Orioles Card "O" the Day: Frank Zupo, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #494

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Frank Zupo, 1991 Crown/Coca-Cola All-Time Orioles #494

I'd like to take some time out from crowing about the Orioles' winning ways (I'll never get used to saying that) to wish a happy birthday to the late Frank Zupo, who was born 73 years ago in San Francisco. "Noodles" was a bonus baby whose entire major league career consisted of 16 games spread over three seasons with the O's. He collected 3 hits and a pair of walks in 20 plate appearances, and during his brief time in the bigs he did get the chance to catch for pitcher George Zuverink, forming the first all-Z battery in major league history. Frank's other claim to fame is his impressive unibrow, which puts even the legendarily woolly brow of Andy Etchebarren to shame.

4 comments:

jacobmrley said...: Anthony Davis would bow down to that thing. Wow.; August 29, 2012 at 9:25 PM
Kevin said...: Max - It's also on display in the 1958 Topps set. Kudos to the guy who saw that thing and decided to give Frank a proper card!; August 30, 2012 at 2:37 PM
Unknown said...: Excerpt from Brooklyn Dodgers radio broadcast dated June 28, 1957, Vin Scully at the mic:

“…Did you hear about that young catcher at Baltimore named Zupo? He was kicked out of the game before the game got underway…before the lineup cards had been brought up to home plate. That’s right…he was warming up the starting pitcher and he was thrown out of the game. He’s only seventeen and a half. I think he has now gone down in the books as the youngest major league player to be kicked out.”

Scully doesn’t elaborate on the details. This may be a research project for you Oriole fans. At the very least it’s another reason to remember a very marginal player.

I love listening to old radio broadcasts. You can relive long lost details.; April 22, 2014 at 7:59 PM
Kevin said...: Steven - Found it! What a great story. Thanks for tipping me off!; April 28, 2014 at 1:09 PM