#276 Ken McBride

 

 

 

 

Ken McBride  Chicago White Sox

Career: McBride signed with the Red Sox when he came out of Cleveland's West High School in 1954. He immediately impressed with an 18 win season in Class D ball. He then spent another four years in their system with decent numbers but was dealt to the White Sox in 1959 and made his major league debut that August. He pitched well in that game and the few others he got into for the eventual AL champs but wasn't part of their post-season roster. 

Side note here: Baseball Reference lists his minor league time in '59 (19 starts in 26 games) as being with the White Sox' club at Indianapolis but he was sold to Chicago on August 1 of that year so I'm at a loss as to whats really up here. Maybe he pitched for the White Sox' organization while under contract to Boston. These little things bug me. 

Anyway, Chicago let McBride go to the Angels in the expansion draft and he hit his stride on the West Coast. He became the Halos' ace and won 36 games in his first three seasons there beginning in 1961. He even earned the start for the AL in the '63 All-Star Game. 

McBride hurt his arm in his second start in 1964 (he insisted on remaining in the game after a long rain delay) and was never again an effective pitcher. He was up and down between the Angels and the minors for two years and then retired.

In 1960: McBride pitched for San Diego in the PCL and had nice numbers. That earned him another late season call and he appeared in five games for Chicago that September. He was 0-1 while pitching 4 2/3 innings.

Off The Charts: From SABR...

McBride tried to stay in baseball. He managed in the minors for a year, and in the 1970s worked as a minor-league instructor and coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1974 and 1975, he was the team’s major-league pitching coach. However, McBride said, “There wasn’t any money in baseball at the time unless you were a player.” After the 1975 season, at the age of 40, he moved back to Cleveland to raise his family. He became the co-owner and CEO of a construction company. As of 2008, he was still married to his high-school sweetheart, had two grown children and two grandchildren, and was still going to work every day at age 73. He remained a big fan of baseball and his hometown Indians, and watched their games every chance he got.

The Card: Old Comiskey Park makes an appearance. That red spot on the yellow background of the action shot doesn't seem to be on every copy of this card, only mine. But I swear that it's part of the card, not a stray ink mark.

Check that, I found another one that was on eBay. Maybe I've got a rarity!! Maybe I'm rich!!

Nah.

#248 Del Rice

Del Rice  Chicago Cubs

Career: Rice joined the Cardinals in 1945 after four seasons in the minors and spent half a decade as a platoon/semi-regular catcher. In 1950 he claimed their fulltime job behind the plate and held it four seasons. He was Roy Campanella's backup in the 1953 All-Star Game but Campy played all nine innings.

Rice was dealt to the Braves in 1955 and spent five seasons there riding the pine behind Del Crandall. Then he toured both leagues, playing with the Cubs, Cardinals (again), Orioles, and the expansion Angels in 1961, his last stop in the bigs.

In the end, Rice had fashioned a 17 season career, largely due to his defensive skills. 

He played in two World Series and was on the winning side both times. While earning rings in '46 and '57, he went four for twelve in five total games. He was a member of the NL champion Braves in 1958 but didn't get into a game in that Series.

After retiring as a player he worked as a coach and minor league manager for many years, primarily with the Angels' organization. He had one year as the Angels manager, 1872, but the team finished fifth and Rice was given a scouting job and replaced in the dugout by Bobby Winkles. He later scouted for the Yanks and Giants.

In 1960: He began the year with the Cubs but was let go in June after playing in 18 games. He signed with the Cardinals, got into one game in August after spending time at AAA, then was released again. He signed with the Orioles and made it into one game with the Birds that September.

He hit .218 in 54 at-bats with the three clubs.

Off The Charts: Rice is credited as being the very first Los Angeles Angel. He signed with Gene Autry as a player/coach on December 12, 1960. The expansion draft that filled their roster was held two days later.

#183 Eli Grba

Eli Grba  New York Yankees

Career: Grba was originally a Red Sox signee and he pitched for four years in their system before Uncle Sam called and he spent two years in the Army. When he returned in 1959 he was promptly traded to the Yankees and he was called up to debut in June. He had a bumpy ride and was back in the minors to start 1960.

The Angels drafted him as their first-ever player for 1961. He spent a couple of years in their rotation and finished his career with a year in the Mexican League and the minors. His career, and life immediately afterward, was marked by alcoholism which he beat later in life. He was able to get back into baseball as a scout in the 1980s.

In 1960: He got off to a terrific start in AAA at Richmond (7-1 2.83) and was called up to the Yanks in June. He went 6-4 in 25 games including nine starts. He appeared in the World Series as a pinch-runner when Elston Howard was hit in the hand by a pitch in the second inning of Game Six. He didn't get to pitch in the Series.

Off The Charts: Grba was the first player taken by the Angels in the AL expansion draft in December 1960. He was selected on the recommendation of his former Yankee manager Casey Stengel who had turned down a managerial offer from the team but was serving as an informal advisor.

The Card: It's been mentioned here and elsewhere...some of the photos used for the set were weirdly cropped with the subject crowded off to one side of the photo on the card. This is one of those. But other than that the red/blue/yellow/white combo is a nice one.