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Originally Posted by Home Free
Does anyone have a B&W or color image of Al Zarilla, who was a coach with the 1971 Senators? Have a fuzzy image from the team photo, but nothing individual.
Thank you anyone for trying.
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The only "coach" image I have for Zarilla is the one you reference, a Don Wingfield team photo. Although the team assigned uniform number 45 to him, in conversations I had with Gary Gillette and the late David Vincent about Zarilla's tenure, we all agreed that he was essentially a scout, the role for which he was hired following the 1970 season. He had no in-game duties or roles, rather his coaching position was a gimmick, used by Senators manager and former teammate Ted Williams, to give Zarilla the extra major league service time he needed to increase his pension. He does not appear in any of our coaching databases.
Zarilla's position was explained in the 24-Oct-1970 issue of The Sporting News:
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Originally Posted by The Sporting News 24-Oct-1970, p.28
Ex-major leaguer Al Zarilla reportedly will join the Senators' coaching staff under Ted Williams next year. Williams is said to have promised the job to his former Red Sox teammate, who needs only a few months to be eligible for the pension.
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