Philadelphia, at 89-73, fell three games short of St. Louis for the NL East crown. After a two-year separation from the game, Bumbry became a coach with the Red Sox, played briefly in the Senior Professional Baseball Association, and then worked two different stints as a coach with the Indians. Maddox’s initial business venture became, by 1987, World Wide Concessions Inc. A decade later he purchased A. Pomerantz & Co., a Philadelphia-based company specializing in office furniture. Take centerfielder Garry Maddox, for example, who played 15 years in the Major Leagues and nabbed eight Gold Gloves for his work in center. In 1978, Figgy won 20 games, becoming the first Puerto Rican to reach the milestone mark. It’s quite possible he would have arrived a year or two sooner if not for Nam. It’s awfully hard to hit the breaking ball if you can’t recognize that it IS a breaking ball.” Maddox admitted, “I don’t pick up the spin on anything. While deployed, he was exposed to chemicals that left his skin sensitive to contact and made it painful to shave. Al Bumbry: A speedy center fielder with a short, quick hitting stroke, Bumbry started his professional career in the Orioles system in 1969, only to see it interrupted by military duty. 57 Juan Gonzalez, “City Cooks Up a Hot Deal at the Vet,” Philadelphia Daily News, November 4, 1983. With his promotion to the majors, Maddox, who idolized Mays as a boy, realized the Giants’ brass saw him as the Say Hey Kid’s heir apparent. Defensively, his 3.14 range factor per game led major-league center fielders. "I was a perimeter guard, which wasn't so bad. The Phillies comfortably led the NL East until a late-summer slide let Pittsburgh back in the race. In 1985, Philadelphia tumbled to 75-87. I worked with Carlos May in the early ‘80s; he was the “front door man” at a huge appliance/furniture store in suburban Chicago (Polk Bros.) where I worked as a “stock man” (“stock boy” was, apparently demeaning). Or write about sports? I can't think of more than four or five guys I would remember in our outfit but I had a fear of a lot of guys who I thought would hurt me. Figueroa, a native of Puerto Rico, decided to join the Marine Corps, and soon after served a tour in Vietnam. Maddox remained a Candlestick Park fixture until 1975, when a glut of outfielders made him expendable. “I wonder if he’s ever really going to hit,” former Phillie turned broadcaster Richie Ashburn said after observing Maddox during spring training in 1976. Yet at the beginning of the season, Maddox discovered his $1,500 signing bonus was drastically below what a second-rounder could expect. That showed me God wanted me to stay in baseball.". “They put us in tents — it had to be at least 110 degrees — and we’re sitting there, hot, with flies all around, and we’re saying ‘Three hundred and sixty-four more days of this…’”8 Maddox served as a perimeter guard, occasionally being shot at, but avoided the worst of the conflict. Trivia He began hosting the annual Garry Maddox Barbecue Challenge to raise funds for troubled school children in Philadelphia. I couldn't even talk about Vietnam for 10 years. The center field job belonged to Maddox. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? You were vulnerable, but I'd stand guard three days and then get a day off. "We were attacked the first day I was there and we were attacked the last day. In a regrettable trade, the Giants dealt Maddox to the Phillies for first baseman Willie Montanez. In 1971, he returned to Fresno, hitting 30 homers, scoring 105 runs, and driving in 106 in 120 games. Which Was Your Favorite Old-Time Baseball Cards Publica... 1987 Topps Baseball Cards – The Ultimate Guide. This article does not attribute the quote. Truly a Memorial Day to remember. No one seems to have understood the significance or meaning to the name, but it was an indication of Bibby’s colorful, offbeat nature. Maddox came in and lowered his glove at his waist for a basket catch. In August of this year, the RedHawks honored him with “Bobby Jones Day” at the ballpark. 10,833rd in MLB history) I know that I can still compete and I have a feeling that I will get a lot of playing time. It deadens your mind. Whether patriotism or pennant hopes fueled Maddox that day, or whether he just got hot at the right time, there’s no denying that he was even more of a superstar than usual on May 26, 1980 — Memorial Day. Like many of his fellow veterans, Jones continued to feel the effects of the war years after the experience. The Phils had pulled into a virtual tie for first place, and they had their cast of stars to thank, as usual. 