Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Class of 2015

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Cuzz Gekas and myself.  It started with trivia on long road trips and grew from there.  We both have a deep respect and affinity for backup catchers.  We recognize their understated value and their lack of exposure.  The BCHOF is our attempt to do something to salute the very best backup catchers.  We hope that everyone sees our sincerity, especially the inductees.  We really wanted to highlight these under-appreciated players.
We set up some guidelines for eligibility (which can be found in previous posts on the BCHOF here) and started with backup catchers from our lifetime (basically post 1960).  It is a work in progress.  We know there are a lot of other worthy candidates and we will get to everyone in time.
To recap our previous enshrinees......

The BCHOF Class of 2010:Duffy Dyer, Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer and Jeff Torborg
The BCHOF Class of 2011:Ron Hodges, Tom Lampkin, Doug Mirabelli, Mark Parent and Lenny Webster
The BCHOF Class of 2012:Bruce Bochy, Larry Haney, Steve Lake, Junior Ortiz and Todd Pratt
The BCHOF Class of 2013-14:Paul Bako, Henry Blanco, Sal Fasano, Marc Hill, Mike Sadek and Charlie Silvera
After studying statistics, reviewing rosters, debating candidates and much more discussion, Cuzz and I have decided on the BCHOF Class of 2015.  We also would like to thank Baseball Historian Dave Zeman for his invaluable work on the Veterans Committee.
JohngysBeat.com now proudly presents the Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Class of 2015:

PAT CORRALES
Pat Corrales was born in Los Angeles, California in 1941. While attending Fresno High School he not only was a star baseball player, but earned All-City honors as a guard and linebacker on the school’s football team.  Shortly after graduation the Philadelphia Phillies signed him to a contract. After toiling in the minors for several years he made his major league debut with the Phillies in 1964. He was their backup catcher through the 65 season and was named to the Topps All-Rookie team that year.  He then spent two years in the St. Louis Cardinals organization before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds. From 1968 through 1971 he served as a backup catcher to Hall of Famer Johnny Bench. Corrales finished up his career spending two seasons with the San Diego Padres. Over the course of nine seasons Corrales played in 300 games and batted .216, however, he was known as a good defensive catcher and a student of the game. This was apparent as in 1978 he was named manager of the Texas Rangers, becoming the first Mexican-American manager in the major leagues.  He also went on to manage the Philadelphia Phillies and Cleveland Indians. Corrales was also on the coaching staff of the Atlanta Braves throughout the 1990s, a team that enjoyed unprecedented success including winning the 1995 World Series.

TOM PRINCE
Tom Prince enjoyed a 17 year career in the major leagues as a backup catcher for five different teams. He broke into the majors in 1987 with the Pittsburgh Pirates and in 1993 singed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. There he backed up perennial all-star Mike Piazza until 1998. Prince’s value as a backup was evident as the Phillies, Twins and Royals all sought his services up until his retirement after the 2003 season. Prince was noted for his defense as his career .992 fielding percentage attests. Overall he appeared in 519 games, with 1190 at bats for a .208 batting average and 24 homeruns, but his dependability and strong clubhouse presence made him an asset to his team. Not surprisingly Prince became a manager after his playing days and is currently the skipper of the Altoona Curve of the Eastern League.

BILL FAHEY
Bill Fahey was a number one draft choice of the Washington Senators in the 1970 secondary phase of the major league draft. A left handed hitting catcher, the Senators envisioned him taking over from journeyman Paul Casanova as their regular catcher. Fahey’s initial struggles at the plate sent him to the minors; however he was called back up to the majors in 1974. By this time the Senators had relocated to Texas and their regular catcher was Jim Sundberg. Fahey spent the next four seasons backing up the ironman Sundberg before being traded to the San Diego Padres. He enjoyed his best year with the Padres in 1979 batting .287 in 209 at bats. Fahey finished his career playing three seasons with the Detroit Tigers. Over 11 major league seasons Fahey appeared in 383 games and batted .241. He showed great perseverance throughout his career and after his playing days was a member of the coaching staffs of the Tigers and San Francisco Giants. Fahey also has an MLB legacy, as his son, Brandon Fahey was an infielder with the Baltimore Orioles from 2006-2008.

