tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post6417759575487990174..comments2023-10-10T12:46:47.186-04:00Comments on The Green Weenie: The Grave Digger: Richie HebnerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-26181634585423051202013-07-06T17:07:44.369-04:002013-07-06T17:07:44.369-04:00What a great time that was in Pittsburgh when Rich...What a great time that was in Pittsburgh when Richie Hebner and Freddie Patek were Pirates. The 1971 World Series...such grand times.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-84229883985503414282009-11-26T12:43:56.014-05:002009-11-26T12:43:56.014-05:00Yah, Will, he was a pro with the bat and probably ...Yah, Will, he was a pro with the bat and probably did get paid the going rate; I like throwing in those figures just to show how the biz of baseball has evolved over the years.<br /><br />And anon, I don't know the exact circumstances, but it is fair to say Hebner had a rocky relationship with the fans, and quite a bit of the troubles he had here were of the self-inflicted variety.Ron Ieracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08784507810080514099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-60591440035310143522009-11-26T12:36:28.561-05:002009-11-26T12:36:28.561-05:00Hebner was one of my favorite Pirates growing up. ...Hebner was one of my favorite Pirates growing up. Unfortunately, like they say...never meet your heros. I was 7 yrs. old dressed in my Richie Hebner uniform at Forbes Field. My dad took me down to field level to meet Hebner and he wouldn't sign an autograph. When we got home, I took the #20 off the uniform and got my mom to put a #8 on it. Go Pops!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-50892283991969752922009-11-26T11:31:19.966-05:002009-11-26T11:31:19.966-05:00Yes indeed, those were different times. Hebner st...Yes indeed, those were different times. Hebner still made much better money---especially when adjusted for inflation---than most of us will make, at least over the second half of his career. If he was like many of his peers in that era, he probably parlayed his earnings into other income from investments and what have you. In any case, he was a notable 70s-era Pirate and while definitely not Cooperstown material, he had a long career as a professional hitter, and that's nothing to sneeze at.WilliamJPellashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12774466220683142262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-19763339463038809342009-11-26T09:40:36.257-05:002009-11-26T09:40:36.257-05:00Hey Mark - Happy Thanksgiving! Richie was a prett...Hey Mark - Happy Thanksgiving! Richie was a pretty dependable bat. Over his 18 year career, his average line was .276/17/76 over 162 games, and he only hit under .265 four times. Hebner hit double-figure dingers eleven of his first dozen seasons.<br /><br />As for the money, you're right about different eras. This year's 16th round overall pick was a high school third baseman, Bobby Borchering, taken by the D-Backs. He signed for $1.8M - that's a lot more chopped liver than $246K, lol.Ron Ieracihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08784507810080514099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-28316264827548978402009-11-26T08:54:28.798-05:002009-11-26T08:54:28.798-05:00Oh yeah, Hebner's 40K signing bonus would have...Oh yeah, Hebner's 40K signing bonus would have been worth $264K today. Not quite mid 1st round bonus money of today, but not chopped liver, either.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863353857287967389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6207200414495313452.post-42266201290943427872009-11-26T08:49:56.207-05:002009-11-26T08:49:56.207-05:00Hebner was one of my favorite players was I was a ...Hebner was one of my favorite players was I was a tiny tot growing up in the Burgh in the early-mid 70s.<br /><br />I remember seeing him hit his 20th HR one year at Three Rivers, which must have been Aug 21, 1973, since that's the only year he hit at least 20.<br /><br />I was very excited about HR totals then.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863353857287967389noreply@blogger.com