47 Bill Conlin, “Anatomy of a Phils Trade,” Philadelphia Daily News, August 12, 1981; Rich Ashburn, “Phils’ Trades Were Real Steals,” Philadelphia Daily News, April 20, 1982. Maddox observed, “I’ve always tried to play centerfield good and deep. But as other Philadelphia bats went silent, Maddox stayed productive. His sons, Garry and Derrick, both played in the Philadelphia farm system. But despite having the perennial sparkplug leading off their lineup, a midseason stretch of 13-24 doomed their chances. Dusty Baker then lined McGraw’s first offering to center. Maddox’s cultivation of previous relationships helped land lucrative business with both the Phillies (as they moved into Citizens Bank Park in 2004) and Philly-based Comcast. As he later recalled, “In order to get out on a hardship discharge, you have to have a job. While stationed as a Marine at Camp Pendleton during the summer of 1969, May was swabbing out mortars when one misfired and literally blew off part of his right thumb. After signing a one-year contract, Maddox returned to the Phillies in 1986. Maddox has two years remaining on a guaranteed contract, a contract that also gives him the right to veto a trade. Both clubs had their bats working that night, and Maddox helped the Phils keep pace with the Willie Stargell-led Bucs by knocking a 2-run, 2-out homer off Bert Blyleven in the third inning and scoring after stealing second in the eighth. Major League and Minor League Baseball data provided by Major League Baseball. 8 Frank Dolson, “Maddox ‘Won’ In Vietnam,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 9, 1976. 46 Ray Didinger, “Maddox Homer Steals the Show,” Philadelphia Daily News, June 11, 1981. Stuck in Class-A ball, Jones batted .217, 246 and .227 in three seasons. A 1968 graduate of San Pedro High School, Maddox was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the second round of the 1968 amateur draft and signed to a minor league contract. Though he walked only 18 times, Maddox hit 11 home runs, stole 25 bases and turned in his usual high-grade performance in center field. Maddox remained, but trade talk persisted. In centerfield he catches everything. Here are seven that I’ve found particularly intriguing, all of whom managed to find success, either in baseball or other career fields. Subscribe to our Free Newsletter, This Month in Sports ReferenceFind out when we add a feature or make a change. They told me they were trying to move me and kept me informed as to the clubs they were dealing with. The “Secretary of Defense” proceeded to win eight consecutive Gold Gloves in center field. In fact, we didn't even train with the weapons we used over there. He is one of fifty-four former Major League baseball players who are also veterans of the Vietnam War. Originally signed by the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1966, Figueroa left temporarily to undergo a draft physical and then returned to minor league action, only to hurt his arm in his first game back. Leave your email address below to sign up for our newsletter and access to occasional freebies like our "Ken Griffey, Jr., Master Checklist" of more than 8000 Junior cards ... start tracking YOUR collection today! 49 Peter Pascarelli, “In or Out?” Philadelphia Inquirer, March 5, 1983. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Goggin then changed careers completely, leaving the game to serve as a U.S. marshal for the Middle District of Tennessee. That night, the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates visited the second-place Phillies for a game that would help set the stage for a summer-long pennant race. "They seemed to be worried about my attitude. 50 Frank Dolson, “Much-Maligned Phillies Have the Last Laugh,” Philadelphia Inquirer, October 11, 1983. 61 “Garry Maddox pt. The Cardinals were willing to deal for Maddox. In November, he married Sondra Davis of Los Angeles. Drugs of all kinds, you name it, but I never used drugs myself. As a result, Goggin spent numerous weeks recuperating aboard a floating hospital. Many thanks to him. The young Giants stayed in the NL West race until a September swoon, finishing with a 88-74 record. A quarter of the way into the 1973 campaign, Fox moved Maddox from sixth to third in the order, directly in front of the healed McCovey. "I had no idea what Vietnam was like until I got there. I wonder if there were some personality issues at work here or he is just one of those people who just didn’t get a break. I thought we were getting attacked again but I didn't see anybody running for cover so I walked up there and my friend was just blown up. Nobody was neutral. He played one lackluster season for San Diego before calling it quits. "Fear does strange things to your mind. The “Secretary of Defense” proceeded to win eight consecutive Gold Gloves in center field. Although new skipper John Felske stated, “We just seem to be a better club with Garry in there,” rebuilding necessitated that youth be served.54 Maddox started only 44 games, and his 71 OPS+ was a career low.
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