All-Time J.M. Team

Bill Dean of Cooperstown, NY submits this fine assemblage.  He tells us, “No set of initials boasts more members of the Hall of Fame than ‘J.M.’  Included among the eight are the two most successful managers (by W-L differential) of all time.  Others with those initials help fill out a strong lineup (which won’t have to defer to the weak bench very often) and a formidable pitching staff.  For example, Juan Marichal ranks only fifth on the team in victories!”

1b -       JOHNNY MIZE*

2b -       JOE MORGAN*

3b -       JOHN McGRAW* (All-Star as a manager)

SS -      John McDonald

 C -       JOE MAUER

LF -       JOE MEDWICK*

CF -      Johnny Mostil

RF -      JERRY MUMPHREY

DH -      JOHN MAYBERRY

PH - (r)   JERRY MORALES

PH - (l)   JUSTIN MORNEAU

PH - (b) John Moses

PR -       Jimmy McAleer

Pitching

RH -      Joe McGinnity*

RH -      JUAN MARICHAL*

RH -      Jose Mendez*

RH -      JACK MORRIS

RH -      Jim McCormick

LH -      Jamie Moyer

RP -       JEFF MONTGOMERY

RP -       Johnny Murphy

Closer - JOSE MESA

Mgr -     JOE McCARTHY*

Reserves

JIM MALONEY

Jason Marquis

JON MATLACK

JOE MAYS

Jack McCarthy

Jim McCurine

JACK McDOWELL

Jumbo McGinnis

JIM McGLOTHLIN

Jouett Meekin

JIM MERRITT

Jocko Milligan

John Milner

JOHN MONTEFUSCO

Jim Morrison

JO-JO MOORE

Johnny Moore

Johnny Morrison

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Underlined = Negro Leagues

Tug McGraw’s 1980 Saves Team

Here is Scott Brandon’s most esoteric team (to date).  His explanation, however, is quite straight forward:  “Each of these batters ended a game in one of Tug McGraw’s twenty-four saves during the Phillies’ 1980 World Series Championship season, including both regular- (20 saves) and post-season (four saves) games.  Montanez, Trevino and Wilson each ended two games, Wilson’s second game-ending appearance resulting in the Phils’ World Series Championship.  Date, event, and game result shown parenthetically.”

1b -      WILLIE MONTANEZ (14-Jun, GO SS-1B, W 3-1 / 19-Aug, GO 1B-P, W 7-4)

2b -      TOM HERR (07-Aug, FC SS-2B, W 3-2)

3b -      Enos Cabell (30-Jul, DP SS-2B-1B, W 6-4)

SS -      BILL RUSSELL (27-Aug, GO 2B-1B, W 4-3)

 C -       Alex Trevino (01-May, K looking, W 2-1 / 15-Aug, GO 2B-1B, W 8-0)

LF -      Jay Johnstone (16-Jun, lineout to SS, W 3-2) 

CF -      WILLIE WILSON (14-Oct (WS Game 1), K, W 7-6 / 21-Oct (WS Game 6), K, W 4-1)

RF -      ELLIS VALENTINE (12-Apr, bases-loaded FO to center, W 6-2)

DH -     JEFF LEONARD (24-May, K, W 5-4)

PH (l) - Gene Richards (29-Aug, GO P-1B, W 3-2)

PH (r) - Mike Ivie (03-Sep, K, W 4-3)

PH (b) - Rafael Landestoy (07-Oct (NLCS Game 1), GO 2B-1B, W 3-1)

PR -      Carlos Lezcano (02-Oct, K, W 4-2)

Pitching

RH -      CRAIG REYNOLDS (29-Jul, FO to right, W 9-6)

Mgr -     Jerry Manuel (03-Oct, K, W 2-1)

Bench Coach - Art Howe (11-Oct (NLCS Game 4), FO to center, W 5-3)         

Hitting Coach - REGGIE SMITH (17-Jun, FO to center, W 6-5)

Special Assistant Coach - Ivan DeJesus (06-Jun, FO to right, W 6-5)

Spring Training Instructor - MANNY MOTA (04-Sep, GO SS-1B, W 3-2)

Physical Therapist - Tito Landrum (22-Sep, K, W 3-2)  

Broadcaster - RAY KNIGHT (01-Aug, foul FO to 1B, W 3-1)

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration for this team

All-Time Team of Michigan Alumni

They all attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.  Several graduated, but that’s another discussion.

1b -       George Sisler*

2b -       CHARLIE GEHRINGER*

3b -       CHRIS SABO

SS -      BARRY LARKIN

 C -       BILL FREEHAN

LF -       DICK WAKEFIELD

CF -      Red Killefer

RF -      Don Lund

DH -      Leon Roberts

PH - (r)   Ted Sizemore

PH - (l)   John Perrin

PH - (b) Mike Ignasiak

PR -       Doc Lavan

Pitching

RH -      LARRY SORENSEN

RH -      Scott Kamieniecki

RH -      Fred Blanding

RH -      Hal Elliott

RH -      Heath Murray

LH -      Jim Abbott

LH -      Geoff Zahn

LH -      Rich Hill

RP -       J. J. PUTZ

RP -       STEVE ONTIVEROS

RP -       Pete Appleton

Closer - STEVE HOWE

Mgr -     Steve Boros

Reserves

Rick Leach

Elliott Maddox

Mike Matheny

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Nice Play, Shakespeare!

