Tony Solaita
My recent observation on # 51 led to this e-mail from Repoz on the subject:
A little note on Tony Solaita wearing #51…If I’m not mistaken, the Yankees gave him that Sept. number call-up number because he had just come off hitting 51 bombs during his just finished minor league season (49 big flys at High Point-Thomasville Hi-Toms in the Carolina League (A) and 2 taters skinned during the Carolina League Playoffs for a total of 51).
Trust me in saying that in Yankeeland…Solaita was the talk of the season…and the wait was on…for one stinkin’ Yankee at bat!
http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/B09160DET1968.htm
And his sad obit…
OK, so, Solaita was the hot-shot power prospect at the end of the ’60s. And, we had Bam Bam Meulens at the end of the ’80’s. Where’s the one for now?
It should be one every twenty years, right?
There were a few more guys than that Steve.
Roger Repoz, Steve Whitaker, Fred McGriff are among a few others.