38 replies to this topic

[Jim Ed Rice in HOF]

In Boggs' photos, number 732, there is an elderly player using walker and being escorted. I had never heard of him so I looked him up. His name is Harley Hisner and he's 85 years old.

At age 24 he started the last game of the 1951 season against the Yankees. It was his only appearance in Major League Baseball, ever. He faced a Yankee lineup with 5 Hall of Famers.

He allowed 3 runs and 7 hits over 6 full, striking out 3 (including Mantle twice), walked 4 and took the L. He had a hit in two trips so he left the game with a lifetime batting average of .500.

I think we can be assured they in fact invited everyone who ever appeared in a Red Sox uniform.

At the game the other day I had the same thought about a bunch of the players who showed up. I decided to look through the attendee list to see what other stories were out there like Harley Hisner. I couldn't find any article that talked about the accomplishments of some of the more obscure names.

I looked through the players listed as having one year with the Sox and that was their only MLB experience. The two exceptions to that were Manzanillo and Spring who were included simply because they had one inning of Sox experience yet they came back Friday – that’s worthy of a mention.

Kim Andrew, 1975 2B age 21. April 16^th at Yankee Stadium, defensive replacement in the 9^th inning. No PA, no chances in the field Sox win 4-2. April 21^st at Fenway with the Sox down 11-0 defensive replacement in the 7^th inning. Two ABs – groundout to 2^nd and a single. These were his only two ML appearances.

Brian Denman, 1982 SP age 26. Record of 3-4, 4.78 ERA (91 ERA+) and 1.306 WHIP in 9 starts in August-September. Ended his 9 game ML career by throwing a CG shutout against the Yankees winning 5-0.

Joel Finch 1979 SP/RP age 22. 15 games, 7 starts with an 0-3 record, 4.87 ERA (93 ERA+) and 1.57 WHIP over 57 1/3 innings.

Paul Hinrichs 1951 SP/RP age 25. Started his only game May 16^th going 1 1/3 giving up 3 ER on 3 hits and a walk. Had three relief appearances going 2 1/3 innings giving up 5 ER on 4 hits and 3 walks.

John Lickert 1981 C age 21. Made his only major league appearance on 9/19/1981 as a defensive replacement for Gary Allenson who had been pinch hit for by Joe Rudi. Lickert never recorded a plate appearance.

James Lofton 2001 SS age 27. Played in 8 games with 28 Abs at the tail end of 2001 batting .192 with a double and an RBI.

Steve Lomasney 1999 2B age 21. The Peabody native got into his only ML game when he replaced Varitek in the last game of the ’99 regular season going 0-2 with 2 Ks.

Billy MacLeod 1962 RP age 20. The Gloucester native pitched 1 2/3 innings in September of 1962 facing 10 batters and giving up 1 ER on 4 hits and 1 walk.

Keith MacWhorter 1980 SP/RP age 24. 14 games with two starts. Had his ML debut in the first inning on 5/10/80 relieving Eck who had given up 5 ER in 2/3 of an inning. Overall he had 42 1/3 innings with an 0-3 record, 5.53 ERA (77 ERA+) and 1.512 WHIP.

Jerry Mallett 1959 CF age 23. Played four games in September of 1959. Batted (and slugged) .267 going 4 for 15 with a walk, 1 RBI and 1 run scored.

Josias Manzanillo 1991 RP age 23. Although he had an 11 yr career and pitched over 300 innings, he only pitched one inning for the Sox against the Brewers on 10/5/91. In that one inning he gave up 2 ER on 3 walks and 2 hits with 1 K.

Anastacio Martinez 2004 RP age 25. He got a ring and made 11 appearances in the late May-Early July timeframe going 10 2/3 with an 8.44 ERA giving up 10 ER on 14 hits, 2 HR and 5 Ks.

Dick Mills 1970 RP age 25. Born in Boston he made two appearances in September of 1970 going 3 2/3 giving up 1 ER on 6 hits, 3 walks and 3 Ks.

Merlin Nippert 1962 RP age 23. Made 4 appearances throwing 6 innings allowing 3 runs with 4 walks and 3 Ks.

Ed Phillips 1970 RP age 25. 18 appearances with 23 2/3 innings scattered throughout the year. 5.32 ERA (76 ERA+)with 29 hits, 10 walks and 23 Ks.

