If Your Birthday is July 8th...

...you share it with Hector Lopez. The valuable utilityman was one of many important Yankees who came to the Bronx via Kansas City -- in his case, along with Ralph Terry -- in a mid-season 1959 deal. Whether it was playing 3rd base, platooning with Yogi Berra in left field or filling in for an ailing Mantle or Maris, Lopez was one of the Yankees of my youth. Never a big star, but just the kind of fourth outfielder that contenders always need.
As the Yankees first Panamanian player, Hector helped mint legions of Yankee fans in his home country. And he's been a fixture at Old Timers Games since his retirement after the 1966 season.
Kevin Russo played just over 30 games with the Yankees, but left his mark in regular season Subway Series history: On May 8th, 2010, his two-RBI double provided all the scoring in a 2-1 win over the Mets.

Josh Harrison has spent over a decade in the majors as valued utility player. After breaking in with the Pirates, the Cincinnati native is with the White Sox in 2022, his fifth big league club.

Also on today's cake and candles list:
  • Al Spangler, who played 13 seasons in the majors, but was only a regular for three: with the expansion 1962-'64 Houston Colt .45s. Did you know he drove in the first run in franchise history? Spangler, a Philadelphia native, ended his playing career with the Cubs, where he later served as a coach.
  • Another Cub born on the 8th of July is Jerome Walton. The speedy outfielder's first year was his best: 1989, when he was named NL Rookie of the Year as Chicago won its second division title of the decade.
On to Saturday, and a shout out for Willie Wilson, the second best leadoff hitter of his era -- only Rickey Henderson was better.  Over 19 years, 15 with the Royals, he hit a career. 285 with 668 stolen bases. While he only led the American League once in steals (83 in 1979), he had five other years with the most triples in the AL.

Then Sunday, the spotlight's on Andre Dawson, who starred for the Expos and Cubs -- and whose desire to test the free agent as club owners were engaging in collusion helped deliver a victory to players union. Remember how he wanted out of Montreal after the '86 season and, despite years of stardom, drew no offers? He eventually met with the Cubs, and handed then-club president Dallas Green a contract with a blank number for his salary. The Cubs wrote in $500,000, a huge bargain compared to what Dawson was worth -- and he then went on to an MVP season his first year in Chicago.

 

Comments

Anonymous said…
I got his autograph the day after Old Timers Day in 2015. They came to the RailRiders game to do a benefit for Brian Doyle. These three players signed my book…Hector Lopez, Graeme Lloyd, and Charlie Hayes. How great to find them all on the same day.
July 10, 2022 at 5:04 PM
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