#76 -- Don Carrithers

Don Carrithers

If Don's biggest thrill in his high school sports career was 17 K's in a one-hitter in the first game of the season, I guess he didn't win a state championship. Don was kind of a fair-to-middlin' swingman that went between middle relief and spot starting. He wasn't ever really spectacularly good or bad. As a Cardinal fan, I'd probably compare him to Brad Thompson (I know, most of you don't know who WonderBrad is).

Don pitched in the 1971 playoffs. He didn't do very good. He came into the 7th inning of Game 2 with the Giants down 4-2 in the game after winning Game 1 on the road. Hits by Dave Cash, Al Oliver and Roberto Clemente were enough for him to be pulled without getting anyone out and the Pirates won. Nobody ever likes their post-season career ERA to be "inf."

Don's picture looks like he'd been banished off the Phoenix practice field into the desert. Where Bert Campaneris' card was full of green, there's nothing living in this card. Kind of an interesting contrast.

Don was in the Giant rotation down the stretch in 1971, but he was consistent. In his 8 August-September starts, he had a complete game 1-0 shutout of the Astros and 2 other wins, but also had 2 games where he didn't get out of the 2nd inning. That inability to find consistency was the story of his career.

Don rode the shuttle between AAA, the DL and the big leagues with the Giants and later with the Expos. The Twins purchased his contract for the 1977 season, but after getting into a car wreck, he only appeared in 7 games (ineffectively) and was finished.

1972 Feature

I found 1 event that occurred on March 18, 1972. Comedian Dane Cook was born today. Some find him funny. I'm kind of, eh. What I did find funny was the movie "Dan in Real Life" where his brother stole his fiance. But the funny part was when his brother got set up on a blind date with that gal from his high school days and the whole family burst into song about Ruthie "Pigface" Draper.