Jeff Plympton 1991 RP age 25. Another MA guy (Framingham). Made 4 appearances and gave up no runs in his 5 1/3 innings even though he gave up 5 hits and 4 walks.

Dave Schmidt 1981 C age 24. 15 games with 49 plate appearances. Batted .238 with 2 homers, 3 RBIs and 17 Ks.

Phil Seibel 2004 RP age 25. Like Anastacio, Seibel got a ring for minimal work. In this case, it was two relief appearances totaling 3 2/3 innings in April. Gave up no hits, no runs walked 5 and struck out 1.

Billy Spanswick 1964 SP/RP age 25. From Springfield, MA. Started 7 games out of his 29 appearances covering 65 1/3 innings. Had a 6.89 ERA (56 ERA+) and sported a 1.821 WHIP.

Jack Spring 1957 RP age 24. Pitched 8 years in MLB but only one inning for the Sox, striking out 2.

LaSchelle Tarver 1986 OF age 27. Played in 13 games with 26 plate appearances. Batted and slugged .120 with 1 RBI and 4 Ks.

Dana Williams 1989 OF age 26. 8 games, 6 plate appearances. Had a HBP and 1 hit (2B) along with 1 K.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I was at the Manzanillo inning. It was his ML debut. First pitch in the majors, he threw it all the way to the backstop. Kid was nervous.

Joel Finch was a big prospect coming up, but never did anything in the majors.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Sad thing is, I knew all those guys from after 1970 (chosen because I don't know the 2 1970 guys). Surprised that Lickert and Andrew had such short tenures with the team, but I was following AAA at the time and must have known of them through minor league stats in The Sporting News.

[Dick Pole Upside]

I recognize a lot of the post-'70 names as well.

My favorite LaSchelle Tarver story came from attending a game at Vieux Stade Fasciste. An MFY hit a pop fly down the LF line, and Jim Rice reached into the stands attempting to make the catch. A fan reached over and grabbed Rice's hat, and RICE WENT INTO THE STANDS Metta-World-Peace-style to get his hat back. The Sox flooded out of the dugout in support, including Tarver wearing a batting helmet and carrying a bat in each hand.

Hysterical and horrifying all at once.

[mabrowndog]

I was at Tarver's MLB debut with a college buddy. Inside the program, the scorecard had him listed without a first name. Just "55 Tarver".

We were hoping he was purposely going by a single moniker, like Pelé, and that he'd be just as awesome. We also imagined him pronouncing it "tar-VARE", with some extra panache. No such luck on either count.

Edited by mabrowndog, 22 April 2012 - 09:58 PM.

[E5 Yaz]

Didn't Tarver fly around the bases to score a winning run at Fenway? Seemes to me it was a left-center gap shot and he scored from first

[Eric Van]

I remember virtually all of the guys from 1962 on, and a few summon up random facts ...

Kim Andrew, 1975 2B age 21. April 16^th at Yankee Stadium, defensive replacement in the 9^th inning. No PA, no chances in the field Sox win 4-2. April 21^st at Fenway with the Sox down 11-0 defensive replacement in the 7^th inning. Two ABs – groundout to 2^nd and a single. These were his only two ML appearances.

He was a Rule 5 pick and made the club out of ST, then got squeezed off the roster.

James Lofton 2001 SS age 27. Played in 8 games with 28 Abs at the tail end of 2001 batting .192 with a double and an RBI.

Signed out of indie ball, put up great numbers at Trenton (891 OPS) and Pawtucket (850) and appeared to be a possible find. Next year had a 611 with Pawtucket and 614 after being sent down to AA. It would be interesting to know if there were more of these one-year fluke ml performances during the late 90's and early 00's then at other times in history ... if you know what I mean.

Steve Lomasney 1999 2B age 21. The Peabody native got into his only ML game when he replaced Varitek in the last game of the ’99 regular season going 0-2 with 2 Ks.

Of course, at one time the Sox #1 prospect.

Josias Manzanillo 1991 RP age 23. Although he had an 11 yr career and pitched over 300 innings, he only pitched one inning for the Sox against the Brewers on 10/5/91. In that one inning he gave up 2 ER on 3 walks and 2 hits with 1 K.

