Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

Toronto Blue Jays starter Jim Clancy admitted his legs were shaking toward the end of this September 1982 game - as fans cheered more the deeper into the game he took his perfect game bid, he told The Associated Press later. He ultimately made it to the ninth inning, before he gave up a broken-bat bloop single that fell just out of the reach of his second baseman, The AP wrote . "It was a good pitch," Clancy told The AP . "It was a fastball in. It broke his bat, but I guess I didn't get it in good enough." Clancy flirted with perfection in that game in his sixth season in the majors. He went on to throw enough good pitches to see 15 major league campaigns , 12 as an original Blue Jay. Clancy's career began in 1974, taken by the Rangers in the fourth round of the draft out of St. Rita of Cascia High in Chicago. He started with the Rangers in the rookie Gulf Coast League. He then moved to single-A Anderson and AA San Antonio for 1976. He then moved to the...

After becoming a bona fide major league star by 1990, the Astros' Glenn Davis looked beyond his work as a baseball player and toward what he could do off the field, according to The Fort Worth Star-Telegram . He turned to kids, specifically building a home for underprivileged children in Columbus, Georgia, where he'd once played in the minors, having had a rough upbringing himself, The Star-Telegram wrote . "When I was younger, a lot of people held out their hand and helped," Davis told the Star-Telegram . "Where would I be without that? I don't know." Where he ended up was in a major league career that spanned a decade, slowed at the end by injury. Along the way, he hit 30 or more home runs three times and made the all-star team twice . Davis' career began in 1981, taken by the Astros in the first round of the January draft-secondary phase out of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota . Davis started with the Astros in the rookie Gulf Coast Le...

Young Jerry Reuss had only seen one big league outing by April 1970, the previous spring with St. Louis.  But St. Louis manager Red Schoendienst had seen enough to see big things in Reuss' future, according to The Tulsa World . "If Reuss doesn't hurt his arm, by the time he gets his control down he's going to be a great pitcher," Schoendienst told The World . "There aren't many guys around now who can hit his fastball." Reuss turned out to be great enough to stick around in the majors over more than two decades . He hit double digits in wins 12 times, made to All-Star teams and he even tossed a no-hitter. Reuss' career began in 1967, taken by the Cardinals in the second round of the draft out of Ritenour High in St. Louis . Reuss briefly made AAA Tulsa in 1967, then Tulsa again in 1969. He also got a one-game look at St. Louis.  He returned to St. Louis for 20 more outings in 1970 and 36 in 1971. He went 14-14 in 1971, with a 4.78 ERA. He the...

Twins roving hitting instructor Jim Lemon worked with the organization's minor leaguers on improving their hitting, something he knew was no easy task, he told The Fresno Bee in April 1987. "There are so many intangibles to hitting," Lemon told The Bee then.  "Everyone has to do the basic things to be successful, and that's what we try to teach.  But hitting is such an individual thing." Lemon hit years earlier, enough to see time in 12 major league seasons . From 1956 to 1961, he was also a regular for the Washington-Minnesota franchise, hitting 164 total home runs over his career.  He then went on to a career as a coach and instructor  and even, briefly, as a major league manager. Lemon's long career in baseball began in 1948, signed by the Indians out of Covington High School in Virginia. Lemon started with the Indians at Class C Pittsfield and Class D Bloomingdale. He made Class B Harrisburg in 1949, then AA Oklahoma City and Cleveland in 1950. ...

It took Damian Miller a little longer than he'd hoped to be drafted in June 1990. But he was just happy to start his career, he told told The La Crosse Tribune then. "Waiting for the call was kind of long and frustrating," Miller told The Tribune , "but I hope it'll pay off in the end." For Miller, it did pay off, though after another long wait. He'd go on to make the majors in his eighth pro season, then stay in the bigs for more than a decade. He'd also become an all star and win a World Series with Arizona. Miller's career began that June in 1990, taken by the Twins in the 20th round of the draft out of Viterbo University in Wisconsin. Miller started with the Twins at rookie Elizabethton . He hit a home run in his second professional at bat second professional at bat . He made single-A Kenosha for 1991, then high-A Fort Myers and, briefly, AA Nashville in 1993. Miller made AAA Salt Lake in 1995. Then, in August 2997, he made Minnesota. H...

