Yesterday, Steve Barber, the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season for the modern franchise, passed away. In searching online for information about Barber, I came across this item from the Baltimore Sun. It was published in the September, 24, 2006, edition under the headline Where Are They Now?
I know the names will largely be unfamiliar to many of you, but what struck me were the jobs these former major league ballplayers held after their playing days were over. Their largely modest means of earning a second living are emblematic of a different, far less well-paid era if nothing else:
Player, Pos., Home, Occupation
Jerry Adair, 2B, DeceasedLuis Aparicio, SS, Maracaibo, Venez., Owner of insurance company
Steve Barber, P, Henderson, Nev., School bus driver
Mark Belanger, SS, Deceased
Frank Bertaina, P, Santa Rosa, Calif., Profession unknown
Paul Blair, OF, Owings Mills Retired, former baseball coach at Coppin State
Curt Blefary, OF-1B, Deceased
Sam Bowens, OF, Deceased
Gene Brabender, P, Deceased
Wally Bunker, P Lowell, Ohio, Potter, craftsman
Camilo Carreon, C, Deceased
Moe Drabowsky, P, Deceased
Mike Epstein, 1B, Denver, Private hitting instructor
Andy Etchebarren, C, Nokimas, Fla., Manager, Aberdeen IronBirds; Orioles' roving catching instructor
Eddie Fisher, P, Altus, Okla., Retired Oklahoma state golf director
Dick Hall, P, Timonium, Certified public accountant
Larry Haney, C, Barboursville, Va., Scout for Milwaukee Brewers
Woodie Held, IF-OF Dubois, Wyo., Retired backhoe operator
Bob Johnson, IF, St. Paul, Minn., Account executive for advertising firm
Davey Johnson, 2B-SS, Winter Park, Fla., Manager U.S. Olympic baseball team; consultant for Washington Nationals
John Miller, P, Mount Airy, Retired firefighter
Stu Miller, P, Cameron Park, Calif., Retired liquor store owner
Dave McNally, P, Deceased
Jim Palmer, P, Palm Beach, Fla., Broadcaster; spokesman for Nutramax, Wal-Mart and Baltimore and Frito-Lay
Tom Phoebus, P, Palm City, Fla., Retired elementary school teacher
Boog Powell, 1B, Grasonville Owner of barbecue chain
Frank Robinson, OF-1B Los Angeles Manager, Washington Nationals
Brooks Robinson,3B, Owings Mills, Assistant to president of Keystone Baseball, owner of four independent minor league clubs
Vic Roznovsky, C, Fresno, Calif., Homebuilder
Bill Short, P, Sarasota, Fla., Profession unknown
Russ Snyder, OF, Nelson, Neb., Retired soil conservation technician
Eddie Watt, P, North Bend, Neb., Retired minor league pitching coach
Manager/coaches
Hank Bauer, Overland Park, Kan., Retired
Bill Hunter, Lutherville, Retired
Harry Brecheen, Deceased
Gene Woodling, Deceased
6 comments:
some of us at least will know of barber from ball four.
Larry Haney is living the life... Living in the heart of Virginia wine country and scouting baseball.
Happy b-day in advance!
(is that public knowledge?)
All the best on the day the Pistons remain the East's top seed...
Well, Alex, it is now! Thanks.
I checked out the 'sports in brief' section on philly.com...as soon as I saw the note about Barber, I thought of you. It is indeed interesting to see the kinds of professions older ballplayers diverted to after their playing days were over. How many kids that Barber drove on the bus in Nevada knew he had been a 20 game-winner? "Where Are They Now?" features will never again be so interesting.
Jim Palmer is a spokesman for Wal-Mart? Yecch.
One of the HBO-produced specials on baseball (I think the series was entitled "When It Was A Game", as if the business side emerged only in the modern era, which would come as big surprise to a lot of early ballplayers not the least of whom were any of those who played for William Wrigley) did a great job of describing the ballplayers lives in the off-seasons and by implication after their careers had ended. Selling automobiles, insurance, etc. were common employments.
Those guys didn't make the kind of money that would have permitted them to play golf as a major post-playing days activity. The HBO piece focused on the borough of Brooklyn's love affair with their players, even noting how many of them received what amounted to care packages from the local delis.
Today's players make more in meal money per season than some of those guys did for playing 154 games!!
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