The pitcher "Smiling Mickey" Welch spent his career in the shadow of Tim Keefe. The two right-handers were teammate most of his years in the majors, and most of those seasons, Keefe was considered as cast pitching.

Welch admitted willingly that Keefe was the best pitcher of the two, and in his old age cataloged as the largest of the year 1880. However, if Welch was not the greatest of his time, Michael Francis Welch was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1859 and started playing baseball in the streets and pleasures. He turned professional in 1877, when he joined Poughkeepsie Volunteers, a semi-professional team. Then they followed two seasons with Auburn and the National Association of Holyoke.

In 1880 he went to play for the Troy Trojans, who was then a member of the National League, with whom he became an immediate sensation.

Photo : baseballhall.org

Although only 5 feet eight inches and weighed 160 pounds, Welch was known for his strength. He finished his rookie season with 34 and 30, and all were complete games. His fastball and curve were somewhat better than average, but also launched the ball effect, or "screwball", a rarity in those days.

Tim Keefe joined the Haymakers in August 1880 and had only 6 and 6. In its second year, however, he managed to establish himself as the ace of the cast, and Welch became the number two in the rotation. Welch began "only" 40 games in 1881, completed again each, and ended with a balance of 21 and 18.

On July 4 he celebrated his 22nd birthday with two complete games were wins against Buffalo. It was not relieved until his second start in 1882, having started his career in the majors with an admirable record of 105 complete games in as many outings.

The 1883 season was the last of Troy in the National League. When John B. Day was granted both the franchise in the National League and the American Association in New York, bought the Haymakers for US $ 7,000. Day payroll divided between the two teams. Welch was incorporated into the Gothams NL, while Keefe pitched for the Metropolitan AA. The teams played in enclosed fields, separated by a fence and canvas. When both teams were at home, fans of the bleachers of a park could see the two games.

Welch in 1883 and 1884 won a total of 64 games for the Gotham’s and launched nearly a thousand entries. He also played 38 games as an outfielder in 1883, when he hit three home runs, five triples and twelve double. However, he did his best work on the mound. The 28 August 1884 imposed a major league mark for nine consecutive strikeouts. The record was not broken until Tom Seaver fanned ten in 1970.

At the same time, Keefe won 77 games and led the Mets to the 1884 AA degree, but the Metropolitans were losing money. The ticket prices AA club was only 25 cents, while the charged Gotham’s 50. The Mets would have had to double aid to the Gotham’s to raise the same amount of money, which was highly unlikely. In an effort to raise the audience, Day changed to .314 hitter and fielder, "Dude" Esterbrook, the "manager" Jim Keefe Mutrie and the Gotham’s. The change was about to unleash the war between the two leagues.

With the arrival of Keefe, Welch once again became the team's number two pitcher. If you bother to what constituted a demotion, just let him glimpse. His personality made blood being called "Smiling Mickey" Miguelito Smiling, cartoonist for a newspaper. According to the obituary of Welch in 1941, "salary Smiling Mickey never exceeded US $ 4,000 a year and the money earned. Mutries had him playing center jardíon day not launched and also had to be on stage one hour early to watch the tourniquet. "

The 1885 season was the best of Welch. Had 44 and 11, won 12 games more than Keefe, and finished with the best winning percentage in the league, the only time he has led the NL in any category, except for walks. On one occasion, he won 17 games in a row.

While Welch and Keefe formed the best combination of pitchers in the league, the team failed to win a championship until 1888. That year, defeated the champion of AA, the Carmelites of San Luis in the then World Series, when Keefe won four games Welch and split two and two together. Giants repeated as NL champions in 1889 and defeated the Brooklyn Series. Surprisingly or not Keefe Welch won a game in the World Series that year. However, "Cannonball" Crane and Hank O'Day, three four pitchers Giants won six games between the two.

The 1890 season was interrupted by the First World War. The owners had devised a plan to rank players from "A" to "E" according to their capabilities, with a maximum salary of US $ 2,500. For many players, including Welch, it seemed a drastic reduction in his salary.

The Brotherhood of Professional Baseball Players, founded in 1885 as a benign organization, decided to fight and established his own League players to compete with the LN and AA. Most stars have joined the new league. The 1890 season was a total disaster for the LN and AA, and most of the teams lost money.

Despite being one of the founders of the Brotherhood, Welch chose to stay with the Giants. He won only 17 games since his career was coming to an end. His victory was the 3,000th 15th of his career and joined Welch Jim Galvin and Keefe as only members of that exclusive club.

The Players League was dissolved after its first year and seriously wounded AA fought one more season before failing too. The LN it took years to recover.

