Final Card: Chuck Essegian

This is the final card for Chuck Essegian (#153). Chuck played for 6 teams in his 6-year career. (I wonder if he ever unpacked?)

Chuck began his career in 1953, playing for various unaffiliated minor-league teams for 4 seasons, until he was drafted by the Cardinals in December 1956. They must have had 2nd thoughts, as he was released the following day.

Essegian was picked up by the Phillies in March 1957, and played all season in their farm system with the Schenectady Blue Jays (A) and Miami Marlins (AAA). Chuck made his major-league debut with the Phillies in April 1958. He played 39 games with the Phillies that season, but spent most of the year back in Miami.

After the 1958 season he was traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Ruben Amaro Sr. Chuck didn't have time to settle in, as he was traded to the Dodgers in June. He played for 4 teams in 1959: Cardinals, Dodgers, and the AAA teams for both clubs.

Essegian finally avoided the minors beginning in 1960. He spent the entire season with the Dodgers, although only appearing in 52 games. The Orioles purchased him before the 1961 season, but after only 1 game he was traded to the Athletics (with pitcher Jerry Walker) for pitcher Dick Hall and (future manager) Dick Williams.

Chuck's stay with the Athletics lasted 3 weeks, until he was sold to the Indians in early May. He was the backup at all 3 outfield positions in 1961, but made 85 starts in left field in 1962, sharing the position with Al Luplow.

1963 would be Chuck's last season in the majors. He was traded back to the Athletics (again for pitcher Jerry Walker) and made 51 starts in left field for KC (none after July 21st), finally losing his job to Manny Jimenez and rookie Ken Harrelson.

Essegian played in Japan for the 1964 season.

Jim Umbricht (#99)

Jim Umbricht was a relief pitcher in the early 1960s with the Pirates and Houston Colt .45s.

He began his pro career in 1953, playing for unaffiliated teams in '53 and '56 (missing 2 seasons in the military). After the 1956 season, he was sold to the Milwaukee Braves. After 2 seasons in the Braves' system, Jim was traded to the Pirates, making his major-league debut in September 1959.

After 2 more seasons bouncing between the Pirates and the minor leagues, Umbricht was selected by Houston in the expansion draft, and spent 2 seasons in their bullpen.

 
The 1963 season was his last, as at the start of spring training he was diagnosed with melanoma. After surgery in March to remove a tumor, he made it back to the active roster for opening day, and pitched the entire season for the Colts. His situation helped to raise awareness of the disease. Umbricht compiled a 4-3 record over 76 innings in 1963.

His health deteriorated soon after the season ended, and the team released him in December. After being in and out of hospitals for much of the winter, he finally passed away at age 33 on the day before the 1964 season. Jim's body was cremated, and his ashes spread over the construction site for the Astrodome. The Astros retired his number in 1965.


 [The Astros' relatively brief history seems to be filled with tragedies. After Jim Umbricht, ex-Astros' outfielder Walt Bond died of leukemia in 1967, a few months after playing for the Twins; pitcher Don Wilson died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the off-season before the 1975 season; J.R Richard suffered a stroke just prior to a game in 1980; and more recently, ex-Astros pitcher Darryl Kile died while a member of the Cardinals.]

Dallas Green (#91)

Here's Phillies' pitcher/lifer Dallas Green.

Green was signed by the Phillies in 1955 and pitched in the minors for 5 1/2 seasons before making his major-league debut in June 1960. Dallas was a spot starter/reliever for the Phillies for the next 3 1/2 seasons. In the Phillies' near-miss 1964 season, Green split his time between the Phillies and their AAA team in Little Rock, Arkansas. 

 

Green was sold to the Senators at the start of the 1965 season, but was returned a month later. He spent the remainder of that season, and most of the 1966 season with the Phillies' AAA team. In August 1966 Dallas was sold to the Mets, but once again returned to the Phillies after a month. His final season as a player was in 1967, where he split his time between Philadelphia and double-A Reading, before the Phillies released him in mid-September.

After his playing career, Green worked in the Phillies' farm system under Paul Owens. When Owens became the team's GM in 1972, Green moved up to Farm Director. Under Owens' and Green's watch, the Phillies developed Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Mike Schmidt, Bob Boone, and others. Dallas became the team's field manager when Danny Ozark was fired in 1979.

After leading (driving?) the team to their first World Series championship, Dallas moved on to the Cubs, as President and GM. After some high-profile stints managing the Mets and Yankees, he returned to the Phillies' organization as an adviser to the general manager.


Dallas Green's granddaughter was the young girl killed during the January 2011 shooting of a congresswoman in Tucson, Arizona.

Bob Veale (#87)

Today's card features Bob Veale, a starting pitcher for the Pirates during the 1960s, until finishing his career as a reliever with the Red Sox. Here we see him in his trademark glasses, about to enter his first full season in the majors.

Although Bob was overshadowed in a league with Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, and Ferguson Jenkins, he was the ace of the Pirates' staff from 1964 through 1970, and was among the league leaders in strikeouts in the mid-1960s.

Baseball-reference.com shows that Veale's minor-league stats also include 1958 (missing from the card). 

Veale was signed by the Pirates in 1958 and pitched 4 seasons in the minors before making his big-league debut in April 1962. He pitched in 11 games for the Pirates that season, while spending some time at triple-A Columbus.

His first full season with the Pirates was 1963, and by the next season, he had taken over the top spot in a rotation that also included veterans Vern Law and Bob Friend. Veale led the NL with 250 strikeouts in 1964, and in '65 struck out a career-high 276 batters. Unfortunately, that was only good enough for 2nd place behind Koufax' 382 strikeouts. His 18 wins in '64 were the most in his career, although he won in double figures every season from 1964 to 1970. Bob was also 3rd among NL pitchers in strikeouts during the '65 and '66 seasons.

By the time the Pirates made it to the World Series in 1971, Bob had moved to the bullpen. He made 37 relief appearances in his last full season with the Pirates, including 2/3 of an inning in the World Series against the Orioles.

After spending much of 1972 in triple-A, in September Veale was acquired by the Red Sox, and spent 2-plus seasons in their bullpen. He was released after a minor-league-filled 1974 season.

Jim Lemon (#369)

This is the final player card for Jim Lemon. He would re-appear in the 1968 and 1969 sets as the Senators' manager.

Lemon was signed by the Indians in 1948, and made his major-league debut in August 1950.  After 2 years in the military, he played for the Indians' AAA team in 1953, while also playing 16 games for Cleveland. In May 1954 he was sold to the Senators, and spent most of that season playing for class-A Charlotte, and 1955 at class-AA Chattanooga.

Jim finally gained full-season major-league status in 1956. He spent the next 6 seasons as a starting outfielder for the Senators (although by 1961, they would become the Minnesota Twins). After playing right field for 3 seasons, he moved to left field beginning in 1959. Lemon also made his only all-star appearance in 1960.

During his 5 seasons in Washington, Jim hit 27, 17, 26, 33, and 38 home runs. In 1961, he only hit 14 homers. After starting 118 games in 1961, he dropped off to only TWO starts in 1962, while missing most of the season due to injuries and ineffectiveness. His career quickly went downhill, as he went to the Phillies (May 1963) and the White Sox (June '63). The White Sox released him after the season, ending his career.

Lemon took over as Senators' manager in 1968 (when Gil Hodges went to the Mets). After finishing in 6th place the previous season, the Nats were dead last in 1968. As such, Lemon was canned and replaced by Ted Williams. Both Lemon and Williams have a manager's card in the 1969 set.