Who is the man: As the position designator says, Bob Bailey was a man without a position in 1970. Aside from third and the outfield (mostly left), Bailey also played 18 games at first base in 1970. But he was beginning to re-establish himself as the hitter he was with the Pirates in the mid-1960s.
Can ya dig it: Bailey looks terribly uncertain amid the palm trees. Perhaps it's the hit the card took on the right edge. Too close to his temple.
Right on: Although the Nationals' color scheme doesn't bother me, I kind of wish they went with the Expos' baby blue instead of dark blue. The color just makes a team more lovable in my view.
You see this cat Bailey is a bad mother: Bailey received the largest bonus ever paid to a player at the time of his signing with the Pirates in 1961. He was expected to be a superstar.
Shut your mouth: Expos relief pitcher Mike Marshall publicly criticized Bailey's fielding at third base in 1973.
No one understands him but his woman: The Dodgers dealt Maury Wills to the Pirates for Bailey and Gene Michael in 1966. Bailey proceeded to hit .227 in back-to-back seasons as the Dodgers finished eighth and seventh, respectively. A lot of folks blamed Bailey for the demise of the Dodgers, since L.A. had just been to back-to-back World Series with Wills on the team.
(A word about the back): The longest home run in the history of the Astrodome is now forever owned by Mike Piazza, who hit an estimated 480-foot blast for the Mets in 1998.
Met Bob at large time share complex in Las Vegas in 2002. He was a quality control guy to make sure the folks were happy with their stay at the time share. I was a custodian and saw his photo as a Pirate while cleaning his office. I later ran in to him and had wonderful chats about his playing days and he showed his 1976 World Champs Reds ring. He signs cards for everybody. Later I was tossing trash outside and a 1973 Bailey autographed card comes flying out of the trash.....stil have it.
ReplyDeleteGood stories, GoGoSox60!
DeleteTo be fair, wasn't there some guy named Koufax also missing from the 1967 Dodgers? Bailey had some OK batting figures with the Pirates but he was not an RBI machine. Sounds like too many expectations on the guy.
ReplyDeleteInteresting to note that Wills and Bailey were traded for each other...and yet a few years later, they were both teammates on the '69 Expos. Wonder if they ever talked about that...
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