In 1891 Welch won only five games, and in 1892, friction between Mickey and director Smiling Pat Powers emerged. After a single opening, the contract was transferred to Welch minor league team the Giants in Troy. Mickey was presented in mid-June, he won 17 games and left. His major league record was 308 and 209, with 525 complete games in 549 starts.

Welch moved to Holyoke, Massachusetts, where he worked as an assistant at the Elks Club. In 1912, John McGraw offered a job as custodian of the Polo Grounds. For many years Welch was guardian at the entrance to the stands, sharing memories with fans and always smiling.

He died in 1941. And in 1973, his name was included in the Hall of Fame.

His middle name is Martinez by his father, Martinez Jackson. Reggie said in his autobiography that had black blood, Irish, Indian and Caribbean. His grandfather was African American, Afro-Caribbean and grandmother was born in St. Croix. His father, Martinez Clarence Jackson (African American), married Clara (African American). Mr. Jackson had two children from his first marriage: Clarence that called him "Joe" and Dolores. From their union with Clear four children were born: Beverly, James who called "Slug", Reggie and Tina the minor.

In concluding his high school, Reggie went to study at Arizona State University. There he met Jennie Fields, a US-Mexican girl, with whom he had a romantic relationship culminating in marriage. With Jennie it learned to speak Spanish, which helped him to communicate with his fellow Spanish-speaking baseball, especially when he played winter ball in Puerto Rico, in the 1970-71 season, with the Santurce Crabbers. That year topped the Puerto Rico League in homers with 20 and 47 runs scored.

His major league career began in 1967 with terrible numbers. With the A's managed just one homer in 118 at-bats and batting average of .178 pyrrhic. In 1968 he started the season from the start in the majors. His numbers were a little better, but struck out 171 times. Yet, he shot 29 homers and batted .250. And in 1969 he had a significant improvement of 47 home runs, 118 RBI, 123 runs scored and 114 base on balls, a leader in the last two categories. But typical of his career, he struck out 142 times.

Of the three consecutive titles of the A's in the seventies, he could not participate in 1972 due to an injury sustained in the last game of the ALCS American League, sliding into the plate scoring race that gave the crown to the Athletics. In the following year he capped a brilliant year in which he was nominated MVP of both the season and the World Series. The team repeated in 1974 defeating the Dodgers in five games.

Jackson also owned a rough character that brought many quarrels among their peers, managers and owners. By discussions with the owner of the A's he was traded to the Orioles with which he played one season.

source : alumni.asu.edu

Ranking sixth in home runs of all time, with 563, Reginald Martinez Jackson was born in Wyncote (Pennsylvania). In 1964 he joined the State University of Arizona, where he played football and baseball, sport for which he finally bowed to sign in 1966 with the Kansas City Athletics, who later moved to Oakland (California).

In 1976 he joined the Baltimore Orioles, and the following year went to the New York Yankees with whom he won three titles in the East Division, two of the American League and two World Series, in 1977 and 1978. In the 1977 hit four consecutive home runs, each to a different pitcher Los Angeles Dodgers. That feat, which was unprecedented, made him being called 'Mr. October '.

Reggie Jackson was the only player to have been named MVP in two World Series. For these valuable prizes, the nickname of "Mr. October" won.

Reggie also has under its belt the record of having been struck out more times in his career, 2,597 times, once every four at-bats. Although from 1971 to 1982 he led three teams to ten division titles and won five World Series, Jackson was never a good defensive player. It tied with Burt Shotton, was the leader in the American errors league five times.

Jackson hit 29 homers in 1968, was the leader in assists with 14, with 12 errors, and also managed to strike out 171 times in 553 Opportunities.

In 1969 he was to step to the previous record of Roger Maris and had 40 homers in July, but ended up hitting only seven more in the season.

Winner of four homers crowns, Reggie won his first in 1973. The first appearance in the World Series was memorable for Reggie Jackson as he had four hits in the second game, two double to score two runs for the sixth game, and a home run as well as two spectacular catches to win the seventh game with Oakland. An example of what is truly valuable player, Jackson was the recipient of this for the regular season as well as for the World Series.

Jackson also played in the world series of 74 'in which he homered in the first game, a double in the second, and ended when making out the fifth game.

If there is a year that could give you the name of Mr. October to Reggie Jackson he was in the 77th. In this World Series he hits homers in the fourth and fifth games, as well as three in the sixth game.

In this series he scored two new records, most home runs in a series (5), run scored (10) and total bases (25). The third home run crown was won by Reggie in 80 'with the Yankees, the fourth in the 82' with the Angels.

Jackson finished his career with the Athletics in the 87 'with 563 career homers and sixth in the list of all players. He retired after the 1987 season and in 1993 was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.