Eddie Leon---1970
The back of Eddie Leon’s card touts
his splendid collegiate career:
Eddie broke in with Cleveland in
1968 after three spectacular years at
the University of Arizona. In his
varsity seasons there, Eddie hit .328,
.378 and .340, was twice named
college All-American and led his
school to the NCAA World Series in ’
66.
We also uncovered that Leon led the
nation in triples and runs batted in
during the ’65 campaign for the
Wildcats. He twice was a first-round
pick, being drafted by the Minnesota
Twins in 1965 (9th overall) and
Chicago Cubs in 1966 (3rd overall,
secondary round); before finally
deciding to grab a pen and signing
with the Cleveland Indians when they
chose him with their second round
pick of the secondary phase of the
June Draft.
So why, when Eddie Leon was such a
stud hitter in college, do we see him
bunting on his 1970 card?
Was it an edict from manager Alvin
Dark that Cleveland middle infielders
strike the bunting poses for their
cards that year--- as fellow Tribe
infielder Larry Brown is also bunting
in his 1970 card?
Could it have been that because the
Indians placed tenth out of twelve AL
teams in runs scored in 1969; that
Dark concentrated so much on
bunting during the 1970 Spring
Training, players just naturally
walked around the complex with a bat
and did phantom bunting every two
steps (step, step, bunt--- step, step,
bunt).
Or maybe, that’s just what Eddie
Leon did best.
While Leon’s bat never really jelled to
the extent of his collegiate days, the
second sacker routinely occupied the
Number Two spot in the Indian’s
lineup in the early 1970s. So adept of
a bunter was Leon, he led the
American League in 1970 with 23
sacrifice hits. During his 8-year major
league career, Leon hit .236 in
601 games. He hit just 24 long balls,
while logging 55 sacrifice hits.
So, yes, bunting really was what
Eddie Leon did best. Probably thanks
to the Alvin Dark Academy of Laying
One Down.
Step, step, bunt.
Step, step, bunt.
Step, step, bunt.
(4/4/09)
his splendid collegiate career:
Eddie broke in with Cleveland in
1968 after three spectacular years at
the University of Arizona. In his
varsity seasons there, Eddie hit .328,
.378 and .340, was twice named
college All-American and led his
school to the NCAA World Series in ’
66.
We also uncovered that Leon led the
nation in triples and runs batted in
during the ’65 campaign for the
Wildcats. He twice was a first-round
pick, being drafted by the Minnesota
Twins in 1965 (9th overall) and
Chicago Cubs in 1966 (3rd overall,
secondary round); before finally
deciding to grab a pen and signing
with the Cleveland Indians when they
chose him with their second round
pick of the secondary phase of the
June Draft.
So why, when Eddie Leon was such a
stud hitter in college, do we see him
bunting on his 1970 card?
Was it an edict from manager Alvin
Dark that Cleveland middle infielders
strike the bunting poses for their
cards that year--- as fellow Tribe
infielder Larry Brown is also bunting
in his 1970 card?
Could it have been that because the
Indians placed tenth out of twelve AL
teams in runs scored in 1969; that
Dark concentrated so much on
bunting during the 1970 Spring
Training, players just naturally
walked around the complex with a bat
and did phantom bunting every two
steps (step, step, bunt--- step, step,
bunt).
Or maybe, that’s just what Eddie
Leon did best.
While Leon’s bat never really jelled to
the extent of his collegiate days, the
second sacker routinely occupied the
Number Two spot in the Indian’s
lineup in the early 1970s. So adept of
a bunter was Leon, he led the
American League in 1970 with 23
sacrifice hits. During his 8-year major
league career, Leon hit .236 in
601 games. He hit just 24 long balls,
while logging 55 sacrifice hits.
So, yes, bunting really was what
Eddie Leon did best. Probably thanks
to the Alvin Dark Academy of Laying
One Down.
Step, step, bunt.
Step, step, bunt.
Step, step, bunt.
(4/4/09)
