Forgotten but once my favorites

[Appling]

Another thread discusses "favorite" players who were very good but so far passed over by the Hall of FAme. But how about some other favorites of yours -- players who will NEVER be voted to the HOF but who gave you happiness, perhaps in your youth?

Some of my 'favorites" in this category:
Chico Carresquel --SS for the White Sox
Gus Zernial -- "Ozark Ike" of the W/Sox
Walt Dropo -- fantastic rookie year, then dropped out of sight
Billy Goodman -- who remembers that he won the 1950 AL batting crown?
Jim Rivera -- one of the early "Go - Go" Sox, great speed
Jim Busby -- another of the Go-Sox
Greg Gagne -- flashy shortstop for the 1987 WS Twins
Kent Hrbek -- edged by Cal Ripken for Rookie of the Year, but career injuries put him down
Birdie Tebbetts -- good hitting catcher, lots of chatter
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[Mike D.]

Greg Gagne -- flashy shortstop for the 1987 WS Twins

Gagne lived in the town I grew up in in MA for several years when I was younger. I actually trick-or-treated at his house a couple times.

Solid player, and it was cool to see a "local guy" make good.

I have probably 20-30 autographs from Gagne, if you're interested in one, send me a PM with your address and I'll send one off to ya.

[Edgartohof]

For me, I would have to go with a hometown favorite - Jay "the Bone" Buhner

[Victory Faust]

A lot of folks probably never heard of one of my childhood favorites: Lynn Jones.

Jones was a good field, no-hit bench warmer for the Detroit Tigers in the late 1970s/early 1980s. He bounced around a few years after leaving the Tigers, then later became a coach for the Red Sox.

Why is Lynn Jones one of my favorite players ever? Because he was a nice guy.

My little brother and I used to wait outside the players' parking lot at Tiger Stadium to get autographs and chat with the players. Most players just drove past us without even looking at us. But some of the players would stop and sign autographs -- and some of them would even spend a few minutes talking to us starry-eyed kids.

Lynn Jones was one of the latter. I can still remember him pulling out of the lot in his SUV (back in the days when most folks didn't drive SUVs; I don't even think they called them SUVs back then).

Lynn stopped his vehicle and passed out sticks of Bazooka bubble gum to all the kids. He signed our autographs; then, after everything was signed, he stayed and chatted with us for awhile. It was awesome. He told us if we wanted to become ballplayers, we would have to work really hard. And he told us to stay in school and to have a backup plan in case baseball didn't work out.

My little brother and I raced home and mounted our autographs on 3x5 index cards -- and we also taped our sticks of Bazooka to the index cards as well. No way were we going to chew the gum that Lynn Jones had personally given to us!!!

So, although Lynn Jones was a journeyman ballplayer at best, he will always occupy a special place in my heart, simply because he was a nice guy.

I wonder ol' Lynn has a clue how much of an effect had on one kid's life that fateful day when he pulled out of the Tiger parking lot. To a child, a little bit of kindness goes a long way. I wish more ballplayers could see that.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Eric Davis-awesome blend of power and speed

Robbie Thompson-gritty ballplayer

Billy North-cool baseball card from 1977 or 78 I think.

Jack Clark-first Giants' player I can remember

Ed Ott-Cool name, I thought he was related to Mel Ott

Dave Collins- fast white guy that had 79 SB in 1980.

Ron LeFLore- I always remember LaVar Burton playing Leflore is a TV movie.

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Howard Johnson

Carney Lansford

[Captain Cold Nose]

Bob Horner and Willie Wilson were two players I rooted for who aren't going to sniff the HOF. I also was a fan of the above mentioned Hrbek.
My local favorites growing up were Milt Wilcox, Lance Parrish and John Wockenfuss.

[Brian McKenna]

mark belanger was one of my favorites

pete rose was too but that fell to crap - as didn't my admiration for o.j. simpson

liked roberto kelly but he didn't pan out

loved that lansford crouch where he was scrapping the ground before every pitch

always liked billy martin as well

had to like bo jackson

john franco

[baseballPAP]

I liked a bunch of tools guys back in the 8's...none of them ever became HOFers, though some had some awesome seasons....
Eric Davis
Roberto Kelly
Glenn Braggs (breaking bats on missed swings....thats STRONG folks!)
Devon White
Ruben Sierra
Barry Bonds, back when he was 175 pounds

As an overweight player with good power and surprising speed, was it any wonder I liked the guys that could do it all?

[Sultan_1895-1948]

loved that lansford crouch where he was scrapping the ground before every pitch

[Brian McKenna]

actually meant his crouch at third base - but nice pix

[Sultan_1895-1948]

Oh my bad. Yeah he did get down pretty low didn't he. I just always think of his tourettes syndrome hand movement. Well, that and his top notch porn stache

[johnny]

manny mota.

[KCGHOST]

Harry "Suitcase" Simpson. The first major league I went to was in KC in 1956. Simpson, Hector Lopez, and Vic Power were playing catch along the 3B line when I came along asking for autographs. They were kind enough to sign my program and I have always had a soft spot for all three of them, but particularly for the man with the great nickname.

[ElHalo]

My favorites from when I was a kid (again, showing my youth)... forgetting the obvious ones like Mattingly, and skipping right to...

Steve Howe
Rafael Santana
Kevin Maas
Bill Gullickson
Lenny Dykstra
Dave Magadan