This team comes from Alex Hancock of Madison, Wisconsin with this exegesis:  “Player’s last name must match the most commonly used name for a Shakespeare character.  One player per name but I took a bit of leeway on spelling, as some characters’ names are spelled (spelt?) variously in various editions.”

1b -       RUDY YORK                          (several)

2b -       JOE MORGAN*                      Cymbeline

3b -       ARKY VAUGHAN*               Richard III

SS -      OZZIE SMITH*                       Henry VI/2

 C -       DARRELL PORTER                Macbeth

LF -       TED WILLIAMS*                   Henry V

CF -      HANK AARON*                    Titus Andronicus

RF -      DWIGHT EVANS                   Merry Wives of Windsor

DH -      FRANK THOMAS                   Measure for Measure

PH - (r)   AL OLIVER                            As You Like It

PH - (l)   JEFF KENT                             King Lear

PH - (b) Jason Bates                              Henry V

PR -       MICKEY RIVERS                   Henry VI/3, Richard III

Pitching

RH -      Pete Alexander*                      Troilus and Cressida

RH -      CHRIS CARPENTER              Julius Caesar

RH -      J. R. RICHARD                       (several)

LH -      WHITEY FORD*                    Merry Wives of Windsor

LH -      TOMMY JOHN                       King John

LH -      FRANK VIOLA                       Twelfth Night

RP -       BILL HENRY                          (several)

RP -       AL HOLLAND                        Henry VI/2-3

RP -       JOE PAGE                               (several)

RP -       PHIL REGAN                          King Lear

RP -       JEFF SHAW                            Richard III

Closer - MIKE MARSHALL                 Pericles, Richard II

Mgr -     Earl Weaver                             Henry VI/2

Pitching Coach -   Mel Queen                 (several)

Bullpen Coach - DAVE DUNCAN        Macbeth

GM -      Gene Michael                          Henry IV/1

Owner - Clark Griffith*                         Henry VIII

Reserves

Jim Abbott                                           Richard II

Eric Anthony                                       Romeo and Juliet

Charley Bassett                                    Henry VI/1

Gene Bedford                                      Henry V, Henry VI/1

Bucky Brandon                                   Henry VIII

Fred Buckingham                                Richard III

Max Butcher                                        Henry VI/2

Conrad Cardinal                                  (several)

Walter Carlisle                                     Richard II

Wes Chamberlain                                Henry VIII

Ed Charles                                           Henry VI/1, As You Like It

Joe Cicero                                            Julius Caesar

Reid Cornelius                                     Cymbeline

John Curtis                                          Taming of the Shrew

Don Dennis                                         As You Like It

JOHN DENNY                                    Henry VIII

George Derby                                      Richard III

Brian Dorsett                                       Richard III

Phil Douglas                                        Henry IV/1

Zach Duke                                           (several)

Bones Ely                                            Henry V, Richard III

Jeff Francis                                          Henry IV/1-2

Frank Francisco                                   Tempest

Mike Gardiner                                     Henry VIII

Chris George                                        Henry VI/2

Dick Green                                          Richard the 2nd

Paul Gregory                                        Romeo and Juliet

Reddy Grey                                         Henry VIII

Buddy Groom                                      (several)

Charlie Hastings                                   Richard III

RAY HERBERT                                  Richard III

BOB HORNER                                    Henry VI/2

TOM HUME                                        Henry VI/2

Rick Joseph                                         Taming of the Shrew

DAVE JUSTICE                                  Measure for Measure

Jeff King                                             (several)

RAY KNIGHT                                     King Lear, Pericles

Les Lancaster                                       Henry IV/1

King Lear                                             Timon of Athens

                                                            (no, wait!...)

Ed Lennox                                           Macbeth

Darren Lewis                                       Henry VI/3, King John

Mike Lincoln                                       Henry VIII

Harry Lord                                           (several)

Frank Luce                                          Comedy of Errors

Donny Lucy                                        Henry VI/1

Win Mercer                                          Timon of Athens

Andy Merchant                                    Comedy of Errors,

                                                               Timon of Athens

Willie Miranda                                     Tempest

John Montague                                    Romeo and Juliet

Bob Montgomery                                 Henry VI/3

Carl Morton                                         Henry IV/2, Richard III

Don Nicholas                                       Taming of the Shrew

John Orsino                                         Twelfth Night

Lance Painter                                       Timon of Athens

Kelly Paris                                           Romeo and Juliet,

                                                               Troilus and Cressida

Wally Post                                           Henry VI/2-3

Johnny Priest                                       (several)

Cody Ross                                           Richard II, Macbeth

Harry Salisbury                                    (several)

Chris Sampson                                     Romeo and Juliet

Charlie Sands                                       Henry VIII

Bobby Scales                                       Henry VI/2

Jimmy Sexton                                      Much Ado About Nothing

Horace Speed                                      Two Gentlemen of Verona

Bill Stafford                                         (several)

Mickey Stanley                                    Henry VI/2, Richard III

Fred Talbot                                          Henry VI/1

John Titus                                            Titus Andronicus,

                                                               Anthony and Cleopatra

Bob Usher                                           Coriolanus

Bobby Valentine                                  (several)

MICKEY VERNON                             Henry IV/1, Henry VI/1

Donne Wall                                         Midsummer Night’s Dream

Carl Warwick                                       (several)

Darrell Whitmore                                 Henry VI/2

Jim Willoughby                                   Richard the 2nd

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Underlined = Negro Leagues