Posted By:
Patrick McMenemyOver the last couple of weeks, I decided to add some player statistics to my website. I soon realized that I knew very little regarding the Minor League careers of my seven (7) Major League catchers.
After many hours of "googling," I have a much greater appreciation of all of the players. It's been a great education. I also had a great thrill as a result of my internet searches. I stumbled onto a business website run by one of Gabby Street's in-laws. I provided a link to my
website, and I received a nice email back from her with the phone number for Gabby's grandson, Charles Street III.
I just had an awesome phone call with him. He was a lot of fun to talk to, and he said his only real recollection of Gabby was when he, Gabby, and his dad played catch in their backyard. Gabby tossed him the ball, and hit him square in the nose. He said that's when his interest in baseball ended.
We also talked a little about Gabby being a hunting buddy of Ty Cobb. I mentioned that Ty Cobb invested in Coke early on and was quite rich because of it. Gabby's grandson appreciated this information, because he said the family used to talk about the fact that Gabby could have invested in Coke early on but didn't. I was glad to be able to provide Cobb's connection to Coke to help verify the story. I have no doubt that Ty Cobb gave Gabby that investment recommendation.
I also learned that the family found the famous ball dropped from the Washington Monument in an attic. Gabby had written the info on the ball. Gabby did save some baseballs from his career, but no cards.
The family also has this great photo that I'm sure some of you will enjoy taken around 1950.
Patrick