Major League Baseball lost over 90 alumni in 2011

Dick Williams

Duke Snider

Always one of the sadder pieces that I write annually, reflecting on the major league alumni that died during the past year. In 2011, over 90 former big leaguers passed away including Hall of Famers Duke Snider, Harmon Killebrew, and Dick Williams.

The amount of living Negro League players continued to dwindle with the deaths of veterans Bill "Ready" Cash, Stanley Glenn, Millito Navarro, George Crowe and Butch McCord.

Tito Landrum was generous enough to share his thoughts on "Macho Man" Randy Savage (Poffo) who was his teammate in the Cardinals organization.

I feel fortunate to have been able to speak with many of these legends and get their memories on tape.

Below are a recap of the articles that I have penned this year, many containing personal photos and excerpts from interviews that I conducted with them during the course of my research. Feel free to share your memories of these legends that have moved on to greener pastures in 2011.

Major League Alumni

Marty Marion

Dick Williams kindled special friendship with his lunch crew
Nick Strincevich, 3rd oldest major league player dies at 96
Cole and Smalley Jr's deaths link a history started 57 years prior
Former Brooklyn Dodgers Schmitz and Buker pass away
Eddie Bockman, scout that signed Larry Bowa and four year MLB veteran, dies at 91
Joe Caffie Indians outfielder that started in the Negro Leagues, dies at 80
Ernie Johnson, 87, Braves pitcher, announcer and World War II veteran
Bob "Tex" Nelson's career a golden example of the flawed bonus rule
Federoff's influence has a lasting impact on the Tigers organization
Wes Covington, 79, 1957 World Series hero
Jose A. Pagan, 76, played 15 seasons with three clubs
Billy Harris, 79, former Brooklyn Dodger

Wes Covington

Duane Pillette, 88, teammate of Satchel Paige on St. Louis Browns
Eddie Joost, 94, last manager of the Philadelphia Athletics dies
Spook Jacobs: "He's worth $30,000 in the minor leagues!"
Marty Marion, former National League MVP, dies at 93
Duke Snider's Philadelphia grab eclipsed that of Willie Mays in the World Series
Former New York Mets catcher Greg Goossen passes away at 65
Recent Brooklyn Dodger passings - Tony Malinosky, Gino Cimoli, Cliff Dapper
Tony Malinosky,101, former Brooklyn Dodger passes away
George Crowe, 89, former Negro League player and Major League All-Star
Roy Hartsfield, 85, First Manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, 1925-2011
Ryne Duren, 81, 3-time All-Star, 1929-2011

Negro League Alumni

Butch McCord

Bill 'Ready' Cash, veteran of eight Negro League seasons dies at 91
Negro League legend Willie "Curly" Williams left a lasting impact on many
Emilio 'Millito' Navarro, 105, world's oldest living baseball player
Stanley Glenn, 84, Negro League catcher and president
Bill Deck's exciting journey through the Negro Leagues
Butch McCord leaves behind a baseball legacy of a lifetime

Minor League Stars
"Macho Man" Randy Savage remembered by his baseball teammate Tito Landrum
Andres Fleitas, 95, Cuban Baseball Great (1916-2011)
Russell Rac, 81, hit four home runs in one game while with the St. Louis Cardinals organization
Bill Tosheff, first NBA rookie of the year, moonlighted as a strong armed pitcher

Bill Deck

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Dick Williams kindled a special friendship with his lunch crew

As Lou Rodophele went to lunch this week, one seat at the table remained empty. Thursday was the day the “Lunch Bunch” met, and for years without fail, one of baseball’s legendary managers was at the helm of the gathering. This holiday season was a painful reminder that their skipper, Dick Williams, is no longer around to hold court at their weekly get-togethers.

Click here to read the friendship the two kindled as a result of their lunch meeting and the legacy Williams left behind.

