All-Time Scrabble All-Star Team

Each name here, both first and last, is an acceptable Scrabble word.  Thanks to subscriber and tournament Scrabble player Diane Firstman of Queens (also an acceptable word) for this submission.  She hastens to add, “This is not an inclusive list!”

1b -       Bill Terry*

2b -       Joe Morgan*

3b -       Frank Baker*

SS -      Monte Ward*

 C -       JOHNNY BENCH*

LF -       Mickey Mantle*

CF -      Willie Mays*

RF -      Babe Ruth*

DH -      Mike Piazza

PH - (r)   Josh Gibson*

PH - (l)   Duke Snider*

PH - (b)  Early Wynn*

PR -       Bobby Bonds

Pitching

RH -      Bob Feller*

RH -      Bob Gibson*

RH -      Dizzy Dean*

RH -      Chief Bender*

LH -      Lefty Grove*

LH -      Randy Johnson

LH -      Whitey Ford*

LH -      Herb Score

RP -       MIKE MARSHALL

RP -       ROD BECK

RP -       JOHN HILLER

Closer -  LEE SMITH

Mgr -     Earl Weaver*

Coaches -   DUSTY BAKER, Jimmy Dykes, Bob Lemon*

GM -      Bobby Cox

Stadiums - Polo Grounds, Baker Bowl, Hilltop Park

Announcers - Jack Buck*, John Sterling, Drew Goodman

Ballpark Organists - Sue Nelson, Jack Doll, Shay Torrent

Reserves

BUDDY BELL

TOM BROWNING

NORM CASH

Frank Chance*

Curt Flood

Nellie Fox*

Mudcat Grant

Dummy Hoy

Torii Hunter

Jerry Lynch

Matt Morris

MIKE SWEENEY

Chuck Tanner

Joe Tinker*

Rick Wise

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

Underlined = Negro Leagues

All-Time Pad-Rays Team

Possible 2010 postseason opponents?  These guys played for both the Padres and Rays (or Devil Rays, as the case may be).

1b -       FRED McGRIFF

2b -       Terry Shumpert

3b -       Sean Burroughs

SS -      VINNY CASTILLA

 C -       ROBERT FICK

LF -       GREG VAUGHN

CF -      Jose Cruz

RF -      CLIFF FLOYD

DH -      Russell Branyan

PH - (r)   Bubba Trammell

PH - (l)   Kerry Robinson

PH - (b) Geoff Blum

PR -       Al Martin

Pitching

RH -      Dewon Brazleton

RH -      Dave Eiland

RH -      Chad Gaudin

RH -      Brian Meadows

RH -      Jay Witasick

RP -       Dan Miceli

RP -       Carlos Reyes

RP -       Mike Ekstrom

Reserves

Chris Gomez

Alex Gonzalez

Pete LaForest

Andy Sheets

Jorge Velandia

Josh Wilson

Kevin Witt

Key

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

All-Time Team of Idaho Natives

At least one of these guys is very familiar with taters.

1b -       Kent Hadley (Pocatello)

2b -       Hal Luby (Blackfoot)

3b -       VANCE LAW (Boise)

SS -      Pep Goodwin (Pocatello)

 C -       Bill Salkeld (Pocatello)

LF -       Walter Doan (Bellevue)

CF -      Joe Mather (Sand Point)

RF -      Bob Martyn (Weiser)

DH -      HARMON KILLEBREW* (Payette)

PH - (r)   Carl Spongberg (Idaho Falls)

PH - (l)   Skipper Roberts (Wardner)

PH - (b) Chris Latham (Coeur d’Alene)

Pitching

RH -      VERN LAW (Meridian)

RH -      LARRY JACKSON (Nampa)

RH -      JASON SCHMIDT (Lewiston)

RH -      KEN SCHROM (Grangeville)

LH -      Ken Dayley (Jerome)

LH -      Johnny James (Bonner’s Ferry)

RP -       Mike Garman (Caldwell)

RP -       Frank Reberger (Caldwell)

Closer - Matt Lindstrom (Rexburg)

Reserves

Ron Romanick (Burley)

Key

*Hall of Fame

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration

All-Time “This Side of Cooperstown” Team

First released in 1996, this book by Larry Moffi is more of a nosh than a meal, but still a delightful read.  Dover just re-released it with a forward by our own Paul Dickson.

1b -       VIC POWER

2b -       Alex Grammas

3b -       Andy Carey

SS -      MARTY MARION

 C -       DEL CRANDALL

LF -       ROY SIEVERS

CF -      TITO FRANCONA

RF -      BOB CERV

PH - (r)   FRANK THOMAS

PH - (l)   GENE WOODLING

PH - (b) Dave Philley

PR -       Milt Bolling

Pitching

RH -      VERN LAW

RH -      VIRIGIL TRUCKS

RH -      CARL ERSKINE

RH -      CAL McLISH

LH -      MEL PARNELL

Key

ALL CAPS = All-Star

Bold = Inspiration