Birthdays: 6/30

[chicoruiz]

Reds:

Drew Sutton (29) -Acquired from Houston for Jeff Keppinger; I would have preferred that they keep Jeff, but nobody asked me...Currently getting another shot with the Pirates.

Tony Fernandez (50) -A Red in 1994. He hit .322 as a 25-year-old shortstop, and it looked like he was heaaded to the HOF but he didn't hit .300 again for a decade.

Others:

Chan Ho Park (39) -Surrendered Barry Bonds' 71st and 72nd homers.

Garret Anderson (40) -Holds a bunch of Angel franchise career records...Once drove in ten runs in a game.

Ron Swoboda (68) -OF for the Amazin' Mets; known for a great catch in the '69 World Series. Occasionally worked as an usher at the Metropolitan Opera and became a big opera fan.

Bud Black (55) -The current Padre manager, he gave up Reggie Jackson's 500th home run... One of only three former starting pitchers to win a Manager of the Year award (Larry Dierker and Tommy Lasorda).

Davy Jones -Nicknamed "Kangaroo", he played with Cobb and Crawford in the Tiger outfield... He retired officially in 1915 and began working as a pharmacist, but on the last day of the 1918 season he attended the game and Detroit actually got him into the game as a player for sentimental reasons...One of the "Glory Of Their Times" interviewees.

[chicoruiz]

Rafael Almeida was a Red from 1911 to 1913. Depending on how you feel about the National Association being a major league, he may have been the first Cuban to play in the majors.

Almeida had a habit of doffing his cap and bowing to the pitcher and the fans before he stepped into the batter's box. I really wish that would come back into fashion...