Real Work - Offseason Jobs of Vintage Ballplayers

[Bocabirdman]

Jim Palmer sold men's suits in downtown Baltimore in 65/66

[Hot Springs Bathers]

Frank "Shanty" Hogan ran a bowling alley in Hot Springs for many years.

[Bocabirdman]

John Kling was a pool hall owner and tournament player.

[frankbmd]

A player to be named later sang so well in the off season, he was known as

"The Arkansas Hummingbird"

Really! Hint: Last name rhymes with Kling

[Bocabirdman]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

A player to be named later sang so well in the off season, he was known as

"The Arkansas Hummingbird"

Really! Hint: Last name rhymes with Kling

Warneke rhymes with Kling?

[howard38]

In 1981 I was amazed to see on the news that Yankee reliever Ron Davis was working as a waiter during the baseball strike. As a kid I just couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that a pitcher who had been setting strikeout records a just a month earlier was not necessarily a wealthy man.

[Paul S]

During his career, Don Drysdale opened a bar in Van Nuys (Los Angeles) named Drysdale's Dugout. I imagine it supplemented his income year round. You won't find that on the back of no baseball card.

[packs]

King Kelly, John McGraw and Rube Marquard performed on vaudeville during their careers.

Mordecai Brown was a miner in his early career.

During his first few years with the Yanks Yogi worked at Sears.

Roy Campanella lucked into a weird deal with Nashua while in the New England League. A farmer said he'd give him 100 chickens for every homer. So when he hit 14 homers and ended up with 1,400 chickens, he started a farm. Later he opened a liquor store in Harlem.

Lefty Gomez was offered a try out by the Yanks while working at Universal Studios and pitching for a Hollywood Hills team.

[tjb1952tjb]

Originally Posted by Paul S

During his career, Don Drysdale opened a bar in Van Nuys (Los Angeles) named Drysdale's Dugout. I imagine it supplemented his income year round. You won't find that on the back of no baseball card.

There was a Drysdale's Dugout in Santa Ana, Ca. in the early 70's also. I wonder how many establishments he had? Died far too young.............