RIP - Sam McDowell

 

Sam McDowell, the ace of the Cleveland Indians' staff in the mid-to-late 1960s, passed away on October 5, 2026 at age 84.

McDowell played for the Indians from 1961 to 1971, and was an All-Star 6 times between 1965 and 1971. 

 

He led the American League in strikeouts 5 out of 6 seasons from 1965 to 1970 (and was 10 strikeouts behind the leader in the other year). You can see all the cards commemorating those achievements here. 

 

Given the sorry state of affairs that was the Indians team in the 1960s, McDowell only won 20 games once (1970). After the 1971 season, he was traded to the Giants for pitcher Gaylord Perry and shortstop Frank Duffy. 

 

McDowell spent 1 1/2 seasons each with the Giants and Yankees, before wrapping up his career with the Pirates in 1975.

 

He finished with 2,453 career strikeouts and an average of 8.86 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. At the time of his retirement, his strikeout rate was bested only by Nolan Ryan and Sandy Koufax. 

 

RIP - Bill Giles

 

Long-time National League executive Bill Giles passed away on September 25, 2026 at age 92.

Giles was the son of Warren Giles, the Cincinnati Reds' President from 1937 to 1951, and the National League President from 1951 to 1969. 

 

Bill started his career working in the Reds' front office. 

 

In 1961 he was part of a group that formed the expansion Houston Colt .45s, and remained with them through 1968.

 

He joined the Phillies in 1969, first as traveling secretary, before working his way up to VP, then President, then Chairman. Giles rounded up a few other investors to buy the Phillies from the Carpenter family in 1981. 

 

From 2001 until his death, Giles was the honorary NL President.

    

RIP - Larry Christenson

 

Stretching the era of this blog, but... 

 

Larry Christenson, a member of the Phillies' starting rotation from 1973 to 1983, passed away on August 28, 2026 at age 72.

Christenson played for 11 seasons, and all with the Phillies. He is one of less than a half-dozen players to have played at least 10 seasons, and only for the Phillies. (Comment below if you want to know the others.) 

 

He was the Phillies' 1st pick (3rd overall) in the 1972 draft, one day after his high school graduation. Christenson played A-ball that season, and made his major-league debut with the Phillies the following April, with a 7-1 complete game victory over the Mets. At age 19, he was the youngest player in the majors. 

 

Larry split the '73 and '74 seasons between the Phillies and their AAA team, then made the majors for good in 1975. 

 

He was a part of the rotation that, depending on the season, included Jim Lonborg, Jim Kaat, Dick Ruthven, Randy Lerch, and Bob Walk, all obviously slotted behind Steve Carlton. 

 

In 1977 he won a career-high 19 games, and struck out a career-high 145 in 1982. 

 

He was troubled by injuries in his last few seasons, and was released after the 1983 season, after missing most of the year following elbow surgery.

   

RIP - Gil Blanco

 

Gil Blanco, who pitched briefly for the Yankees and Athletics in the mid-1960s, passed away on July 9, 2026 at age 80.

Blanco played in the minors every season from 1964 to 1971, mostly for the Yankees and Athletics. 

 

His only major-league action was 17 games for the Yankees in 1965, and 11 games for the Kansas City Athletics in 1966. 

 

In mid-1966, the Yankees included him in the Roger Repoz for Fred Talbot trade. He finished his pro career with the Astros, Expos, and Oakland A's from 1969-71. 

    

RIP - Tommy John

 

Tommy John, who pitched for 6 teams over his 26-year career, passed away on August 15, 2026 at age 83.

John began his career with the Indians in September 1963. He also pitched for the tribe in 1964. 

 

After the season, he was part of a 3-team 8-player trade that landed him with the White Sox. John was a key member of the Sox' rotation for the next 7 seasons. In 1968 he fashioned a 1.98 ERA and was named to his first All-Star team, but it seemed like he could never get out of Gary Peters' and Joel Horlen's shadows. 

 

Following the 1971 season he was traded to the Dodgers for Dick Allen. He played for Los Angeles for 6 seasons, while also missing the 1975 season after having Tommy John surgery. In 1977 he won 20 games for the first time, and finished a distant 2nd to Steve Carlton for the Cy Young award. 

 

John was granted free agency after the 1978 season, and signed with the Yankees. He pitched there for the better part of 4 seasons, winning 20 games twice along with two more All-Star games.

 

He was traded to the Angels in late-August 1982, and pitched there until he was released in June 1985. The Athletics picked him up for the rest of the season. John did not have the success with the Angels and A's that he found with his other 3 teams. 

 

Granted free agency once again after the 1985 season, he returned to the Yankees for his final 4 seasons, until they released him in May 1989. 

 

John appeared in 760 games over 26 seasons, making 700 starts and compiling a 288-231 record while striking out 2245 batters. 

