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Minnie Minoso

Pitcher Paul Foytack Lives on in Movies

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It’s nice to be remembered. Imagine a fictional character including you in his plot!

I just rewatched Peggy Sue Got Married on DVD last week.

Still fun! Do you recall the party scene in which the guys are discussing the 1960 baseball season? I remember the Nicholas Cage character decreed that the Detroit Tigers had four likely 20-game winners, Jim Bunning, Don Mossi, Frank Lary and Paul Foytack.

I asked this and two other questions for Foytack:

“I saw the movie and was very surprised to hear our names mentioned.”


During Foytack’s stint in California, he became a horse racing fan. Speaking of movies, he became acquainted with a fellow follower of the horses — one Fred Astaire.

“The only place that I ever saw Fred Astaire was  at the races. We never talked about baseball. He never came to a game.”


Too bad. I imagined Mister Astaire’s rhythm making him a natural shortstop.

Lastly, I had to praise Foytack on his 82 career hits. (Take that, DH rule!) One of those hits was a home run, socked off Don Larsen in front of hometown Detroit fans. Thanks to http://www.retrosheet.org/, we can relive Foytack’s moment of long-ball glory.

“I remember hitting the home run and one or two innings later, Minnie Minoso hit one off of me to win the game for Chicago. My teammates gave me the silent treatment after I hit my homer.

I always dreamed of being a major league pitcher and got my wish. I met a lot of great people and played against some great players. I knew when  it was time for me to quit and go on with my life.”

Foytack hasn’t been forgotten. The New York Times profiled him  in 2007 for his thoughts on current baseball doings.

Norm Cash for Minnie Minoso? White Sox Drop the Ball on Pitcher Jake Striker

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Cleveland Indians general manager Frank Lane loved a deal. Any deal. He’d swap players like kids trading baseball cards.

On Dec. 6, 1959, he pulled off a seven-player deal with the Chicago White Sox. Pitcher Jake Striker helped sweeten the deal for Chicago. Striker shared his memories of that transaction in a thoughtful letter:

“As for the big trade, I was disappointed for two reasons. First, I was going to a pennant-winning team, which is hard to crack the roster. Second, Cleveland was short on left-handers, so I felt very confident about the 1960 season. However, with “Trader Lane,” nothing stayed the same very long.

Back then, and still about the same, you first read about it (the trade) in the paper, then you are notified by mail.

I do think I should have been given a better opportunity to make the White Sox. But that’s part of the game.

I enjoyed my career in baseball very much. I played from 1952 through 1962, with two years out for military service.

You get to see and do a lot of things that most people dream about. We had some long bus rides in the early years, but travel improved as you moved up the ladder. You meet a lot of people outside baseball. You get to play with and against some of the great players of the game.”


Two relief outings. Just two. Eager to repeat as A.L. champions, the White Sox abandoned Striker. His upbeat attitude over the team’s impatience shows that his winning record stretches beyond that sole major league victory.