Bob Zupcic (and Other Bright Specks in the Firmament)

wiffleballhero

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Mar 28, 2009
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In the simulacrum

Career OPS? 648!
Career Defensive War? -.9!

Last, alphabetically, on the all-time Red Sox player register (edging out 1940s hurler Bill Zuber), but first in our hearts on June 30, 1992.
Why is it that I can confuse the names of my kids, but when there is a split second shot of Joe Hesketh walking into the frame, I know it is him without even thinking twice?

(Edit: from the back no less)
 

allmanbro

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Two of his first three ML HRs were grand slams, which always seemed really cool to me. (I actually remembered the numbers being a lot more dramatic than that, but I was young at the time)
 

mwonow

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Sep 4, 2005
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Perfect vid for an isolation day - thanks! And all these years, I assumed it was ZUP-chik, but the announcer has it ZUP-sik. Something to add to my pile of 'facts that will never be relevant to anything I do'!
 

DJnVa

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I remember watching him on a game against the White Sox (in 1992 he hit .394/.474/.636 against them) on WGN and Hawk Harrelson lamented that the White Sox couldn't swing a trade for him, because the Sox stunk and Chicago was on the cusp of the race.
 

terrynever

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Selling cars in South Carolina. Father of four. Grew up in my hometown so I followed him in Pawtucket and Boston. Good person.
 

WayneHousieHOF

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I was at UMaine in the mid to late 1990s (took the scenic route), and in the summer of 97 (think it was 97) I went out to a Bangor Blue Ox game as I was working in Orono for the summer. The Blue Ox played in the Northeast League, which is now (I believe) the Can-Am league. And Zupcic was in the starting lineup for the Blue Ox. I couldn't believe it. I remember thinking what a fall from grace, from the Bigs to Bangor in a few years. Good times.
 

StupendousMan

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Jul 20, 2005
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For some reason, I gave him the nickname of "The Answer" in the magical season of '92. Maybe I was thinking that he would forever hold the title of "at the very end of alphabetical list of Sox players."

(I fully expect that someone will point out that someone else comes after him)
 

TonyPenaNeverJuiced

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The second part of the clip, that wonderful catch, is from Sept. 13th, 1992, a game I remember well because I was upset Tony Pena wasn't playing but I recalled seeing him on the replays of this catch in the bullpen. Wonderful to spot him again!
 

DJnVa

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Dec 16, 2010
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Maybe changing this to a sort of "one hit wonder" thread for the forgotten Sox heroes and not-quites might be interesting.

Little snippets we remember from years where nothing went our way or where it all crumbled down at the end...
 

Bernie Carbohydrate

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I remember watching him on a game against the White Sox (in 1992 he hit .394/.474/.636 against them) on WGN and Hawk Harrelson lamented that the White Sox couldn't swing a trade for him, because the Sox stunk and Chicago was on the cusp of the race.
And the White Sox eventually got their man in 1994, but Big Z had used up all his magic -- hit .205 in 32 games for the Pale Hose.

I recall him being kind of bulky for a CF, but with a howitzer for an arm. And I can't recall the circumstances that led Manager Butch Hobson to give Zupcic a handful of starts at DH. Hobson was probably just tired of giving at-bats to the Corpse of Jack Clark.
 

Ferm Sheller

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Mike Henneman. We have Detroit stations s part of our cable package. Amazing how many innings that guy pitched.
Funny timing -- I was just going to post about Henneman after watching that vid. I recall that guy being a pain in the ass and just owning the Sox. Forgot all about him.

I recall seeing the catch live.
 

The Gray Eagle

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Aug 1, 2001
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I've been watching baseball for a long time, but I can honestly say that of all the players I've ever seen, Bob Zupcic was the best damn Zupcic I've ever seen.