Had a tremendous year as an 18 y/o in high-A, and blew out his elbow the next spring and was never again a top prospect. But that sort of thing had been happening since Jerry Stephenson and would continue through Juan Pena.

Merlin Nippert 1962 RP age 23. Made 4 appearances throwing 6 innings allowing 3 runs with 4 walks and 3 Ks.

He had succeeded Dick Radatz as the AAA closer, and the Red Sox Yearbook tried to hype him as someone of the same caliber. Didn't quite happen.

[mabrowndog]

Didn't Tarver fly around the bases to score a winning run at Fenway? Seemes to me it was a left-center gap shot and he scored from first

Great memory. After he ran for Greenwell, a Boggs double drove him in to beat Texas on 9/3/86, Tarver's first game back with the team after rosters expanded.

[Ted Cox 4 president]

Did Sam Bowen show up? In September 1980, I saw him make a gorgeous over-the-shoulder catch in CF at Fenway. That might have been the highlight of his MLB career, one brief moment of sterling defense in an otherwise unremarkable game late in an unremarkable season. BTW: Johnny Pesky managed the last few games of the 1980 season for the Sox after Zimmer was shown the door.

[Detts]

This thread is awesome.

Edited by Detts, 22 April 2012 - 10:18 PM.

[8slim]

Great memory. After he ran for Greenwell, a Boggs double drove him in to beat Texas on 9/3/86, Tarver's first game back with the team after rosters expanded.

I was at that game with my father. We got the tickets for subscribing to NESN for the season, back when it was a pay channel. Starters for the game were Tom Seaver and Charlie Hough. My Dad was adamant that we wouldn't stay for extra innings becasue the next day was my first day of school (I was heading into 8th grade). I've always had a soft spot for Tarvey for scoring that run and letting me see the win!

[Lose Remerswaal]

Did Sam Bowen show up? In September 1980, I saw him make a gorgeous over-the-shoulder catch in CF at Fenway. That might have been the highlight of his MLB career, one brief moment of sterling defense in an otherwise unremarkable game late in an unremarkable season. BTW: Johnny Pesky managed the last few games of the 1980 season for the Sox after Zimmer was shown the door.

No Sam Bowen. They could only afford to bring one 5th outfielder from the late 70's - early 80's and that slot went to Garry Hancock

[mabrowndog]

I was pleasantly surprised at the number of guys from the '75 team that showed up.

Kim Andrew
Tim Blackwell
Don Bryant (bullpen coach)
Rooster
Bernie Carbo
Steve Dillard
Denny Doyle
Dick Drago
Dewey
Pudge
Buddy Hunter
Rick Kreuger
Spaceman
Rick Miller
Bob Montgomery
Rico Petrocelli
JimEd
Diego Segui
Looie
Rick Wise
Yaz

Plus Don Aase, Jack "Home Run" Baker and Terry Hughes, who were in Spring Training with the club that season.

There were actually more living players from that team at Fenway (20) than those absent (15). The missing were Doug Griffin, Fred Lynn, Cecil Cooper, Juan Beniquez, Bob Heise, Tim McCarver, Dick McAuliffe, Andy Merchant, Butch Hobson, Dick Pole, Reggie Cleveland, Roger Moret, Jim Willoughby, Steve Barr and Jim Burton.

[LoweTek]

I wonder why McCarver didn't go? Presumably he was in town to do the Fox game anyway. There must be a story there.

[mabrowndog]

No Sam Bowen. They could only afford to bring one 5th outfielder from the late 70's - early 80's and that slot went to Garry Hancock

Hancock might hold a unique spot in baseball lore. Has any other player been drafted in the first round three years in a row?

#4 in June 1974 (Rangers)
#21 in June 1975 (Angels)
#17 in January 1976 (Indians)

And has any other player ever been drafted twice by two different teams (Rangers in 72 & 74, Indians in 74 & 76)?

Even considering MLB used to hold three amateur drafts a year, both still seem like one-in-a-million shots.

Edited by mabrowndog, 23 April 2012 - 09:32 AM.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

The guys I most wanted to see that did not show up:

Freddie Lynn. After Rice and Evans walked out, I just *knew* Freddie would be third. Alas, no.

