Happy Baseball Birthday...John Wockenfuss

Today's Happy Baseball Birthday big leaguer is former Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies catcher John Wockenfuss.

Bacon on a ball cap

This baseball season the Phillies AAA affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, will wear a special home Saturday ballcap with a piece of bacon as the Iron Pigs logo on the front of the cap.

Bacon...baseball...yes please. 

Baseball Card Mailbox... 2/22/2014

My fellow baseball blogger Steve Gierman, the man behind ChiSox Cards... http://whitesoxcards.blogspot.com, sent me three packs of Topps 2014 Baseball from my hometown of Kalamazoo/Portage, Michigan.

I asked him if he would do this for me to test a theory of mine,  that the cards that are sent here in Jacksonville,  Florida, and the packs Steve can get in Michigan, could be different in card selection. 

Yes, it's a small sample size...ugh, a Sabrmetrics reference...but I thought it would be interesting, and Steve will be getting three pacs of cards from here in Jax.

So, batter up...

...Pack #1...

This pack has a gem insert...a 1977 Topps embossed 75th Anniversary buy back card of former Boston Red Sox Reggie Cleveland.

What I like about the card is the dinged corner in the upoer right hand corner,

Baseball cards in 1977 were our major way of learning about baseball players, and their stats.

There was alao a RC if 2014 Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos...see...a terrific card from a Kalamazoo/Portage pack of cards.

Pack #2...

The top card starring at me?

ChiSox lefty Chris Sale...wearing the throwback 1983 White Sox uniform.

The Southsider card will be headed back to Steve and his beloved White Sox card collection. 

I also loved the card if the Athletics pitcher Ryan Cook, sporting  a 1970s green and gold Swinging A's sleeve less uniform.

Pack #3...

The die cut 1989 Topps retro cards look terrific, and I pulpulled The Bambino, the Sultan of Swat, George Herman Ruth. 

The Nate Schietholtz card is terrific..." a diving catch."

Three terrific packs of baseball cards, from my hometown, including a RC of the Tigers #1 prospect, a real Topps card from the '70s, and a  baseball card of Babe Ruth.

Thanks Steve, ya picked well.

Play Ball!

Happy Baseball Birthday...Alan Trammell

Former Detroit Tigers World Series MVP Alan Trammell is today's Happy Baseball Birthday boy.

Trammell turns 56 today,  and has the priviledge of  sharing a birthday week with yours truly.

Trammell was born on February 21, 1958, in Garden Grove, California.

In 1976 the Tigers drafted Trammell in the 2nd rd. of the amateur draft, out of Kearney High School in San Diego. 

After a couple of years in the minors, including a championship with Montgomery of the Southern League, Trammell made his big league debut on September 9th, 1977, at Fenway Park in Boston.

In 20 years in the big leagues, all with Detroit, Trammell appeared in 2,293 games, with 9, 376 plate appearances, 8,288 at bats, collecting 2, 365 base hits.

All those base knocks included 55 triples, 412 doubles, and 185 Home Runs.

Trammell drove in 1,003 base runners wearing the Olde English Tiger D, was a 6 time American League All-Star, won 3 Silver Slugger Awards, and 4 Gold Gloves.

It all came together for Trammell and the Tigers in 1984.

The Tigers won the American League East Division in '84, beat the Kansas City Royals for the A.L. Pennant, and hammered the San Diego Padres in 5 games to become World Series Champions.

Trammell was the WS Most Valuable Player in 1984, batting .450, with 9 hits, 2 HRs, and 6 RBI.

●●●My Memory●●●

In 1987 I visited my Uncle Bob in Maryland, and got to on see a Tigers-Orioles game at old Memorial Stadium.

Alan Trammell hit a 3-run HR that night in a Tigers victory.●●●

Alan Trammell was the best shortstop in the American League for 10 years, and yes, I know who Cal Ripken and Tony Fernandez are.

