#253: Frank Lobert

Frank Lobert

I) Frank Lobert --> '14 Baltimore Terrapins --> Jack Quinn

I've used Quinn before here! This means I get to add the Terrapins to my list of connected teams! It's always exciting to add a long retired franchise, especially when it's a old Federal League team that was only in existence for two years. Score!

1. Frank Lobert played with the 1914 Baltimore Terrapins with Jack Quinn.
2. Jack Quinn played for the 1933 Cincinati Reds with Ernie Lombardi.
3. Ernie Lombardi played for the 1947 New York Giants with Whitey Lockman.
4. Whitey Lockman played for the 1960 Cincinati Reds with Frank Robinson.
5. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#232: Pat Murray

Pat Murray

I) Pat Murray --> '19 Phillies --> Eppa Rixey

II) Rixey --> '33 Reds

And there you have it: I have a Connected Team.

1. Pat Murray played for the 1919 Philadelphia Phillies with Eppa Rixey.
2. Eppa Rixey played for the 1933 Cincinati Reds with Ernie Lombardi.
3. Ernie Lombardi played for the 1947 New York Giants with Whitey Lockman.
4. Whitey Lockman played for the 1960 Cincinati Reds with Frank Robinson.
5. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#223: Elmer Miller

Elmer Miller

I) Elmer Miller --> '22 Yankees
I) Elmer Miller --> '22 Red Sox

Gee, I wonder which team I'll try first?

I) Elmer Miller --> '22 Red Sox --> Jack Quinn, Herb Pennock, Curt Fullerton, Muddy Ruel

II) Fullerton --> '33 Red Sox
II) Pennock --> '34 Red Sox
II) Quinn --> '33 Reds
II) Ruel --> '34 White Sox

The Reds team is the only one I don't have

II) Quinn --> '33 Reds --> Si Johnson, Rollie Hemsley, Ernie Lombardi
      III) Hemsley --> '47 Philles
      III) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves
      III) Lombardi --> '47 New York Giants

All three of these teams have been used before. I now know I can connect, and it'll take the maximum 6 degrees. Let's see what the Yankees team can offer.

I) Elmer Miller --> '22 Yankees --> Waite Hoyt

II) Hoyt --> '38 Brooklyn Dodgers

Another connected team. By going with the first path, I can add two teams, but if I go with the second path, I add a Hall of Famer. Red Sox bias breaks the tie! (Looks like I get to add a Hall of Famer anyway - Lombardi!)

1. Elmer Miller played for the 1922 Boston Red Sox with Jack Quinn.
2. Jack Quinn played for the 1933 Cincinati Reds with Ernie Lombardi.
3. Ernie Lombardi played for the 1947 New York Giants with Whitey Lockman.
4. Whitey Lockman played for the 1960 Cincinati Reds with Frank Robinson.
5. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#198: Joe DeBerry

Joe DeBerry

I) Joe DeBerry --> '21 St. Louis Browns --> Ray Kolp, Marty McManus

II) Kolp --> '34 Reds
II) McManus --> '34 Boston Braves

I'll give the Reds team a go here.

II) Kolp --> '34 Reds --> Si Johnson, Frank McCormick, Ernie Lombardi
      III) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves
      III) Lombardi --> '47 New York Giants
      III) McCormick --> '48 Boston Braves

The only team I don't have yet is the '48 Braves.

      III) McCormick --> '48 Boston Braves --> Warren Spahn

The rest is done.

1. Joe DeBerry played for the 1921 St. Louis Browns with Ray Kolp.
2. Ray Kolp played for the 1934 Cincinati Reds with Frank McCormick.
3. Frank McCormick played for the 1948 Boston Braves with Warren Spahn.
4. Warren Spahn played for the 1965 New York Mets with Ron Hunt.
5. Ron Hunt played for the 1974 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
6. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#171: Pat Burke

Pat Burke

I) Pat Burke --> '24 St. Louis Browns --> Boom-Boom Beck

Boom-Boom Beck! I recall trying to use that name in a chain once before. It took some digging, but I was able to find him here. That saves a lot of work for me.

What I'm going to do is essentially copy what I had before and revisit it.

----------
      III) Beck --> '45 Reds --> Herm Wehmeier, Hank Sauer
              IV) Wehmeier --> '58 Cardinals
              IV) Wehmeier --> '58 Tigers
              IV) Sauer --> '59 Giants

      III) Beck --> '45 Pirates --> Bob Elliott, Preacher Roe
              IV) Elliott --> '53 Browns
              IV) Elliott --> '53 White Sox
              IV) Roe --> '54 Dodgers
----------

Since this post, I've only added the '53 White Sox team.

----------
Lots of choices here, but I'm going to ignore the '45 Pirates branch, since the '45 Reds give me an extra 5 years.

              IV) Sauer --> '59 Giants --> Willie MCCovey
                     V) McCovey --> '80 Giants
              IV) Wehmeier --> '58 Cardinals --> Lindy McDaniel
                     V) McDaniel --> '75 Royals
              IV) Wehmeier --> '58 Tigers --> Al Kaline
                     V) Kaline --> '74 Tigers
----------

I've also added the '74 Tigers and '75 Royals. That makes the '80 Giants a logical choice. My path so far:

II) Beck --> '45 Reds --> Hank Sauer
      III) Sauer --> '59 Giants --> Willie McCovey
              IV) McCovey --> '80 Giants

Two degrees to get to Stairs. I think I can do it.

