Birthdays: 6/25

[chicoruiz]

Reds:

Michael Tucker (41) -A Red in 1999-2001. Hit the first home run in the history of Turner Field.

Bob Shirley (58) -Lefty starter-reliever who spent 1982 with the Reds.

Clay Kirby -Lost 20 games as a rookie with a very bad Padres team...The Padres are now the only franchise without a no-hitter, but Clay came as close as anyone. On 7/21/70 he pitched eight no-hit innings then was removed for a pinch-hitter, only to have the reliever (ex-Red Jack Baldschun) cough up the lead...Pitched for the Reds in the BRM era...died at age 43 of a heart attack.

Others:

Alejandro Pena (53) -A weird career. Had two outstanding years as a starter at age 24 (2.75 ERA) and age 25 (2.48 ERA)...And then was never used as a full-time starter again for the rest of his career. I don't know why...

Dick Drago (67) -Gave up Hank Aaron's last home run...The minimum number of batters you can face and be credited for a complete game is 13; to do it you have to retire the side in order for four innings, then give up a homer to the first batter in the fifth to lose 1-0 with the game being called. Believe it or not, Dick Drago actually did it, on 7/30/71. Here's the box score;

http://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/B07300BAL1971.htm

Don Demeter (77) -Speedy, line-drive-hitting outfielder withe the Dodgers, Phillies and Tigers. Answer to the trivia question "Who replaced Duke Snyder in CF for the Dodgers"...Later entered the ministry in Oklahoma.

Joe Kuhel -Longtime Senator 1B...In 1945, the war-depleted Senators hit only one home run all season at their home field, ultraspacious Griffith Stadium. Joe hit it, and it was an inside-the-park job.

[cumberlandreds]

IIRC, Pena had a lot of arm problems during his career. That may have been the reason he mainly pitched out of the bullpen.

[Bob Borkowski]

Dick Drago (67)The minimum number of batters you can face and be credited for a complete game is 13; to do it you have to retire the side in order for four innings, then give up a homer to the first batter in the fifth to lose 1-0 with the game being called. Believe it or not, Dick Drago actually did it, on 7/30/71.

As Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that!"

[cumberlandreds]

I had forgotten that Clay Kirby had died so young. I went to look up in career numbers in Retrosheet and saw he was buried in Falls Church Va. I used to live there and have passed by the cemetery he's buried in many times. In fact I was living in Falls Chuch when he died. He was on the 75 World Series roster but never appeared in a game. He did warm up during game six but Johnny Bench said his arm was broke and was never going to come into the game.