Let’s Remember a Guy!

[cool hand]

Man - '79-'82 was my collecting hey day, and this guy doesnt ring a bell.
Wonder why they called him "Kojak"....

[Erik]

I remember the name ... and that's it.

[Gregg]

I remember the name ... and that's it.

You remember more than me.

[TranaGreg]

I wonder about the guy who had the job to do the write-ups on the back of each card ... finding out the little anecdotes that appear on the side ... in 1977 (decades before the internet era), that would have been a cool job.

[Gregg]

Man - '79-'82 was my collecting hey day, and this guy doesnt ring a bell.
Wonder why they called him "Kojak"....

Relief pitcher—Dave Heaverlo: Like Tito Fuentes, Heaverlo (pronounced HEV-err-loe) managed to leave an impression on both sides of the Bay, first in San Francisco and then in Oakland. As a non-roster rookie with the Giants, Heaverlo was given the No. 60. Even after he made the team, he decided to keep the unusually high number, which he maintained for most of his major league career.

Though he had a full head of hair, he shaved his head bald, something that was rarely done in the late ’70s and early ’80s. Not surprisingly, the decision to part with his hair left him with the nickname, “Kojak.” While with the A’s, Heaverlo told Charlie Finley that he wouldn’t grow his hair back until the owner traded him.

He enjoyed pulling pranks, such as wearing a rubber nose in the clubhouse and the bullpen. He also expressed his humor verbally. With the A’s entrenched in last place in 1979, Heaverlo caught his right arm in an Oakland Coliseum elevator and exclaimed, “My gawd, there goes the pennant.”

[swampdragon]

My son and I were discussing the idea of Pete moylan on the Braves trying to convince someone he is a major league baseball player

[Hi.I'm.Mandy]

I wonder about the guy who had the job to do the write-ups on the back of each card ... finding out the little anecdotes that appear on the side ... in 1977 (decades before the internet era), that would have been a cool job.

My friend and used to say we "derived enjoyment" from something we liked in reference to one of those blurbs on the card back. Seriously, they couldn't just say he likes fishing, they need to tell us he "derives enjoyment from fishing" ?

https://www.google.com/search?safe=active&biw=1280&bih=860&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=MXoZW9euOsW4tQWTv6eYCQ&q=backs+of+baseball+cards+derives+enjoyment&oq=backs+of+baseball+cards+derives+enjoyment&gs_l=img.3...20350.26258.0.26430.26.22.4.0.0.0.124.2066.3j17.20.0....0...1c.1.64.img..2.0.0....0.YVbtP8wQeqc

[heyelander]

Logged on for today's guy... and Nuthin'!

[B-Fly]

Logged on for today's guy... and Nuthin'!

He's trying to give us enough time to recount all of our best Dave Heaverlo memories.

[revo]

I never said there was a specific time for the Let's Remember a Guy segment! But here we go:

Today's Guy

Chet Lemon
One of the greatest names in baseball history, except this one with a cool cat 70s vibe, Chet Lemon had a successful 16-year career with the White Sox and Tigers (1975-1990). He was remarkably consistent throughout his career, usually coming within a standard deviation of his typical .273/18/72 line, and thus never had a true bustout season. If one had to choose, 1979 would probably be considered his best season, when he went .318/.391/.496 and led the majors in doubles and HBPs. In fact, he led the majors in HBPs four times (ouch), including a trifecta from 1981-1983, and is widely considered to be one of the best defensive centerfielders of all time.

Despite all that, he's probably best known for his 1976 pic wearing the gaudy White Sox shorts uniform.

That's today's guy, Chet Lemon!

[TranaGreg]

ahhh, I have a really strong memory of Chet Lemon, playing CF in what I think was his rookie season, running flat out to his left into the gap and at full speed diving superman-style and catching a snow-cone a foot off the ground, a fly ball that seemed impossible to be caught for 99% of its flight. I was in little league then & it totally affected me in how I approached the game. Thanks Chet!

[cool hand]

Chet was not just "a guy". Chet was the man. They used to call me "Chet" on the playgrounds in his honor!

This is a shirt you'll see on occasion in the D:

chet.jpg

[cavebird]

Chet Lemon is in a whole other category than the other guys. He was actually good. He was more or less before my time, but he is/was well known to me. Good player.

[pitbull]

Tigers traded the immortal Steve Kemp for Chet "the Jet" Lemon. Helped us win the WS in 84. Was a terrific CF for the Tigers. Had a nice solid career.

[revo]

Today's Guy:

Luis Leal

Leal had a 6-year career as a SP with the Toronto Blue Jays from 1980-1985. If he had a quality, it was "innings eater," as he pitched a lofty, but releatively non-descript, 690 nnings from 1982-1984. He had a career 4.2 K/9 rate, typical of the early 1980s.

He was dealt, along with a past his prime Damaso Garcia, for a middling Craig McMurtry — who was also one of those “looks like your uncle” players— in 1987, but didn't make the Braves and his career was kaput.

Let's hear it for Today's guy, Luis Leal!