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Mets pitcher Pedro Beato looks to build on his rookie season

Pedro Beato giving a clinic at the 5 Tool Baseball Academy

New York Mets pitcher Pedro Beato brought spring training early to an eager group of aspiring ballplayers Tuesday afternoon at the Five Tool Baseball Academy & G2 Training Center in Ozone Park, N.Y. The Xaverian High School graduate instructed the players on the finer points of pitching, sharing a bit of what he has learned after completing his first year in the big leagues.

Click here to read Beato's reflections on his rookie season in the majors with the New York Mets and his thoughts on 2012.

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New York Mets pitcher Pedro Beato to give holiday pitching clinics in Queens and Manhattan

Pedro Beato, fresh off of his rookie season with the New York Mets, will be helping kids get back into baseball mode after all of the holiday festivities, leading a series of youth baseball clinics next week in Queens and Manhattan. Beato’s first stop next week will be right in his backyard of Ozone Park at the Five Tool Baseball Academy (100-02 Rockaway Blvd.) on Tuesday December 27th.

Pedro Beato giving pitching tips

Appearing as part of a two-day clinic, Beato will lead pitching instruction at the newly minted Queens training facility on Rockaway Blvd. The clinic will cover all aspects of pitching and hitting, as well as physical training in this intimate setting. The clinic is for children ages 9-18 and will run from 9am-3pm on Tuesday December 27th and Thursday December 29th. For more information, including pricing for the two-day clinic, call Giovanni Zapata at 917-373-2286.

In between the days of his clinic in Ozone Park, Beato is making a return appearance Wednesday December 28th at the 5th annual Lou DeMartino Memorial Christmas Baseball Clinic. The free clinic is hosted by the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance and takes place at the John Jay College Gymnasium (899 Tenth Avenue) in Manhattan. Beato will appear for the second time at the clinic along with a pair of Archbishop Molloy grads turned prospects, Matt Rizzotti (Philadelphia Phillies) and Dennis O’Grady (San Diego Padres). Registration for the clinic is from 8am-9am, with the clinic running from 9am-1pm. To register in advance for the clinic, e-mail Tom Sylvester – tsylvester@gnysaa.org

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Andres Fleitas | Cuban baseball great dies at 95 (1916-2011)

Andres Fleitas, one of the last remaining links to Cuba’s pre-World War II glory days, died Sunday afternoon in Miami according to a report from one of his former minor league teammates. He was 95.

The veteran Almendares catcher was the MVP of the 1946-47 winter league season, where he helped to guide major leaguer Max Lanier to complete a three-game sweep of Havana on only one day of rest.

Andres Fleitas (r.) pictured with his brother Angel in Chattanooga

Before his professional career in Cuba, he won two Amateur World Series in 1939 and 1942, earning MVP honors in the latter victory. He joined Almendares during the 1942-43 campaign and stayed with them for almost ten seasons. He battled with Mike Guerra for catching duties while also playing first base.

Fleitas entered the United States that summer, playing for the New York Giants Triple-A farm club in Jersey City. After playing two seasons with the Giants, he was well on the path to the major leagues before an offer of $20,000 from Jorge Pasquel lured him to Mexico for the 1945 season.

He spent three seasons with Monterrey, batting over .300 each year. While the tremendous salary increase allowed Fleitas to purchase a home in Santa Fe, his time in Mexico effectively nixed any chance he would have to play in the majors.



Commissioner Happy Chandler banned all players for five years that left the United States for the Mexican League who did not return before his deadline. Only when Danny Gardella threatened to sue Major League Baseball, the owners relented and lifted the ban. The policy change did not help Fleitas, who at 33, was well past prospect status.

He continued to play at the Double and Triple-A levels through 1954, finishing his career with Cienfuegos during the 1954-55 Cuban Winter League season. He was elected to the Cuban Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.

Baseball was a family affair for Fleitas. His brother Angel was an infielder for the Washington Senators in 1948. Ironically it was the first of two seasons which they played together in the United States, serving as teammates on the Chattanooga Lookouts from 1948-49.

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