Baseball History Podcast

William Walker Cooper was born January 8, 1915 in Atherton, Missouri. Cooper was a solid defensive catcher as well as a strong hitter, making the National League All-Star team every year from 1942 to 1950.

John Alexander “Andy” Messersmith was born August 6, 1945 in Toms River, New Jersey. Messersmith was a good pitcher who spent more than a decade in the majors, but his mound performances will forever be overshadowed by the role he played in the advent of free agency.

Lee Louis Mazzilli was born March 25, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. He is most remembered as a member of the Mets, who selected him in the first round of the June 1973 draft. He was heavily promoted by the star-hungry Mets and was quite popular in New York, thanks not only to his talent, but his Brooklyn roots and matinée idol looks.

Frank Robinson was born in Beaumont, Texas, on August 31, 1935. His aggressive hitting style won the support of fans, with a plate-crowding stance that earned him frequent knockdowns and a hefty number of hit-by-pitcher passes to first.

Cecil Celester Cooper, nicknamed “Coop”, was born December 20, 1949 in Brenham, Texas. The smooth-fielding first baseman was one of the most consistent hitters of the late 1970s and early 1980s, always among the top batting and fielding leaders. But because he played at the same time as Rod Carew and George Brett, he never won a batting title.