Kiss It Goodbye: The All-Ugly Team

[Guest Edgy DC]

Threads on Kiss It Goodbye probably shouldn't start yet, as people are mostly just getting the book now. We can schedule a date for discussion to start, but I thought I'd throw in a fun preview.

The only post-season honor Thomas lists from his rookie season is making some wise guys' All-Ugly Team, a funny honor since he was already married as a rookie, never struck me as anything worse than non-descript, and he shared the honor with, among other people, a future Hollywood actor.

So I thought I'd dig up pictures of him and his teammates to examine. Where possible, I tried to get pictures from as close to the correct year as I could.

Perhaps because it was former and current Pirates picking the team, it seems stacked (Thomas's opinion) with Cards and Cubs, who were, I assume, greater rivals to the Pirates at that time than the Braves, Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, and Reds were, to say nothing of the American League.

Jimmy Brown, Mgr.

Danny Murtaugh, Coach

Mike Ryba, Coach

Joe Garagiola, Catcher

Andy Seminick, Catcher

Chuck Connors, First Base

Rocky Bridges, Second Base

Tommy Glaviano, Third Base

Buddy Kerr, Shortstop

Carmen Mauro, Outfield

Peanuts Lowery, Outfield

Frank Thomas, Outfield

Hank Sauer, Outfield

I started off by posting images of cards. That was dumb, because they'll tend to try to use more flattering shots for cards, especially then, and especially with established high-profile players. But I was then too lazy to go back.

Bony noses seem to be the trait most likely to get you on the team.

Chuck Conners' gravemarker seems aimed at his fans, featuring a publicity shot of the guy, plus his most famous role, along with the logos for the three big-league sports franchises he played for.

[seawolf17]

Any All-Ugly team without Joe Torre ain't much of an All-Ugly team.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sure, but he would've been rather young in 1951.

[seawolf17]

But no less ugly.

[Guest Yancy Street Gang]

I was also surprised when I read about Frank Thomas' selection to the Ugly Team. I'm a poor judge of masculine beauty, but I wouldn't have guessed that Frank would be considered ugly.

At least Frank wasn't offended by it. He said it was all in good fun, and it seems like he saw it as an achievement, an indication that he had arrived as a member of the major league fraternity.

Yogi Berra was an active player then. How did he get overlooked?

[Guest Edgy DC]

It looks like an all-National League squad.

[Guest ScarletKnight41]

I got the impression that Mr. Thomas' inclusion on the All Ugly team was tantamount to rookie hazing.