GARY BENNETT
Gary Bennett was a star athlete at Waukegan East high school in late 80s. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1990 and broke into the majors in 1995 to begin his long journey as a backup catcher. After bouncing around with several teams he landed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. That year he backed up Yadier Molina and appeared in 56 games behind the plate, as the Cardinals went on to win the World Series over the Detroit Tigers. Bennett finally called it quits in 2008 and although not known for his offense retired with a respectable .241 lifetime batting average in 587 games. He was known as a good handler of pitchers and produced a .991 fielding percentage. Bennett remains close to the game and is currently the Advanced Catching Instructor of the Slammers Baseball and Softball Training Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois.

ARNDT JORGENS
The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame is proud to introduce the second “Veterans” inductee; Arndt Jorgens. Jorgens was born in Norway in 1905 but moved to Chicago as a youngster and prepped at Lane Tech High School. He broke into the majors with the New York Yankees in 1929 and played with them for 11 seasons. The Yankees starting catcher during that time was Hall of Famer Bill Dickey, so Jorgens playing time was quite limited. Still he managed to appear in 307 games and hit .238 in 738 at bats while providing solid defense. The Yankees won five World Series championships during this time, although Jorgens never appeared in a World Series game due to Dickey’s durability and excellent play. Jorgens passed away in 1980 in Wilmette, Illinois at the age of 74.

I wrote an accompanying piece for Tru School Sports at Backup Catcher Hall of Fame: Class of 2015.  Take a look when you have time.

Cards That Never Were: Backup Catcher Hall of Famer Larry Haney 1974 Topps

Cards That Never Were is a recurring series in which I attempt to create sports trading cards that for some reason were omitted from the original sets.  This is a concept I have borrowed from way too many others to list, but I thank them all.

Today is a special "Cards That Never Were," because it features a Backup Catcher Hall of Famer in Larry Haney.  I have written many times here about the BCHOF, but my I just wrote my first piece on the subject for Tru School Sports at The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame.
Haney signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles in 1961.  He made his MLB debut in 1966 and earned his first Topps baseball card in 1967.  He shared it the "Orioles Prospects" card with Ed Barnowski.
After the 1968 season, the Seattle Pilots selected him in the expansion draft.  In the middle of the 1968 season, he was traded to the Oakland A's.  Through his first four seasons, he averaged 47 games played with a .225 batting average.
The next four years were tough.  In 1970, he played 2 games with the A's, in 1971 he did not see any action and in 1972, he played 5 games for the A's.  During the 1972 season, he was actually traded to the San Diego Padres, but reacquired later in the season.  In 1973, he appeared in two games for the A's, but was sold to the St. Louis Cardinals, for whom he played two games.
Prior to the 1974 season, he was purchased by the A's (for his third stint with them).  In 1974, he set his career high in games played with 76.  Unfortunately, he hit a paltry .165.  In 1975, he played in 47 games and in 1976, he played in 88.  He managed to bat .201 during this three year period.
The Milwaukee Brewers purchased Haney prior to the 1977 season and he saw action in 63 games, hitting .228.  He was released after the season.  I believe he was a coach for them in 1978 and actually appeared in 4 games for the team in October.
Haney had cards from 1967 through 1970, 1973 and 1975 through 1978.  The missing cards would have him pictured with the A's in 1971 and 1972 and with the Cardinals in 1974.  I could not find pictures of Haney with the A's during that period, but I did find a picture of him with the Cardinals.
The card below isn't the clearest.  I cut myself a break because he only appeared in two games for the Cardinals.  I am surprised he had any pictures.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Class of 2013-14

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Cuzz Gekas and myself.  The germ of the idea stems from many long road trips and our interest in all things off the beaten path.
We both have an affinity for backup catchers.  We recognize their value and their lack of exposure and we decided to try to do something to salute the very best backup catchers.  We hope that everyone sees our sincerity, especially the inductees.  We really wanted to highlight these under-appreciated players.
We set up some guidelines for eligibility (which can be found in previous posts on the BCHOF here) and started with backup catchers from our lifetime (basically post 1965).  It is a work in progress.  We know there are a lot of other worthy candidates and we will get to everyone in time.
After three years of inductions, we took off 2013 to regroup a bit.  We have come back strong to announce a new class of 2013-2014, which includes our first "veterans committee" selection (thanks to Baseball Historian Dave Zeman).

