Chris Cannizzaro, 1938–2016

[Edgy MD]

Chris Cannizzaro, who holds the curious distinction of being both a 1962 Mets and a 1969 Padre, has died, reports The San Diego Tribune.

Dubbed "Canzaloni" (or the like) by Casey Stengel, Stengel also called him "the only defensive catcher who can't catch."

Chris didn't buy it. "If you remember what the background color of the Rheingold Beer sign in center field was [at the Polo Grounds], it was white," Cannizzaro said. "And the ball came right out of that sign. And the umpires used to guess whether it was a ball or a strike and it was tough to catch. And with some pitchers, balls got by me. It was the only park where I dropped balls."

"But as far as throwing I had one of the best arms in the National League by far. You don't go to the big leagues when you're 20 years old if you can't do something."

Cannizzaro was one of the Padres who had the dubious honor of being no-hit by a tripping-on-acid Doc Ellis.

[Edgy MD]

The Mona Lisa of baseball card subjects, he never got rid of that secretive half smile.

[fimg=250]https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7vqWDAPP7Qc/T57zdl2z30I/AAAAAAAAaFc/V_C6Yyxvuv4/s320/canizzaro++(7).jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/chris_cannizzaro_autograph.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://img.comc.com/i/Baseball/1962/Topps/26/Chris-Cannizzaro.jpg?id=3208b5ec-8917-4a42-b861-2539e864ad6d&size=original[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/usd/sports/m-basebl/auto_headshot/412709.jpeg[/fimg]

[batmagadanleadoff]

Prince once dedicated an entire blog post to this particular baseball card.

[fimg=444:3tidzdsc]http://thumbs3.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/311681411342_/1969-Topps-Set-Break-131-Chris-Cannizzaro-NR-MINT.jpg[/fimg:3tidzdsc]

http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2012/11/25/chris-cannizzaro-lingering-uptown/

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Prince once dedicated an entire blog post to this particular baseball card.

[fimg=360]http://d2vrsup6vl2y4n.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/prince-624-1405344534.jpg[/fimg] [fimg=250]http://thumbs3.picclick.com/d/l400/pict/311681411342_/1969-Topps-Set-Break-131-Chris-Cannizzaro-NR-MINT.jpg[/fimg]

Seems like an odd combo.

[HahnSolo]

He could pass for the father of Josh Satin and/or Michael Conforto.

[G-Fafif]

An Original Met. An Original Padre. Two of a kind, it might be said. RIP.

[Guest cooby]

Always loved that name

[MFS62]

RIP

Later

[Edgy MD]

HahnSolo wrote: He could pass for the father of Josh Satin and/or Michael Conforto.

Grandfather, more likely.

[Edgy MD]

Place of death: Rancho Penasquitos, for when Ben Grimm gets back from Iceland or wherever.

Cause of death: emphysema.

[MFS62]

One of the Munificent Seven players who caught for the Mets in 1962.

If you could name all of them correctly, it was generally worth a few drinks in a Queens bar.

He is survived by 1962 catching cohorts Sammy Taylor, Joe Pignatano and Hobie Landrith.

Later

[Zvon]

RIP Mr. Cannizzaro

His go to photo:

[fimg=300]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tbd6aJV0odqrYq867Kb-oqfdjQoE39bKBP1hSkTetH9mwN0CRXXG-iOWsnxOXOlnJEcpJCHr5c2Arr5ZK7OtAQgKvBWz7oXH8qazXcrLkLsdCaccYoltGZLXAjGW7S0rG0XyMdEEz5zQe1aFTzIig9SLIXwf27ukGI2jlU2KoFXKFnDs_cAH20RdpzhUFdbqllFhLkFCB8hPAeAGpAx9ox1EwU7RPfyxL7DLNruRL0qvBwQjDt8TLdXQ4h1CeBeNFeLiO8vAlZ7RhIIEN-gvhHXAQiXyK80iUhIn12mZlx0OONoJwhx_yeOEJi7ZmmTtnxzGfFfRJMPS1bVsfBtURpq3wizjKaY5QOnkujWtmIGxekxI_1Am8gBsH7U2jCtS01dt-ZFdVNH0D5f5U10C03KTlB_7a286d2JlblmdrMcaXh8VrAlq7axSB6tV1DMqA2v-68k1Uuyr_Ta4OqlC1TaLIqu-aSXuLYMlOi966M4SU6rBEHCpgwVmS9oqxE6oBBjZ32RiSRVyW5N4PPsbXHWDzFxztpEAgovyrsb0C34Z6yNQWS4CvvG0y1Afa7ToWRuUsSsKy9X8_0Iaf2YzEHKvOcixIlz2JNKzBqV8EOCiJAFOb0li=w422-h609-no[/fimg]

And he just made the back of the most recent mfc card.



