Ted Wood #130T

This week, an Olympic gold medalist who set records in New Orleans and had a couple cups of coffee with the Giants and Expos...Ted Wood! Ted hit over .400 for Team USA in 1988, the second best average on the team. After a few years in affiliated ball, Ted played in Mexico, Taiwan, and Korea and then went into financial planning. 

Topics: Trax, Chagrin Falls and the Hip, Brother Elephants, Randy

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Rick Manning #441

This week, a one time top prospect for Cleveland who was in part responsible for the team trading Dennis Eckersley...it's Rick Manning! Rick had two very good seasons before a serious injury at 22. When he was recovering, he stayed with his friend Eck, and got a little too close with Eck's wife. The team picked their young centerfielder over the future Hall of Fame pitcher. Rick was never the same after that injury, but had a 13 year career with Cleveland and Milwaukee. He has been in Cleveland's booth since 1990. 

Topics: Rex Manning, Baseball Bug, Niagara Falls

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Kelly Gruber #113

 

Kelly completes a World Series triple play...or did he?

This week, the first baseball player to win the prestigious Superstars title, an All Star and World Series champ...Kelly Gruber! Kelly was scouted to play baseball and football for the Longhorns, but he picked baseball after getting picked #10 overall. He was one of the best third basemen in baseball from 1988-90, but a series of injuries derailed his career. He dealt with a bone spur in his spinal cord and tore his rotator cuff chasing after Deion Sanders. Gruber has had some alcohol related incidents in retirement and he was removed from a Canadian Hall of Fame event in 2018. 
Topics: Grubs and Grubes, good and bad interviews, spinal cord injuries

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Tommy Hinzo #576

This week, a speedy running back turned switch hitting 2B who played 85 games in MLB...it's Tommy Hinzo! Hinzo had opportunities to play D1 football, but chose to focus on baseball at University of Arizona. He won a College World Series, got drafted a few times, set a stolen base record, and ended up with Cleveland. He had a quick route to the big leagues, but after a decent rookie season he was back in AAA and only had one more brief MLB appearance. He played 11 seasons total including stints in Mexico and Taiwan. 

Topics: Chula Vista, flights to New York

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Rocky Childress #643

 

This week, the only Rocky in the 1988 Topps set, Rocky Childress! Childress played parts of 4 MLB seasons and had some eventful years crisscrossing the country from AAA-MLB and back. After a failed trade in 1986, Childress had a successful 1987 for the Astros...only to start 1988 back in AAA. After a few more seasons in the minors, Rocky and his wife moved to Bend, Oregon where they run a plumbing company!

Topics: Rockys, landlord communications, plumbing adverts

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Carlton Fisk #321/385

 

This week is a long one, a Hall of Famer from the Granite State (don't say he's from Vermont)...it's Pudge, Carlton Fisk! He made 11 All Star teams, caught for 24 seasons, and when he retired he held the mark for most games and home runs for a catcher. He's an all time great for the Red and White Sox and has one of the most iconic home runs in baseball history. He's also a bit of a grump...but David still loves him. This episode went on longer than Carlton Fisk's Hall of Fame Speech...barely. 
Topics: Charlestown, Fenway rats, Harry and Piersall, Deion

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John Shelby #428

 

This week, a quiet contributor to two World Series winners...T-Bone Shelby! John Shelby picked up switch hitting in the minors and was a solid center field defender for over a decade. He came up with the Orioles and was part of the 1983 Orioles Magic. After some ups and downs in Baltimore, he was traded to the Dodgers where he was an important part of the 1988 championship team. He coached for nearly three decades and has now retired to enjoy a quiet life with his wife, kids and grandkids. 

Topics: scary arms, eye bunts, Lexington

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