3/6 Through the 1970s: First DH; HBD Pops, Clint, Rev, John & Bert

• 1863 - RF/1B John Coleman was born in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was an Allegheny during the 1886-88 & 1890 campaigns. For beginning his career as a pitcher (he tossed in 65 games as a Philadelphia Quakers rookie in 1883 with a line of 12-48/4.87 & by 1885 was pretty much a full-time position player), he did OK with the bat, putting up a .266 BA in his Pittsburgh days. 

Coleman snip - 1888 Pittsburgh Press profile

• 1878 - RHP Bert Husting was born in Mayville, Wisconsin. A two-sport star at Wisconsin-Madison, he got a two game audition with the 1900 Pirates (eight IP, five runs, 10 hits, five walks) and then jumped to the AL the following year to get a chance to pitch near home. He lasted just two more seasons, and then got on with his life’s work as a lawyer, eventually becoming FDR’s US Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. 
• 1904 - IF Walter “Rev” Cannady was born in Lake City, Florida. Cannady played 25 years of Negro League ball for 13 different teams, making four stops in Homestead with the Grays (1923-24, 1929, 1932, 1944) and one with the Crawfords (1932 was a split season). He saved the best for last; he batted .356 for Homestead in 1944. A player noted for versatility (mostly a middle infielder, he played all four infield positions and even pitched) and durability, he failed to make the Hall of Fame cut in 2006. 
• 1940 - 1B/OF Wilver Dornell Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma. Pops played his entire 21-year MLB career (1962-1982) for the Pirates. Captain Willie hit .282, with 2,232 hits, 423 doubles, 475 HR and 1,540 RBI. His teams captured six NL East division titles, two NL pennants and two World Series (1971, 1979). The Pirates retired Stargell’s number (1982) and built him a statue (2001) while Willie was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. 
• 1973 - In a spring exhibition game against the Bucs, the Twins’ Larry Hisle, in most (but not all) historians minds, became the first DH in MLB history. He did a good job, too, hitting two HR and collecting seven RBI. It was the first year the rule was in effect, and five teams used a DH that day, which is why there’s still some debate over who took that first swing.

Clint Barmes -2013 Topps Heritage

• 1979 - SS Clint “Don’t Stop Believing” Barmes was born in Vincennes, Indiana. The slick fielding, stick-challenged infielder joined the Buccos in 2012 when he signed a two-year, $10.5M FA contract. He returned in 2014 for $1.5M, although he was hurt much of the year and during the off-season signed with the San Diego Padres. He retired in 2016.