RIP - Buzz Stephen

 

Buzz Stephen, who pitched for the Twins in 1968, passed away on May 9, 2024 at age 79.

 

Stephen played in the minor leagues from 1966-70 for the Twins, Pilots, Brewers, and Orioles. 

 

He pitched 2 games (both starts) for the Twins in September 1968, posting a 1-1 record. Although he appeared on a 1970 card for the Pilots, he never played in the majors after 1968.  

 

Portersville (CA) Recorder obituary 

 

RIP - Tom Tischinski

 

Tom Tischinski, the Twins' 3rd-string catcher from 1969-71, passed away on April 23, 2024 at age 79. 

 

Tischinski played minor-league ball for the Athletics (1962), Reds (1963-67), Twins ('68, '72), and Dodgers (1972-74). 

 

He played in 82 games (starting 34) from 1969-71 with the Twins, playing behind John Roseboro (1969) and George Mitterwald (1970-71).  

 

Obituary  

 

Twitter obituary 

    

 

Luis Aparicio is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (4/29) to Luis Aparicio!

Jackie Brandt is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (4/28) to Jackie Brandt!

This was his final card.

  

RIP - Ken Holtzman

 

Ken Holtzman, a starting pitcher for the Cubs and Athletics, passed away on April 14, 2024 at age 78.

Holtzman made his major-league debut with the Cubs in September 1965. Although he started 33 games for the Cubs in 1966 (posting an 11-16 record), his rookie card did not appear until the 1967 set - a full card to himself. 

 

In 1967 he was limited to 12 starts (with a 9-0 record!) because he was on National Guard duty for much of the summer, and only able to pitch on weekends. 

 

Holtzman remained in the Cubs rotation through the 1971 season, then was traded to the Athletics for Rick Monday.

 

With the Athletics, Holtzman finally had a shot at post-season play. His record was 77-55 in his 4 seasons with Oakland, plus 6-4 in the post-season. The A's won the World Series in Holtzman's first 3 years, and he also made the All-Star team in '72 and '73. 

 

After a half-season with the Orioles, Holtzman played for the Yankees from June 1976 to June 1978, before returning to the Cubs for the final 1 1/2 seasons of his career. 

 

New York Post obituary  

 

USA Today obituary 

  

RIP - Larry Brown

 

Larry Brown, the Indians' shortstop in the 1960s, passed away on April 13, 2024 at age 84.

Brown joined the Indians in July 1963, and started half the remaining games at shortstop. 

 

In 1964 he started half the games at 2nd base, as Dick Howser started all but one game at shortstop. Brown was the primary shortstop from 1965-66, starting just over half the games in that time. 

 

He was the full-time shortstop from 1967-68, starting 150 games each season. In 1969 he started almost every game through mid-July, then was replaced by Eddie Leon. Brown lost the shortstop job to Jack Heidemann in 1970. 

 

Larry started the first 13 games in 1971, then was sold to the Athletics, where he was an infield reserve through the 1972 season.  He played his final 2 seasons with the Orioles ('73) and Rangers ('74).

 

Twitter 

 

I visited the team's website to see if there was any mention of Brown's passing. (No!) 

I also found it ridiculous that on their team Hall of Fame page, they mention "the greatest Cleveland Guardians of all time", (referring to Bob Feller, Rocky Colavito, and all the rest). Not once was the name "Indians" mentioned. Those past players played for the INDIANS, not the GUARDIANS!

   

Marty Keough is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (4/14) to Marty Keough!

This was his final card.

  

Wes Stock is 90

 

Happy 90th birthday (4/10) to Wes Stock!

This was his final card.

  

RIP - Fritz Peterson

 

Former Yankees' starting pitcher Fritz Peterson passed away on April 11, 2024, at age 82.

Peterson made his major-league debut in April 1966, and was a member of the Yankees' starting rotation until his trade to the Indians in late-April 1974. Over his 8+ seasons with the Yankees, he appeared in 288 games, while starting 265 of them. (9 of his relief appearances came in 1968.) 

 

He won 20 games in 1970, and played in his only All-Star game that season. 

 

Peterson started for the Indians from April 1974 to May 1976, and finished the '76 season with the Rangers. 

 

He signed with the White Sox in February 1977, but did not play for them, retiring after shoulder surgery. 

 

After his playing career he wrote several books, including one on Mickey Mantle and one on the Yankees' "Horace Clarke era".

 

Obituary 

  

RIP - Jerry Grote

 

Former Mets' catcher Jerry Grote passed away on April 7, 2024, at age 81.

Grote made his major-league debut with the Houston Colt .45s in September 1963. He spent the entire 1964 season with the Colts, taking over the starting catching job from John Bateman by mid-season. Curiously, he spent all of 1965 in the minors. 

 

After the '65 season, he was traded to the Mets for a pitcher who did not play in the majors after that trade. 

 

Grote was the Mets' #1 catcher from 1966-76, and made the All-Star team in 1968 and 1974.

 

He was traded to the Dodgers in late-1977, and was their backup catcher through the 1978 season. 

 

Grote retired after 1978, but came back with the Royals in 1981, before returning to the Dodgers for the final month of the season. 

 

Lou Brock found Grote to be one of the most difficult catchers on which to attempt a stolen base. Johnny Bench once said "If Grote and I were on the same team, I would be playing third base."  

 

New York Post obituary 

    

RIP - Jim McAndrew

 

Jim McAndrew, a Mets' pitcher from 1968-73. passed away on March 14, 2024 at age 80. 

 

McAndrew was drafted by the Mets in 1965, out of the University of Iowa. He made his major-league debut in July 1968, starting all 12 of his games in his rookie season. 

 

He was the Mets' 5th starter for most of the next 6 seasons (except for spending much of 1971 in the bullpen). 

 

McAndrew retired after playing the 1974 season with the Padres. 

 

His son Jamie pitched for the Brewers in the mid-1990s.  

 

New York Post obituary  

 

ESPN obituary 

    

RIP - Bill Plummer

 

Bill Plummer, the Reds' backup catcher from 1972-77, passed away on March 12, 2024 at age 76. 

 

Plummer was signed by the Cardinals in 1965, then was selected by the Cubs in the Rule 5 draft after the 1967 season. Because of the rules, he remained on the Cubs' roster for all of 1968, but only saw action in 2 games. 

 

In January 1969 the Cubs traded him to the Reds for pitcher Ted Abernathy. Plummer got a few cups of coffee with the Reds in '70 and '71, then backed up Johnny Bench from 1972-77. 

 

After his release during Spring Training 1978, he was signed by the Mariners, and spent his final season as Bob Stinson's backup. 

 

Plummer retired after playing for the Mariners' AAA team in Spokane during the 1979 season. 

 

He coached for the Mariners during the 1980s, and managed the team in 1992.  

 

Cincinnati Enquirer obituary