RIP Denny Sommers, 1940-2020

[G-Fafif]

Denny Sommers, who coached for both Joe Frazier and Joe Torre and served on Sparky Anderson's NL All-Star staff at MFYS II) died last year without much notice from the MLB community. He was 80.



https://www.clinehansonfuneralhome.com/obituary/denny-sommershttps://www.clinehansonfuneralhome.com/obituary/denny-sommers

[G-Fafif]

Where Bob Uecker said he was, Denny Sommers actually was: in the front row!



https://www.pinterest.com/pin/502151427172378456/https://www.pinterest.com/pin/502151427172378456/

[Edgy MD]

I'm disappointed to say that I have very close to no memory of this figure. Here he is with the Mets 1977 All-Star contingent. Stearns is their lone player, but Seaver joins them as a guy who made the team mostly on his Mets first half. I'm guessing that Willie Mays was the honorary captain.



I'm not sure what got Sommers a plane ticket. These days, the All-Star coaching staffs are generally made up of the manager's own staff, plus perhaps a pair of other managers from the top of the standings. Perhaps back in the day, it was more customary to pick one coach from every team or the like.



https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0M9B_SauH7s/YPCR8AKOXrI/AAAAAAABOFQ/xHMayov3xyAu1_l1GUCvGlbkO2PxX8ieACLcBGAsYHQ/s900/denny%2Bsommers.jpg>



In every photo of him I've spotted, the guy seems to rock a deep tan.



[fimg=292]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Denny_Sommers_Mets.jpg[/fimg] https://cache.legacy.net/legacy/images/cobrands/postcrescent/photos/WIS295824-1_20200918.jpgx?w=310&h=400&option=3>

[G-Fafif]

Denny didn't need a plane ticket. He was literally across town.



Willie was indeed honorary captain, a pretty good counterpoint to the AL's figurehead Joe DiMaggio.