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Baseballers of Lesser Note: Daryl Spencer
Topic Started: Jul 21 2011, 09:39 AM (1,319 Views)
Erick Von Erich
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I'm Big E and I tell it like it is
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Hallo there, and welcome to the thirteenth installment of (Professional) Baseballers of Lesser Note. In which we spotlight some of the distinguished gentlemen who have partaken in the professional gentleman's sport of baseball throughout the various eras encompassing the aforementioned sport.

This week we look at Daryl Spencer.

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What'd He Do?
10 Seasons, 105 HR, 428 RBI, .242 avg


What Can You Tell Us About Him?
Born and raised in Wichita, Daryl Spencer made his MLB debut with the New York Giants in 1952. A middle infielder, his career was delayed slightly, as he was drafted in the military and spent two years serving in the Korean War (or "police action"). In 1956 he made his full-time return to the Giants, playing every infield position. He primarily saw action at shortshop and became known for having (what was then) unusual power for the position. Offensively, his best year was probably 1958, when he hit 17 HR, 74 RBIs and hit .256. Indeed, his bat kept him in the lineup, as he was not exactly the slickest with the glove; leading the NL in errors in 1957 and 1958.

While never an All-Star selection or MVP candidate, Spencer remained the Giants primary shortshop until 1961 when he was traded to the Cardinals. Along the way he had two notable home run achievements. After their move from New York, Spencer hit the first official home run for the Giants in San Francisco on April 15, 1958. Off of the rival Dodgers and Don Drysdale, no less. Second, he joined Willie Mays as the two hit back-to-back homers in back-to-back game in 1959.


What Happened to Him?
After his trade to the Cardinals, Spencer remained productive, but an ensuing trade to the Dodgers for the '62 season did not work out so well. Spencer's production dropped drastically and he was released in 1963. He caught on with the Reds later in the season, but was released and returned home to Wichita to play in the independent leagues.

That's when the Nankai Hawks of the Japanese Pacific League contacted Spencer. Spencer agreed to go to Japan and experienced a career revival, becoming an annual Triple Crown threat. By the end of 1968, he had blasted 142 homers, the initial gaijin record. He also introduced the concept of aggressive sliding and pitch-outs to the Japanese.

Like all gaijins, Spencer experienced the culture clash of the "team-first" mentality of the Japanese clubs. Instead of training for 8 hours before a game, Spencer stuck to his usual American style of training. Smaller, fickle, strike zones and team rules such as remaining celebant for the entire season would often frustrate Americans.

While playing for the Hankyu Braves, manager Yukio Nishimoto decided to bench Spencer despite his impressive stats against the night's opponent. Spencer was pissed and returned to the clubhouse to throw a temper tantrum. However, Nishimoto had been trying to strategize and outsmart the opponent by leaving Spencer off the field, pre-game. When the game started, Nishimoto had planned to insert Spencer as a pinch hitter in the first inning. Reportedly, Spencer was showering in the locker room and suddenly heard his name announced as a pinch hitter.

Now extremely pissed, Spencer stormed out to the on-deck circle...wearing only his trunks, shower shoes and a big shit-eating grin. Nishimoto wasn't feeling it, so he immediately removed Spencer from the game and fined him $200. A fee which Spencer had no regrets about.

However, Spencer remained friendly with the Braves. It might've helped that he led them to the 1967 and 1968 "Japan Series", the equivalent of the World Series. While Spencer had great stats in the post-season, his Braves lost to Sadaharu Oh and the Yomiuri (Tokyo) Giants both years.

After 1968, Spencer retired to Wichita, until the Braves invited him back as a player-coach, a great honor for a gaijin. Spencer stayed on until the end of the 1972 season when he returned to ..where else.. Wichita. Easily seen as Wichita's Baseball Hero, he spent some time as the manager of the minor (independent) league "Wichita Dreamliners", then worked in public relations for the minors.

When it was all said and done, Spencer finished with 338 homeruns for his professional career. Unusual for a middle infielder of his time and even more unusual that he had tremendous success in Japan.
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Scrooge McSuck
I'll get you next time, toilet!
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Never heard of Spencer before, but sounds like he had a great career and a lot of stories to be told. I find it a little odd, though, that a manager would NOT inform a player of such a ridiculous idea like keeping him out of the lineup, just to surprise the other team by inserting him into the game after all as a PH. You would think that someone would've relayed this to the guy. I'm surprised this wasn't a deleted scene in Mr. Baseball going to bat in shower shoes and shorts. :P
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Erick Von Erich
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Japan has an Unofficial Gaijin Ten Commandments that may or may not still be in effect. The first two rules are;

1- Obey all orders issued by the manager

2- Do not criticize the strategy of the manager

These stem from their culture, where the older and more experienced you are, the "wiser" you are perceived. A famous Japanese saying is "1,000 Days to Learn. 10,000 Days to Refine". So basically, the phrase "Respect Your Elders" is a huge deal.

There's also a hilarious training story of a prized Japanese pitching prospect. He was under-performing, so his manager developed a new training regiment. Everyday, run 300 times back-and-forth from foul pole to foul pole. At each end was a coach, who would scream: "you lazy son of a bitch!" Poor guy ended up in a mental ward. No mater how cruel, bizarre or strict the manager is, he's the BOSS-- don't fuck with him.

I mean, he's the MANAGER-- so surely he has to be qualified. Right?!
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torturedsoulv1
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I hate sushi but love Sapporo

and that is my knowledge of japanese baseball
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