[fimg=300]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/GhOIqpB5Ef2zCSFzjgADXchLJn8NfcYmwyJrKFE4DhyKGWN8rEDhlHmkmMyIjr2Va0L2e4nXNWhs-l8KesMjw_eVVJZE5N1AZH8-u6-bggUTvdpLS2x85NcPo4d91soZvt8aQpgSTcRN1mYVIRoHy7do-yeVmwiCGfD1EOfPCsxxkH7VrnURZq5bGlyDj_3zk7sOdc42uayRcMRvoIB5HEHPIqIv1TtZEoaczEZN6V8DgvYQ1rIouX_L0ffjAUhqcuHSLOnCGjeLqM7ezOauu5GujY8xJ22yhtUf7z2bu6rsuE-wU4VfC4rYH84g-IWWKmOMuT4dcp-BI6IhRsCpxb3Ay_n4fCoCY8_Fm96PtTCAxViduUD_K_tVlXVZACCU0W5fiIN5PMsCMF_XUGt24UkDy3fwgGVdFirjZgY2HjJLLDiJ7o8UfcJnxsgGItKgs7uHPIAkZQcWSUc8ZxROO0rCkxj-BcVHcAqsDQxOhANEVUByfIwaTmNEZvpJeaq3HLvqmHLEDKeGUtaBC7CvPCVIeF7GK6Q8tFA0qGidSHjp3sJMjM1ZM0p6xTQvyvEGfpd_pIZ9j_EY4KbDoBwX-iBvlpU1g341glLnklige0VshA3VPR6zVg=w745-h530-no[/fimg]

[batmagadanleadoff]

Zvon wrote: RIP Mr. Cannizzaro His go to photo: [fimg=366]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tbd6aJV0odqrYq867Kb-oqfdjQoE39bKBP1hSkTetH9mwN0CRXXG-iOWsnxOXOlnJEcpJCHr5c2Arr5ZK7OtAQgKvBWz7oXH8qazXcrLkLsdCaccYoltGZLXAjGW7S0rG0XyMdEEz5zQe1aFTzIig9SLIXwf27ukGI2jlU2KoFXKFnDs_cAH20RdpzhUFdbqllFhLkFCB8hPAeAGpAx9ox1EwU7RPfyxL7DLNruRL0qvBwQjDt8TLdXQ4h1CeBeNFeLiO8vAlZ7RhIIEN-gvhHXAQiXyK80iUhIn12mZlx0OONoJwhx_yeOEJi7ZmmTtnxzGfFfRJMPS1bVsfBtURpq3wizjKaY5QOnkujWtmIGxekxI_1Am8gBsH7U2jCtS01dt-ZFdVNH0D5f5U10C03KTlB_7a286d2JlblmdrMcaXh8VrAlq7axSB6tV1DMqA2v-68k1Uuyr_Ta4OqlC1TaLIqu-aSXuLYMlOi966M4SU6rBEHCpgwVmS9oqxE6oBBjZ32RiSRVyW5N4PPsbXHWDzFxztpEAgovyrsb0C34Z6yNQWS4CvvG0y1Afa7ToWRuUsSsKy9X8_0Iaf2YzEHKvOcixIlz2JNKzBqV8EOCiJAFOb0li=w422-h609-no[/fimg]

That's the same photo Topps used on its furshlugginer 1969 Pirates Cannizzaro card. But what the hell are the Mets advertising directly above the Hebrew National ad? Does that say what I think it says?

[Zvon]

It do. I can't even recall what I was crediting you for. I imagine you sent me the photo I worked with, which was a nice quality image. If so, I thank you again

That catchers glove would make a nice bean bag type seat if you flip it over.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Zvon wrote: [fimg=222]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/tbd6aJV0odqrYq867Kb-oqfdjQoE39bKBP1hSkTetH9mwN0CRXXG-iOWsnxOXOlnJEcpJCHr5c2Arr5ZK7OtAQgKvBWz7oXH8qazXcrLkLsdCaccYoltGZLXAjGW7S0rG0XyMdEEz5zQe1aFTzIig9SLIXwf27ukGI2jlU2KoFXKFnDs_cAH20RdpzhUFdbqllFhLkFCB8hPAeAGpAx9ox1EwU7RPfyxL7DLNruRL0qvBwQjDt8TLdXQ4h1CeBeNFeLiO8vAlZ7RhIIEN-gvhHXAQiXyK80iUhIn12mZlx0OONoJwhx_yeOEJi7ZmmTtnxzGfFfRJMPS1bVsfBtURpq3wizjKaY5QOnkujWtmIGxekxI_1Am8gBsH7U2jCtS01dt-ZFdVNH0D5f5U10C03KTlB_7a286d2JlblmdrMcaXh8VrAlq7axSB6tV1DMqA2v-68k1Uuyr_Ta4OqlC1TaLIqu-aSXuLYMlOi966M4SU6rBEHCpgwVmS9oqxE6oBBjZ32RiSRVyW5N4PPsbXHWDzFxztpEAgovyrsb0C34Z6yNQWS4CvvG0y1Afa7ToWRuUsSsKy9X8_0Iaf2YzEHKvOcixIlz2JNKzBqV8EOCiJAFOb0li=w422-h609-no[/fimg] That catchers glove would make a nice bean bag type seat if you flip it over.

I've been noticing how oversized some catcher's mitts appear on baseball cards being that they're so much in the foreground. With that in mind, I made this card about a year ago:

[fimg=444]https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/471/31233149173_d7b9e104ce_b.jpg[/fimg]

Upon re-examination, I wish I'd made Grote's mitt even bigger.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Edgy MD wrote: Place of death: Rancho Penasquitos, for when Ben Grimm gets back from Iceland or wherever.

Thank you!

[Edgy MD]

In fairness, reports have him living there, but I don't know whether he was rushed to Torrey Highlands or Sabre Springs or someplace in his final hours. I don't know how particular you are about these things. But posterity thanks you for recording the PoD.

OE: Welcome back!