              IV) McCovey --> '80 Giants --> Ed Whitson, Max Venable, Jack Clark
                     V) Clark --> '92 Red Sox
                     V) Venable --> '91 Angels
                     V) Whitson --> '91 Padres

Red Sox for the win!

1. Pat Burke played for the 1924 St. Louis Browns with Boom-Boom Beck.
2. Boom-Boom Beck played for the 1945 Cincinati Reds with Hank Sauer.
3. Hank Sauer played for the 1959 San Francisco Giants with Willie McCovey.
4. Williw McCovey played for the 1980 San Francisco Giants with Jack Clark.
5. Jack Clark played for the 1992 Boston Red Sox with Mike Greenwell.
6. Mike Greenwell played for the 1995 Boston Red Sox with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#164: Lonnie Goldstein

Lonnie Goldstein

I) Lonnie Goldstein --> '46 Reds --> Bobby Adams, Grady Hatton

II) Adams --> '59 Cubs
II) Hatton --> '60 Cubs

I've connected the '60 Cubs already, and the 1959 team features the same player I used.

1. Lonnie Goldstein played for the 1946 Cincinati Reds with Bobby Adams.
2. Bobby Adams played for the 1959 Chicago Cubs with Tony Taylor.
3. Tony Taylor played on the 1976 Philadelphia Phillies with Dave Cash.
4. Dave Cash played on the 1977 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
5. Gary Carter played on the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#141: Joe Lake

Joe Lake

Another turn of the century player...

I) Joe Lake --> '13 Tigers --> Ty Cobb, Wally Pipp, Frank Gibson, Eddie Onslow

II) Cobb --> '28 Philadelphia Athletics
II) Gibson --> '27 Boston Braves
II) Onslow --> '27 Washington Senators
II) Pipp --> '28 Reds

I'm going to bypass Hall of Famer Ty Cobb, since the Athletics team has already been connected. I'll give Wally Pipp his due.

II) Pipp --> '27 Reds --> Si Johnson

Si is a connected player, so I have a link here. I could try to add some new teams by trying the other two guys above, but with all the old players I've had recently, I'm going to stop here.

1. Joe Lake played for the 1913 Detroit Tigers with Wally Pipp.
2. Wally Pipp played for the 1928 Cincinati Reds with Si Johnson.
3. Si Johnson played for the 1947 Boston Braves with Warren Spahn.
4. Warren Spahn played for the 1965 New York Mets with Ron Hunt.
5. Ron Hunt played for the 1974 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
6. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#133: Pat Ragan

Pat Ragan

I) Pat Ragan --> '23 Phillies --> Jimmie Wilson

II) Wilson --> '40 Reds --> Eddie Joost
      III) Joost --> '55 Red Sox --> Bill Henry

Bill Henry has been connected before. I have my list.

1. Pat Ragan played for the 1923 Philadelphia Phillies with Jimmie Wilson.
2. Jimmie Wilson played for the 1940 Cincinati Reds with Eddie Joost.
3. Eddie Joost played for the 1955 Boston Red Sox with Bill Henry.
4. Bill Henry played for the 1969 Houston Astros with John Mayberry.
5. John Mayberry played for the 1979 Toronto Blue Jays with Rick Cerone.
6. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#118: Ben Dyer

Ben Dyer

How funny, my last post compiled a list of absent years on my Connected Teams table, and now for I get to hopefully cross another year off that list.

I) Ben Dyer --> '19 Tigers --> Harry Heilmann

II) Heilmann --> '32 Reds --> Ernie Lombardi, Si Johnson

I don't have any 1932 teams either!

      III) Lombardi --> '47 New York Giants
      III) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves

I have the '47 Giants team already connected, so lets see where the '47 Braves can take us.

      III) Johnson --> '47 Boston Braves --> Warren Spahn

I've used Spahn before, so this is as far as I need to go!

1. Ben Dyer played for the 1919 Detroit Tigers with Harry Heilmann.
2. Harry Heilmann played for the 1932 Cincinati Reds with Si Johnson.
3. Si Johnson played for the 1947 Boston Braves with Warren Spahn.
4. Warren Spahn played for the 1965 New York Mets with Ron Hunt.
5. Ron Hunt played for the 1974 Montreal Expos with Gary Carter.
6. Gary Carter played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 6

#113: Mike Bell

Mike Bell

Mike Bell is a third generation baseball player. He's got one team to his name.

I) Mike Bell --> 2000 Reds --> Ken Griffey Jr., Norm Charlton

Two players I've already connected, but I going for a more direct link here.