After he retired,  the Tigers named Trammell  the team's roving hitting instructor, and in 2003 Trammell became the Tigers manager.

●●●My Memory●●●

Trammell was the Tigers manager in 2004, and I was able to see the 1984 WS Champions celebration during a weekend sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Eric Munson hit a walk off HR that landed in the grass above the center field fence, and on Sunday the Tigers walked off again on a Carlos Pena Grand Slam.●●●

Alan Trammell became a bench coach with the Cubs after being let go by the Tigers, and is currently a coach with his Tigers teammate,  D-Backs manager Kirk Gibson, in Arizona. 

Alan Trammell was voted by Tigers fans as the teams #1 All-Time Shortstop in 1999.

The Tigers, as usual, have failed to retire Trammell's #3, as well as the #1 of his longtime teammate Lou Whitaker.

Trammell and Whitaker played in a MLB record 1,918 games together...they were, in fact.. Trammakker.., and the two turned more double plays than any SS-2B combo in baseball history. 

Both Tram and Sweet Lou's numbers are being worn again, #1 by shortstop Jose Iglesias,  and #3 by second baseman Ian Kinsler. 

Happy Birthday to #3, the greatest shortstop in Detroit Tigers history.

Play Ball!

 

New York Mets unveil Ralph Kiner patch for 2014

Just saw this special patch that the New York Mets will wear on their uniform sleeves in 2014 in honor of the late Mets player and announcer, Ralph Kiner, who passed away on February 6th, at the age of 91.

The patch pretty much says it all about the Mets and their beloved announcer. 

Jacksonville Armada FC

This isn't a post about baseball,  but I had to show the logo for the new Jacksonville Armada FC soccer team.

The team logo was unveiled at a ceremony today in downtown Jacksonville. 

http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-02-18/story/jacksonville-soccer-team-be-called-jacksonville-armada-fc

I've lived in Jacksonville for 33 years, and remember the old Jacksonville Tea Men games played down at the old Gator Bowl.

I found a old Jax Tea Men logo and noticed automatically that it alao had a sailor themed logo.

I love this logo because it defines myself, my city, and the United States Navy, a huge part of the City of Jacksonville, and my life.

For 4 1/2 years I served in the Navy, most of them at the Mayport Naval Station, on the USS Edward McDonnell(FF-1043).

Besides my Naval service, I'm also, as Jimmy Buffet sings, "...a Son, of  a Son, of a sailor."

My father, Tommie, and his father, were also in the Navy, with my Grandfather, my namesake, John Sharp, having served in World War II.

I admit I'm not the biggest soccer fan, but I'll be at that first Armada match...remember that baseball fans...their soccer matches, not games, cheering on our #AwesomeArmada.

The Jacksonville Armada will begin play in April if 2015.

Go Aramada!

Daytona Cubbies Ballcap

This is new ballcap the Daytona Cubs will be wearing on the road this year in the Florida State League in 2014.

Here's the link to purchase this cool new cap.

http://daytonacubs.milbstore.com/store_contents.cfm?store_id=100&dept_id=-1&product_id=28118

I'm going to head south an hour and a half to get a size 7 3/8 cao and watch a game at The Jack.

Happy President's Day 2014

Jim Fregosi, 1942-2014

The baseball world lost former player and manager Jim Fregosi today, who died after being taken off life support after the former big leaguer suffered several strokes.

Jim Fregosi was a good ball player, who I always remember because he was traded by the California Angels for future Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan.

Fregosi would later manage Ryan, in 1978 and 1979... with the Angels.

Jim Fregosi also managed the Chicago White Sox.

My blogger friend Steve wrote a terrific post today on Fregosi over at White Sox Cards. 

http://whitesoxcards.blogspot.com/2014/02/rip-jim-fregosi-1942-2014.html

May God Bless Jim and his family.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day baseball fans.

I hope you hit it out of the park with your significant other.

God Bless you all.

PLAY BALL!