What might have been: Shel Silverstein, Major Leaguer?

January 17, 2012

I know I shouldn’t be, but I’m frequently surprised by the interest non-baseball authors show in the national pastime.

Case in point: the poet and children’s book author, who published this piece in Playboy back in 1962.

According to the South Side Sox blog,

In a June, 1962 four-page spread for the mentioned magazine, Shel is featured practicing and hanging out with the Sox during spring training in Sarasota, Florida. Here’s the first two pages and the second two pages.

In the first link, number 6 would be light-hitting utility infielder Al Weis, who would get his major league debut that September. 10 would be Sherm Lollar, turning 38 that year, in his second-to-last season in baseball. Also, in one of the photographs, that’s Nellie Fox batting while Shel catches. The second link features young Fred Talbot as number 35. He made his major-league debut at the tail end of the 1963 season. Lastly, Tony Cuccinello, a former all-star who played on the Sox from 1943 to 1945, wears number 33.

How would culture been different if Silverstein had any talent for the game?

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