Baseball Passings 2022

[MFS62]

Tom Browning - 62.

The only Reds pitcher to toss a perfect game.

Later

[Edgy MD]

Browning almost tossed a second one in 1989.



I also remember him for going up to the roof of one of the buildings across from Wrigley to watch an inning or so of the game with Cubs fans, still in his Reds uniform.

[G-Fafif]

Denny Doyle, second baseman for the Phillies, the Angels and the Red Sox during the '70s, 78.

[Edgy MD]

Was a minor star in the star-studded 1975 World Series, hitting in all seven games, but made his mark in Game Six by attempting to score the winning run on short fly to left in the ninth, getting thrown out by George Foster, inadvertantly setting up Carlton Fisk's later heroism.



Contributed to Mets history by getting the lone hit in a 1970 one-hitter by Nolan Ryan. If that hit doesn't drop in, clearly the Mets would have kept Ryan and won eight or ten championships with him.

[Edgy MD]

[fimg=450]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91WOn8b7h6L.jpg[/fimg]



Fred Valentine was a classic AAA star who had trouble sticking in the bigs, but had a terrific 1966 with Gil Hodges' Senators. He played in Japan for a bit, and was always an active figure at MLB Player Alumni Association (of which he was a founding member) events.



He was claimed by the angels on Monday.

[MFS62]

Edgy MD wrote: [fimg=450]https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91WOn8b7h6L.jpg[/fimg] Fred Valentine was a classic AAA star who had trouble sticking in the bigs, but had a terrific 1966 with Gil Hodges' Senators. He played in Japan for a bit, and was always an active figure at MLB Player Alumni Association (of which he was a founding member) events. He was claimed by the angels on Monday.

I was stationed at Ft. Belvoir, Va. in 1966 and remember Valentine. He was the first African-American player I ever saw on a TV commercial. It was for Tasty-Cake (pre- packaged pastries - think Sara Lee or Entemans).

I remember his one line of dialogue: "This is Fred Valentine, and I'm making the T sign, for Tasty Cake cakes and pies".



RIP



Later

[G-Fafif]

[Edgy MD]

Odd that they use a photo of Stearns from Old Timer's Day, but I guess the Alumni Association dispatches their photographer to alumni-type events, so that's the sort of thing they have the rights to.