I've been flipping through a spiral-clasp booklet I bought when I was 15 years old, a total baseball nut. The booklet lists the starting lineups and reserves for every MLB franchise through the years (Dodgers since 1890).
It was the first year of the Padres' expansion franchise, 1969. I hand-wrote in for the infield, "Colbert" (1B), "Arcia" and "Sipin" (2B), "Spiezio" (3B) (I had his baseball card, and still do), "Dean" (SS), "Brown-Gaston-Ferrara/Murrell" (OF).
Without looking it up, I remember Nate Colbert, Ed Spiezio, Ollie Brown, Clarence Gaston, Al Ferrara, and Ivan Murrell--56 years later from memory.
In blue Bic pen ink, I also carefully printed "Cannizzaro" (Chris) for catcher. His backup, also neatly printed on the Padres' chart, is "Hriniak" (Al).
I've kept the booklet out, and had fun looking at it. I took with me on substitute-teaching assignments; it'll linger a little longer before I put it back in the bookcase, next to my Yaz autographed biography of the 1968 American League MVP (got it in the mail), Baseball Registers for three years in the late 60's, and all eight Official Baseball Guides I collected, published by The Sporting News.
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