"If anybody talks about a dead guy during a broadcast, I'll sack 'em. I'm sick of dead guys. Whenever I turn on baseball, all I hear about is dead guys. If I hear a name, I'm going to ask: 'Is he dead?' And if he is, you're fired." - Fox Sports President David Hill
 
Loss is personal to all of us. We each deal with a loss in different ways. I’m not speaking about losing a game, but of the passing of so many of our childhood heroes lately.
 
Ex-athletes die all the time, but I guess this year with the pandemic / shelter I‘ve noticed it more. Being an athlete, you know you only have so many years to play before your career is over. The better or star players get to decide “when to hang’em up.” The good, marginal or role players normally have their fate decided by a manager or general manager, perhaps by an injury; but any way you look at it, their careers will end.
 
Some end up staying in the game as a coach or manager at some level; some scout or work in the front office; while still others go into the radio or television booths. The majority go into some other walk of life. Almost all have wives, children, grandchildren. They live rich lives as do the rest of us. And in the end, they pass as we all will. 
 
How do you wrap your arms and minds around the passing of someone “famous” or that you looked up to as a youngster? You cheered for them, maybe got their autographs, made sure you watched them either in person or on tv every chance you got. If you were like me, had their baseball cards and would never trade them. They were bigger than life and brought you happiness and sorrow at various times. 
 
With the passing of Ed Farmer, which hit me very hard as I loved him as a player and his radio broadcasts of the White Sox. In quick succession, we then lost Al Kaline, Glenn Beckert and another White Sox player, Bart Johnson. Other players as the months passed. Then recently Lou Brock, Tom Seaver, Bob Gibson, Jay Johnstone and Joe Morgan within weeks of one another. The list grew bigger. My research showed that to date we have lost 83 former players along with four former players that became managers. I don’t know how that compares with other years, but boy it sure seems excessive.
 
I must admit, I shed some tears, read the articles detailing their careers, quotes from their old teammates, remembered some of the stories about them or the times I saw them play. It took me back to a simpler time, a time when I didn’t have to work; it was just school, friends, playing, reading about and watching baseball. Thank goodness for YouTube and the ability to see some of those old plays that I re-called in my mind. I shared stories with my grown kids, friends and teammates on the 60+ team I played with this past summer. It felt good to reminisce, commiserate and to re-live those happy days.
 
Not all those who have passed this year were household names, many had just a season or two in the majors, the proverbial “cup of coffee”. But I was reminded of The Righteous Brother’s song, “Rock and Roll Heaven” and how “they’ve got a hell of a band”. Well 2020 has a hell of a baseball team in the “Field of Dreams.”
 
Below is the 2020 team I organized from the 83 deceased players; I added all four managers to the “coaching staff.” They are listed by name, years they played, the date they died and their positions. I also noted the six who were elected to the Hall of Fame. 
 
Starting Pitchers:
   Don Larson (1953-1967). 1-1-2020. Right-Handed SP
   Johnny Antonelli (1948-1961). 2-28-2020. Left-Handed SP
   Tom Seaver (1967-1986). 8-31-2020. Right-Handed SP. *HoF
   Bob Gibson (1959-1975). 10-2-2020. Right-Handed SP. *HoF
   Whitey Ford (1950-1967). 10-8-2020. Left-Handed SP. *HoF
 
Bullpen:
   Ed Farmer (1971-1983) 4-1-2020. Right-Handed RP
   Bart Johnson (1969-1977). 4-22-2020. Right-Handed P
   Mike McCormick (1956-1971). 6-13-2020. Left-Handed P
   Adrian Devine (1973-1980). 6-27-20. Right-Handed P
   Ron Perranoski (1961-1973) 10-2-2020. Left-Handed RP
 
Catchers:
   Ed FitzGerald (1948-1959). 6-14-2020. Catcher
   J.W. Porter - (1952-1959). 10-11-2020. Catcher
 
