Post a lesser known or obscure player who went

[Snapolit1]

Around 2000 I went to Freeport IL on business for Honeywell. At that point it my life I had never been in a town so small. Totally blew me away. I remember I got a parking ticket downtown — for $1.50. Coming from NYC I thought a parking ticket for $1.50 was hysterical. I remember I saved it for years.

Originally Posted by HercDriver

Homer Hillebrand was a pre-T206 Pirate from Freeport, IL. From the NFL, Preston Pearson was our guy. And we had a pretty solid high school basketball coach at one time, whose picture was on the gym wall, before he went off from there to coach at Kentucky…Adolph Rupp. Cool thread…

Cheers,
Geno

[HercDriver]

That’s awesome! They probably pumped that whole $1.50 into the Tutty Baker Days festival. I haven’t been back since I left in 1985, and I’m sure it hasn’t changed a bit…in some ways, things like that are pretty refreshing.

[edjs]

Gabrinus, aka Jerry. 😏

[edjs]

I don’t know if tBob played here?

[whitehse]

I have several....

Carl Lundgren is from Marengo, Illinois and went to the same church my 90 year old mother in law went to when she was growing up in this tiny, farming community.

John Raleigh was born in Elkhorn, Wisconsin which is my current residence and has been for 15 years.

George Perring was and raised in tiny Sharon, Wisconsin, not far from Elkhorn. My wife's dad grew up in this town and named my wife after it as well.

Nick Martini is from my hometown of Crystal Lake, Illinois and Mike Meyers, former sidearming reliver for many teams including the Red Sox went to my high school.

[clydepepper]

Lamar 'Skeeter' Newsome was the first graduate of my high school to play in the majors. I believe he was the first American League player to use a 'partially' protective 'sleeve' within his cap.


from SABR profile- In Skeeter’s obituary, it was noted, “Newsome claimed that he was the first player to wear a batting helmet. After being beaned in the head twice, the second time suffering serious injuries, Athletics manager Connie Mack wouldn’t let Newsome return to action until he wore some type of head protection.” He wore an aluminum helmet of some sort in late 1938, then a fiber helmet in 1939.


The Big Hurt is not obscure, so I won't even mention him...but he also attended Columbus High.

[JimmyC]

DJ Dozier of Penn State Football fame ( Vikings and Lions in the NFL ) was a few years behind me in high school....played 25 games for the Mets in 1992.....

Here is his 1992 jersey in my collection which I have photo matched....

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by whitehse

I have several....

Carl Lundgren is from Marengo, Illinois and went to the same church my 90 year old mother in law went to when she was growing up in this tiny, farming community.

A question: who do we reach out to in Marengo Town Hall to get the comma following "back-to-back" eliminated from the Lundgren plaque?

[Vintagedeputy]

CJ Nitkowski was a freshman when I was a senior. Don Bosco HS, Ramsey, NJ

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

A question: who do we reach out to in Elkhorn Town Hall to get the comma following "back-to-back" eliminated from the Lundgren plaque?

Lundgren was from Marengo, Illinois and I can only imagine I would be met with blank stares when asking if the comma could be removed. Next time I am there I will try and use a black marker to blot it out!

Now that you have pointed this out I cannot unsee it.