To recap our previous enshrinees......

The BCHOF Class of 2010:Duffy Dyer, Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer and Jeff Torborg
The BCHOF Class of 2011:Ron Hodges, Tom Lampkin, Doug Mirabelli, Mark Parent and Lenny Webster
The BCHOF Class of 2012:Bruce Bochy, Larry Haney, Steve Lake, Junior Ortiz and Todd Pratt

Now onto the class of 2013-2014...

PAUL BAKO
Paul Bako (1998-2009) served as Greg Maddux’s personal catcher with the 2001 Atlanta Braves and the 2004 Chicago Cubs. Bako played 12 years and rarely stayed with the same team wearing a total of 11 different uniforms. He would sign yearly free agent contracts for any team in need of a quality backup catcher. Over the course of his career Bako appeared in 789 games and batted .231 with 24 homeruns. He currently is an equipment representative for Marucci Bat Company in Baton Rouge, and lives in his hometown of Lafayette, LA with his wife and two children.

HENRY BLANCO
Henry Blanco is the quintessential major League backup catcher earning entry into the BCHOF in his first year of eligibility. Blanco played for 10 teams over 16 seasons appearing in a total of 971 games (1997-2013). He was the primary backup virtually every year with the exceptions being a platoon role on some terrible Milwaukee Brewer clubs (2000-2001) and filling in for an injured Joe Mauer with the 2004 Minnesota Twins.  Although, his lifetime average was only .223 with 72 homeruns, he boasted a .994 fielding percentage and was known as an excellent handler of pitchers. The Venezuelan born Blanco was initially signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1989, and credits Mike Scioscia for helping him develop his skills as a backstop. Blanco is currently on the coaching staff of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

SAL FASANO
Sal Fasano enjoyed an 11 year major league career (1996-2008) playing for several teams, but is probably best known for his years with the Kansas City Royals (1996-1999) and his single season with the Philadelphia Phillies (2006). The strapping 6’2, 200 pound Fasano had a lifetime average of only .221, however, slugged 47 homeruns in only 1,109 at bats. Fasano was known as an excellent teammate and a man of outstanding character. While with the Phillies his distinctive Fu Manchu mustache earned him cult admiration of Phillie fans, who began a club called Sal’s Pals. Fasano showed his gratitude by buying the group tickets and pizza. Fasano, born and raised in Hoffman Estates, IL is currently the roving catching instructor for the Toronto Blue Jays.

MARC HILL
Marc Hill began his major league career in 1973 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1974 and was more or less their regular catcher in 1977-78 before settling into his rightful destination as a career backup. He was given the nickname “Booter” by teammate Willie McCovey in reference to the term Boot Hill. Hill was signed as a free agent by the Chicago White Sox in 1981 where he spent the remainder of his career retiring in 1986. While with the Sox he backed up Hall of Famer, Carlton Fisk. Sporting a good sense of humor, Hill proudly stated that in 1985 he and Fisk combined for the most homeruns (37) in one season by White Sox catchers. Fisk had 37 and Hill had zero. Over the course of his career Hill appeared in 737 games and batted .223 with 34 homeruns.  Like most backups his value to the team went beyond the numbers.

MIKE SADEK
Mike Sadek played his entire career (1973-1981) with the San Francisco Giants serving as their backup catcher. A reserve playing for only one team in his career would be unheard of in today’s era of constant player movement. The undersized backstop (5’9’’, 165) even backed up fellow BCHOFer Marc Hill during Hill’s two year stint as a Giants starter (1977-1978). The light hitting Sadek batted .226 with 5 homeruns in 383 games over the course of his career. However, the Giants desire to continually re-sign him is a testament to his dependability in his role as a backup catcher. After his retirement Sadek worked for the Giants as a Community Representative and Assistant to the Director of Community Services.

