[Eugene Church]

Here is what I gleaned from the Duane Decker Blue Sox series.

Please note I updated some of the info after scanning the books. They gave some detailed info about players sizes and weights.Manager Jug Slavin...6'2...180 pounds...ex-star shortstop as a player for the Blue Sox...good fielder, range and arm...team leader.....B/R...T/R...average speed (.290 hitter with 20 homers...good eye...75 walks...10 SB...50 K a season)...hard-boiled...always two steps ahead of the opposition in strategy...blunt, honest and direct in dealing with people...doesn't always agree with the front office, but follows their wishes as far as personnel decisions...doesn't believe in platooning players...plays one set lineup...wants his players to be gentlement and classy on and off the field...however he is fiery on the field...but never holds a grudge.

Charlie K. O'Neill...wealthy Blue Sox owner..."man with a built-in sneer"...loves publicity...strictly business and bottom line...had to win every year to be happy...sometimes the Blue Sox folded and didn't win.

Tweet Tillman C...a real good team ballplayer, who knew how to communicate and relate to everybody on the team...made a great coach...he taught Pete Gibbs...who taught Bucky O'Brian.
Tillman was an excellent defensive catcher...fine arm...mobile...smart and intelligent...275 hitter...10 homers...50 K...75 BB...not fast...but quick...5'11"...200 lbs...B/R...T/R...first base coach after retirement...hit eighth in the lineup.

Pete Gibbs C...very intelligent...class individual...Good looking guy...good dresser...probably will replace Jug Slavin as Blue Sox manager one day...truly fine defensive catcher (.994 Fielding Pct.)...6'3" 200 pounds...great arm...quick...few passed balls...calls great game...(.280 hitter...15 homers)...just average speed on the bases...B/R...T/R...but smart baserunner...made Bucky O'Brian into a good solid defensive catcher over a two year period before he retired to become a Blue Sox coach...hit sixth, seventh or eighth in batting order.

Bucky O'Brian C...5'8" 190 pounds...short and puggy, but solid...pull hitter...powerhitter...30 doubles...4 triples...25 homers a year...(.315 BA)...80 K...50 BB...2 SB...not good footspeed on bases...good arm...good range...smart handler of pitchers...FA .990...8 PB per year...hit fifth in the lineup...featured in the book "The Grand Slam Kid".

Ray "Zip" Zeitler C...good journeyman catcher...good arm...good range...(.270 BA)...only fair speed...20 doubles...3 triples...10 homers...75 K 50 BB...3 SB...(.990 FA)...10 PBs...6'2" 200 pounds.

Marty Blake 1B...B/R...T/R...6'3"...230 pounds...slow runner...40-50 homers...120 RBIs...(.330 BA)...only a fair fielder and fair arm...little range...(.988 FA)...batted cleanup.

Stretch Stookey 1B (he succeeded power-hitting legend Blake at first base and had a problem being accepted by the fans...each of Decker's books spotlights one player's story)...great fielder...great contact...smart baseball instincts...average runner, but smart on the basepaths...was Blue Sox batboy at one time...excellent bunter...seldom struck out...good speed.....(290 BA.)...30 2B...10 3B...10 homers...15 SB...good eye...90 BB...6'4" 175 lbs...tall and thin...(.994 FA)...He was featured in the book "The Big Stretch"...batted sixth or seventh in the lineup.

Tommy Shore 2B...5'10"...175 pounds...good solid all around player...B/R...T/R...(.280 BA .980 FA)...good range, arm, speed...good eye...excellent baserunner...50 BB...30 K...25 doubles...7 triples...7 homers..15 SB...hit second in the lineup.

Bud Walker 2B...fine all around ballplayers....(.285 BA)...40 SB...30 doubles, 10 triples...5 home runs...80 BB...20 K...excellent range, arm...good speed...excellent base runner and bunter...5'10" 165 lbs...(.982 FA)...great on the double play pivot..."Fast Man on the Pivot" was his book...hit seventh in the order...sometimes second.