The Reds had had their eye on young catcher and Minnesota product Dan Wilson for a while, one scout told The Minneapolis Star Tribune ahead of the 1990 draft. In fact, they'd known about him - and wanted him- for six years . "I've had an eye on this kid since he was a 15-year-old high school freshman," scout Bill Clark told The Star Tribune . "I was working with the Cincinnati Reds, and he showed up uninvited at my tryout camp. He was amazing." The scout's assessment proved every bit correct and the Reds eventually did take Wilson. Wilson then went on to not only make the majors, but see 14 seasons , 12 with the Mariners. Wilson's career began that year in 1990,  in the first round of the draft, seventh overall, out of the University of Minnesota. Wilson started with the Reds at single-A Charleston . He saw 32 games and hit .248. He then saw Charleston and AA Chattanooga for 1991. For 1992, he saw AAA Nashville - and made Cincinnati. He debuted wi...

Brewers manager Phil Garner expressed confidence in the team's young first base prospect John Jaha in 1993, enough so to hand him the team's starting first baseman job, The La Crosse Tribune wrote . "We like the kid," Garner told The Tribune , "and felt it was just a matter of time before he was going to be playing (full-time) anyway. He's got a real solid future." Jaha's future included time spent in 10 major league seasons, seven of those with the Brewers. It also included an all-star selection, in 1999 with the Athletics. Jaha's career began in 1984, taken by the Brewers in the 14th round of the draft out of Douglas High School in Portland Ore. Jaha started with the Brewers in 1985, at rookie Helena . He made single-A Beloit in 1987 and high-A Stockton in 1990. His 1990 season proved abbreviated due to an early knee injury , one of multiple injuries he'd have through his career. "Basically, I just wrote off last year," Jaha to...

Young Angels farmhand Jim Edmonds described life in the minor leagues, and the transition from high school to pro ball to The Moline Dispatch in May 1989. Edmonds had been taken by the Angels in the seventh round of the draft out of Diamond Bar High School in California and played 1989 at single-A Quad City . "It's been getting much better, but it's been a struggle to adjust to what professional baseball is all about," Edmonds told The Dispatch then. "It was a big-time change from being on top at the high school level to facing everyone equal or better at this level." Edmonds eventually fully adjusted - and went on to a long career in the game that continues into 2024. His playing career saw him play in the major leagues over 17 seasons , make All-Star games and the World Series. He's since become a broadcaster. Edmonds' career began that year in 1988, taken by the Angels out of Diamond Bar. Edmonds started with the Angels at short-season Bend. H...

After picking up the long save in the decisive Game 6 of the 1981 World Series, Dodgers pitcher Steve Howe celebrated with champagne with his teammates - and pointed to the club's veterans, according to The Allentown Morning Call . "They worked their a---- off for 10 years for tonight," Howe told The Morning Call after the win. "I hope someday some young player like myself can say that for me and the other young players who will be the Garveys, Lopeses, Ceys and Russells of the future." For the second-year player Howe, though, his career wouldn't be like those other players. While he would still be playing a decade from then, his career would devolve into a series of substance abuse violations, suspensions and second chances.  He would ultimately see time in 12 seasons , but his career would also end in boos. A decade after that, he would lose his life in a drug-connected crash. Howe's career began in 1979, taken by the Dodgers in the first round of t...

