Help Identify the Mystery Met
OK Holmes (Sherlock, that is), time for another Met Mystery, courtesy of the following exerpted note from MBTN reader David:
At a baseball card show last month, a man approached me with an interesting photo that appears to be from a legends game. He asked if I knew anything about it. I was able to identify some of the participants (Earl Weaver, Don Zimmer, Lou Brock, etc) but really want to place the location and date. Since I didn't have a scanner I took several pictures on my phone. You can see the (larger) picture here.
Crazy as it sounds I think one of the keys to unlocking this mystery is the Met in the lower left. Close up is here. He doesn't seem tough to identify - older, wearing glasses. His number is partially obstructed but it appears that it would have to be #7. However, no #7 that I find lines up with this man. It isn't Ed Kranepool and many of the others are easily eliminated based on skin color, hair color, and so on. I simply cannot find a match for this man. I thought maybe it could be a seventy number, like 74 or something, but that number appears too far to the man's left for there to be another number after it.
Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. I know that #11 is Wayne Garrett thanks to your great site.
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As I told David privately, the photo is a little too blurry to identify anything for sure, but with young and old players in home and road uniforms, what looks like a minor-league setting (maybe Florida, note the ads on the fence) some kind of Old-Timers exhibition seems likely. The Mystery Met in the corner bears some resemblance to Mike Cubbage, no, but given the weird jersey sleeve-stripes, it could be anybody. There is one (Stearns?!?) or maybe two more Mets in that shot as well, not to mention some guys dressed in what look to be softball jerseys. Weird pic at any rate. Can you help identify the time, place and players in this shot? Let us know in the comments below, and thanks!
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Ike Davis, who looked like a veteran the day he stepped on the field for the Mets -- barely a year ago -- is looking like a veteran off the field too, exhibiting all the bushy-tailed bounceback of a 44-year-old, not the 24-year-old he is. News today is that its another three weeks in a boot and plenty of Geritol for Old Ike before we see him again.
The team we have out there today is barely hanging on: It's a real credit to Terry Collins that they've managed to not get killed out there most nights, much less put a few wins together. But it's not the kind of thing that's likely to last, and when the team's only living power hitter misses a couple of months with a bruise, that's bad.
With Jose Reyes out, Bobby Parnell returned but didn't pitch well. We just lost to the Pirates.
Here are some other shots
Here are some other shots from the picture:
The whole photo: http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/f4d25bbb.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/de794c13.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/88d94e8e.jpg
Closeups of the players:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/b713403e.jpg -
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/9c73d2f7.jpg - Looks like Lou Brock in the back, followed by Red Schoendienst. I don't know what hat Brock and the gentleman behind him are wearing, but the jersey that the man in the back is wearing clearly has the MLBPA logo on it, which, as I recently learned, was based on Harmon Killebrew. The Dodger looks to me like Jose Morales, who did play for the Twins, but logged only 100 or so ABs for the Dodgers wearing number 43.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/3e18fcde.jpg - There's Tony Oliva to the right, Jim Perry next to him, and another guy in some weird hat. Check out the guy (who I'm sure I should know) with the Senators uniform and the Rangers hat.
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u300/davidsbaseball/6fccdd0b.jpg - Earl Weaver and Don Zimmer together. Some more MLBPA jerseys with a weird white jersey thrown in there with a number on the front for good measure. A simple "American" jersey with an "A" hat.
Several players are wearing blue uniforms with a logo on it. That logo is the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and is based on Harmon Killebrew's batting stance. The logo was created in 1982, so we have confirmation that this photo occurred after 1982.
Still unable to place the stadium. No one is completely sold that it's St. Paul, although it could be. It's hard to find old pictures of minor league stadiums to compare it to.
Believe it or not, I think the Reds player on the left might be Ted Kluszewski. If this picture occurred in the 80s, which is what I believe, his age would be appropriate. Klu wore #18, and while we can see the 1 on the uniform, we can't quite see the second number. It could be a folded over 8. I initially thought that number was 11 or 10, but no players that wore those numbers make sense. Also, this gentleman appears to have arms in pretty nice shape for someone his age, and Klu was always known for his arms. Anyway, if it is Klu, he died in 1988, so this picture would have to be before then.
#31 Expos I am almost positive must be a coach. The uniform is from the 70s or 80s. Very few players wore #31 for the Expos during this time, and it is definitely none of those that did. I can't find uniform numbers for coaches, however.
#43 Dodgers is Jose Morales. Lou Brock is next to him, and I believe that's Red Schoendienst in front of him.
Mystery Met
That's Mike Cubbage in the corner next to Garrett. He was a manager--and a damned good one--in the Mets' minor league system in the 1980s. Maybe the uniform he's wearing is from the Lynchburg Mets or some such place. Cubbage should have gotten more than seven games to manage in New York at the end of '91. God knows he couldn't have been worse than Jeff Torborg.
Isn't that Davey Johnson is in the back row.
And Ralph Houk is sitting in the Boston uniform. Still looking for more familiar faces.
The year could be 1984...
The year could be 1984... that is the only year that overlaps Zimmer coaching the Cubs (84-86) and Houk managing the Sox (81-84).
However, #31 on Montreal in 1984 was Razor Shines, who is clearly not in this picture.
How about Roy
Doesn't quite look old enough, but could that be Roy McMillan? Was he associated with the Mets in the early eighties?
Thayer and Acosta
switched numbers. Acosta in #46 now, Thayer in #36. No one should ever agree to wear #46!
mystery man
Yes, it's definitely Mike Cubbage.
What a silly concept!
@Matt B: "No one should ever agree to wear #46!"
Why not - because of Oliver Perez? Do you really believe that a uniform number determines a player's success/value or lack of same? Give me a break - that's absolutely ridiculous! How would you explain Neil Allen's performance and conversion into Keith Hernandez?
Consider that Jim McAndrew, Terry Leach, Todd Pratt, and RA Dickey have all worn 43, but so have Paul Siebert, Toby Borland, and John Hudek. Should nobody agree to wear 43? Or what about 25, worn by Frank Thomas, Amos Otis, Del Unser, and Willie Montanez, but also by Randy Jones, Bobby Bonilla, Kaz Matsui, and Gary Matthews Jr? Should nobody agree to wear 25?
As I said, what a silly concept!
It was a joke
Gored82---It was a joke because of Ollie. I will make sure to put a smiley face next to a comment next time to avoid being taken seriously. :))))))))
OK
Sorry I misread it...
There is one (Stearns?!?) or
There is one (Stearns?!?) or maybe two more Mets in that shot as well, not to mention some guys dressed in what look to be softball jerseys. Weird pic at any rate. ladies wholesale clothing
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