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Chicago Cubs

Cubs Catcher Cuno Barragan Admired Ken Hubbs. ‘College of Coaches’? Since You Asked…

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Barragan has written
other collectors that he
prefers this to the 1962.
Any guesses why?

If you want to know what might have been in baseball, don’t depend on the sportswriters. Ask a teammate.

I asked Cuno Barragan, a Cubs catcher from 1961-63, what his impressions of Ken Hubbs were. He responded:

“Ken Hubbs was signed as a shortstop, but with Ernie Banks, they moved him to second baseball. With his youth and range, he was outstanding!”

I asked about Sept. 1, 1961, playing at Wrigley Field. Barragan hit his first major league homer.

“I hit a fastball off left-hander Dick LeMay (Giants). It just made it into left center field bleacher. I thought it was a double. Then I saw the umpire signal home run! Glen Hobbie (pitcher) was the next hitter.”

Two interesting details Barragan left out:

1. It was his major league debut.
2. It was his first-ever at-bat!

Don’t think that Barragan is a “rose-colored glasses” alum for the Cubbies. What did he think of the team’s managing while he was up?

“College of Coaches was the worst thing that ever happened. Baseball is managed by an individual who in his estimation plays the best nine players he thinks he can win games with.

College of Coaches failed! [Yes, Mister B did the underlining himself…]”

Tomorrow: Remembering Harmon Killebrew

Defending World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers? Not Against Chicago Cubs Pitcher Don Kaiser

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Same easy-going signature!

A lad from Oklahoma had a job to do. He didn’t care who had won last year’s World Series.

On June 2, 1956, Don Kaiser faced the Brooklyn Dodgers. He seems pleased with the results almost 55 years later.

“I guess the biggest thrill in my first start was after the game, knowing I pitched a two-hitter against the World Champions.”

(Thanks to http://www.retrosheet.org/, here’s the results of that amazing day, produced in front of an amazed Wrigley Field crowd.)

Less than one month later, a home crowd saw Kaiser shut out the Milwaukee Braves.

“That day in Wrigley Field was one of those days when everything went right. I mean, I had good stuff and good control and they weren’t hitting that day.”

Before adding his thanks, Kaiser summed up his career:

“Well, I can tell you that life in the Majors is the Best. I just wished I could have stayed up there a lot longer than I did.

I still follow the game pretty close, even though I have been out of the game since 1962. But I can always say that I got to play with and against some of the greatest players in the game.

After I got out of the game I got into law enforcement and spent 30 years in it. Thanks for asking all these questions. I hope I have helped you some.

Sincerely,
Don Kaiser”

Bob Addis Battled 1953 Cubs for $1,000 Raise

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Would Addis pound his head
in frustration after struggling
to get a raise from the
1953 Cubs?

I learned that Bob Addis became a school teacher after his short playing career.

His reply to me contained an eye-opening history lesson.

I asked about his first-ever homer off don Newcombe (Sept. 26, 1951), or his big three-run blast off ace reliever Joe Black (June 18, 1952). Who wouldn’t enjoy recalling showcases against celebrated Dodger foes?

Instead, Addis chose to address his first career.

“I truly enjoyed my playing days. The problem was only one National and one American League (teams).

Too many great players and not enough teams.

Today the opposite — too many teams and not enough good players.

Players were slaves when I played. No way to get a raise. Ted Williams only made $100,000. Today the minimum is $400,000.

I hit .295 for the Cubs in 1952. Wanted a $1,000 raise. I was told to sign the contract and report for spring training if I wanted to play baseball.”

Tomorrow: Pitcher Frank Carpin’s day versus Sandy Koufax.

Cub Bob Will Makes Every Inning Matter

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Bob Will, Still Looking Up!

Today’s news comes courtesy of Kyle Smego, the senior voice behind the fine father and son website and blog known as “The Autograph Addict.” In 2010, I discovered their epic quest to complete a 1962 Topps set autographed.

Kyle shared:

“I wrote to former Cubs outfielder Bob Will, back in December. I received a handwritten note back that he asks for a $10 donation to a children’s leukemia hospital. In return, he would send an signed photo and answer any questions that I had. It was a nice note….not the standard price list that some send. So I decided to send a $20 donation.

A couple of weeks later, I received a five page response from Mr. Will. He spoke about his playing days, Freddie Lindstrom (who was his manager in college), and what he’s doing today. It turns out that he still hangs out with Billy Williams, Rich Nye, Billy Pierce, and other former Chicago athletes. Can you imagine what goes on when those guys get together?

At the end of the letter he said that he is in the process of writing a book about his time in baseball, but….he is currently battling 4th stage colon cancer that has spread to his blood system. lungs, and liver.

I’m not sure if you ever send “donations”, but I think this is one case where you should consider it. It’s for a good cause and you’ll get a great story in return.

You can read my letter here:

http://www.autographaddict.com/bbwl.jpg (click on it to enlarge)”

Kyle’s news is quite moving. As Will battles cancer, his ability to do more than sign autographs may be limited. Likewise, his hope to tell his baseball life story in book form is a beat-the-clock challenge.

Too many moments in baseball history are being lost to the ravages of time. Every letter Will has sent helps preserve just one more seed of a story. For the hobby, Will hasn’t made “what about me?” demands for his autograph. He’s donating the “fee” to children in need, while trying to give added value to every collector who participates.

As Bob Will battles for his future, tell him that he mattered. Let him know he’s not forgotten. Send him a simple note. Give him YOUR autograph.

Bob Will, 3417 S. Country Club Road Woodstock, IL 60098

Tomorrow: Decoding pitcher Carl Bouldin’s extra message.

Cub Billy Williams, Hall of Fame Nicknamer? Just Ask Pitcher Chuck ‘Twiggy’ Hartenstein!

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Supermodel?

 Pitcher Chuck Hartenstein seems like an inspiration to all those “before” guys like me, the guys in the Charles Atlas comic book advertisements who got sand kicked on them. However, Hartenstein got two kinds of “sand” kicked on him in his pursuit to be a major leaguer.

First, he shared his christening as a Cub:

“Billy Williams with Cubs gave me the nickname ‘Twiggy’ in 1967. I weighed 145 to 150 lbs. I loved it. Everyone referred to me as ‘Twiggy.'”

Come to think of it, he does look a bit like a smiling thumb on his 1968 Topps card! I’ve seen a couple of press “head and shoulders” shots of Hartenstein. It looks as if his tiny self was pasted atop a larger uniform. “Twiggy” never towered over opposing hitters. Instead, emotional muscle kept this pitcher pitching.

The other “sand” Hartenstein faced came after his 1970 struggles with Pittsburgh. He explained…

“I had a bad career in 1970. I was banished to AAA for those years! Two with Tucson (Chicago White Sox), two with Phoenix (Giants) and two with Hawaii and Roy Hartsfield. We won two PCL championships at Hawaii in 1975 and ’76. He took me with him to Toronto!

It was quite a thrill to get back. After my playing days, he wanted me to be their minor league pitching coordinator! I did that at the end of the season in 1977 and emerged as a Major League pitching coach with Cleveland in 1979.”

Tomorrow: Hartenstein rates his successes as a pitching coach.