   

RIP - Derrell Griffith

 

Derrell Griffith, an outfielder and 3rd baseman for the Dodgers in the mid-1960s, passed away on June 25, 2026 at age 82.

Griffith played parts of every season from 1963 to 1966 with the Dodgers, with most of his playing time coming in 1964. 

 

In the 1966/67 off-season he was traded twice: to the Mets with Tommy Davis for Ron Hunt and Jim Hickman, then to the Astros for Sandy Alomar. In mid-1967, he was traded to the Braves in the Wade Blasingame for Claude Raymond deal. 

 

With all that traveling, he never played again in the majors after 1966. 

     

Julian Javier is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (8/9) to Julian Javier!

Jerry McNertney is 90

 

 Happy 90th birthday (8/7) to Jerry McNertney!

RIP - Hector Valle

 

Hector Valle, a backup catcher for the Dodgers in 1965, passed away on July 11, 2026 at age 85.

Valle played minor-league ball from 1960 to 1971, for the Dodgers ('60-'67), Mets ('68), Tigers ('69-71), and Royals ('71). 

 

He also played in Mexico from 1972 to 1981. 

 

His only big-league action was 9 games for the Dodgers in 1965 (mostly in June). 

   

 

RIP - Ron Hunt

 

Ron Hunt, a 2nd baseman for the Mets, Dodgers, Giants, and Expos, passed away on July 15, 2026 at age 85.

RIP - Phil Regan

 

Phil Regan, who pitched for the Tigers, Dodgers, and Cubs from 1960 to 1972, passed away on July 8, 2026 at age 89.

Regan made his major-league debut in July 1960, with the Tigers. He was a starting pitcher for Detroit for the next 5 1/2 years. 

 

In December 1965 he was traded to the Dodgers for Dick Tracewski. (Hmm... I always thought it was for pitcher Johnny Podres. But what a steal for the Dodgers - getting a quality relief pitcher in exchange for a light-hitting utility infielder!) 

 

Upon arriving in LA, Regan was converted to a reliever, which he would do for the rest of his career. He led the league in saves in 1966, and made his only All-Star team. 

 

Regan pitched for the Dodgers for a little more than 2 seasons, but I always identify him as a Dodger, since that's where he was when I collected my first baseball cards (1967). 

 

In late-April 1968, he and Jim Hickman were traded to the Cubs for Ted Savage and a minor-league pitcher. Regan led the league in saves again in 1968. He pitched out of the Cubs' bullpen for 4 1/2 seasons, then was sold to the White Sox in June 1972. 

 

A month later he was released by the Sox, ending his 13-year career. 

 

After his playing career, Regan was a college baseball coach from 1973-86, and from 1987-2020 he coached or scouted for the Mariners, Dodgers, Indians, Cubs, and Mets. 

 

He also managed the Orioles in 1995, and was the pitching coach for the US Olympic team in 2000. 

    

RIP - Alan Closter

 

Alan Closter, who pitched briefly for the Yankees in the early 1970s, passed away on June 12, 2026 at age 82.

Closter played for the US national baseball team in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He pitched in the minors every season from 1965 to 1975, mostly for the Yankees. 

 

He made his major-league debut in April 1966, pitching 1/3 of an inning for the Senators. Then it was back to the bushes until 1971. 

 

Closter pitched 14 games for the Yankees in 1971, and 2 games for them in June 1972. His only other major-league action was 4 games for the Braves in September 1973. 

    . 

RIP - Al Worthington

 

Al Worthington, who pitched for the Giants, Twins, and others from 1953 to 1969 passed away on June 16, 2026 at age 97.  He was the 4th-oldest living ex-player, and the oldest to have had a baseball card after 1965.

Worthington played for the New York and San Francisco Giants from 1953-59, the Red Sox and White Sox in 1960, the Reds from 1963-64, and the Twins from 1964-69. He had previously played in Minneapolis in the minor leagues from 1953-55, and 1959. 

 

He appeared in 602 career games, and was primarily a relief pitcher after 1956 (and made no starts after 1959). 

 

Worthington appeared in the post-season for the Twins in 1965 and 1969. 

 

He briefly retired in 1960 when pressured by his White Sox manager to sit in the stands and steal signs using binoculars. (This practice was also corroborated by Sox' 3rd baseman Pete Ward on his Wikipedia page. The White Sox were a good team for most of the 1960s, but sucked tremendously after 1967. I wonder if the league had caught on and put a damper on their "talent".) 

 

After retiring in 1969, Worthington coached for the Twins from 1972-73, then started the Liberty University baseball program, coaching them from 1974-87. 

     

RIP - Bobby Cox

 

Longtime Braves manager Bobby Cox passed away on May 4, 2026 at age 84.

He began his baseball career in the Dodgers' farm system from 1960-64. He moved on to the Cubs ('65-'66) and Braves ('66-'67) before making his major-league debut in 1968, with the Yankees. 

