By J. Daniel Pearson
For Positively Osceola
Here is a modern-day Moonlight Graham story. Graham was a real-life ballplayer who appeared in a single game for the New York Giants in 1905, playing one defensive half inning and never played in the majors again. His story came to light in the novel “Shoeless Joe” and was later popularized in the movie “Field of Dreams.”
If there is a modern-day Moonlight Graham, it has to be Larry Yount — the older brother of MLB Hall of Famer Robin Yount. Larry was drafted in the fifth round of the 1968 MLB draft by the Houston Astros. After two highly successful minor league seasons, he earned a September call-up by the Astros. But before he could report, however, he was summoned to complete a military service commitment, which kept him from reporting for about a week. When he eventually returned to the Astros, he was summoned to the mound to pitch the ninth inning of a game against the Atlanta Braves. While warming up, he experienced tightness in his elbow and was pulled before ever throwing a pitch. The injury ended his season and he would go back to the minors and play four more years for two organizations, without ever making it back to the show. Because he was announced and pulled for an injury, he is credited with appearing in one major league game without ever participating in a play or facing a batter. Unlike Graham, who actually played in one-half inning defensively but never batted, Larry Yount is listed as having played in the major leagues, with actually ever having participated in a game…
Former Tampa Bay wide receiver Antonio Brown reportedly said he refused to go into the game two weeks ago because his ankle “hurt.” I’m no athletic trainer, but the way he danced, pirouetted, and did jumping jacks as he exited the field, it didn’t look that bad to me…
The best line of the week concerning Baker Mayfield comes from former NFL player and scout Bucky Brooks, who was on the Colin Cowherd Show last week. When Cowherd asked Brooks if the Cleveland Browns should sign Mayfield to a long-term contract, Brooks said “I’d treat him like I treated my furniture in college…Renting, not Buying”…
Just curious, how come you never see any Grade “B” or Grade “C” eggs or butter in the grocery stores?…
In a “Defense Doesn’t Always Win Championships” note: The 2021 Denver Broncos became the first NFL team in 28 years to finish in the top three in the NFL in scoring defense and finish the year with a losing record. The 1993 Chicago Bears (7-9) were the last team to “accomplish” that…
The New York Yankees have hired Rachel Balkovec to manage the Tampa Tarpons (Low-Class A). She becomes the first female to manage a professional men’s minor league baseball team. Balkovec, a former softball catcher at Creighton and New Mexico, originally served as a strength and conditioning coach for the St. Louis Cardinals before moving to the Houston Astros, where she was hired as the Latin American strength and conditioning coordinator. She later became a strength and conditioning coach for the Astros Class AA team…
For all the trials and tribulations the Las Vegas Raiders have gone through this year, you have to respect what they have accomplished and Derek Carr is an extremely underrated quarterback…
Did you see where Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt tied Michael Strahan’s NFL record of 22 ½ sacks in one season yesterday? There was considerable controversy when Strahan recorded his 22 ½ sacks in 2001 to move in front of Mark Gastineau, who had 22 sacks in 1984. If you recall that 2001 game, Green Bay QB Brett Favre slid down in front of Strahan but behind the line of scrimmage on the final play of the game to allow Strahan to get the record-setting “sack.” This created a ton of controversy and criticism (especially from Gastineau (who still claims Strahan’s record is bogus), but at least now 22 ½ sacks is the legitimate record. By the way, TJ Watt missed three games this season due to injury, compiling his total in just 14 games.
Y’all have a great week.
By J. Daniel Pearson
For Positively Osceola
J. Daniel Pearson, a long-time resident of Osceola County, has joined Positively Osceola as a freelance contributor. His JD’s Monday Morning Musings column will be a regular feature and he will be covering events for us throughout the year. Dan is a former Public Relations Specialist for Florida State University, Boardwalk and Baseball, the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Orlando Predators, and other professional sports teams and has been a freelance reporter to many newspapers in the state.
