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Bud Simpson's avatar

Jeff Francoeur just became one of my all-time favorite ballplayers, and the Chihuahuas just became my third-favorite minor league team, right behind the Missoula Paddleheads and the Amarillo Sod Puppies.

Suggested edit:

1. Ralph Branca

2. Tracy Stallard

3. Al Downing

4. Don Denkinger

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Bud Simpson's avatar

Sorry. "Sod Poodles"

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Lee Judge's avatar

You could do a lot worse than Frenchy as your favorite player. When the Royals would visit Oakland the right-field fans would heckle Jeff until he threw them a baseball with a hundred bill wrapped around it and a note that told them to spend it on bacon or beer. After that they became his fans and would celebrate Bacon Tuesday every time he came to town. Eventually Frenchy sent them 20 pizzas.

Not that many guys would take something negative and spin it into a positive.

P.S. The Amarillo Sod Poodles (a Texasism for prairie dog) is managed by Tim Bogar, another great guy to root for. And you've got a point about Denkinger.

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Mark B's avatar

OK, this is a really, really late comment, but years ago I had a coworker whose last name was Justice. Her husband was an Air Force officer stationed at the Pentagon. Yes, he answered phone calls "Captain Justice." He was really hoping for a promotion in part because his first name began with an "N" so the name plate on his office door would read "Major N. Justice. "

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