Baseball Birthdays: May twelfth

Joe Dugan played a good third base with Babe and Lou’s great Yanks.
They say he earned his nickname, though, by often "Jumping" ranks.

Yogi Berra might be the best catcher of all time.
Some say it’s his malaprops that make him so sublime.

Felipe Alou had brothers two and, later, son that played.
As player and as manager, he gets a middling grade.

Lou Whitaker excelled in eighteen-year-long Tiger run.
It’s fitting and appropriate Sweet Lou wore number one.

Baseball Birthdays: May eleventh

Charlie Gehringer was dubbed "The Mechanical Man."
Had seven years two-hundred hits, a career Tiger man.

Rip Sewell learned his blooper pitch when injury made him lame.
Ted Williams hit one in the seats, forty-six All Star Game.

Milt Pappas came up young and had his best years for the O’s.
He won two-hundred games, pitched one no-hitter. So it goes.

Floyd Youmans won just thirty games, most of them as a starter.
He was in the big trade that brought Mets old Gary Carter.

Baseball Birthdays: May tenth

Ken Berry was a gold glove center fielder in the junior loop.
He was quite graceful in the outfield, like his namesake from F Troop.

John Cumberland had fifteen lifetime wins and not the best of arms.
The one best hope is that he somehow was connected to the Farms.

Joey Meyer hit the longest homer in pro history.
Why he couldn’t make it with Milwaukee’s still a mystery.

Robby Thompson played for San Francisco through his whole career.
Beaned in ninety-three by Hoffman. After that, he hit in fear.

Baseball Birthdays: May ninth

Billy Jurges, good field shortstop, then manager, coach and scout,
Once was shot by jealous girlfriend, attempting to take him out.

Floyd Robinson played outfield under Al Lopez for the pale hose.
Went six-for-six in his third year. No at-bats could compare to those.

Tony Gwynn, a base hit god, was eight times N.L. batting champ.
"Mr. Padre" spent his twenty years in San Diego camp.

Prince Fielder matched his father Cecil’s fifty homers. That was nice.
The big first sacker later won the All Star home run derby, twice.

Baseball Birthdays: May eighth

Ed Roush had great years with the Reds. Nobody can doubt that.
The Hall of Fame outfielder swung a forty-eight ounce bat.

Mike Cuellar’s baffling lefty tosses had movement aplenty.
With Orioles, he won a Cy and four times at least twenty.

Dennis Leonard was a workhorse righty for K.C.
Pitched thirteen years there until cut short by knee injury.

Adrian Gonzalez, a spray hitter with good pop,
Has played ten years with four teams, L.A. Dodgers latest stop.