The Hall of Shame dee-nee-thon

[malnuboy]

Dont know if some of these players are already in but after the 86 season Dwight Evans, Bill Buckner, Don Baylor, and Rich Gedman headed a movement to take away the world series bonuses that traditionally go to the grounds crew, reduced the Bat boys normal bonus and voted in a record 86,000 dollar bonus for each player. This can be found in Dan Shaughnessy's book Curse of the Bambino

[Mets_bs]

Not sure if this is hallf of shame worthy, but Gary Carter doubled as a spokesman for Ivory soap in the 80's. I think there was even one where he was in the tub and dropped the soap then talked about how Ivory soap floats. I'm not 100% sure, but I think his catch phrase was "I don't want all that stuff all over me(perfume and dyes). Buy Ivory--it's an HONEST clean." Not "dirt", but I'm sure he's embarassed about them now.

[Shooty]

Gantry...here's all I could find on the Henke commercial.  He was a clean-livin' Gary Carter type, so if you're desperate...

"...During the 1980s, Blue Jays reliever Tom Henke did a commercial for Aqua Velva that included a sexy female voice calling out invitingly, "Hey, Terminator ..." and leaving the rest to the female imagination.

It was risque for its day. Baltimore Orioles broadcaster John Lowenstein kiddingly told listeners when Henke emerged from the bullpen one game: "Mothers, lock up your daughters." Henke a proud family-type man was not amused. His teammates kidded him mercilessly..."

[fightonusc]

Wally Backman was almost killed when he was bit on the forehead by a poisonous spider, and had to miss Spring Training when he was hospitalized several months later...

"SPIDER KO'S BACKMAN: Wally Backman, manager of the Bend Bandits of the Western Baseball League, missed Tuesday's opening of spring training because of worsening complications from a spider bite.

Backman, who played 13 seasons in the major leagues, has made several trips to the hospital in recent days as his conditioned worsened. Backman was bitten in the forehead by a brown recluse spider several months ago.

He awoke in the middle of the night last Friday with a severe headache and experienced a large amount of swelling.

He had the same type of headaches shortly after he was bitten and underwent surgery to remove about an inch and a half of tissue in his forehead that had been killed by the venom. But the relapse indicates all the poison has not been removed.

More surgery is expected in about a week."

[fightonusc]

Harold Baines:

Was a notoriusly lousy fielder thanks to his knees, which could generously be referred to as "shot". Ths was evidenced by his play on June 24, 1984, when he let Tim Teuful's bloop single in the ninth inning with two on get over his head and turn into a game-winning, three-run inside the park home run to give the Twins' a 3-2 victory over the White Sox. The day before, Randy Bush had also hit an IPHR for the Twins.

(I love this one just because of all the RBI implications involved.)

[fightonusc]

Steve Bedrosian:

- Retired from baseball partially due to numbness in fingers caused, according to his doctors, by the effects of chewing tobacco and drinking too much coffee.

- In high school, after being pulled during a bad start and sent to the OF, threw the ball over the backstop and into the crowd on a throw home from the outfield.

[fightonusc]

George Bell:

- Once charged the mound to start a fight after a called strike
- Earned the ire of Red Sox fans after he charged the mound and did his best Daniel-san impersonation by attempting to karate kick Bruce Kison during a fight. Kison calmly steps aside, watches Bell flail and miss, and flattens Bell with a punch. (Apparently, George took lessons from Terry Silva.)
- Set Blue Jays team record for OF errors in a season
- Helped get  Jimy Williams fired as Blue Jays manager by refusing to DH despite his defensive ineptitude
- Was traded to the White Sox from the Cubs for Sammy Sosa; later went on to be a major pain in the ass for White Sox manager Gene Lamont.

[fightonusc]

Juan Berenguer:

- Quote from Bob Brenly about the mean-spirited and mean-looking Berenguer, nicknamed "Pancho Villa" by his teammates: "If I pulled up in front of a restaurant and he came out to park my car, I'd eat somewhere else."

- Became so popular in Minnesota during the Twins' 1987 championship run that he received his own, "Super Bowl Shuffle" music video called "The Berenguer Boogie" that was just as god-awful as you would imagine something performed by Senor Smoke himself would be.

(Note: I will play top dollar for a copy of the Berenguer Boogie")

[Gantry]

I too would love to see the Berenguer Boogie...

Added Senor Smoke, Backman, Bell and Bedrosian to the list and we reached out goal 5 days early!  Thanks to all who contributed (esp fightonusc) and lets keep going.  I think we can get to 75 easily in the next couple weeks...

