Reds:
Jack Billingham (69) -Maybe the best World Series pitching record ever: 2-0, 0.36. Several RedsZoners have met him and they all report that he's a great guy. Happy 69th, Cactus Jack...
Ted Savage (75) -Much-traveled spare outfielder who made a stop with the Reds in 1969. His real first name was "Ephesian".
Others:
Alan Trammell (54) -Not much to say about him that isn't well known. He and Lou Whitaker played together longer than any other teammates, I believe. Had a brief career as a manager, but is considered by some to be too nice a guy for that.
Joe Foy- The Royals went through a phase around 1970 where they made a number of great trades, and maybe the greatest was getting Amos Otis and Bob Johnson (who they later flipped for Fred Patek) from the Mets for Joe Foy. Joe is alleged by Jerry Koosman to have played third in a Mets game in 1970 while high as a kite on some sort of controlled substance.
Luther "Dummy" Taylor -There have been a number of hearing-impaired players, but Taylor was the only pitcher, and he was a good one. Them first time Dummy Hoy came to the plate against him, he signed "Welcome...I'm glad to see you" to Taylor before stepping in. A star in the early years of McGraw's Giants, and a beloved team figure; almost all the Giants of that era learned sign language so they could talk to him. McGraw once said, "It's a good thing Taylor can't tell stories or none of us would get any work done". After his playinig days were over, he taught and coached at deaf schools in Iowa and Illinois; one of his students, Dick Sipek, went on to play for the Reds. Taylor's life is the inspiration for the novel Havana Heat by Darryl Brock.
Jouett Meekin -From New Albany, Indiana. Considered one of the hardest throwers of the 19th-century, along with Cy Young and Amos Rusie; he unfortunately lacked their control. He did, however, make baseball history by issuing the first ever intentional walk that we know of.
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Originally Posted by chicoruiz