CHARLIE SILVERA

The BCHOF is proud to induct our first “Veteran” backup catcher. Charlie Silvera, a World War II veteran, played from 1948-1956 with the New York Yankees before finishing up with one final season with the Chicago Cubs. The Yankees starting catcher during those years was Hall of Famer Yogi Berra, and although Silvera had a lifetime average of .282 and an on base percentage of .356 he had no chance of unseating Berra. He even earned the nickname “Yogi’s Caddy”. In today’s game Silvera likely would have been a coveted free agent for any team looking for a starting catcher. He did earn six world championship rings and after retirement became a scout and minor league manager. During his playing days he developed a friendship with Billy Martin and landed coaching gigs with the Twins, Tigers and Rangers in the 70s. Silvera currently resides in his hometown of San Francisco, CA. 

We hope you enjoy our work with the BCHOF.  While it is a fun endeavor, we take it (relatively) seriously and with the utmost respect for the backup catchers we feature.  We truly have a deep appreciation for the job they do and what they have accomplished.

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Class of 2012

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Cuzz Gekas and myself.  The germ of the idea stems from many long road trips and our interest in all things off the beaten path.
We both have an affinity for backup catchers.  We recognize their value and their lack of exposure and we decided to try to do something to salute the very best backup catchers.  We hope that everyone sees our sincerity, especially the inductees.  We really wanted to highlight these under-appreciated players.
We set up some guidelines for eligibility (which can be found in previous posts on the BCHOF here) and started with backup catchers from our lifetime (basically post 1965).  It is a work in progress and we have some ideas for future growth of the BCHOF.  So far, we concentrated on making sure our first three classes were beyond question.
To recap...
The BCHOF Class of 2010:Duffy Dyer, Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer and Jeff Torborg
The BCHOF Class of 2011:Ron Hodges, Tom Lampkin, Doug Mirabelli, Mark Parent and Lenny Webster
We are very proud and happy with those first two classes.  Each inductee was an elite backup catcher and has represented the BCHOF well.
With that same excitement and pride, we would now like to announce the BCHOF Class of 2012...

Junior Ortiz
Junior Ortiz played 13 seasons (1982-1994) in the major leagues. Among the catchers he backed up over the course of his career were Tony Pena (Pittsburgh), Sandy Alomar Jr. (Cleveland), and Pudge Rodriguez (Texas). He also was a backup along with fellow BCHOFer Lenny Webster (class of 2011) for the 1991 World Series champion Minnesota Twins. He has yet another connection to the BCHOF as he caddied for Ron Hodges (class of 2011), a starter by default on a woeful 1983 New York Mets team. In 749 games and 1,894 at bats Ortiz hit a respectable .256, however, he displayed no power registering only five HRs and 80 extra base hits in his career. Nonetheless, he came to work every day ready to play when called upon..

Todd Pratt
Todd Pratt was the consummate backup catcher for several teams from 1992-2006 including the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets. The strapping 6’3, 195 lb Pratt backed up Darren Daulton and Mike Lieberthal in Philly and Mike Piazza in New York. His career totaled 662 games and 1,869 at bats resulting in a .251 average with 49 HRs. He also boasted a .993 fielding percentage. Prior to his BCHOF honor, Pratt’s shining moment occurred in the 1999 NLDS, where subbing for an injured Piazza, he hit a walk off homerun in the tenth inning against Arizona to give the Mets the pennant. There is the feeling that under the right circumstance and playing for different teams, Pratt could have been a solid everyday catcher. However, he would never have received BCHOF status which truly is his rightful destination. 

Larry Haney
Larry Haney began his playing career in 1966 with the Baltimore Orioles. He was selected by the Seattle Pilots in the 1969 expansion draft and played one season with them before being traded to the Oakland A’s. Over the next four seasons Haney played primarily in the minors appearing in only nine major league games and it appeared his big league career may be ending. His perseverance, however, paid off as he rejoined the A’s in 1974. That season he appeared in 68 games as a backup to Gene Tenace and Ray Fosse on the Oakland World Series championship team. Haney hit .212 with 12 HRs in 984 at bats over the course of his career. He was well known for his defensive ability, throwing out 39% of base-stealers, and for being a fine handler of pitchers. He later became a pitching coach for the Brewers and his son, Chris Haney pitched in the majors from 1991-2002.