I) Mike Bell --> 2000 Reds --> Benito Santiago, Sean Casey, Pokey Reese, Dmitri Young, Michael Tucker, Alex Ochoa, Manny Aybar, Scott Sullivan, Dennys Reyes

II) Casey/Young --> 2006 Detroit Tigers
II) Ochoa --> 2002 Milwaukee Brewers
II) Reese/Reyes --> 2003 Pittsburgh Pirates
II) Aybar/Tucker --> 2001 Chicago Cubs
II) Reyes/Santiago/Sullivan --> 2004 Kansas City Royals

Good grief! It's a Matt Stairs alumni reunion! So far I have yet to document Stair's time with the Brewers, so this makes picking a winner easy.

1. Mike Bell played for the 2000 Cincinati Reds with Alex Ochoa.
2. Alex Ochoa played for the 2002 Milwaukee Brewers with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 2

#85: Hal Goldsmith

Hal Goldsmith

Goldsmith last played for the '29 Browns, which I've already connected. I'm going to take the year before and see if I can connect a new team.

I) Hal Goldsmith --> '28 Braves --> Johnny Cooney, Clay Touchstone

II) Cooney --> '44 Dodgers
II) Cooney --> '44 Yankees
II) Touchstone --> '45 White Sox

Cooney popped up 2 days ago in one of our chains.

II) Cooney --> '44 Dodgers --> Gene Mauch, Eddie Miksis
      III) Mauch --> '57 Red Sox
      III) Miksis --> '58 Orioles
      III) Miksis --> '58 Reds

We've already connected Mauch, so I know I can complete that link in 6 steps. However, I'm able to connect the '29 Browns in only 5 steps. Anything greater would just be taking a longer route. Miksis may be a possibility though.

      III) Miksis --> '58 Orioles --> Brooks Robinson

That'll get me to Stairs in 5 degrees. I'll give the Reds team a shot just to see if I can add a few more teams.

      III) Miksis --> '58 Reds --> Frank Robinson

Yep, Frank will get me there too. It looks like 5 degrees is the best I can hope for, so I'll end here.

1. Hal Goldsmith played for the 1928 Boston Braves with Johnny Cooney.
2. Johnny Cooney played for the 1944 Brooklyn Dodgers with Eddie Miksis.
3. Eddie Miksis played for the 1958 Cincinnati Reds with Frank Robinson.
4. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
5. Rick Cerone playedfor the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5

#50: Tim McNamara

Tim McNamara

I) Tim McNamara --> '26 Giants

The '24 Giants are on my Connected Teams list, and the connecting player, Freddie Lindstrom played on the '26 team as well.

I) Tim McNamara --> '26 Giants --> Freddie Lindstrom, Ty Tyson, Grover Hartley

It's like a 6 Degrees reunion! Yet, neither of these players lasted the longest. That honor goes to a Hall of Famer who debuted with the '26 Giants:

I) Tim McNamara --> '26 Giants --> Mel Ott

II) Ott --> '47 Giants

One of the greats things about this era was that there were only 16 teams at the time. That makes for a lot of repetition. Although, the '47 Giants aren't on my table yet, the '46 Giants are, so I can easily use Bobby Thompson and complete my chain. It'd be a safe assumption that he'd be the longest lasting player. Still I'll double check the roster.

II) Ott --> '47 Giants --> Bobby Thompson, Whitey Lockman
      III) Thompson --> '60 Orioles
      III) Thompson --> '60 Red Sox
      III) Lockman --> '60 Reds

Thompson still reigns, but he has company. Lockman for some reason played in '45 and '47 but somehow missed playing in '46. Still, he lasted as long as Thompson, so that's one more possibility. I had to go back and find the Thompson link again. (Note to self - it may be beneficial to amend the Connecting Teams table to show where the chain was used.) Anyway, it turns out I never tested the '60 Red Sox link, so that may be worth trying too. If I follow the Orioles path, I'll have the chain completed in 5 degrees. if the Reds or Red Sox paths can equal that, they'd be worth adding.

      III) Thompson --> '60 Red Sox --> Earl Wilson, Al Worthington, Gary Geiger, Jim Pagliaroni
              IV) Wilson --> '70 Tigers
              IV) Wilson --> '70 Padres
              IV) Geiger --> '70 Astros
              IV) Pagliaroni --> '69 Athletics
              IV) Pagliaroni --> '69 Pilots
              IV) Worthington --> '69 Twins

I only get 10 years out of the Red Sox path, not nearly enough to make it worthwhile.

      III) Lockman --> '60 Reds --> Frank Robinson, Vida Pinson, Leo Cardenas, Orlando Pena, Claude Osteen
              IV) Robinson --> '76 Indians
              IV) Osteen --> '75 White Sox
              IV) Pena --> '75 Angels
              IV) Cardenas --> '75 Rangers
              IV) Pinson --> '75 Royals

Yeah, that will work. I didn't need to go any further than Robinson though. I'm ready.

1. Tim McNamara played for the 1926 New York Giants with Mel Ott.
2. Mel Ott played for the 1947 New York Giants with Whitey Lockman.
3. Whitey Lockman played for the 1960 Cincinati Reds with Frank Robinson.
4. Frank Robinson played for the 1976 Cleveland Indians with Rick Cerone.
5. Rick Cerone played for the 1992 Montreal Expos with Matt Stairs!

Degrees of Matt Stairs: 5