WILLIE STARGELL
The only real star on this team
In Name and Actuality
The All Time All-In-The-Name All Stars
Pitchers ~ DENNY STARK (BL/TL) (1999-2009) (15-14, 5.81 ERA)
DICK STARR (BR/TR) (1947-1951) (12-24, 5.25 ERA)
RAY STARR (BR/TR) (1932-1933, 1941-1945) (37-35, 3.53 ERA)
HERM STARRETTE (BR/TR) (1963-1965) (1-1, 2.54 ERA)
Catcher ~ GEORGE STARNAGLE (BR/TR)
(1902, 1 Game, 0 for 3) (.000, 0 HR)
First Base ~ WILLIE STARGELL (BL/TL) (1962-1982) (.282, 475 HR)
(Hall of Fame, 1st Ballot, 1988)
Second Base ~ CHARLIE STARR (UNK/TR)
(1905, 1908-1909) (.211, 0 HR)
Third Base ~ DOLLY STARK (BR/TR) (1909-1912) (.238, 0 HR)
Shortstop/Catcher ~ BILL STARR (BR/TR) (1935-1936, 24 AB)
(.208, 0 HR)
Left Field/Catcher ~ MATT STARK (BR/TR) (1997-1990, 28 AB)
(.179, 0 HR)
Center Field/Pitcher ~ CONRAD STARKEL (BR/TR)
(1906, 1 Game, 3 IP) (0-0, 18.00 ERA)
Right Field/ First Base ~ JOE START (BL/TL) (1876-1886) (.300, 7 HR)
Club Notes: Of the 12 men who made it to MLB with the letters “S-T-A-R” at the beginning of their surnames, five got there, and mostly by their fingernails, and ever so briefly, as pitchers. Raising the question: Does the presence of “star” at the beginning influence the way almost half of the “star” possessed name group pick their positions. After all, the pitcher is the only guy on the field who is guaranteed to have his hand on the ball before it’s ever put in play.
As for the talent on this team, only the great Willie Stargell is the proven ability “star” of this club, but that’s OK. This one’s all in the name of fun on All Star Game Day. *
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* Errata: Mark W’s greater research on 19th century player Joe Start has led me to amend that “only Willie Stargell” as the solitary proven talent on this club. Here’s what Mark W. wrote in the Comment section that quickly has caused me to also include Joe Start as a second able contributor to the favorable fates of our team, presuming they were all still alive and in their primes:
“Bill, I’d say Joe Start was recognized as a star in his day. His 32.2 career WAR in 16 seasons isn’t too shabby, and at the age of 41 he was a key player on the great World Champion Providence team of 1884. He broke in as a 28 year-old rookie on the 1871 National Association New York Mutuals and was one of their top players with a .360 BA and .372 OBP. He was 43 in his last season with Washington. Had he been 7 or 8 years younger when he broke in as a pro, he’d have logged 23 or 24 pro seasons and he might be a Hall of Famer today.” – MARK W., 7/16/15
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A Salute to the Real Stars: Be proud of them, fans. The 2015 All Star Game Tuesday night will feature two members of the Houston Astros in the starting lineup of the American League. Correct me if I’m wrong, but, unless my memory fails here, this is a feat that our Astros never accomplished in half a century as members of the National League. – Congratulations to Jose Altuve and Dallas Keuchel!
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The Pecan Park Eagle 
July 14, 2015 at 3:44 pm |
Biggio and Bagwell were both starters on the 1997 NL All-Star team.
July 14, 2015 at 4:07 pm |
Who? – Oh yes, how easily we fade out of sight and out of mind, even with a Hall of Fame Induction coming up soon that we Astros fans always hoped would be a “Killer Bee” doubleheader. In time Bags, in time!
July 16, 2015 at 6:22 am |
Bill, I’d say Joe Start was recognized as a star in his day. His 32.2 career WAR in 16 seasons isn’t too shabby, and at the age of 41 he was a key player on the great World Champion Providence team of 1884. He broke in as a 28 year-old rookie on the 1871 National Association New York Mutuals and was one of their top players with a .360 BA and .372 OBP. He was 43 in his last season with Washington. Had he been 7 or 8 years younger when he broke in as a pro, he’d have logged 23 or 24 pro seasons and he might be a Hall of Famer today.