Where Are They Now?

[VIBaseball]

Nice story, Joe. Everything I read about Montañez describes him as a happy guy, and what was perceived by many as "hot-dogging" was just natural fun and joy in the game.

He is enjoying retirement in Caguas, Puerto Rico. There's a fan page for him on Facebook that gives some hints about what he's up to.

[Joe Rigatoni]

VI Baseball,I have some more players for you with the theme being one-hit wonders/one-game wonders
OF Rodney McCray-The answer to my last trivia question-May 8,1992-In his only at bat in his career with the Mets he got a
game winning rbi single in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Dodgers 4-3.After the game Tim McCarver raved about how
Howard Johnson is such a nice man for having the presence of mind to go into the outfield and retrieve the ball to present to Rodney McCray.The Dodgers walked off the field without picking up the ball knowing they already lost.And he had that
famous moment in the minors when he ran through the wall.

C Dave Liddell-June 3,1990-In his only at bat in the major leagues he singled for the Mets and scored a run in a 8-3 loss
against the Phillies at Philadelphia.

SS-Tito Navarro-September 18,1993-His only hit in the major leagues was a game winning rbi single for the Mets to beat
the Braves 3-2 in 10 innings at Atlanta.On the 19 year anniversary of this game I posted a thread that the Mets winning
this game were able to get their 50th win of this season before their 100th loss.And you responded by saying that this
season reminded you of the 1979 season when the Mets won their last six games to avoid losing 100 games for the season.
And you mentioned during that season the Mets had a mascot named Mettle the Mule.

P-Eric Hillman-August 11,1992-He threw 8 scoreless innings to beat the Pirates that night 2-0 at Shea in the last year that
the Pirates were really good.It was Tom Seaver Night.It was my 200th regular season Mets win in going to games in my
lifetime.And Hillman signed my scorecard after that game.On the 20 year anniversary of this game I posted a thread about
the game.

My personal all time where are they now team that we have done so far:
CF Rodney McCray 2B Al Weis 1B Willie Montanez LF Kevin McReynolds 3B Roy Staiger RF Mike Howard C Dave Liddell
SS Tito Navarro SP Eric Hillman RP Ed Bauta

So VI Baseball,could you please tell us what Rodney McCray,Dave Liddell,Tito Navarro,and Eric Hillman are doing these
days.I really appreciate it.

[VIBaseball]

Rodney McCray

"Crash" McCray's pro playing career ended a year after his time with the Mets. He played in Mexico and the independent Northern League in 1993.
He had a good run as a coach in the minors, spending time with the Royals and Padres organizations, several years with the Reds (2000-2006), and several more with the Dodgers, who hired him as a roving outfield/baserunning coordinator in March 2007.
McCray did not return to the Dodgers system for the 2012 season, however -- and sorry to say, I have not been able to determine his present whereabouts.

[VIBaseball]

Dave Liddell

Liddell's pro career ended after the 1992 season, when he was in the Milwaukee and Baltimore organizations.
He did give it a go as a replacement player with the Angels in 1995, though.

The Angels are close to where Dave grew up and went to high school, in Riverside, CA.
It looks like he now lives in the town of Norco, which is just west of Riverside.

[VIBaseball]

Tito Navarro

Like McCray and Liddell, Navarro's pro career didn't last long after his time with the Mets -- just one season.
He played for Norfolk (Triple-A) and St. Lucie (high A) -- as an outfielder rather than a shortstop.
He had been well regarded as a glove man but apparently sustained a bad leg injury.
It appears that the Mets released him in 1995, and after that, all I see is evidence that he does private signings on occasion.

If I had to guess, he could be back in his native Puerto Rico.
The man who'd know for sure is ex-Met Benny Ayala, who's in the signing business as one of the ways he helps out his fellow Puerto Rican pros.

[VIBaseball]

Eric Hillman

Check out this post that the man himself sent to the japanesebaseball.com website in 2007:

http://www.japanesebaseball.com/forum/thread.gsp?forum=2&thread=25884

Hillman and his wife Heather still live in Denver, Colorado. She and Eric started a business several years ago called Pure Puppy. It puts out a line of natural/organic dog grooming products. Apparently Eric uses the stuff himself!