Steve Lake
Steve Lake played for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals over the course of an 11 year career (1983-1993). Lake’s lifetime statistics include 476 games, 1,125 at bats, a .237 average and 18 HRs. Like many back up catchers, Lake was excellent defensively and had a cannon for an arm, twice leading the league in caught stealing percentage and posting a career mark of 45%. Chicago Cubs fans remember him as a backup to fan favorite Jody Davis and while with the Phillies, he joined fellow BCHOFer Todd Pratt as a backup to Darren Daulton. Lake was a reliable and dependable teammate and proudly accepted his backup status in the major leagues.

Bruce Bochy
Bruce Bochy has gained considerable fame as a major league manager. He has twice led the San Francisco Giants to the World Series title, winning it all this past season as well as in 2010.  Prior to that, he piloted the San Diego Padres from 1995-2006. Working with the low budget Padres he reached the playoffs four times including a trip to the 1998 World Series and was named NL manager of the year in 1996. Bochy, a true student of the game began learning his future craft in 1978 serving as a backup catcher for three NL teams. He is best known for his time with the San Diego Padres (1983-1987) and was Terry Kennedy’s backup on the Padres 1984 World Series team. Bochy batted .239 with 26 HRs in 358 games and 802 at bats over the course of his career. He was also part of history as he was behind the plate when Pete Rose recorded his record breaking 4,193th hit. While Bochy achieved the pinnacle of baseball success with the Giants, he undoubtedly will be wearing a Padres cap during his BCHOF induction for his long time service as a player and coach to that organization.

(Pause for standing ovation)
We welcome any comments, especially from the inductees.  We welcome any suggestions as well.  We hope you enjoy the class of 2012 and we look forward to working on the class of 2013.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Class of 2011

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame was started by Cuzz Gekas and me to honor the greatest backup catchers of all time.  The backup catcher is an underrated, but crucial position on a team.  While every team has at least one backup catcher, only a select few have distinguished themselves in such a way as to merit consideration for the BCHOF.
In 2010, we inducted the inaugural class of the BCHOF.  Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer, Duffy Dyer and Jeff Torborg comprised the first class of inductees.  After much research and discussions, we have decided on five inductees for the class of 2011.  Without further adieu, I give you the 2011 BCHOF class!

Ron Hodges has the rather unique distinction of playing fior one team, the New York Mets, his entire career (1973-1984).  Hodges played in the World Series in his rookie season.  He started his career backing up Mets stalwart Jerry Grote and continued in that role for John Stearns.  He actually outlasted Stearns and was mostly a starter in 1983 before finishing his career in 1984.  He batted .240 with 19 HR's and 147 RBI's and was known as a dependable backstop and the consummate teammate.

Tom Lampkin played for six teams beginning with the Cleveland Indians in 1988, before retiring in 2002 with the San Diego Padres.  The 2002 season marked Lampkin's second tour of duty with the Padres and he established career highs in virtually every category for the woeful Padres.  For his career, he hit .235 with 56 HR's and 236 RBI's in 1,796 at bats.  He had a strong arm and in 1996 led the league in caught stealing percentage (51.5%) playing in 53 games as a backup for the San Francisco Giants.  He is currently a cable Fox Sports analyst for the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League.  He was originally signed by the Indians Scout Dave Roberts, former backup catcher and infielder.

Doug Mirabelli played 12 seasons (1996-2007) with four teams, but is probably best known for being knuckleballer Tim Wakefield's personal catcher with the Boston Red Sox.  As a result, he had the dubios honor of leading the league in passed balls in 2003 and 2004.  Nonetheless, he served a valuable role and actually showed some pop at the plate, hitting 58 HR's in 1,456 at bats for a .231 batting average.  He was a member of the Red Sox World Series champions in both 2004 and 2007.  He is currently coaching high school baseball in Traverse City (MI).

