Wallace 'Bucky' Williams, 102, Former Negro League Pittsburgh Crawfords

The second oldest living Negro League player, Bucky Williams passed away on November 16, 2009 at the age of 102. Williams played infield for the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1927-1932, and then with the Homestead Grays in the late 1930's, playing with and against many baseball luminaries including: Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson, Oscar Charleston, Cool Papa Bell, Martin Dihigo and Smokey Joe Williams. He retired in 1971 from Edgar Thomson Steel Works and moved to Penn Hills after his wife passed away in 1977. He was a fixture at the Josh Gibson Foundation dinners in recent years. He is only surpassed by 103 year old Puerto Rican Milito Navarro who played for the Cuban Stars in 1928-1929. Click here to view his entire obituary from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

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Feller, Perry and Perez Headline the 2009 MLBPAA Legends for Youth Dinner

The longest standing member of the Hall of Fame Bob Feller stood on the podium 91 years young, a veteran of World War II, addressing a crowd of 250 former players and aficionados Friday at the Hilton Hotel in New York City. Feller, looking ever spry, expressed his affection for the supporters of the MLBPAA, and vowed to be a fixture at the annual reunion dinner for years to come. He introduced the 2009 Alumni Achievement Award honoree, Gaylord Perry, who was being honored for his service to the association. Perry is extremely active with the Legends for Youth Baseball Clinics, where he and other retired MLB players give clinics around the country for young aspiring ballplayers. Fellow Hall of Famer Tony Perez was on hand to announce the 2009 Heart and Hustle Award recipient, which was Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Following the awards, the fans were treated to a round-table where Perry, Feller, Dennis Leonard, Jim "Mudcat" Grant, Tommy John, Rick Cerone, Jeff Cirillo, Mike Torrez, Billy Sample, John Franco, Orestes Destrade and Jimmy Wynn spoke on their favorite MLB experiences. All of the alumni spoke candidly about their travels in the Majors, and showed a genuine appreciation for being able to share them with the fans. "Mudcat" Grant captivated the crowd with an entertaining story of how early in his career he got revenge on an umpire who he believed was "squeezing" him. Grant dipped the unsuspecting umpire's mask in manure, and in the 100 degree heat, the oblivious umpire swore the catcher had soiled himself during the game. The umpire was none the wiser to Grant's prank. Grant also went out of his way to recognize the efforts of Feller for helping to ease baseball's integration by touring with Jackie Robinson's All-Stars in 1946, playing with Larry Doby in 1947 and honorably serving in WWII. Feller graciously accepted Grant's acknowledgment to a standing ovation from the crowd.

To keep up with MLBPAA sponsored events and clinics, check out their website at BaseballAlumni.com

To view additional photos from the event, watch the slideshow below.

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Hideki Matsui's World Series Performance Evokes Memories of Dusty Rhodes 55 Years Earlier

Hideki Matsui earning the 2009 World Series MVP as a designated and pinch hitter drums up memories of another New York World Series hero. A year before the World Series MVP award was created, and over 20 years before the emergence of the designated hitter, James "Dusty" Rhodes terrorized the pitching of the American League champions, the Cleveland Indians. Rhodes hit a pinch-hit homer off of Bob Lemon in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series with two runners on in the 10th inning to win the game 5-2. In game 2, he had a pinch hit single off of Early Wynn in the 5th inning, and then followed it up with another homerun off of Wynn in the 7th. In game 3, he had a pinch-hit single that drove in two runs in a 6-2 Giants victory. In the 3 games he played, he was 4-6 with 2 homeruns and 7 RBI. The Giants swept the series in 4 games over the Cleveland Indians.

Matsui had a homerun, a single and 2 RBI as a pinch-hitter, and was 8-13 overall as a DH / PH en route to his award winning performance. While many remember the 1954 World Series for Willie Mays' catch of Vic Wertz's smash; if a World Series MVP had existed in 1954, it would have gone to Rhodes for his timely hitting off of the bench for the Giants. The parallel to Matsui, plays out similar in their roles of "professional hitter" for their respective teams in World Series victory.

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MLBPAA Legends for Youth Dinner Friday November 6, 2009 List of Expected Guests and Schedule

2009 Legends for Youth Dinner
Friday, November 6, 2009
New York Hilton
Avenue of the Americas

6:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception (Rendezvous/Petit Trianon)
6:45 p.m. Call to Dinner Program
7:00 p.m. Awards Dinner (Trianon Room)
9:45 p.m. Dinner Program Ends

**Dress is Business Attire/Semi-Formal/Coat & Tie

Please be aware of the MLBPAA autograph policy for the event. Limit the items you bring to the event to items that fit in your pocket. Bags, bats, or other large items are not permitted.

