May 2011
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 31, 1943
On May 31, 1943, Chuck Workman (Cedar Rapids Raiders – 1940) went 3-5 at the plate with a homerun, two RBI and scored three runs in the Boston Braves 6-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field.
Chuck Workman hit .242 with 50 HR and 250 RBI during his six seasons in Major League baseball playing for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Braves and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chuck Workman hit .320 with 29 HR for the 1940 Cedar Rapids Raiders. The Raiders finished with a record of 74-51 under manager Ollie Marquardt. The 1940 squad took the Three-I League Championship defeating Springfield (3-0) in the opening round of the playoffs and then taking down Decatur (3-1) in the championship series.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 30, 1934
On May 30, 1934, Hal Trosky, Sr. (Cedar Rapids Bunnies – 1931) was 3-4 at the plate with three HR and four RBI as the Cleveland Indians topped the Chicago White Sox 5-4 at League Park.
Hal Trosky played 11 season for the Indians and the White Sox. The Norway, IA native posted a career batting average of .302 with 228 home runs and 1012 RBI.
Trosky was part of the 1931 Cedar Rapids Bunnies squad that finished 2nd in the Mississippi Valley League with a mark of 74-52 under manager Paul Speraw. Hal hit .302 with three home runs in 164 at bats as an 18 year old.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 29, 1947
On May 29, 1947, Red Embree (Cedar Rapids Raiders – 1940) led the Cleveland Indians to a 4-1 win over the Detroit Tigers at Briggs Stadium with a complete game pitching performance. Embree struck out four while allowing one run, two walks and four hits.
Red Embree posted a 31-48 record with a 3.72 ERA during his 8 year MLB career pitching for the Cleveland Indians, the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Browns.
Red Embree was 8-3 with a 4.67 ERA during his 16 games with the 1940 Cedar Rapids Raiders. The Raiders finished with a record of 74-51 under manager Ollie Marquardt. The 1940 squad took the Three-I League Championship defeating Springfield (3-0) in the opening round of the playoffs and then taking down Decatur (3-1) in the championship series.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 28, 1973
On May 28, 1973, Clyde Mashore (Cedar Rapids Red Raiders – 1964) pinch hit in the 9th inning and connected for a three-run homerun off of Gary Ross as the Montreal Expos defeated the San Diego Padres 7-6 at San Diego Stadium. Future Angels General Manager Bill Stoneman came on to earn the save for the Expos.
Clyde Mashore hit .208 with 8 HR and 47 RBI during his five seasons playing for the Reds and the Expos. His son Damon Mashore also played in the majors and was the Kernels hitting coach during the 2007 season.
Clyde Mashore hit .233 with 4 HR and 31 RBI for the 1964 Cedar Rapids Red Raiders. The Red Raiders finished with a mark of 51-69 under manager Rollie Hemsley.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 27, 1958
On May 27, 1958, Billy Harrell (Cedar Rapids Indians – 1952) was 2-3 at the plate with a HR, two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of walk in the Cleveland Indians 7-6 win over the Baltimore Orioles at Cleveland Stadium.
Billy Harrell played baseball in the Negro Leagues for the 1951 Birmingham Barons, then went on a short stint playing basketball for the 1951-52 Saratoga Harlem Yankees (ABL). Harrell signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1952. He made his MLB debut on September 2, 1955 and went on to hit .231 with 8 HR and 26 RBI during his four season MLB career playing for the Indians and Red Sox.
Billy Harrell was part of the 1952 Cedar Rapids Indians team that finished in 8th with a record of 53-71 under manager Jimmy Bloodworth. Harrell hit .325 with 5 HR and 16 doubles in 55 games for Cedar Rapids that season.
Billy Harrell’s jersey (#10) was the first to be retired by Siena College. Harrell led the 1949-50 Indians to a 27-5 mark and the National Catholic Invitational Tournament Championship. He led the team with 311 points and grabbed a school record 387 rebounds that stood until this past season (2010-11). “The Flash” was a United Press Honorable Mention All-American as a senior in 1952.