Infield:
   Tony Fernandez (1983-2001). 2-15-2020. Short Stop
   Glenn Beckert (1965-1975). 4-12-2020. 2nd Base
   Bob Oliver (1965-1975). 4-19-2020. 1st Base / Outfield
   Bob Watson (1966-1984). 5-14-2020. 1st Base / Left Field
   Tony Taylor (1958-1976). 7-16-2020. 2nd / 3rd / 1st Base
   Kim Batiste (1991-1996). 10-7-2020. 3rd / SS
   Joe Morgan (1963-1984). 10-11-2020. 2nd Base. *HoF 
 
Outfield:
   Jim Wynn (1963-1977). 3-26-2020. Center Fielder
   Al Kaline (1953-1974). 4-6-2020. Right Fielder. *HoF
   Claudell Washington (1974-1990). 6-10-2020. Outfielder
   Lou Brock (1961-1979). 9-6-2020. Left Fielder. *HoF
   Jay Johnstone (1966-1985). 9-26-2020. Center Fielder
   Lou Johnson (1960-1969). 9-30-2020. Center Fielder
 
Manager / Coaching Staff:
   Jim Frey (1980-1986). 4-12-2020.
   Bobby Winkles (1973-1978). 4-17-2020.
   Eddie Kasko (1970-1970). 6-24-2020.
   John McNamara (1969-1996). 7-28-2020. 
 
Thanks for being a part of the game, my childhood and for all the memories. May these players, the others and all who have passed this year Rest in Peace.
 
~ Coach Mike

Well, I did say we’d revisit this theme again and now seems like the perfect time. Hard to believe we lost two Hall of Fame pitchers within a week of one another. 

We lost Bob Gibson on October 2nd of this year to pancreatic cancer. He didn’t lose many decisions. In a post on July 13th I chronicled a couple of his “amazing stats”. Bob was a 6-foot 2 inch, 195lbs right-handed pitcher and batter who made is major league debut on April 15, 1959 and pitched his last game on September 3, 1975, all 17 years with the Saint Louis Cardinals. His career win / lose record was 251-174, Earned Run Average 2.91 and had a total of 3,117 Strike Outs.

He was a giving, caring, competitive man who during his playing career had to endure taunts and slights because of his race. He rose above these to achieve his deserved trip to Cooperstown as he was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1981. He also left a great legacy as a human being.

Amazing Stat: In the last 40 seasons, there have been no players to do one of the following:

   -Pitch 300 or more innings
   -Have a sub-1.50 ERA
   -Throw 25+ complete games

Bob Gibson did all three in 1968 (304.2 IP, 1.12 ERA, 28 CG).

BONUS - Funny Bob Gibson Story: On September 3, 1975, in the 7th inning of his final MLB game, Bob gave a up a bases-load homer run to Peter LaCock who had never hit a “Grand Slam” in his career (even dating back to high school). He calmly got the next batter to ground out and Mike Wallace replaced Gibson pitching in the 8th. 15 years later in an “Old-Timers” game LaCock comes up to bat with Bob Feller pitching. Gibson leaves the bench replacing Feller and warms up. He drills LaCock with his first pitch. Apparently, Bob had a good memory! The two would also later coach together on the St. Louis Cardinals staff.

Rest in Peace Bob Gibson.
 
Edward “Whitey” Ford was a left-handed pitcher for the New York Yankees. He was nicknamed “The Chairman of the Board”. He played in the majors from July 1, 1950 to May 21, 1967. He missed the 1951 and 52 seasons while serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was 5’10 and weighted 178lbs. He also batted left-handed. He finished his career with 236 wins / 106 losses, a 2.75 Earned Run Average. In 498 games / 3170.1 Innings Pitched he compiled 1956 Strike Outs. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974. We lost Whitey on October 8th of this year at the age of 91.

Amazing Stat: In 1961 Whitey went 25-4. There were no stolen bases against him that year. But wait, in 1958, 1959 and 1964, he also allowed no stolen bases. In fact, in his career he only allowed 30 stolen bases total.

Rest in Peace Whitey Ford.

 
~ Coach Mike