Mark Parent was the quintessential backup catcher who played for seven teams during his 13 year career (1986-1998). Although he hit only .214, he possessed good power, smacking 53 HR's in 1303 at bats in his career, in addition to providing solid defense. His physically imposing size (6'5, 215) gave him an advantage in plays at the plate and in blocking pitches in the dirt.  Early in his career there was speculation that he could become a full-time starter, but Parent quickly settled into his role as a top notch backup behind the plate.  Like many backup catchers, his knowledge of the game has provided additional opportunities and he is currently managing in the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Lenny Webster began his career with the Minnesota Twins, serving as a backup for Brian Harper.  Webster played for five teams over a 12 year career (1989-2000).   He was a reserve on the 1997 Baltimore Orioles AL East division champs and also backed up notable catcher Darren Daulton in Philadelphia.  Webster had 3 separate tours of duty with the Montreal Expos, including his last season.  The Grambling State product hit .254 with 33 HR's over the course of his career.  Webster was one of the active players wearing number 42, when it was retired by Major League Baseball in 1997 in honor of Jackie Robinson.

We are very proud of the 2011 BCHOF class.  Each of these five catchers earned his induction through years of superior service outside of the limelight.  The BCHOF is a work in progress and we look forward to another solid class in 2012.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame Thoughts

The Backup Catcher Hall of Fame is gaining momentum with each passing day (or at least every time I mention it). Cuzz Gekas and I are finally seeing our dream come true after years of hard work. We have established our first class of inductees (Duffy Dyer, Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer and Jeff Torborg). Vince Saputo has shown his support by tossing out several names for consideration.
Still, the question lingers as to how these players would feel about the BCHOF. The original idea was meant as an honor, but would ex-catchers see it that way?
Cuzz summed up his views with, "For BCs it is not simply a matter of donning the mask and gear and squatting behind the plate. It is a way of life. We are trying to reward the grinders who show up everyday knowing their playing time is limited but always have to be ready. They know they will never be stars or even starters, but approach their craft with a certain nobility."
Vince chimed in with, "No insult at all. These men had a career in baseball at its most physically punishing position. Many played on winning teams behind superb catchers. They knew, going in, that it would be a journeyman's task, not one of celebrity. Even after 10 years or more, they had to go out and get "real" jobs when catching days were over! That you have taken time to recognize their contribution should be taken as an honor."

I think our intent is clear. What about others? What do you think? Most importantly, what would a backup catcher think? What would Larry Haney think?

I really plan on asking a catcher some day about this. I just couldn't ask Haney when we met him. The logistics were bad (and obviously, so was our photographer!).

(Future BCHOF'er?) Larry Haney, Cuzz Gekas and me in Waukesha, WI-February 2010.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame:Reader Contributions

I have gotten a bunch of good comments regarding the Backup Catcher Hall of Fame idea that Chuck E. Gekas and I have been putting together. Cuzz and I take this seriously, wanting to protect the integrity of the Hall and the honor of being inducted.
Last week, I saw a post that my old friend Vince Saputo made on his Facebook Wall. He listed seven men as nominees for the BCHOF. I will list his choices and the thoughts that Cuzz (my BCHOF partner) and I have on their merits.
Chris Krug and Dave Ricketts-These players simply did not spend enough time in the majors to get any real consideration.
Jim Pagliaroni-Pags played too much and was too good to be considered. Four years with 300+ AB's made for a nice career, but ruin his chance at the BCHOF.
Carl Sawatski-Sawatski is the toughest to determine. He played a bit more than necessary later in his career, which really works against him considering his era. This one might have to go to the veterans committee for further review.
Pat Corrales, Earl Averill and Doug Camilli-These three are viable candidates. They played enough games to be regular backups, but not too many to ever be considered starters. Their numbers were solid.
Overall, Cuzz and I applaud Vince's effort and interest. For a first attempt, Vince's suggestions were pretty good.
Other readers contributed many names. I will briefly give my thoughts on the players suggested.
Some catchers just didn't have quite enough of a career to be given serious consideration. Art Kusnyer, Larry Cox and Sal Butera had some success in the majors and should be proud of their careers. They just fall short for consideration.
The next group played too much. We understand that a backup catcher might be pressed into starting duty at times, but these catchers played more than half of the games in at least three years. Chris Widger, Mike Ryan and Joe Garagiola were starters too often or at least in the 'platoon' category.
Joe Ferguson is in a class of his own here. For one thing, he played too much at other positions. Twice he played over 50 games in the outfield. Plus, four times he caught more than half of his team's games. Additionally, most of this was done with the Dodgers who were an excellent team. Playing a lot for bad teams might be understandable. Playing a lot for playoff teams puts Ferguson out of consideration.

