Your All Time Favorite O's Catcher

[SteveA]

I don't see how you can't go with Rick Dempsey. I mean he was the MVP of the 1983 World Series!

Plus he was the last O's regular catcher to play during the O's golden age of pitching. Not sure what Palmer, Flanagan, McGregor, Stone, Boddicker, etc. thought of Dempsey, but I can't only guess they would all have pretty high praise for him. Not like he was a great hitter, but he got the hits when it counted and was steady behind the plate for several Cy Young winners.

He was my favorite player at any position back in that era, so he gets my vote.

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[OFFNY]

o

 

This guy was not my favorite Orioles catcher.

In fact, I didn't even know that he existed until just a few minutes ago.

While reading the obituary an Orioles pitcher named Gordie Sundin, I saw that he was a "Moonlight Graham" of sorts ........ in September of 1956 he pitched in one game for the Orioles, walked the only 2 batters that he faced, and was removed from the game. Sudin never played in another Major League game again, and his ERA for his career was subsequently INF.

Sundin's catcher for that game was Tom Gastall, who entered the game with Sundin in the middle of the 8th inning. Gastall had been signed by the Orioles as a "bonus baby" out of Boston University the year before, meaning that because of the amount of money that the Orioles gave him to sign with them, he had to remain on the Major League roster for at least 2 years without playing a single game in the Minors.

The very next day after the game in which Sundin faced the only 2 batters in his career (and in which Gastall was installed into the game at the same time to catch him), Gastall was killed in a plane crash ........ a plane in which he was piloting, similar to what happened to Yankees catcher Thurman Munson in 1979, and to Yankees pitcher Corey Lidle in 2006.

This is an article from the Baltimore Sun from 2006 in regard to Gastall's very short life, baseball career, and death.

 

 

Gastall's Secret, Fatal Flight

(By John Eisenberg)

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2006-09-16/sports/0609160169_1_orioles-fall-river-father-death

 

olll TOM GASTALL oooooooooooolll GORDIE SUNDIN

 

oool) oooooooooooooooooo)

 

o

[oriolediehard]

Rick Dempsey. Because he was great handling pitchers. He was a clutch hitter.

A great defensive catcher with a good arm to throw out base runners.

[Basketeer]

Sal Fasano.

The 'stache, the gunning down of Trot Nixon to save the game, those 11 HRs he hit for us and he's the most interesting player in baseball (http://www.bugsandcranks.com/the-clubhouse/jeremy-hawn/6450/).

I'll toss a vote Sal's way too. Loved the guy.

[OFFNY]

o

 

Happy birthday, Dave Skaggs.

 

o

[Nevermore]

Elrod was so great. Used to come into the store I worked at way back in the day to pick up medicines. Always spoke to people and was so nice to kids and all. Died too young.

Elrod used to always chat with me back in the days when I used to sit by the bullpen. Nice guy all around.

[Bahama O's Fan]

"My" favorite has to be Hoiles. You asked for my favorite and not the best. I was not around to watch Dempsey play, so he can't be my favorite.

[OFFNY]

o

 

Happy birthday, Dave Duncan.

 

 

 

o

[atomic]

Wieters.

[25 Nuggets]

At my age I don't really have many options. Instead of Wieters then I must go with this slugger:

[video=youtube;vJKmS3wB-WA]

[DirtyBird]

Geronimo Gil

[El Gordo]

Gus Triandos.

[25 Nuggets]

Gus Triandos.

Whoa, that goes back a ways. You remember Diamond Jim Gentile too?

[MDtransplant757]

Wieters. He's the only good one I've seen since I've been alive.

[El Gordo]

Whoa, that goes back a ways. You remember Diamond Jim Gentile too?

Of course. Been an O's fan since Brooks was a rookie, 61 years.