Ted Abernathy--1973
Forced to a submarine delivery due to a
shoulder injury during his infield playing
high school days; Ted Abernathy gained
a small measure of notoriety in the
1960s as a relief specialist--- without the
respect.
Shuttled through seven organizations
during his 14-year career, Abernathy
twice led his league in saves (31 saves
in '65 and 28 saves in '67) while
garnering The Sporting News Reliever of
the Year Award during those two
seasons. In 1965 he appeared in over
half of the Chicago Cubs games, logging
84 appearances to set a major league
record at the time. The North Carolina
product would notch 148 career saves to
go with a nifty 3.46 ERA.
Coming at the hitter as a mass of arms
and legs with a ball that mysteriously
popped out of a non-traditional slot,
Abernathy had a nasty slurve and also
employed a knuckleball. For all we know,
he even threw a couple of kitchen sinks
at hitters.
However, he never was allowed to take
his place alongside the best in the game
come All-Star time. Maybe it was
because most people thought he was an
infielder.
(9/25/10)
shoulder injury during his infield playing
high school days; Ted Abernathy gained
a small measure of notoriety in the
1960s as a relief specialist--- without the
respect.
Shuttled through seven organizations
during his 14-year career, Abernathy
twice led his league in saves (31 saves
in '65 and 28 saves in '67) while
garnering The Sporting News Reliever of
the Year Award during those two
seasons. In 1965 he appeared in over
half of the Chicago Cubs games, logging
84 appearances to set a major league
record at the time. The North Carolina
product would notch 148 career saves to
go with a nifty 3.46 ERA.
Coming at the hitter as a mass of arms
and legs with a ball that mysteriously
popped out of a non-traditional slot,
Abernathy had a nasty slurve and also
employed a knuckleball. For all we know,
he even threw a couple of kitchen sinks
at hitters.
However, he never was allowed to take
his place alongside the best in the game
come All-Star time. Maybe it was
because most people thought he was an
infielder.
(9/25/10)
