Wow... September 21. Another year older. I share my birthday with 56 current and former major leaguers, including Cecil Fielder, Sam McDowell, Scott Spiezio, Joe Haynes and Tom Brown, who played for 17 seasons from 1882 to 1898 with stops in Baltimore, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Boston, Louisville, St. Louis, and Washington! So happy birthday to all 56 players that did make, or are making, this wonderful game our national (and my favorite) pastime!
95..... only one significant person comes to mind in baseball when I think of 95, and that's Cal Ripken, Jr. Wait, didn't he wear number 8? Yes, but it was in 1995 that he broke the Iron Man's record for consecutive games. I remember watching many an Oriole game in my basement in the early to mid 90s, and even listening to them on the radio with Jon Miller and Joe Angel, and during the 94 and 95 seasons, Cal would stay after signing autographs for an hour after the game. In 1995 I had a silent auction to raise money for the Leukemia Society and contacted his office. He graciously sent over a couple of autographed items for me to auction off. But it was on Wednesday September 6 of that year that he practically brought me to tears when he played in his 2,131 consecutive game before a nationally televised audience. Won't bore you with all of his stats, you can look them up... or better yet, you can check last year's countdown!! But thanks for the memories, Cal, and for all you do with youth baseball!
95..... only one significant person comes to mind in baseball when I think of 95, and that's Cal Ripken, Jr. Wait, didn't he wear number 8? Yes, but it was in 1995 that he broke the Iron Man's record for consecutive games. I remember watching many an Oriole game in my basement in the early to mid 90s, and even listening to them on the radio with Jon Miller and Joe Angel, and during the 94 and 95 seasons, Cal would stay after signing autographs for an hour after the game. In 1995 I had a silent auction to raise money for the Leukemia Society and contacted his office. He graciously sent over a couple of autographed items for me to auction off. But it was on Wednesday September 6 of that year that he practically brought me to tears when he played in his 2,131 consecutive game before a nationally televised audience. Won't bore you with all of his stats, you can look them up... or better yet, you can check last year's countdown!! But thanks for the memories, Cal, and for all you do with youth baseball!Oh, if anyone cares, below is the list of players I share a birthday with. Pictured below is Sam McDowell of the Yankees, from my baseball card collection.
Jeremy Jeffress
Antonio Bastardo
Joaquin Arias
Carlos Rosa
Greg Burke
Billy Sadler
Brian Tallet
Pedro Santana
Doug Davis
Manuel Barrios
Scott Spiezio
Shannon Withem
Ben Shelton
Jason Christiansen
D.J. Dozier
Cecil Fielder
Troy Afenir
Rick Rodriguez
Danny Cox
Frank MacCormack
Art Gardner
Gary Gray
Gary Lance
Aurelio Lopez
Jim Todd
Bill Wilson
Sam McDowell
Jerry Fosnow
Jerry Zimmerman
Billy Muffett
Jim Clark
John McHale
Joe Haynes
Ed Walczak
Max Butcher
Elden Auker
Al Blanche
John Bogart
Del Lundgren
Herschel Bennett
Ad Swigler
Elmer Smith
Gil Britton
Pete Shields
Art Bader
Bris Lord
Frank McManus
George Blackburn
Jim Garry
Joe Daly
Bill Joyce
Jack Horner
Tom Brown
Frank Bishop
Dick Buckley
Al Thake
Antonio Bastardo
Joaquin Arias
Carlos Rosa
Greg Burke
Billy Sadler
Brian Tallet
Pedro Santana
Doug Davis
Manuel Barrios
Scott Spiezio
Shannon Withem
Ben Shelton
Jason Christiansen
D.J. Dozier
Cecil Fielder
Troy Afenir
Rick Rodriguez
Danny Cox
Frank MacCormack
Art Gardner
Gary Gray
Gary Lance
Aurelio Lopez
Jim Todd
Bill Wilson
Sam McDowell
Jerry Fosnow
Jerry Zimmerman
Billy Muffett
Jim Clark
John McHale
Joe Haynes
Ed Walczak
Max Butcher
Elden Auker
Al Blanche
John Bogart
Del Lundgren
Herschel Bennett
Ad Swigler
Elmer Smith
Gil Britton
Pete Shields
Art Bader
Bris Lord
Frank McManus
George Blackburn
Jim Garry
Joe Daly
Bill Joyce
Jack Horner
Tom Brown
Frank Bishop
Dick Buckley
Al Thake
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