George Scott. Very likable guy who had two stints with the club. I think he is enormous, but no health problems that I am aware of.

Cecil Cooper.

Juan Marichal and Orlando Cepeda.

But really, I am sure the guys who were most pumped were the guys like Ed Phillips, for whom this might be the highlight of his post-baseball life. Orlando Cepeda has spent the past 30 years getting cheered by big crowds and probably had better things to do.

Wade and Roger would also have been great.


Eddie Kasko.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

Also, where was Mike Andrews? I assume he still works for the Jimmy Fund and is still in town.

[Lose Remerswaal]

Also, where was Mike Andrews? I assume he still works for the Jimmy Fund and is still in town.

Charlie Finley told him he was hurt and couldn't appear at the game.

[Oil Can Dan]

My top ten guys I most wanted to see but did not appear:

- Phil Plantier
- Ellis Burks
- Mike Greenwell
- Brian Daubach
- Don Baylor
- Bill Mueller
- Dave Roberts
- Bob Stanley
- John Valentin
- Schilling
- Troy O'Leary

So it's 11. Whatever.

edit to add Bellhorn. How could I forget him? So yeah, 12.

Edited by Oil Can Dan, 23 April 2012 - 01:21 PM.

[E5 Yaz]

I wonder why McCarver didn't go? Presumably he was in town to do the Fox game anyway. There must be a story there.

According to Gammons, he never got an invite

[LahoudOrBillyC]

Here is an ineresting photo of the 1967 team on Tony C night in 1983. Looking younger and groovier. Many of these guys are now deceased. I have the IDs but I will let you guess first.

Edited by LahoudOrBillyC, 23 April 2012 - 01:17 PM.

[LoweTek]

Even if they're all right, not a good showing at all but I'll play for some.

First row seated: Brandon, Horton?, Pops, Dick O'Connell?, Tartabull, Rico.

2nd row standing: Andrews, no, LaRoux?, no, Moses, Bell, no, George Thomas?, no, no.

Back row no, no, Doerr, no, Dalton Jones, Adair?, Russ Gibson, Harrelson?

[LahoudOrBillyC]

OK, I will ID them.
First row: Ryan, Foy, Popowski, Leroux, Tartabul, Rico
Second row: Andrews, Stephenson, Rohr, Waslewski, Moses, Bell, Brandon, Lyle, batboy
Third row: Siebern, Morehead, Doerr, B Landis, Jones, Brett, Gibson, Bennett

Sparky would have been a nice addition Friday.

[xjack]

Tarver was part of the Ojeda for Schiraldi/Wes Gardner trade. The Red Sox had zero speed back then, so there was some excitement about him (fed by Gammons, as I recall) when the trade happened.

[octoberaroma]

How many from the '67 team were in attendance ?

[mabrowndog]

How many from the '67 team were in attendance ?

14 out of 28 living players plus Doerr (coach) and Pesky (announcer).

Gary Bell, Hank Fischer, Bill Landis, Jim Lonborg, Dave Morehead, Jerry Moses, Rico Petrocelli, Billy Rohr, Jose Santiago, Reggie Smith, Lee Stange, George Thomas, Gary Waslewski & Yaz

The 11 deceased players: Joe Foy, Tony C. Russ Gibson, Jerry Adair, Elston Howard, Bob Tillman, Don McMahon, John Wyatt, Ken Brett, Dennis Bennett & Jerry Stephenson

Edited by mabrowndog, 23 April 2012 - 04:06 PM.

[Dehere]

A footnote to Lowe Tek's story about Harley Hisner at the top of the thread: His one appearance with the Red Sox was a road game at Yankee Stadium, making Friday's celebration his Fenway Park debut in a Sox uniform at age 85!

[mabrowndog]

A footnote to Lowe Tek's story about Harley Hisner at the top of the thread: His one appearance with the Red Sox was a road game at Yankee Stadium, making Friday's celebration his Fenway Park debut in a Sox uniform at age 85!

As Lowetek noted in another thread, "Looks like [Hisner] was called up about two weeks before his start so he had in fact been on the field at Fenway five or six times before."

[Dehere]

Damn it! Facts suck.

[DLew On Roids]

I recognize a lot of the post-'70 names as well.

