Friday, December 10, 2010

Unpossible Autograph Friday- Gene Green


Gene spent parts of seven seasons in the Major Leagues from 1957-63 and played for the Cardinals, Orioles, Senators, Indians & Reds. In December 1959, the Cardinals traded him, and minor leaguer Charles Staniland, to the O's in return for Bob Nieman. Gene appeared in just one game for the Birds, and went 1-4 while playing right field. He spent the rest of the season with the Miami Marlins, the O's AAA affiliate at that time. After the season, the Washington Senators selected him with the 52nd pick of the 1960 expansion draft so his time in Birdland was over.

I have to mention a few things about this card.
1) I highly doubt these pictures are of him in an O's uniform considering he played in only a single game for them. To further support my theory, check out the size of the Oriole Bird on his hat in the small picture. That thing would be huge if the picture was full-sized.
2) It's not often you see a player's position listed as "Catcher-Outfield", but Gene played 170 games in the OF and spent 146 games behind the plate during his career

Gene passed away at the way-too-young age of 47 in St. Louis in 1981. I couldn't find a cause of death anywhere, but would guess that he might have died suddenly. Does anyone know anything about it?
RIP Gene.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I didn't realize that Topps started airbrushing logos onto caps that early... I always associated it with the 1970s.

SAinPA said...

Gene Green was the nick name of our house in Slippery Rock (it is now blue)

Orioles Magic said...

Yeah, looks like the really have "perfected" it over time.

Ha, I'm guessing you didn't name your house after this Gene.