The final group was the biggest, proving my readers know their stuff (or at least their backup catchers). Each player in this group has the stats and the intangibles necessary for consideration. Kelly Stinnett, Paul Bako, Doug Mirabelli, Gary Bennett, Ken Rudolph, Greg Myers, Bruce Bochy, Luis Pujols, Bill Fahey, Tom Lampkin, Joe Nolan, Steve Swisher and Todd Pratt are all excellent candidates. As the years pass, I am sure many will be inducted into the BCHOF.
The momentum is picking up for the BCHOF. People realize we take it seriously when we are choosing catchers who fit the standards of the BCHOF. It takes a special player. Just ask Bill Plummer, Bob Montgomery, Jeff Torborg or Duffy Dyer (aka the first group of inductees).

Future BCHOFer (?) Bob Uecker in Miller Park in Milwaukee, WI-Summer 2009.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about the Backup Catcher Hall of Fame. The BCHOF is a virtual Hall of Fame, created by Chuck E. "Cuzz" Gekas and me to honor legendary backup catchers in recent major league history.
At the party after the official announcement, Cuzz and I discussed the results. We are definitely happy with the four inductees in the first Hall of Fame class. Duffy Dyer, Bob Montgomery, Bill Plummer and Jeff Torborg epitomize everything desired in a Hall of Fame backup catcher.
We would like to make one point clear though. The BCHOF is an honor. While the concept was developed out of silliness (through long car rides and losing poker nights), a catcher's enshrinement is a tribute to him and his success in a vital, difficult and overlooked role on a team. Not everyone who donned the tools of ignorance in a major league uniform met our standards (high and low).
Catchers such as Art Kusnyer, Tom Lundstedt and Charlie Sands can be proud that they made the majors, but they didn't put together enough of a career to qualify for the BCHOF. A player had to spend 7+ solid seasons as a backup catcher to garner consideration.
There are also catchers who did too much. Players like Rick Cerone, Brent Mayne and Milt May simply were too good, sometimes being starters, sometimes being platooned. These catchers got nearly 1,000 hits, amounting to an excellent career. Too excellent for the BCHOF.
The final group of players not eligible would be players who were backup catchers, but were more like utility players. Players like Jim Leyritz, John Wockenfuss and John Ellis all played too many games at other positions to truly be called a backup catcher. Perhaps someday down the line, we will develop a Utility Player Hall of Fame, but for now our attention is devoted to the BCHOF.
Over the upcoming months, Cuzz and I will be discussing and debating the candidates for the 2011 BCHOF class. I will be updating our progress here. Feel free to submit your suggestions and thoughts.

Future BCHOF'er (?) Rick Stelmaszek in Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL-Summer 1974.

Backup Catcher Hall of Fame

Last week, the 2010 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame was announced. With no disrespect to Andre Dawson, Johngy's Beat is unveiling the much more anticipated 2010 Backup Catcher Hall of Fame class.
Chuck E. Gekas and I have discussed backup catchers for years. We are fascinated by them. On one of our many baseball road trips, we started to develop the idea for a Backup Catcher Hall of Fame.
First, we had to decide on the qualifications. We settled on the following:
-Candidate must have played in the 1970's or later.
-Candidate must have played the catcher position as his primary position.
-Candidates pre-1980 must have played 8 years and 10 years for post 1980.
-Candidate must not have been a starter.
---A one year or so exception is allowed as an injury replacement for starter.
---A one year or so exception is allowed for really bad teams (as in expansion teams)
-Candidate must never have gotten more than 300 AB's in a single season (see exceptions above).
-Any deviation from these guidelines is allowed as per the sole discretion of Chuck and me.