My favorite LaSchelle Tarver story came from attending a game at Vieux Stade Fasciste. An MFY hit a pop fly down the LF line, and Jim Rice reached into the stands attempting to make the catch. A fan reached over and grabbed Rice's hat, and RICE WENT INTO THE STANDS Metta-World-Peace-style to get his hat back. The Sox flooded out of the dugout in support, including Tarver wearing a batting helmet and carrying a bat in each hand.

Hysterical and horrifying all at once.

I was at that game and almost straight back from where it happened, about 25 rows up. I couldn't see Rice in the stands because the stands weren't steep enough, but the two things I remember clearly were the hat being waved tauntingly above the crowd and the full beers that were flying down from straight over my head. It was my first game at that dump and there wasn't nearly as much TV coverage, so I figured this sort of thing happened all the time there. The whole thing was awesome if you don't count Rice being called a niCLANG by those meatheads.

[LahoudOrBillyC]

14 out of 28 living players plus Doerr (coach) and Pesky (announcer).

I believe (and Retrosheet confirms) that Pesky was a coach for the Pirates in 1967. He began announcing for the Red Sox the next year, replacing Mel Parnell. Pesky was an announcer in my early days of listening to the team, and would say about as few words as he could possibly get a way with. "So, Johnny, that was some play by Rico, huh?" "Gosh, it sure was." I mean no offense, he was nearly an icon even then.

[LoweTek]

Pesky might have been good at a lot of things but announcing wasn't one of them.

[mabrowndog]

I believe (and Retrosheet confirms) that Pesky was a coach for the Pirates in 1967. He began announcing for the Red Sox the next year, replacing Mel Parnell. Pesky was an announcer in my early days of listening to the team, and would say about as few words as he could possibly get a way with. "So, Johnny, that was some play by Rico, huh?" "Gosh, it sure was." I mean no offense, he was nearly an icon even then.

Thanks for the correction. And yes, what I recall of Pesky's broadcasting stint (including tape recordings my friend's dad made) suggests he was a lot like Dewey Evans when he subbed for Remy.

[E5 Yaz]

Another reminder that Ken Brett is dead. Damn

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

I was at that game and almost straight back from where it happened, about 25 rows up. I couldn't see Rice in the stands because the stands weren't steep enough, but the two things I remember clearly were the hat being waved tauntingly above the crowd and the full beers that were flying down from straight over my head. It was my first game at that dump and there wasn't nearly as much TV coverage, so I figured this sort of thing happened all the time there. The whole thing was awesome if you don't count Rice being called a niCLANG by those meatheads.

The story I read about that game was that the fan reached over and grabbed Rice's hat, and Rice went over and told the fan he'd give him another hat after the game ended. The fan responded by calling Rice the N-word, and that's was prompted Rice to go into the stands.

[LoweTek]

The 11 deceased players: Joe Foy, Tony C. Russ Gibson, Jerry Adair, Elston Howard, Bob Tillman, Don McMahon, John Wyatt, Ken Brett, Dennis Bennett & Jerry Stephenson

All the announcers are deceased too: Coleman, Parnell, Martin and Gowdy who did a few games that year, IIRC.

[danlmac]

I would have enjoyed seeing Curt Leskanic. Not sure what happened to him after his DUI/child neglect charges.

[montoursvillefan]

The story I read about that game was that the fan reached over and grabbed Rice's hat, and Rice went over and told the fan he'd give him another hat after the game ended. The fan responded by calling Rice the N-word, and that's was prompted Rice to go into the stands.

I too was at that game, second/upper deck, above first base, Big Jim Ed forever, MFY punks anyway, one of the most brave or crazy things I've ever seen at a sporting event.

[Hosey and Housie]

I ran into Hisner at the game on Friday. He was sitting near me (under the Cumberland Farms sign, lots of former players up there). He was wearing his jersey with the name on the back and I didn't recognize the name on it...so I googled him and read his story. Later when he was walking past me, I brought up him striking out Mantle 2x in the same game and he lit up with a smile. He appeared to be there with his children,grandkids and great grandchildren. The littlest one was also wearing a baby Hisner jersey. As much as this event was for celebrating Fenway Park and for the fans- it was good to see that the former players were also able to share and enjoy this day with their families at Fenway.