In light of him recently turning the exciting age of 84, Critical Flop would like to pay tribute to Atlanta Braves first baseman and Great American Hero, Julio Franco.
Born in the Dominican Republic in in 1923, Franco came to the United States and began his major league career with the St. Louis Browns in 1949, where he played alongside the only midget to ever make it to the majors, Eddie Gaedel. Gaedel had zero career strikeouts, possibly due to his virtually nonexistent strike zone. However, some baseball historians argue the real reason is that he had only one career plate appearance, after which the novelty wore off of having a dwarf pop out of a giant birthday cake to play professional baseball as part of a weak attempt to boost stadium attendance for a dying and historically pitiful franchise.
Anyway, throughout his 58 year long career (and counting), Franco has acquired numerous distinctions:
- He is the oldest active player in major league baseball, and fourth oldest all-time behind Cyrus Cunningham, Alastair Jefferson, and Percival Byron Williams, all of whom played during the 1800s and looked more or less like this.
- At one time or another, he has been on the roster of every single team that has existed since he entered the league.
- Only player to ever use his bat as a cane in an effort to reach first base.
- When Franco hit his most recent home run in 1996 at the age of 72, he became, with Mo Vaughn, one of only two players to ever refuse to go all the way around the bases, stopping midway. "When will major league baseball finally discard this archaic custom?," he memorably commented after the game. "Players should not be punished for hitting home runs. I almost pulled a hamstring walking towards second."
- Only active player who cannot beat up former Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer.
Franco may have as many as three more years of life left, and he is sure to spend them doing what he does best: not retiring.
Born in the Dominican Republic in in 1923, Franco came to the United States and began his major league career with the St. Louis Browns in 1949, where he played alongside the only midget to ever make it to the majors, Eddie Gaedel. Gaedel had zero career strikeouts, possibly due to his virtually nonexistent strike zone. However, some baseball historians argue the real reason is that he had only one career plate appearance, after which the novelty wore off of having a dwarf pop out of a giant birthday cake to play professional baseball as part of a weak attempt to boost stadium attendance for a dying and historically pitiful franchise.
Anyway, throughout his 58 year long career (and counting), Franco has acquired numerous distinctions:
- He is the oldest active player in major league baseball, and fourth oldest all-time behind Cyrus Cunningham, Alastair Jefferson, and Percival Byron Williams, all of whom played during the 1800s and looked more or less like this.
- At one time or another, he has been on the roster of every single team that has existed since he entered the league.
- Only player to ever use his bat as a cane in an effort to reach first base.
- When Franco hit his most recent home run in 1996 at the age of 72, he became, with Mo Vaughn, one of only two players to ever refuse to go all the way around the bases, stopping midway. "When will major league baseball finally discard this archaic custom?," he memorably commented after the game. "Players should not be punished for hitting home runs. I almost pulled a hamstring walking towards second."
- Only active player who cannot beat up former Yankees bench coach Don Zimmer.
Franco may have as many as three more years of life left, and he is sure to spend them doing what he does best: not retiring.
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