[MU RBI All-Star]

Calvin Schiraldi-
"And although the face of that Game 6 loss will forever be Bill Buckner on wounded knee(s), the record book shows that Calvin Schiraldi suffered the unthinkable defeat. And when the Mets drove the final nail in Boston's coffin it was Schiraldi again who was blasted for the loss by permitting the New Yorkers to score 3 runs in an inning for a second straight game. Etched in the record book after the 1986 Series under the name Schiraldi is the hard-to-bear 0-2 record, and the 13.50 ERA that made it possible. Yes, the name Calvin Schiraldi forever conjures up the memory of what could have, and should have been. "

http://www.redsoxconnection.com/schiraldi.html

the picture of him on this site is pretty good too, fat little dude with a full beard

[Gantry]

Welcome MU and thanks for the entry!  Schiraldi is added and we are up to 62.  Keep them coming people...

Is that Missouri University?

[fightonusc]

This is no problem - instead of taking from Dee Nee, it's time I gave back...

I'd really take another look at adding the Mike Aldrete story - having your own brother be a scab when you go on strike is pretty damned low...

[fightonusc]

Joel Youngblood:

In his 14 year career, only one time did his team go to the playoffs. Youngblood missed that chance, though, because playing for the SF Giants, he broke his wrist in late September of 1987 diving for a foul ball and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

15 years after the fact, Youngblood admitted to former ML pitcher Chris Welsh that the only career HR that Youngblood hit off of him was with a corked bat: http://reds.enquirer.com/2001/08/11/red_sullivan_corking.html

As third base coach for the Brewers, managed to get two runners thrown out at the plate by Ryan Klesko in the same game: http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brew/thu/bsid40298.stm

According to fellow RBIer Phil Garner, who Youngblood was coach under in Milwakuee, Youngblood is anal: "Joel is anal as all get-out," Garner said. "And I mean that in a good way. Anal guys make good coaches because they're very detailed and organized. And Joel is very organized." Because, in baseball, you want the words "anal" associated with you. http://www.jsonline.com/sports/brew/wed/young21898.stm

[fightonusc]

Todd Worrell:

Was the losing pitcher in one of the most controversial World Series games in history when umpire Don Denkinger's blown call at first on a ball hit by Garth Iorg allowed the Royals to beat the Cardinals in game 6 of the 1985 World Series and force a deciding game 7 (won by the Royals).

Gave up three runs in 1/3 inning as part of the Giants' bullpen meltdown in game 6 of the 2002 World Series against the Angels.

[ultimate7]

Todd Worrell:

Was the losing pitcher in one of the most controversial World Series games in history when umpire Don Denkinger's blown call at first on a ball hit by Garth Iorg allowed the Royals to beat the Cardinals in game 6 of the 1985 World Series and force a deciding game 7 (won by the Royals).

To this day, Whitey Herzog mentions that game in every interview

[fightonusc]

Mike Witt:

Used hypnotist to try to help him gain focus in an attempt to win 20 games in 1984. He didn't win 20 games that or any season in his career.

Was pulled from 1986 ALCS Game 6 with the lead to let Donnie Moore close it out. Ask an Angel fan how that turned out.

During his career, he finished in the AL's Top Ten in the following categories...

HRs allowed - 2 times
Walks allowed - 2 times
Hits allowed - 3 times
Losses - 4 times
Earned runs allowed - 3 times (led league with 111 in 1989)
Wild pitches - 3 times
Hit batsmen - 2 times (led league with 11 in 1981)

[fightonusc]

Todd Worrell:

Was the losing pitcher in one of the most controversial World Series games in history when umpire Don Denkinger's blown call at first on a ball hit by Garth Iorg allowed the Royals to beat the Cardinals in game 6 of the 1985 World Series and force a deciding game 7 (won by the Royals).

To this day, Whitey Herzog mentions that game in every interview

A friend from Kansas City was at that game, and lists it among his lifetime highlights...

[fightonusc]

Rob Wilfong:

His baserunning gaffe cost the Angels the chance to rally from Dave Henderson's game-tying HR in game 5 of the 1986 ALCS. To quote from the In Arguendo Web site (inarguendo.blogspot.com)...

Here's the situation: Rupert Jones is on 2nd base with one out, Angels down 6-5. Rob Wilfong singles to right field, where Dwight Evans (who may have had the greatest arm in baseball history) fields it and fires home to try and get Jones. It's a close play, very close actually, but Jones scores. BUT Wilfong stopped at first base and watched the play at the plate.

Wilfong should have known that Evans was throwing home and he should have been heading to 2nd base the whole time. Even if the throw is cut off and Wilfong is thrown out at 2nd base, the Angels still tie the game.

With Wilfong on 1st base, light hitting shortstop Dick Schofield then singles Wilfong to third. Had Wilfong been on 2nd base, he scores, the Angels go to the Series, and Bill Buckner never gets the chance to hand the Mets a World Championship.

[BeefMaster]

I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier - Bert Blyleven holds the major league record for homeruns allowed in a season, with 50 in 1986 (just a year before his RBI season).

[JoeDirt]

Todd Worrell:
Gave up three runs in 1/3 inning as part of the Giants' bullpen meltdown in game 6 of the 2002 World Series against the Angels.

This was actually his younger brother, Tim Worrell--not Todd.