With that being outlined, we trudged through rosters and stats. We had long (and often mindless) debates on the merits of various candidates. Finally, last summer, we agreed on the first four inductees into the BCHOF. Therefore, without further adieu, I present the 2010 BCHOF class.

Donald "Duffy" Dyer had a solid 14 year career as a backup catcher. Dyer was drafted in the first round in 1966 by the New York Mets, for whom he played for the first 7 years of his career. Dyer also played 4 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2 years with the Detroit Tigers and 1 year with the Montreal Expos.
Dyer had 441 career hits for a crispy .221 batting average. He had 30 home runs, 173 rbi's, 151 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.
Dyer spent most of his time in NY as a backup to Jerry Grote and then became a backup to Manny Sanguillen in Pittsburgh, where he caught a
no-hitter by John Candelaria. Dyer went 0-1 with a walk in 2 playoff games.
Dyer's 1972 and 1977 seasons were a bit lofty by BCHOF standards, but the body of work over his entire career solidified his place in the BCHOF.

Bob Montgomery is the quintessential backup catcher. After spending 9 seasons in the Boston Red Sox system, Montgomery had a solid career throughout the 70's as Carlton Fisk's backup. Montgomery's .258 batting average is a bit gaudy for the BCHOF, but not enough to exclude him. During his career, he belted 18 homers, drove in 156 runs, scored 125 runs and had 6 stolen bases.
Montgomery filled in admirably in 1974 when Fisk suffered a horrible knee injury. He also performed well while Fisk recovered from a broken thumb in 1975. Montgomery went 0-1 in his only playoff appearance.
As further testament to Montgomery's grittiness, he was the last player to not wear a batting helmet. That is just the type of intangible which helped earn Montgomery's place in the BCHOF.

Bill Plummer is best known as the long-time backup to Johnny Bench with the Cincinnati Reds, but he broke into the majors with a brief 2 game stint with the Chicago Cubs in 1968. Plummer was traded to the Reds and a year later started his 8 year run as Bench's backup. Plummer finished his career with a 1 season stay with the Seattle Mariners, whom he later managed.
Plummer's .188 career average came from 168 hits. He had 14 homers, 82 rbi's, 72 runs scored and 4 stolen bases in his career (or roughly a bit less than Bench's average season).
Former Reds Coach Alex Grammas once stated that "Bill could start for a lot of teams, but with us he sits behind the best catcher in the world." At least Bench did play a fair amount of games at other positions, which allowed Plummer to gain more playing time. Fortunately, Plummer still stayed under the basic BCHOF standards.

Jeff Torborg played his 10 year career in California, 7 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and 3 with the California Angels. Technically, he finished his career in the St. Louis Cardinals organization after being traded from the Angels, although he retired without playing for the Cardinals.
Torborg batted .214 with 8 homers, 101 rbi's, 78 runs scored and 3 stolen bases. Torborg's best season might have been his last season. He had career highs in several categories. He even helped mentor a young Rick Stelmaszek.
Torborg caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game. He also caught Bill Singer's no-hitter and Nolan Ryan's first no-hitter.
After his playing career, Torborg went on to manage 5 teams. His son Dale played minor league ball, wrestled as 'The Demon' and currently is a coach.

There you have it. We are so proud and pleased. Still, we don't have too much time to celebrate. It is almost time to start the process of deciding who gets inducted in 2011. Feel free to send us any of your ideas.

Catching Up With Ken Rudolph

For whatever reason, I always have had a soft spot for backup catchers. This is the reason I (and my friend Chuck E. Gekas) have been working on the Backup Catcher Hall of Fame (BCHOF).
Ken Rudolph was one of my first favorite backup catchers. In 1972 and 1973, Rudolph was the epitome of a solid backup catcher, serving yeoman-like behind Randy Hundley. Unfortunately, Rudolph's career lacked the longevity necessary for the BCHOF, but he still remains one of my all-time favorites.
When I met Rudolph recently, he looked great and was happy to meet his fans. I asked him how it felt to talk to fans even though his playing time here lasted only 5 years and ended 35 years ago. He replied that it felt great. He only wished the Cubs had more success, especially in 1969 (his rookie season).

Ken Rudolph and me in Rosemont, IL-March 2009.