List of Confirmed Guests as of October 28, 2009

Gaylord Perry – Honoree
Bob Feller
Tony Perez
Craig Anderson
Tony Balsamo
Fred Cambria
Rick Cerone
Ed Charles
Jeff Cirillo
Don DeMola
Orestes Destrade
John Doherty
John Franco
Oscar Gamble
Jim “Mudcat” Grant
Jim Hannan
Paul Hartzell
Tommy John
Brian Johnson
Joe Lahoud
Tim Leary
Al Leiter
Dennis Leonard
Phil Linz
Skip Lockwood
Bob Miller
Jerry Moses
Jim Poole
Dennis Rasmussen
Ron Robinson
Steve Rogers
Will Royster
Billy Sample
Steve Shillet
Charles Smith (NBA)
Craig Skok
Gary Thorne – Master of Ceremonies
Frank Tepedino
Rusty Torres
Mike Torrez
Jose Valdivielso
Jimmy Wynn

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Howie Schultz, former Brooklyn Dodger and Minneapolis Laker dies at 87

Howie Schultz, pictured second from left with Jackie Robinson two spots to his right, passed away on October 30, 2009 at the age of 87. Schultz was the Dodgers first baseman for four seasons until Robinson arrived in 1947. Schultz played in one game at first base after being displaced by Robinson. He was sold to the Phillies a month later.

"I'm a footnote in history -- the guy who was benched to allow baseball to be integrated," he said in a 2004 interview with the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Schultz compiled a lifetime batting average of .241 in siz seasons in the Major Leagues with the Dodgers, Phillies and Reds.

Schultz also played professionally in basketball, playing three seasons in the NBA after an All-American career at Hamline University. Schultz was a member of the 1951-52 and 1952-53 NBA Champion Minneapolis Lakers which included four Hall of Famers: George Mikan, Slater Martin, Vern Mikkelsen, and Jim Pollard.

After finishing his basketball career, he taught physical education and coached high school basketball in the St. Paul area as well as at Hamline University. To read a more detailed description of Schultz's career, check out Stew Thornley's SABR Bio of Howie Schultz.

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Darren Oliver: Emerging From Baseball's Graveyard With The Angels in the ALCS

In 2005, Darren Oliver couldn't find a Major League team. Fast forward 4 seasons later; Oliver played a prominent role for the Angels in the 2009 ALCS, appearing in 5 of the 6 games. Oliver pitched 2 2/3rd's innings of scoreless relief in Game 6, showing tremendous resilience after giving up 3 runs in Game 5 without retiring any batters. In 2009, Oliver lead the Angels staff in ERA (2.71) and was third in appearances with 63 games pitched. Oliver even started a game for the Halos.
After being released by the Cubs in 2005, Oliver found salvation with the Mets, signing with them for the 2006 season. Oliver became a mainstay in their bullpen, providing effective long and short relief. During the 2006 NLCS, he turned in arguably the most memorable performance by a Mets pitcher, when he relieved Steve Traschel in Game 3 to shut down the Cardinals for 6 innings. That would be Oliver's last appearance in a Mets uniform. The Mets did not resign Oliver, and he was swooped up by the Angels that off-season. He has since made three consecutive playoff appearances (2007-2009) and posted a combined record of 15-3. While fans may remember Oliver's bases clearing double he surrendered to Mark Teixeira in Game 5, don't let that overshadow Oliver's otherwise consistent production for the Angels. Not bad for a guy teams left for dead a short while ago.

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Book Review: Early Wynn, the Go-Go White Sox and the 1959 World Series

Early Wynn, the Go-Go White Sox and the 1959 World Series"
Lew Freedman
McFarland Publishing, 2009
223 pages


A man so tenacious on the field that he threw at his own son after he hit one back up the middle, and claimed that he would knock down his own grandmother if she dug in against him, Early Wynn was the catalyst for the Chicago White Sox 1959 World Series appearance. A rare four decade player, an aging Wynn was brought to the White Sox at the end of the 1957 season in exchange for Minnie Minoso. Bill Veeck apparently thought that Wynn had one more great season left in his arm, and Veeck was correctly, as Wynn would be victorious 22 times en route to a Cy Young award and World Series appearance in 1959.

Freedman weaves in anecdotes from the few living players from that 1959 team to chronicle the season's happenings. Sadly, almost three-quarters of the team are deceased. An especially poignant moment is when the living players gather in Chicago in 2008 and they collectively acknowledge that their reunion reminds them of the many members of the team that have passed. We hear from the likes of Billy Pierce, Jim Rivera, Bob Shaw, Jim Landis and Turk Lown as they chime in on Wynn and their own ups and downs during their pennant winning journey.

Freedman does his best to merge the three topics of his book, Wynn, the "Go-Go White Sox" and the 1959 World Series by examining the roles of Manager Al Lopez, General Manager Frank "Trader" Lane and owners Veeck and Charles Comiskey Jr.. What you are left with is a solid assembly of the 1959 White Sox and how Wynn led the charges all the way to the World Series.

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