If Your Birthday is August 25th...

...you share it with one of baseball's most recognizable mustaches -- and greatest relief pitchers -- ever.  Rollie Fingers was the A's closer before the term was popularized.  Landing in the Oakland bullpen after struggling as a starter, he finished games the old fashioned way -- in multiple innings.  341 career saves are impressive; so are working over 100 innings a season in nine of then seasons between 1971 and '80.

Justin Upton played 16 years in the majors -- breaking in at age 19 with the Diamondbacks.  The four-time All Star and four-time 30-homer hitter later played with the Braves, Padres, Tigers Angels and Mariners.

Also in today's birthday circle:

  • Max Muncy, the versatile Dodgers infielder who has hit 20 more homers in each of his five (non-COVID) seasons with L.A.
  • Gary Matthews Junior spent a dozen years in MLB, but never quite matched the stardom his father enjoyed.
  • Albert Belle put up Cooperstown-caliber numbers during the bulk of his 12-year career.  But strained relations with the media have so far hurt his Hall if Fame chances.
  • Doug Glanville spent nine years in the majors, mostly with the Cubs and Phillies.  He ranks with fellow athlete-turned-broadcaster Mark DeRosa as the best baseball player to have graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,
 And we remember:

  • Choo Choo Coleman, the best remembered catcher on the original New York Mets, came back to New York for several events tied to the club's 50th anniversary, including the 2012 BAT Dinner.   The Orlando, Florida native passed away four years later.


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