Flash Devlin 2B...was a college star...phenom...a fan favorite...very good hitter, but not a good fielder...he was in the book "Fast Man on the Pivot"...Bud Walker was his competition for second base...Walker did all of the little things...excellent fundamentals...Devlin just hit the ball...wasn't a good bunter...weak on the pivot at second base...Devlin would look good and flashy, but wouldn't do the little things to win a ball game like Walker....Devlin would hit .315...35 doubles, 10 triples, 20 homers...had excellent speed, but wasn't a smart base runner...fair arm...fair range...(.965 FA)...Fans didn't seem to notice anything but his hitting...Devlin wasn't a winner like Walker...Devlin was 6'0"...180 lbs...athletic specimen...not a team player...only interested in his stats...eventually traded away...hit second in the order.

Johnny Madigan 3B...nicknamed "Freeloader"...B/R...T/R...5'9" 150 pounds...little guy...would get on base anyway he could...got hit by pitcher a lot...20 times a year...great leadoff hittler...great eye...125 walks a year...(.275 BA)...bunt singles...very fast on the bases...great instincts...60 SB...no power...rarely hits home runs...1-2 per season...25 doubles...3 triples...scores a lot of runs...great fielder...great range...great arm..."Good Field, No Hit", which was the name of his book...ended up as the third base coach after he retired.

Vic Scalzi 3B[/B]...replaced Madigan at 3B...6'0"...185 pounds...(.325 BA...35 doubles, 8 triples, 25 homers...75 BB...50 K...10 SB)...excellent fielder (FA .965)...great range and arm...good speed...good power...featured in the book "Third Base Rookie"...usually batted fifth in the lineup.

Eddie Lasky SS/P...5'7"...150 pounds...was a gifted shortstop...(.285 BA...25 doubles...5 triples...7 homers...60 BB...40 K...10 SB...average speed... excellent baserunner...excellent range and arm...(.978 FA)...hurt his knee...lost speed and range...converted to pitcher...great control...great stuff...2 BB/9...6 K/9...pitched into his early 40s...still good hands and great fielder...still hit well, too...regularly won 20-22 games...hit seventh or eighth as shortstop.

Patsy Bates SS...nicknamed "the Octopus"...tall, rangy...6'4" 175 pounds...B/R...T/R...only .250 BA...great fielder...average speed...great range and instincts...knows how to play the batters...excellent range and arm...good speed...15 SB...50 BB...50 K...very little power...25 doubles...7 triples...3 homers...(.980 FA)...hit eighth.

Slick Hammill SS...B/L...T/R...6'1...180 pounds...outstanding talent...excellent range, speed and arm...a natural....but he was a showboat, made too many errors and wasn't a clutch player...sometimes the pressure got to him...fine hitter...(.325 BA)...(.965 FA)...35 doubles, 15 triples, 15 homers...40 BB (wasn't patient...like to swing the bat)...60 K (went for bad balls a lot)...good speed, but not a good baserunner...10 SB...eventually was beaten out by "Mister Shortstop", Andy Pearson...hit second.

Andy Pearson SS...really fine all around ballplayer..."a winner", who was on pennat winners in the minors...really good hitter...(.320 BA...35 doubles...10 triples...15 homers...75 BB...40 K...(.975 FA)...great arm...great range...good baserunner...10 SB...good bunter...5'11"...180 pounds...hit fifth in the lineup...featured in book "Mister Shortstop".

Tony Piel LF...B/L...T/L...good solid ballplayer...(275 BA...30 doubles...10 triples...10 homers...60 BB...70 K...(.980 FA)...good arm and range...good speed and good baserunner...15 SB...5'9" 175 pounds.

Kennie Willard LF..first black player on Blue Sox...Jackie Robinson-type attitude...cool...not easily riled...took the abuse because he knew it would be the only way for other blacks to get in the league...probably the best Blue Sox ever...bad ball hitter...free swinger...B/R...T/R...325 BA...35 doubles, 10 triples, 30 home runs...30 SB...30 BB...65 K...6'2" 180 lbs...good range and arm...(.970 FA)...hit third in the lineup...featured in book "Hit and Run".

