"Now Batting #31 Garry Maddox....." Garry Maddox was a center fielder with the San Francisco Giants & the Philadelphia Phillies for the decade of the 1970's. He was an 8 time Gold Glover while patrolling the center field area during that time. Pretty much stealing bases was what Garry was known for other than his glove work/
Maddox first broke in the majors as I mentioned with the Giants,prior to getting the call to the show Maddox fought Giants Management over salary cause he felt he deserved the same amount of pay as some of the other prospects when they said he didn't deserve it Garry called it a career & decided to join the U.S. Army so he volunteered his services to go & fight over in Vietnam. He suffered some chemical after effects when in the service so hence he grew his famous beard to cover up his skin sensitive face. After his stint in the Army he got an honorary discharge to rejoin the Giants so he could be the major caretaker for his family. Garry then was traded in 1975 to the Phillies for Willie Montanez (Another player featured in this set later on in the series). It was in 1976 that Daily News beat writer Bill Conlin made a quote after watching him play " 2/3s of the Earth is covered by water the other 1/3 is covered by Garry Maddox."
Garry in 1980 caught the last out of the 1980 World Series then 3 years later he made the final out by hitting a line shot to a 2nd year shortstop of the Baltimore Orioles by the name of Cal Ripken Jr. Now does Garry deserve a spot in the line up had it been a piece of a glove fielding or batting then I would say yes he does but since its a piece of his bat I am sorry Garry wouldn't be in my line-up what you say next in our line-up is Graig Nettles until then I am reminded of Rogers Hornsby once saying "Any Ballplayer who doesn't sign autographs for little kids ain't an American, He's a Communist."
