Wally

I've named my first post Wally.

And why not? Wally Post was a Red from 1949-1957 and again from 1960-1963. He was a Philly in the interstice, traded for Harvey Haddix. He finished with the Twins and Tribe in short succession.

A power hitting outfielder and Ohio native, Post had his best seasons in 1955 and 1956, slugging 76 homers combined. He made it to only one World Series and played well (6-18, HR, 2 BI, 3 R) in a losing cause as the Reds were bested by Mickey Mantle and the Yanks in 1961. Post was one of the beneficiaries of the storied ballot-stuffing incident of 1957 which saw the Crosley faithful elect the entire Reds starting eight into the All-Star Game. He remains, as far as I know, the only fielder in baseball history to nail two baserunners from the outfield in a single inning twice in a career. He led the NL in Ks thrice.

He was Nuxie's best friend.

His grandson, Bobby Hoying, was a decent-if-unspectacular quarterback at Ohio State, and has managed a respectable career as a backup in the NFL.

By all accounts, Post, who died in 1982, was an unassuming and personable man who is fondly remembered by friends and family, and throughout his hometown of St. Henry.

Off the field, and in his retirement, he preferred to dress casually, so seldom wore any of the 11 suits he won from Seibling's haberdashery for hitting their billboard at Crosley with his homeruns. At work, like all Reds from the 1930s to the early 1990s, he wore black shoes, low stirrups, and a clean shave.

Update: If you've found your way here from Baseball Musings, which linked this post, hie thee here without delay to the welcome mat. It only looks like a landmine.