim Bunning

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Tito Francona is kind and/or shrewd.

There should be an asterisk on Jim Bunning’s Hall of Fame plaque. Francona treated Bunning like a batting practice hurler, collecting 32 hits (including five home runs) against him. Some retirees would enjoy gloating about their mastery of a Cooperstown inductee. Perhaps, Francona was protecting trade secrets?

In a short, sweet reply, Francona chose diplomacy. All he revealed about Bunning was:

“I saw the ball better.”

Francona discovered power hitting in 1959. His career-best 20 homers matched his long-ball output of the past three seasons combined. Francona’s four-word explanation was…

“practice and more practice.”

I guess I threw Francona a curve, asking about his son — Boston skipper Terry Francona. I was sure that Dad saw Terry’s athletic talent at an early age. However, when did he suspect his offspring could someday be a World Series-winning manager?

“I don’t know.”

One thing Francona was sure of?

“I enjoyed every minute.”

Jim Palmer Beware! Mike Cubbage Has A Bat!!!

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Mike Cubbage did his best to keep Jim Palmer out of Cooperstown.

Facing the future Hall of Famer, Cubbage teed off on Palmer for a .394 average. He collected 13 hits, according to the ever-trusty http://www.retrosheet.org/.

Cubbage remembered in a fine letter:

“I saw Palmer well. Strange, because he was more of a high fastball pitcher and I was a low fastball hitter. Anyway, also saw his curveball and change-up well.

Thanks for asking,
Mike Cubbage”

Some fans remember Cubbage from his two-sport playing days at the University of Virginia. Nice photo of young “Cubbie!”

Twin Mike Cubbage Shares Ride on His ‘Cycle’

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Same Signature!

Am I the only fan on earth who thought it would’ve been great to have Mike Cubbage play for the Cubs? After all,. his name wasn’t Mike TWINage! Broadcasters would have feasted on that wordplay.

No, I didn’t ask the infielder that. Instead, I quizzed him on what might have been his finest moment at bat: April 27, 1978, devouring Toronto pitching before an appreciative Metropolitan Stadium gathering of 18,258. Four hits. One of everything. Cubbage hit for the cycle. (Thanks to http://www.retrosheet.org/ for preserving the moment.)

His recollections:

“The cycle had some luck. A double in first at-bat versus Jim Clancy of Toronto an d was thrown out at third base, trying to stretch it!! Homer in second at-bat and the last two hits versus Jerry Garvin (??) Infield single off his leg and the triple in the last at-bat, on a ball hit off the center field wall at the Met!!”

The humble hitter chose to ignore his four RBI, accounting for a 6-3 win.

Tomorrow: Cubbage recalls his mastery of Hall of Famer Jim Palmer.

Give Every Player You Write To A Gift

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Reveal your sources.

That’s one of the best, most impressive, gifts you can give a former player. Don’t just say, “I read about you.” If you quoted a fact from http://www.baseball-almanac.com/, such as a uniform number, say so. You don’t have to send a bibliography. Just show that you’ve gone the extra step.

I’d guess that some retirees, even those Internet users, might believe the only details about their career are limited to statistics or a wikipedia entry. I’m pleased every time an ex-player responds with a thank-you note and “I didn’t know that!”

A 79-year-old former Cub printed off a two-page feature about himself that he found on the ‘net. He included this with his page-long letter.

Some guys might not be signing for everyone. Compete. Stand out. Show each person you write to that you’ve done your homework.