Leap Year Stars

February 29th... leap year day. One day out of 1461 (go ahead, do the math). Less than 1/10th of 1% of all days -- yet a dozen players with this very unique birthday have made the majors. And two of them were bigtime stars, a level-below Hall of Famers (and not by much).

Al Rosen (right -- from a Topps card series honoring past MVPs) starred for the Indians in the late 1940s and '50s. He then enjoyed a second successful career as executive with the Yankees, Astros and Giants -- his '78 New York team were World Champs, and his '89 San Francisco crew won a pennant. A hand injury helped shorten his career, but he remains one of the greatest Indians ever.

Pepper Martin was another aggressive player who achieved greatness -- and, ironically like Rosen, may have been held back from Cooperstown by injuries. A third baseman and outfielder for the Gas House Gang Cardinals of the 1930s, he was a four-time All Star and three-time stolen base champ.

On the other side of the coin, there's Al Autry, who appeared in one and only game with the 1976 Braves. In the nightcap of a September 14th Fulton County Stadium doubleheader, he pitched the first five innings against the Astros and earned the victory -- thus leaving the majors tied for the great winning percentage ever. (I know, it's only one game, but it's still enviable!) He pitched three more seasons in the minors before hanging it up. Honestly, I don't recall Autry at all -- maybe you do. If nothing else, he ranks among baseball's "One Hit Wonders."