Need help identifying a player

[David Bender]

This is from the 1969 Foodland Pirates Photo Album. Labeled Dock Ellis, but I don't think it looks like Ellis. Any ideas?

[Volod]

That's a tough one. I agree it doesn't look anything like Ellis. I searched through Topps sets from 68-70 and saw none that looked like him. He looks possibly Hispanic - maybe an obscure minor leaguer who never made it up.

[theseeker]

Maybe it's another case of a batboy stand-in. Actually, it looks like a young Ellis to me. Hard to recognize at first without the curlers in his hair.

[David Bender]

Here's a 1970 Topps Vault photo for comparison:

[Chris-Counts]

While on the irresistible subject of Dock Ellis, I couldn't help but post this ...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vUhSYLRw14

[joeadcock]

Chris

Sad story. After seeing the short you put up read on him. When I was young in the 1970's didn't pay much attention to DOC except had his baseball cards.

Sad he died of Cirrhosis. I deal with those w/ the disease alot and just dealt with a major cirrhotic a few days ago. He is going down hill in a hurry. Not a candidate for transplant.

To be famous and destroy your life when you can do so much good.

[GoldenAge50s]

Photo might be Johnny Jeter.

[David Bender]

Jeter's a possibility, I guess:

[GoldenAge50s]

David---

I can't find that set in either my SCD or Beckett Bibles--is it listed by another name?

[David Bender]

Fred, it's a publication issued by Foodland supermarkets. Full page photos of Blass, Clemente, Mazeroski, Stargell, Moose, Alou, Veale, Alley, Jerry May, Bunning, Hebner, Oliver, Patek, and "Ellis." Cover photo of Forbes Field and 1969 Pirates schedule inside the back cover.

Here's one on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1969-FOODLAND-PI...item27bb50aaac

[pclpads]

Perhaps a Pirates version of Aurelio Rodgriquez.

[GoldenAge50s]

No wonder I couldn't find it---Thanks David!

[Ejm1]

Angel Mangual maybe?

[theseeker]

Dock Ellis. Look at the ears in both photos. That isn't going to change. As for the eye brows, any man vain enough to wear curlers could also groom his monobrow.

[Volod]

I think I found it. It looks very much like a young Ed Acosta, who was in the Pirates farm system 1968-1969. He was at Cocoa in the Florida St. League, so could have had a photo taken with the big team in that period.

[David Bender]

I think you're right on Acosta. Thanks!

[Jay in VA]

Not so fast! May I add to the confusion?

This is one of a set of photos that was sold at the ballpark:

[Volod]

Man, don't know - here's a couple of images of Martinez on autographed photos. Note the difference in handwriting, which I guess could have changed over a few years. But I still think the player looks more like Acosta than Martinez. Maybe a mixup at the print shop?