I was a big fan of Zonk's as he was coming up with the Philadelphia Phillies in the late 70's. In 1982, after former Phillies Manager Dallas Green came to the Cubs, he traded for Moreland.
This was a perfect time for me. After school at DePaul, I would take the El and catch almost every game during the school year. Back then, Wrigley Field did not come close to selling out. In fact, they usually shut off the upper deck.
I got to see Moreland and the Cubs improve together. The Cubs won the division in 1984 and Moreland was a solid member of the team.
Although it was before fantasy baseball was big, Moreland was a roto player's dream. He played outfield, 1B and 3B. He even occasionally caught some games. No matter where he played, he played with pure hustle.
I had the pleasure of meeting Moreland several years ago. I sincerely thanked him for his efforts and production. Moreland seemed touched that everyone remembered him so fondly. Moreland wasn't a superstar, but he was very good and will always have a spot on my all-time favorites team.
Keith Moreland and me in Buffalo Grove, IL-late 1990's.
2 comments:
Keith Moreland rocks. Thank you for sharing your story about him.
Moreland was a great guy. I managed to get his cracked bat from their batboy for a couple bucks back then. That would never happen these days.
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