As he geared up for a new season with his new team in early April 1997, Kenny Lofton explained his game to The Atlanta Constitution . He was the type of player, he told The Constitution , who was going to go out there and give 110 percent each day. "A lot of times, I play when I'm hurt. I feel my presence there is needed," Lofton told The Constitution . "If I can't do it offensively, I'll do it defensively. I feel if I can't help you one way, I'll help you another." Lofton, a veteran of three previous All-Star games with the Indians, went out there and made another one that year with the Braves in 1997. He then saw two more in a career that spanned 17 major league seasons . Throughout, he used his speed, ending with 622 stolen bases , good for  15th all time. Lofton's career began in 1988, taken by the Astros in the 17th round of the draft out of the University of Arizona . Lofton started with the Astros at short-season Auburn . He made sin...

Todd Jones had some control problems his final year of college at Jacksonville State, The Atlanta Journal wrote in June 1989. His body of work, though, still got him selected late in the first round. "I had a real up-and-down year," Jones told The Journal after his selection. "But professional scouts look more to what you are going to be able to do than what your statistics are." For Jones, what he was able to do turned out not only to make the majors, but remain there for 16 seasons . He also became among the top closers in the game. Jones' career began that year in 1989, taken by the Astros 27th overall out of Jacksonville State . Jones started at short-season Auburn. He made high-A Osceola for 1990, then AA Jackson for 1991 and AAA Tucson and then Houston in 1993. "I wasn't expecting this at all," Jones told The Atlanta Constitution after his callup in July. "I was kind of walking on air. But it's starting to sink in now." J...

Jack Billingham 's major league career was almost over before it began, the minor leaguer engaged and frustrated at his progress, he told The Associated Press in 1972. Billingham responded by demanding the organization give him a $50 a month raise and getting him out of Santa Barbara, he told The AP . "It was a week or so later when a Santa Barbara club official telephoned me and said 'I hate to tell you this but you're going to St. Petersburg," Billingham told The AP . "And I got the 50 bucks a month, too. It was all uphill from there." Billingham continued on and he eventually made the majors over 13 seasons, winning 10 or more games over 10 of those campaigns. He won 19 games twice. He also later became a coach. But Billingham is perhaps most remembered for a pitch where he gave up a home run - Hank Aaron's 714th. Billingham's career began in 1961, signed by the Dodgers out of Winter Park High School in Florida. Billingham started at Clas...

Brian Giles made the majors with the Indians over four seasons and he did well enough. After a trade to the Pirates in 1999, his playing time expanded and his batting average increased with it, The Associated Press wrote . "I always thought I could produce if I played every day, but there are always doubters until you do it," Giles told The AP after signing a lucrative deal with the Pirates in 2000. "I always thought I had the talent to do it." Giles' move to the Pirates started five seasons where he hit at least .298 and saw two all-star teams. Overall, Giles saw 15 seasons in the majors, with the Indians, Pirates and Padres. Giles' career began in 1989, taken by the Indians in the 17th round of the draft out of Granite Hills High School in California. Giles started with the Indians at rookie Burlington. He made short-season Watertown in 1990, then High A Kinston in 1991 and AA Canton-Akron briefly in 1992 and full-time in 1993. In late-April 1993, Gil...

Deep into his two-decade-long career, there was still something Arthur Rhodes hadn't done by 2011. He hadn't played in a World Series. That October, with the Cardinals, he took care of that and soon got the Rangers' Josh Hamilton to fly out, The Associated Press wrote . "I took it in when the national anthem was going on," Rhodes told The AP after Game 1. "And once I went in the game, it started to hit me more." He went on to see three appearances over the series as his Cardinals took the title. That season - at age 41 - marked the last of his long career. In all, he saw time in 20 big league campaigns and made an All-Star team along the way. Rhodes' long career in baseball began in 1988, taken by the Orioles in the second round of the draft out of La Vega High School in Texas. He was also credited as Art Rhodes. Rhodes started with the Orioles at rookie Bluefield. He moved to short-season Erie and single-A Frederick in 1989. He them made AA Hag...