Birthdays- 7/29

[chicoruiz]

Reds:

Johnny Ruffin (41)- Would have been better with a better organization, IMHO; the Reds of Ruffin's time could never get him to refine his natural gifts enough to be successful.

Dan Driessen (60)- For whatever reason, he never really had the big year everyone thought he would have.

Others:

Chad Billingsely (27)

Ryan Braun (31)- Yet I keep thinking of him as a young player.

Greg Minton (60)- Had a long career and never really had a bad year.

Don Wert (73)- Best remembered as a throw-in in the deal that sent Denny McClain to Washington.

Felix Mantilla (77)- His swing was supposedly perfect for Fenway Park; check out his stats for his Boston years as opposed to the years before and after.

Chief Meyers- Catcher in the first part of the 20th century, mostly with McGraw's Giants. A Native American, an intellegent and dignified man, and a fine offensive player. Would be a HOF candidate if his career had been longer. Lived to be 91; recited "Casey At The Bat" on the TODAY show when he was way up in his eighties.

[oneupper]

Wiki has Ryan Braun's birthday as Nov. 17, 1983,

[chicoruiz]

Oops...sloppy work on my part. This is another Ryan Braun; a pitcher who appeared briefly for the Royals. Sorry...

[757690]

I was a huge Johnny Ruffin fan. He was the key to the Tim Belcher trade. I really thought Ruffin would be the next Rijo or Soto.

[Bob Borkowski]

Dan Driessen (60)- For whatever reason, he never really had the big year everyone thought he would have.

No, but he had a career filled with lots of good years. Until I checked his stats I didn't think he belonged in the Reds Hall of Fame. After I checked...well, I'm a believer.