Tuesday, March 22, 2011

542 - Pat Corrales

About This Player
Pat Corrales spent nine seasons as a backup catcher.  Corrales made his Major League debut with the Phillies in 1964.  After another season with the Phillies and one with the Cardinals, Corrales spent the majority of his career with the Reds backing up Johnny Bench.  He played in two games for the Reds in 1972 before being traded for another backup catcher, Bob Barton, to the Padres.  Corrales closed his playing career with the Padres in 1973.

Corrales later spent another nine seasons as a Major League manager for the Rangers, Phillies and Indians.  Corrales is the first Major League manager of Mexican-American decent and also the only manger to be fired from a team in first place.  He was fired from the first-place Phillies in 1983 and, 13 days later, managed the last-place Indians.

About This Card
The photograph on this card shows game action that took place on June 14, 1972.  In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the Cubs #31, Fergie Jenkins, attempts to score when he is called out after, what appears to have been, a mighty collision at home plate.  This game was Corrales' second with the Padres and Jenkins would earn the win in a 12-9 Cubs victory.

3 comments:

  1. One of my favorite pictures in the entire set.

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  2. An irony is that Corrales would later be Jenkins' manager in Texas. If you look at the 1981 Fleer set, Jenkins' card comes just before Corrales' card. ## 622 and 623.

    ReplyDelete