[Joe Rigatoni]

VI Baseball,I have some more players for you with the theme being the only 1962 Mets whose autograph I need that are still alive
P Dave Hillman-Coincidentally the last player I asked you about prior to this one was also a pitcher named Hillman.But I don't
think Dave and Eric are related.

P Willard Hunter-another lesser known player on the 1962 Mets

OF-John DeMerit-"And you know what happens when you get 10 demerits,Alice?"(lol)

So VI Baseball,could you please tell us what Dave Hillman,Willard Hunter,and John DeMerit are doing these days.
I really appreciate it.

[VIBaseball]

Dave Hillman

He lives in Kingsport, Tennessee. He has been retired since 1992 (he owned a men's clothing store).
This 2008 story shows him as a very pleasant fellow who looks back fondly on his baseball days.
It also says where he got his nickname (his given name is Darius).

http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_106639aa-a80d-5179-b898-8c4dfa1bb743.html

[VIBaseball]

Willard Hunter

The 1962 report below shows that Hunter lived in Omaha, Nebraska (it also gives a nice quick rundown on his early life, plus a quote from Casey Stengel).
Over 50 years later, Hunter still lives in Omaha. For many years, he worked as a computer operator for the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19620617&id=ixIrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9psFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6152,326792

[VIBaseball]

John DeMerit

You'll love this 1986 story, Joe Rigatoni. Not only did it tell me what Dave Hillman, Willard Hunter and John DeMerit were doing after baseball...it's a full "Where Were They in '86?" rundown on the '62 Mets.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1320&dat=19861026&id=kD1WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=8-kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6930,3375875

DeMerit was running the department of parks and recreation in his hometown, Port Washington, Wisconsin....and that's where he is still.

Here is another interesting feature about just DeMerit and his career, from the Milwaukee Journal in 1979:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19790411&id=WFMaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=oSkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6473,920855

Port Washington is about 25 miles north of Milwaukee.

[Joe Rigatoni]

VI Baseball,I have some more players for you with the theme being relief pitchers whose last name begins with G.
Brent Gaff-Arguably his best game of his career was on Tuesday July 24,1984 when he was the winning pitcher in pitching two scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Cardinals 9-8 in 10 innings at Shea.After the win the Mets were 20 games over
.500 for the first time that late in the year since 1969.Gaff actually escaped a runner on second and no outs situation in the
top of the tenth without giving up any runs.I was at this game and the crowd was really pumped up after the game sensing
this was going to be a special year after 7 losing years.A couple of other memories I had about Gaff was once Ralph Kiner
mentioned that Gaff was getting married and Tom Gorman was going to be his best man.And Kiner said words to the effect of Gaff is getting married and Gorman is his best man? Can't one do anything without the other? Gaff and Gorman know I'm
only kidding.And once I remember in 1982 Brent Gaff's name was mentioned on The Uncle Floyd Show on NBC.Uncle Floyd used to be on after Johnny Carson and David Letterman.Infact this was Letterman's first year on Late Night and his first show was on my 18th birthday.

Tom Gorman-In 1984 he was 6-0 with a 2.97 E.RA.In 1985 he was the winning pitcher on Opening Day against the Cardinals
when Gary Carter hit his game winning home run in the bottom of the tenth off Neil Allen in a 6-5 win.I was at that game.
Arguably his best game in his career was on Sunday April 28,1985 when he was the winning pitcher in pitching the last seven scoreless innings as the Mets beat the Pirates 5-4 in 18 innings at Shea.I was at this game as all fans get a free
chocolate sundae when entering the stadium.In 1986,he was beaten out by Randy Niemann in spring training for the second
lefty reliever job.Otherwise,Gorman could have been an 86 Met with a World Series ring and doing the 86 Met autograph and
banquet circuit.And as I mentioned before he was Brent Gaff's best man at his wedding.

Eric Gunderson-Lefty reliever who pitched for the Mets in 1994-95.His first game as a Met was on Friday July 15,1994 against the Padres in the first game of a doubleheader at Shea.Manager Dallas Green had a hunch to put in Gunderson
to face Tony Gwynn in a key point in the game because Green said that Gwynn "struggles" against lefthanded pitchers
that he's not familiar with.Well,that thinking is a reach to say the least.Especially since Gwynn batted .394 that year in a
strike shortened season.But Gunderson managed to get Gwynn to ground out in an inning ending double play in a key point
in the game as the Mets won 7-3.Gunderson did not allow a run in 1994 over 14 games totalling 9 innings.

