Who is the man: Randy Hundley played in just 73 games in 1970 after averaging more than 150 the previous four years. A home plate collision cost him three months of the season and the damaged knee that came from the collision would plague the rest of his career.
Can ya dig it: Hundley looks so intense on his cards. Smiling and intense.
Right on: I'm not a Cubs fan, but with Game 7 today you have to consider this post, with the cubbie bear on full display, a good omen.
You see that cat Hundley is a bad mother: Hundley broke a 41-year-old for most games played as a rookie catcher when he appeared in 149 in 1966. The record was broken two years later by Johnny Bench (154 in 1968).
Shut your mouth: Hundley's defense drew raves his rookie year. Cubs pitching coach Freddy Fitzsimmons said Hundley "has the best arm I've seen since Gabby Hartnett." Hundley proceeded to lead the National League in caught stealing in 1966. He was second in the category in 1968 and first again in 1969.
No one understands him but his woman: Hundley's son, Todd, played for the Cubs for two seasons, in 2001 and 2002. They were not good seasons for Todd. He could barely hit .200. Todd's mother (and Randy's wife), Betty, died from cancer in 2000, affecting his play. Randy said that if Betty had been alive, she would have never let Todd play for the Cubs because the pressure on Todd would be too great.
(A word about the back): The editor is going to get picky again: "Set NL mark and tied AL mark with only 4 passed balls, 1969." If you play in the National League, you can set a NL record. But you can't set or tie an AL record because you don't play in the AL. You can tie a major league record, which is how it should have been worded.
I long for the days of two distinct leagues. A part of me died when the umpires went to uniform hats across both leagues.
ReplyDeleteWhich is to say, I'm okay with that language.