Kicking off my MLB Fishing All-Star roster are the fellas who call the shots from the bench, the coaching boxes and the bullpen.

Manager – Bill RIGney

MLB notes: Rigney spent 18 seasons at the helm of three different clubs, the Giants, Angels and Twins. His most successful season and only playoff appearance occurred in 1970 as he guided the Twins to a West Division title. However, his club was swept in the A.L. Championship by the Orioles who would go on to win the World Series title.
Fishing Notes: Would have been cool if Rigney hailed from Texas, Carolina or Alabama as those various rigs are legendary bass fooling setups. But alas, the late Rigney called California “home.”
Topps Card Notes: Left to tight these cards are 1970 through 1972. I always thought these guys looked old when flipping through cards as a kid and doing the math on the 1970 card puts Rigney at 52 years of age. Nowadays I look at these cards and think, “No way do I look that old” but a lot can happen in a year for some guy a couple weeks away from turning 51.

Bench Coach: Jim Frey

MLB notes: For us Cubs fans, Frey is remembered as the guy who had his club one win away from that elusive World Series appearance back in 1984. But not meant to be and still hard to take. In fact, I could have included a fellow by the name of Steve GARvey on my squad but no way after he darn near singlehandedly brought the Padres back from the brink. Yes, I do hold a grudge.
Fishing Notes: For those not familiar, Frey rhymes with sky, hence the term for newly hatched fish or what you do with them when they get grown up.
Topps Card Notes: The Royals team card comes from 1980 when Frey lead the Kansas City club to the World Series where they would fall to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games.

First Base Coach – Sandy Alomar

MLB notes: As a player, Alomar put together a 15-year career with half a dozen clubs where his defensive skills easily out shadowed his performance at the plate. He would later go on to coach with several teams including the Cubs from 2000-2002.
Fishing Notes: Some places you’ll get run off for fishing near the beach but there’s something about those sandy areas that are a winner. I also used to do pretty decent on a spot at an old fishing hole, Lake Bracken, that was known as Sandy Point.
Topps Card Notes: The middle card above is from 1973, one of the early 70s sets that featured a lot of really cool action shots such as this one as opposed to some of the cheesy, staged spring training poses.

Third Base Coach – Danny Ozark

MLB notes: Ozark was at the helm of some darn good Phillies teams during his tenure with the club from 1973 through 1979. His three N.L. Championship appearances all ended in defeat, once at the hands of the formidable Big Red Machine and twice to the solid Dodgers clubs of the 70s.
Fishing Notes: Once upon a time, back in 1988, I fished the famed Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri and honestly found myself rather intimidated by the vast expanse. I eked out a handful of mid-summer fish and while a cool achievement, nothing to write home about.
Topps Card Notes: Tons of info on the back of these cards to keep a kid or a grownup busy and find something new. Looking at the 40-year-old cards I just discovered a fish species related note, Ozark was born in Buffalo.

Pitching Coach – Dick Pole

MLB notes: Not much to report on the statistical front but worth noting that Pole was an original member of the Seattle Mariners when MLB expanded in 1977. For Cubs fans, you may recall that he served as pitching coach from 1988 through 1991 when he assisted a young hurler by the name of Greg Maddux.
Fishing Notes: Every angler knows that you can never have too many poles and with a name like this fellow, well, too hard to pass up. Oh yeah, he was born in Trout Creek, Michigan for an added bonus.
Topps Card Notes: Lots of memories looking back through these cards and the 1977 Mariner card of Pole still makes me cringe a bit. Airbrushing was implemented for the players picked up by Seattle and Toronto in the expansion draft and just not a good look.

Roster part one is in the books and hopefully not too lengthy to keep your attention. But cut me some slack here as I am combining a couple favorite topics, both prone to rambling. Good thing I didn’t find a way to work in some tunes, huh? More to come next week after a special Monday post and a Top 5 Update pushed back until Tuesday. Talk to you later. Troy