Mike Jaffe LF...big guy...power hitter...clean up hitter...B/R...T/R...6'4"...220 pounds...only average speed, range and arm...(.975 FA)...(.340 BA...35 doubles...5 triples...35 HR...60 BB...60 K...flirted with .400 one season.

Vic Valenti CF...good solid all around ballplayer...300 BA...32 doubles, 7 triples, 15 homers...75 BB...60 K...15 SB...good arm...excellent range...good speed...excellent base runner...5'10"...180 lbs...(.985 FA)...hit third.

Russ Woodward CF ...B/B...switch hitter...T/R...excellent fielder...great range...good arm...(.980 FA)...good speed...excellent power...(.300 hitter)...35 doubles...10 triples...30 homers...good baserunner...15 SB...50 BB...50 K...usually hit third...featured in book "Switch Hitter".

Augie Marshall RF...power hitter...290 BA...30 HR...only average speed, arm, range and defense...6'3" 200 lbs...B/R...T/R...hit third in the order.

Chip Fiske RF...very fast...330 BA...B/L...T/R...not much power...5 homers...Excellent contact hitter...great hit and run man...#2 man in batting order...great bunter...leg hitter...Vince Coleman type player...(.965 FA)...great range and arm...made lot of errors misjudging and misplaying flyballs and ground balls and throwing to the wrong bases...50 SB...80 BB...20 K...35 doubles, 15 triples...of course, in the Decker books he eventually became an accomplished outfielder...6'0" 170 lbs...ended up as the first base coach after he retired...featured in book "Hit and Run" along with Kennie Willard.

Danny Redd RF...B/L...T/R...5'6"...150 pounds...(.310 BA...40 doubles...15 triples...10 homers...75 BB...20 K...50 SB...excellent range and arm...(.985 FA)...great speed...great baserunner...leadoff hitter...featured in book "Rebel in Right Field".

Bix Hansen RHP...B/R...6'3"...210 pounds...fastballer...sometimes control problems...7 K/9...3 BB/9...hard to hit...20-game winner quite a few times...gives up homers...50% ground balls.

Yank Yoland RHP...B/R...5'10"...210 pounds...great control...obtained in a trade for Augie Marshall to make room for Chip Fiske in right field...good finesse, junk baller...great curve...70% ground balls...regularly won 15 games.

Phil Doyle RHP...B/R...6'0" 190 pounds...good control...good location...ground ball pitcher...65%...began as a reliever...became a starter after a few seasons in the bullpen.

Harry "the Hawk" Diefenforf...RHP..."a flake"..."a kook"...called "the Hawk" because he fancied himself a great center fielder...he would shag flies in center more than he would spend time on his pitching workouts....he wasn't a good outfielder, in fact, he was really bad, but didn't know it...6'4" 180 pounds...tall, lanky...uncoordinated...until the got on the mound...fastball (95 MPH)...curveball...slider...great change...sometimes had control problems...3 BB/9...8 K/9...not a good fielder (.920 FA)...consistent winner...15 game a year...sometimes 20.

Herb Ward LHP...B/R...power pitcher...great fastball...9 K/9...4 BB/9...6'2"...220 pounds...45% ground balls...prone to homers.

Oklahoma Crane LHP...wild, power pitcher...finally became a good pitcher when he learned to control his pitches...great stuff...95 MPH fastball...very hard to hit...10 K/9...5 BB/9...6'5" 170 pounds...tall and skinny.

Sam Sloat LHP...B/L...5'10"...180 pounds...good solid pitcher...good curve ball...good control...ground ball pitcher...good hitter with some power (.280 10 homers, if he played as a regular position player)...great fielder...(.980)...15-game winner...occasionally won 20.

Brackin O'Neill RBP...B/R...6'1"...190 pounds...good solid pitcher...fine control...2 BB/9...7 K/9...95 MPH fastball...good curve...good change...good ground ball pitcher.

Max Fitelson RHP...B/R...long reliever...good control and good fastball...6'0" 225 pounds.