 

Cox played 135 games (129 starts) in his rookie season, and was selected as the 3rd baseman on the 1968 Topps All-Rookie team. 

 

His playing time severely dropped in 1969 (85 games, 56 starts), as he shared 3rd base with rookies Jerry Kenney and Bobby Murcer. Cox spent the '70 and '71 seasons back in the Yankees' farm system, his final 2 years as a player. 

 

Cox managed Yankees' minor-league teams from 1971-76, then embarked on a long career as the Braves' manager (1978-81, and 1990-2010). He also managed the Blue Jays from 1982-85. 

 

All told, he managed for 35 seasons (29 in the majors), winning 5 NL pennants and the 1995 World Series.

     

Floyd Robinson is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (5/9) to Floyd Robinson!

RIP - Dick Hughes

 

Dick Hughes, a pitcher for the NL Champion Cardinals in 1967 and 1968, passed away on May 6, 2026 at age 88.

Hughes played in the minors from 1958 to 1966, finally making his major-league debut in September 1966 at age 28. 

 

He joined the Cards' starting rotation in 1967 (starting 27 of his 37 games), and led the team with 16 wins (2 more than Steve Carlton), and was 2nd in strikeouts with 161 (7 behind Carlton). 

 

Hughes played in 25 games in 1968, although only making 5 starts. 

 

I've often wondered why Hughes (who didn't make the majors until age 28) only pitched 2 seasons, despite having great success in his rookie year. I recently learned that he had a rotator cuff injury in early 1968, and played through it because there was no corrective surgery at the time, essentially ending his career. 

   

RIP - Bob Skinner

 

Bob Skinner, an outfielder for the Pirates and others from 1954 to 1966, passed away on May 4, 2026 at age 94.

Skinner was signed by the Pirates in 1951 and spent that season in the low minors. 

 

After missing 2 seasons to military service, he returned in 1954 and appeared in 132 games for Pittsburgh, including 116 starts at 1st base. 

 

He was back in the minors for all of 1955, but returned to the big club for good in 1956. He played over 100 games in each of the next 2 seasons as a backup outfielder and first baseman.

 

Skinner was the Bucs' everyday left fielder from 1958 to 1962, making 2 All-Star teams during those 5 seasons, as well as batting over .300 twice.  

 

In May 1963 he was traded to the Reds, and in June 1964 to the Cardinals. He finished his career in 1966, but never started more than 46 games a season for the Reds or Cards. 

 

After managing the Phillies' AAA team in 1967 and part of 1968, he managed the Phillies for the 2nd half of 1968 and the first half of 1969. He later spent many seasons as a Pirates' and Braves' coach. 

    

RIP - Chris Krug

 

Chris Krug, a catcher for the Cubs in the mid-1960s, passed away on January 16, 2026 at age 86.

Krug played in the minors every season from 1958 to 1967.  

 

He played parts of 3 seasons in the majors: 1965 and 1966 with the Cubs, and 1969 with the expansion Padres. 

 

Krug started about 25% of the Cubs' games in his rookie season, while only appearing in 10 games in 1966. 

 

After spending 1967 with the Angels' AAA team, and 1968 out of baseball, he played 8 games for the Padres in 1969 before he was released in late-May, ending his career.

    

RIP - Ellie Rodriguez

 

Ellie Rodriguez, a catcher for the Royals, Brewers, and Angels, passed away on April 23, 2026 at age 79.

Rodriguez was signed by the Kansas City Athletics in 1964. After one season, he was acquired by the Yankees in the minor league draft. He made his major-league debut in 1968 with the Yankees, playing 9 games (mostly in May and June). 

 

He was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the expansion draft, and played there for 2 full seasons, although playing only about half the games each year. He was named to the 1969 All-Star team. 

 

After the 1970 season he was traded to the Brewers, and was their starting catcher in '71 and '72, while splitting the job with Darrell Porter in 1973. He also made his 2nd All-Star team in 1972. 

 

In October 1973, he was part of a 9-player trade with the Angels. He was with the Halos for 2 seasons, playing 140 games (125 starts) in '74 and 90 games (75 starts) in '75. 

 

His last major-league action was 36 games with the Dodgers in 1976. Rodriguez played for the Pirates' AAA team in 1977, and in Mexico from 1978-82.

    

RIP - Billy Bryan

 

Billy Bryan, a backup catcher for the Athletics and Yankees, passed away on April 9, 2026 at age 87.

Bryan played parts of 1961-63, and all of 1964-65 with the Kansas City Athletics. Mostly a backup, he started about half the games in 1965. 

 

In June 1966 he was traded to the Yankees along with pitcher Fred Talbot. He spent most of 1967 with the Yankees' AAA team. 

 

Bryan split the 1968 season between the Washington Senators and their AAA team. He ended his career with the Phillies' single-A team in 1970.