John Graves, Save Earned - 23

-
Read the April 2016 interview: John Graves, That Chance

Originally published May 31, 2014
John Graves earned the save on this night in April 1990.

He worked the eighth and ninth innings for single-A Gastonia. He gave up a single hit and no runs, preserving a 5-4 Gastonia win, according to The Sumter Item.

Graves saved that game in his second season as a pro. It would also be his final season as a pro. He didn't return for a third.

Graves' brief career began in 1989, taken by the Rangers in the 39th round of the draft out of Oklahoma City University in Oklahoma.

Graves started with the Rangers at rookie Butte. In 26 appearances, one start, he went 4-3, with a 2.96 ERA. He also saved four games. In a July game for Butte, Graves helped finish off a shutout, Butte beating Salt Lake 5-0.

Graves moved to Gastonia for 1990. That May, he and his teammates had to deal with the passing of fellow relief pitcher Ronaldo Romero.

"I've lost a good friend, but God has his ways of dealing with things," Graves told The Oklahoman after Romero's passing. "I guess it was just his time to go see Him."

In 33 relief outings that year, Graves went 3-5 and had a good 2.01 ERA. He also saved 14. Despite the numbers, it was Graves' final season as a pro.

Read the April 2016 interview: John Graves, That Chance

Browse By:

-Player Name
-Player Team
-Date Featured

Players A to Z

Popular posts from this blog

A to Z: 1990 Minor League Players, Baseball Profiles

-
Image
What happened to your favorite minor league team in 1990? Find out here. Since late 2009, the players of 1990 have been featured at Greatest21Days.com, one at a time. Here, they've been ordered here alphabetically.  Every player has a story. With the help of contemporaneous newspaper articles, find that story here. Most recent players added Dec. 1, 2024 List of 1990 minor league players featured, in alphabetical order: Total: 4,457 A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z A  -  Bill Abare  got big hit at Dunedin, saw three pro seasons , 10/31/13  -  Glenn Abbott  saw bigs over decade, later turned coach , 7/27/14  -  Kurt Abbott 's first ML hit went for homer, saw 9 seasons , 3/22/15  -  Kyle Abbott  saw time in four major league seasons, Japan , 10/4/17  -  Paul Abbott  returned from injuries, made 11 ML seasons , 5/23/11...
Read more

T.J. Lucin hoped to be FMLBBP, saw 2 seasons, single-A

-
Image
T.J. Lucin 's main goal was so ingrained in his playing that he wrote it on each piece of equipment he had - "FMLBBP," The Berwyn Life wrote upon his selection by the Astros in the 1989 draft. The abbreviation stood for "future major league baseball player," The Life wrote . "It's something I've always dreamed of," Lucin told The Life . "In the past, I've done it, but I wasn't so outward about it." Lucin took a big step toward that goal with his selection that June. But he couldn't sustain his momentum. Lucin ended up playing two seasons . He topped out at single-A. Lucin's career began that June, taken by the Astros in the 21st round of the draft out of Morton College in Illinois. Lucin was also credited by his given first name, Anthony Lucin. Lucin arrived at Morton after transferring from Pima Community College in Arizona, as the team needed a catcher. He homered in a May 1989 game for Morton. As Morton prepared...
Read more

Bryan Foster improved enough for 5 pro seasons, high-A

-
Image
Newly minted Brewers minor leaguer Bryan Foster got limited playing time early at rookie Helena in 1986, but the Indianapolis-area product looked past that, he told The Indianapolis Star that July. "I'm learning an awful lot," Foster told The Star then. "It's disappointing that I don't get to play more, but I'm improving. Just working out every day, taking infield practice and B.P. helps." Foster eventually improved enough to make five pro seasons with the Brewers and Astros . He topped out a high-A. Foster's career began in 1986, taken by the Brewers in the eighth round of the draft out of North Central High School in Indianapolis. At North Central, Foster drew high praise from his coach Tom Bradley the month before the draft, as the coach told The Star of the college and professional scouts watching him. "He's the most outstanding shortstop in the state," Bradley told The Star . "He is an all-around ball player. He is e...
Read more

Mike Frauenhoffer helped his college to three NAIA World Series appearances; Saw single pro season

-
Image
The 1990 season underway, The Great Falls Tribune asked the rookie league Dodgers, including Mike Frauenhoffer , about their greatest thrill. Frauenhoffer looked to his college accomplishments for his: "Three NAIA World Series appearances," his Tribune entry read . While he appeared in those three series for the College of St. Francis, Frauenhoffer's professional appearances proved limited. He played that one season at Great Falls and got into 41 games , marking the extent of his pro career. Frauenhoffer's pro career began and ended that year in 1990, signed by the Dodgers out of the the College of St. Francis in Illinois. At St. Francis, Frauenhoffer helped his school to those NAIA appearances and helped them in the appearances.  He hit .375 in 1989 and helped eliminate IUPUI with an 11th inning single. In the 1990 tournament, he led the field with 20 assists. He also knocked in two runs in one series win and three in another off a tripl...
Read more

Interview Part 1: Chad Swanson, Good Pitches

-
Image
Chad Swanson gave up his first professional home run at Beloit's Pohlman Field in 1987. Photo is of Pohlman in 2014. (Greatest 21 Days) Part 1: Good Pitches | Part 2: Midwest Kid The pitch was probably four inches off the plate and about six off the ground. Throwing it was new Kenosha Twin Chad Swanson , who was just starting his professional career. The player he was facing: Future major leaguer and then-Beloit Brewer Greg Vaughn . "He swung, let go with his right hand and hit it out to the opposite field," Swanson recalled recently to The Greatest 21 Days. "I thought if I give up home runs on pitches like that, I better never throw a strike," Swanson added laughing. He went on to throw enough good pitches for a professional career that spanned four seasons. He never saw AA, but he did see The Chicago Tribune. Swanson made The Tribune for a prank he and a teammate pulled on two umpires, locking the umps in their hotel room using nothing but...
Read more

Vince Bradford played 2 pro baseball seasons, then football

-
Image
Vince Bradford played his first two professional seasons and looked around. The outfielder saw himself behind his teammates. He also saw himself moving to a different sport, football, according to The Tulsa World . "I think I was just a little bit behind and I realized that I couldn't catch up," Bradford told The World in September 1996. "I realized it would be better for me to stop playing baseball and come back to football, which I think I was better at." Bradford returned to football and to college, going to the University of Arkansas to play linebacker. Bradford went on to play football in Europe. He never saw the majors - or the NFL. Bradford's career began in 1990, taken by the Tigers in the third round of the draft out of Malvern High School in Arkansas. Bradford was also credited by his formal name, Vincent Bradford. Coming out of Malvern, Bradford gained enough attention to be thought of as a first-round pick. His football interest -...
Read more

Ed Quijada played 7 seasons, later paralyzed in crash

-
Image
Ed Quijada worked in 1991 to make the transition as smooth as possible, and have success . Quijada had played the last three seasons as an infielder. Now, in 1991, he was a pitcher . "It was tough," Quijada told The Houston Chronicle that August. "There was a lot of pressure on me coming out of the bullpen with the game on the line. The hardest thing for me was getting rid of the butterflies." Quijada never did make the majors, playing that year and parts of three more in the minors. He threw his last pitch after a return in 1997. More recently, though, Quijada has been trying to make the best of another transition, a life altering one . It's a transition forced by a 2009 car accident, one that left Quijada paralyzed from the neck down . In the months and years since, Quijada has been working to regain as much function as possible, as well as being a father to his kids and husband to his wife, according to a series of YouTube interviews . "F...
Read more