godwulf
07-03-2012, 02:39 PM
Over the years, I've picked up more than two dozen Phoenix Firebirds ('86-'97) team bats, and mostly they've just been taking up space and collecting dust. I recently decided to start researching some of them and trying to determine, within a reasonable degree of certainty, who might have used them at some point.
One LS H238 has "JENSEN" on the knob, and I quickly discovered that only one Jensen had ever played for the Firebirds - Marcus. Last summer he was managing the Arizona League A's, so I took the bat out to the field, and Jensen verified that that had been his preferred model number, and put a nice signature on it for me.
Another bat, a C271, has "WRM" on the knob. I couldn't locate an all-time Firebirds roster, so I had to go through each year's roster one-by-one, and when I came to '95, I saw the name "Bill Mueller". (Yes, that one, Boston fans.) Another click, and lo and behold, Bill's full name is "William Richard Mueller". Bingo.
Yet another bat, an M110, is signed by Darren Lewis, dating it to '91-'92, but it has "CHICA" on the knob. Lewis had a teammate on the '91 team by the name of Tony Perezchica, who is now a fielding coordinator for the Diamondbacks - in fact, he was at the Arizona League game out at Talking Stick last night - so the next time I see him, I'll have that bat with me and ask him if his nickname was ever "Chica".
Damn, this kind of thing is fun. I need to win the Lottery so I can quit my job and do it full time.
One LS H238 has "JENSEN" on the knob, and I quickly discovered that only one Jensen had ever played for the Firebirds - Marcus. Last summer he was managing the Arizona League A's, so I took the bat out to the field, and Jensen verified that that had been his preferred model number, and put a nice signature on it for me.
Another bat, a C271, has "WRM" on the knob. I couldn't locate an all-time Firebirds roster, so I had to go through each year's roster one-by-one, and when I came to '95, I saw the name "Bill Mueller". (Yes, that one, Boston fans.) Another click, and lo and behold, Bill's full name is "William Richard Mueller". Bingo.
Yet another bat, an M110, is signed by Darren Lewis, dating it to '91-'92, but it has "CHICA" on the knob. Lewis had a teammate on the '91 team by the name of Tony Perezchica, who is now a fielding coordinator for the Diamondbacks - in fact, he was at the Arizona League game out at Talking Stick last night - so the next time I see him, I'll have that bat with me and ask him if his nickname was ever "Chica".
Damn, this kind of thing is fun. I need to win the Lottery so I can quit my job and do it full time.