May 30, 2014 Jerry Bell

In another installment of "The Friends of Ray Peters" ( teammates and friends of the former Brewers' pitcher) we have.....

Jerry Bell
Mr Bell was originally drafted by the Seattle Pilots in the second round of the 1969 Amateur Draft. He made his debut in 1971 and had a 2-1 record. In 1972 he was a relief pitcher appearing in 25 games and finishing with a 5-1 record. In 1973 Jerry was a starting pitcher in 25 games and finished at 9-9.

Jerry mentioned to Ray that he had 3 cards but he shared his rookie card with 2 other players and his 1973 and 74 cards used the same picture so I made up 8 new cards using images I had plus ones supplied by Keith Olbermann.

May 24, 2014 Steve Cox

Got one return today and it came about in a round about way.....

Steve Cox
was a first baseman who played for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 1999 to 2002. Usually I prefer making cards and mailing to older players from the 1950s, 60s and 70s but I made some cards of Mr Cox after the wife of a "Friends of Ray Peters" teammate said their daughter was "married to a pro ballplayer" and the player turned out to be Steve Cox. She agreed to get the cards signed for me...Thanks Julie.

May 4, 2014 Mike Swain and Buzz Stephen

And in another installment of "The Friends of Ray Peters"........

Buzz Stephen
was a teammate of  Ray's with the Jacksonville Suns and the Portland Beavers in 1970 as they were both in the Seattle Pilots organization. Mr Stephen pitched in two games in the majors with the Minnesota Twins in 1967 with a 1-1 record. He was then selected by the Seattle Pilots in the 1968 Expansion Draft.

Mike Swain
was a teammate of Ray's in 1969 with the Pilots' Instructional League team and in Clinton in the Midwest League.  He went to Ohio State and was a pitcher on the 1966 NCAA Championship team and was also a member of the basketball team that went to the 1968 Final Four before losing to North Carolina.

May 3, 2014 Pro Football HOFer John Hannah

Got my Patriots HOF customs back from a public signing by HOFer John Hannah who was at Doug Keating's Manfield, MA show last weekend.

John Hannah
played guard for the New England Patriots from 1973 to 1985 after playing for Bear Bryant at Alabama. He made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991

April 19, 2014 Larry Wallin "Friend of Ray Peters"

Another return from a former teammate of Ray Peters, 1970 Brewers pitcher.....

Larry Wallin
was a teammate of Ray's with the Portland Beavers in 1970. He was a catcher who signed with the New York Mets in 1965 and caught Nolan Ryan as a rookie with the Marion Mets. Though he never made the major leagues, he came close....

This is an excerpt from a newspaper article from 2011 in the Star Tribune about senior baseball

"Larry Wallin grew up in Spring Lake Park. A big, strong catcher, he signed with the Mets in 1965, went to the organization's rookie team and found himself catching a guy named Nolan Ryan.
"I've never seen a guy throw like that," he said. "He scared the hell out of me in the bullpen."
       Wallin came one injury away from a shot at a cup of big-league coffee. It was 1971 and he was in the Cleveland organization, playing at Class AAA Wichita. Indians catcher Ray Fosse got hurt, but Wallin wasn't available.
      "Two days before Fosse got hurt, I got a foul tip in Iowa," Wallin said. "Tore the tip of my finger off. I was out for the year. Right place, right time, but I was hurt."

April 15, 2014 Fred Reahm..."Friends of Ray Peters"

Another return from a former teammate of 1970 Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Ray Peters.

Fred Reahm
was a pitcher and teammate of Mr Peters in 1970 when Mr Reahm was in camp with the Milwaukee Brewers. He started in the Mets organization in 1965 and stayed with them until 1972. In Sept 1970, his contract  was purchased by the Cardinals from the Mets and then in Feb 1971 he was traded to the Brewers for Bob Burda.

April 14, 2014 Dick Snyder

Got a basketball return today....

Dick Snyder
was drafted by the St Louis Hawks in the second round of the 1966 NBA draft.  I remember him with the Seattle Super Sonics and the Cleveland Cavaliers.