Kenny Greer-He was the winning pitcher on Wednesday September 29,1993 in a 17 inning game against the Cardinals that
the Mets won 1-0 at Shea.He pitched 1 inning and retired all three batters with two strikeouts.It was the only game Greer
ever pitched for the Mets.The game has a personal significance to me because I was celebrating a friend's birthday at a bar
that night and we were watching the Met game on tv.I met for the first time one of my friend's friend who's a big Met fan.
We started talking about the game.And he's now one of my best friends.Infact,we went to every Mets Opening Day together ever since.This year will be our 20th straight Mets Opening Day together and my 33rd straight Mets Opening Day
overall.Milladrive is also friends with him as well.Btw,righty Bobby Jones started this game and pitched 10 scoreless innings.

Mauro Gozzo-His only save in the major leagues was on Saturday September 18,1993 for the Mets to beat the Braves 3-2
in 10 innings at Atlanta.On the 19 year anniversary of this game I posted a thread that the Mets winning this game were able to get their 50th win of this season before their 100th loss.He pitched 1 inning and retired all three batters with one
strikeout.And in a game that I mentioned above with Kenny Greer that on Wednesday September 29,1993 in a 17 inning game against the Cardinals that the Mets won 1-0 at Shea he pitched 3 scoreless innings in relief.

Ed Glynn-The Flushing Flash-and ex-hot dog vendor at Shea

Paul Gibson-The Central Moriches,L.I.native

So VI Baseball,could you please tell us what Brent Gaff,Tom Gorman,Eric Gunderson,Kenny Greer,Mauro Gozzo,Ed Glynn,and
Paul Gibson are doing these days.I really appreciate it.

[VIBaseball]

Tom Gorman

Mark Simon, who's done quite a few "Where Are They Now" pieces on former Mets, did this one on "Gorfax" in 2010.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/mets/tag/_/name/tom-gorman

The focus is on the wild Independence Day game of 1985...which I saw end, even though that was at 4 AM, because I was out carousing with a couple of college buddies. You'll recall that Gorman served up the improbable homer to opposing pitcher Rick Camp in the bottom of the 18th that prolonged the game.

I remember that game against the Pirates quite well too. It featured the portly Rusty Staub playing the outfield for the last time in his career. Davey Johnson swapped him and Clint Hurdle back and forth between left and right field. The Pirates sent Rick Rhoden, an excellent hitter for a pitcher, up as a pinch-hitter in the 18th with a man on first. Rhoden hit one to the opposite field in right. Rusty chugged...and chugged...and chugged...and picked the ball off at mid-shin height. The Mets finally won it in their half of the 18th.

[VIBaseball]

Brent Gaff

Gaff's pro career was finished by a torn rotator cuff in 1985. He pitched one game for Tidewater that year.
He's yet another of the guys who went back to the area where he grew up.
Gaff was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana and went to high school in the town of Churubusco.
He and his wife Shelly live in the town of Albion, which is also just a little northwest of Fort Wayne.
He has a contracting business called Gaffight Exteriors.

[VIBaseball]

Eric Gunderson

Gunderson appeared in more than 60 games for the Rangers in both 1997 and 1998. He was still in the majors as late as 2000, with Toronto.
His last pro season was 2001, when he pitched for the Indians and Yankees at Triple-A.

Gunderson too has gone back to the area where he grew up: Portland, Oregon.
He was the baseball coach at Jesuit High at least as late as 2010.
He lives in Camas, Washington (just the other side of the Columbia River from Portland).

http://www.greatest21days.com/2012/03/eric-gunderson-soon-lost-534.html

[VIBaseball]

Kenny Greer

Greer featured in one of the rare trades between the Mets and Yankees. He came over for Frank Tanana in September 1993.
He got into eight games for the Giants in 1995 and finished up his pro career in 1997.

The running theme continues -- Greer, who was born in Boston and went to UMass, lives in the Boston suburb of Cohasset.
He is involved with youth baseball and softball there.