Born on the Same Day - 9/29/1941

Another installment in my "Born on the Same Day" series, featuring players who were born on the same day (!) and year. 

This is post #21 in the series: Jeff James and Rich Reese - both born on 9/29/1941.

(Although the backs of their cards show them as born exactly a year apart, I'm going with the more accurate Baseball-Reference.com information.)

Jeff James pitched for the Phillies in 1968 and in September 1969. He began as a starter, but as other players joined the team (notably Jerry Johnson), James was moved to a relief role, and then back to the minors for all of 1969 except for a September call-up. He had cards in the 1969 and 1970 sets.

Rich Reese joined the Twins in 1967, essentially filling the role previously manned by the traded Don Mincher - which was to play 1st base whenever Harmon Killebrew was moved over to third base. Reese was a regular player for the Twins from 1968 to 1972, then finished up in 1973 with the Tigers (and back to the Twins for a month).

Born on the Same Day - 6/29/1941

Another installment in my "Born on the Same Day" series, featuring players who were born on the same day (!) and year. 

This is post #20 in the series: John Boccabella and Larry Stahl - both born on 6/29/1941, one day after Al Downing and Fred Talbot.

John Boccabella played for 12 seasons, mostly as a 3rd-string catcher and backup 1st baseman.  After 6 seasons wth the Cubs (1963-68), he joined the expansion Montreal Expos, and played 5 seasons in Canada.  In 1973 he was the team's primary catcher, starting over 100 games for the only time in his career.  He wrapped up with the Giants in 1974.

Larry Stahl played for the Athletics, Mets, Padres, and Reds from 1964-73.  Most of his major-league playing time came in 1966 (with the Athletics) and 1971-72 (with the Padres), the only 3 seasons he managed to stay out of the minor leagues.

Born on the Same Day - 2/25/1940

Another installment in my "Born on the Same Day" series, featuring players who were born on the same day (!) and year. 

This is post #14 in the series: Ron Santo and Danny Cater - both born on 2/25/1940.

Ron Santo was the Cubs' regular 3rd baseman from 1960 to 1973. Along the way, he finished 4th in ROY voting, was an All-Star in 9 of his final 11 seasons with the Cubs, won 4 Gold Gloves, led the NL in walks 4 times and triples once, topped 30 homers 4 times, and 100 RBI 4 times.

He played his final season (1974) for the White Sox, dividing his time between DH and backing up 2B and 3B.


Danny Cater began his career with the Phillies in 1964 as a part-time left fielder and pinch-hitter. He was a regular for the next 6 seasons with the White Sox (1965-66), Athletics (1966-69), and Yankees (1970). In 1971 Cater divided his time between 1B and 3B for the Yankees, backing up John Ellis and Jerry Kenney.

He moved on to the Red Sox for 3 more seasons, before wrapping up with the Cardinals in 1975. Cater's last significant playing time came in 1972, when he started 82 games at 1st base (essentially whenever Carl Yastrzemski moved out to left field). That role would be filled by youngster Cecil Cooper beginning in 1973.

Born on the Same Day - 12/17/1936

Recently I started a new series called "Born on the Same Day", featuring players who were born on the same day (!) and year. The scope of this exercise is those players (or managers) who have cards in the 1965-1970 sets (because that's what I dooze). Ideally, I should also have their cards. 

In researching this, I found 51 pairs and 2 trios. In a few pairs both are stars, some pairs have 1 star, and other pairs are just 2 guys named Joe. In a few cases, these players were also teammates. 

I am going to post these in chronological order, and distribute them across my 1966-1970 blogs depending on which cards I have for who. The series began on my 1968 blog. 


This is post #8 in the series, and the first on the 1969 blog: Jerry Adair and Roland Sheldon - both born on 12/17/1936.

Jerry Adair played for the Orioles, White Sox, Red Sox, and Royals from 1958 to 1970, and was the Orioles' regular 2nd baseman from 1961-65.

Rollie Sheldon went 11-5 as a rookie for the 1961 Yankees. He played for New York until midway through 1965, then made stops with the Athletics and Red Sox. He was in the Seattle Pilots' training camp in 1969 but did not make the team.