Position players earning wins as pitchers
Wilson Valdez shifted over from second base and wound up as the winning pitcher last night when the Phillies needed 19 innings to outlast Reds 5-4. Valdez (1-0) became the first position player to become a winning pitcher since Colorado catcher Brent Mayne accomplished the feat on August 22, 2000, STATS LLC said. Mayne went one inning in a 7-6 victory over Atlanta in 12 innings.
Former Cedar Rapids Indians alum Rocky Colavito (1952) still holds the honor of being the last American League position player to earn a win. Colavito pitched and won a game for the New York Yankees. In the first game of an August 25, 1968 doubleheader in Yankee Stadium, Colavito was the winning pitcher in a 6-5 Yankee triumph over the Tigers. Colavito entered the game in the fourth inning, relieving starter Steve Barber. In 2 2/3 innings of work, Colavito allowed no runs on 1 hit, struck out one Tiger batter and walked two. He was the last non-pitcher to win a major league game until catcher Brent Mayne won a game for the Colorado Rockies in 2000 and now Wilson Valdez has replaced Mayne.
Colavito actually made one previous appearance on the mound. On August 13, 1958, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers, Colavito closed the game for the Cleveland Indians with three scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Colavito struck out one batter and walked three. The Indians lost the game 3-2, but Colavito did not figure in the decision.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 26, 2005
On May 26, 2005, Dallas McPherson (Cedar Rapids Kernels – 2002) went 1-3 with a HR, two RBI and a run scored as the Angels defeated the Chicago White Sox 3-2. It would be the first of three straight days McPherson would hit a HR for the Angels.
Dallas McPherson has hit .245 with 18 HR and 45 RBI entering the 2011 season playing for the Angels and Marlins. He was recently recalled by the Chicago White Sox and has gone 2-11 with a run scored in 7 games in 2011.
Dallas McPherson was part of the 2002 Kernels team that finished 3rd with a mark of 81-58 under manager Todd Claus. The 2002 team swept Quad Cities in the opening round of the playoffs before falling to Peoria in the second round. McPherson hit .277 with 15 HR, 88 RBI and stole 30 bases in 132 games for the Kernels.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 25, 1962
On May 25, 1962, Tommie Aaron (Cedar Rapids Braves – 1960) went 4-5 with three doubles, scored two runs and walked in the Milwaukee Braves 11-8 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Tommie Aaron, the brother of Hank Aaron, hit .229 with 13 HR and 94 RBI during his seven season career with the Braves.
Tommie Aaron was part of the 1960 Cedar Rapids Braves team that went 71-69 to finish in fourth under manager Jimmy Brown. Aaron led the team with a .299 batting average and hit 20 home runs to go along with 88 RBI that season.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 24, 1991
On May 24, 1991, Chili Davis (Cedar Rapids Giants – 1978) went 4-4 at the plate with a double, two RBI and a run scored in the Minnesota Twins 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals.
Chili Davis, a three-time all-star, finished his career with a .274 batting average, 350 HR and 1372 RBI during his 19 year career with the Giants, Angels, Royals and Yankees.
Chili Davis was a member of the 1978 Cedar Rapids Giants team that finished 53-82 under manager Jack Mull. Davis hit .281 with 16 HR and 73 RBI in 124 games for the Cedar Rapids Giants.
This date in Kernels alumni history – May 23, 1947
On May 23, 1947, Allie Reynolds (Cedar Rapids Raiders – 1941) pitched a complete game shutout with a two-hitter leading the New York Yankees to a 9-0 win over the Boston Red Sox. Reynolds struck out four while walking four in the game.
Allie Reynolds finished his 13 year career playing for the Indians and the Yankees with a 182-107 mark and tallied 49 saves and posting a 3.30 ERA.
Reynolds was part of the 1940 and 1941 Cedar Rapids Raiders teams. The 1940 Raiders squad finished 74-51. Cedar Rapids defeated Springfield (3-0) in the opening round and the topped Decatur (3-1) to win the Three-I League championship. Allie Reynolds posted a 12-7 record and a 3.59 ERA in 1940.
The 1941 Raiders finished 72-49 under manager Ollie Marquardt. Cedar Rapids defeated Springfield (3-1) in the opening round of the playoffs and then topped Decater (3-2) in a five game series for the Three-I League Championship. Allie Reynolds went 10-10 with a 4.63 ERA in 1941.
Seth Dohrn
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