July 22

Due to personal time constraints, this is a reprint from last year which has not been updated.

Pebbly Jack Glasscock (1857)
George Gibson (1880)
Jesse "Pop" Haines (1893)
Doc Cramer (1905)
Jungle Jim Rivera (1922)
Sparky Lyle (1944)
Bill Zepp (1946)
Cliff Johnson (1947)
George Lauzerique (1947)
Tim Johnson (1949)
Scott Sanderson (1956)
Dave Stieb (1957)
Mike Sweeney (1973)
Scot Shields (1975)
Ryan Vogelsong (1977)

We would also like to wish a happy birthday to brianS’ brother.

The pastor who took over for me in the North Sioux City church is a nephew of Jesse Haines.

Right-hander William Clinton Zepp pitched for the Twins from 1969-1970.  Born and raised in Detroit, he attended the University of Michigan, played in the Basin League for the Valentine Hearts, and was signed by the Twins as a free agent in 1968.  A starter in the minors, he pitched very well there, posting an ERA of three in Class A Wisconsin Rapids in 1968 and going 15-3, 2.34 with a 1.08 WHIP in 1969 in AA Charlotte.  He was with the Twins for about three weeks in August of 1969, working 5.1 relief innings.  The next year, 1970, was his only full season in the majors.  He started the season in the bullpen, pitched extremely well there, and went into the rotation in early July, where he continued to pitch well.  For the season, he made 20 starts and relieved 23 times.  In 151 innings, he went 9-4, 3.22 with a 1.36 WHIP, which is pretty good for an undrafted 23-year-old.  It didn’t impress the Twins much, though, because he was taken out of the rotation at the end of the year and traded to Detroit in spring training of 1971 for Mike Adams and a player to be named later (Art Clifford).  He was probably excited to be going home, but it didn’t work out well.  He started the season with Detroit, posted a 5.12 ERA, and was sent back to AAA in late June.  He pitched six times in AAA Toledo, not doing particularly well.  It appears that he needed Tommy John surgery.  The procedure was still new then, and Zepp decided to retire rather than risk the surgery.  At last report, Bill Zepp was retired and living in Plymouth, Michigan.  He frequently attends Detroit Tigers and University of Michigan alumni events.

Right-hander George Albert Lauzerique did not play for the Twins, but was in their farm system in 1965 and 1971.  He was born in La Habana, Cuba, went to high school in New York, and was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in the tenth round in 1965.  Somehow, he started his professional career in the Twins' organization, making seven starts for Class A St. Cloud in 1965.  He was only seventeen and did very well there, but then went to the Athletics' organization, where he stayed through 1969.  He appeared in three major league games in 1967 and one in 1968, and finally got substantial time in 1969, staying for over half the season.  He was nothing special, but he wasn't terrible, either.  After the season he was traded to Milwaukee in a trade that include some significant names at the time--he was traded with Ted Kubiak for Ray Oyler and Diego Segui.  He started 1970 with the Brewers, but had some really ugly outings and was sent down in late May.  He never would make it back to the majors, but he continued to pitch for several years.  The Brewers traded him to St. Louis after the 1970 season.  He was in AAA with the Cardinals for most of 1971 but found his way to AAA Portland in the Twins' organization for seven starts at the end of the season.  He was okay, but nothing special.  He pitched in Mexico 1972, then was out of baseball for two seasons.  He came back with the Houston organization in 1975 and pitched well in Class A and AA, but had a down season in 1976 and was done.  As a big leaguer, he was 4-8, 5.00, 1.39 WHIP in 113.1 innings.  He appeared in thirty-four games, starting fourteen of them.  He had a long career as a scout for five different organizations.  At last report, George Lauzerique was living in Palm Beach, Florida.