Friday marked the 98th anniversary of the first Arizona-born baseball player to appear in the major-leagues. On that day, the marvelously-named Flame Delhi, from Harqua Hala, pitched three innings for the Chicago White Sox in his only appearance in the show. To mark the occasion, here’s my all-time Arizona Prime Nine (plus a closer), and their ties to the state.
The All-Time Arizona Team
- ↵↵C. Ron Hassey - born in TucsonThe only player in history to catch two perfect games: Len Barker’s in 1981, and Dennis Martinez a decade later. Part of the Oakland team in the late eighties that reached the World Series three consecutive years, he’s now manager of the Marlins A-ball team in Jupiter↵1B. Shea Hillenbrand - MesaThis two-time All-Star started with Boston, but returned to Arizona in a trade for D-backs closer Kim, and hit three homers during one game in July 2003. He later played in Toronto and got into an infamous spat with manager John Gibbons, writing “This is a sinking ship” on a clubhouse chalkboard. ↵2B. Ian Kinsler - TucsonThe Diamondbacks chose him during the 29th round in 2000, but he didn’t sign, instead completing college and being picked by the Rangers in 2003. On April 15 last year, Kinsler went 6 for 6 and hit for the cycle, the first player to do so in a 9-inning game since Farmer Weaver in 1890. ↵SS. Solly Hemus - PhoenixHad a career .390 OBP - better than Derek Jeter, and seventh all-time among shortstops with 3,000 PAs - with an OPS+ of 115. Played mostly for St. Louis, and led the league in runs scored for them in 1952. Was player-manager of the Cardinals, between 1959 and 1961, with a 190-192 record.
- ↵3B. Jack Howell - TucsonCurrently the hitting coach for the Diamondbacks, he spent eleven season in the majors, plus four in Japan, where he was the MVP of the Central League in 1992 for the Yakult Swallows. His best season in America was likely 1987, when he hit 23 homers in 138 games with the California Angels.
- ↵LF. Billy Hatcher - WilliamsPerhaps best known for his 1987 bat-corking suspension, following an incident in which his bat shattered, scattering superballs over the infield. However, he had a .404 average in fourteen post-season games, including seven consecutive hits in the 1990 World Series.
- ↵CF. Hank Leiber - PhoenixThe first position player from Arizona to appear in the majors, Leiber was born in 1911, back when it was a territory rather than a state. An All-Star on three occasions at the end of his career, he even pitched a complete game, starting the second game of a double-header against Philadelphia in 1942.
- ↵RF. Andre Ethier - PhoenixBlossomed last year, coming sixth in the NL MVP voting, thanks to 31 homers and 106 RBI. Ethier showed little love for his former home on Thursday, getting the game-winning hit in the tenth inning against the Diamondbacks. He looks set to continue that torment for a good few more seasons.↵SP. John Denny - PrescottDenny’s career ran 1974-86, mostly with the Cardinals, but his greatest season was 1983: he went 19-6 for the Phillies with a 2.37 ERA, to win the NL Cy Young. He also won the Opening Game of the World Series that year, the only success for Philadelphia,as they lost in five games to Baltimore.
- ↵CL. Bob Howry - PhoenixCurrently in the D-backs bullpen, his seventh team, no AZ pitcher has more career saves (66). The only time he reached double-figures was as a sophomore in 1999, when he was the main White Sox closer, and saved 28 games. He’s the fourth Arizona-born player to appear for the Diamondbacks.
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