Johnny Blanchard. The elders in the Table will remember him from their youth very fondly. Quite an asset, would have had more playing time elsewhere but when you are on teams like the 1961 Yankees – in those days you were happy just to have a roster spot and be a spear carrier to the greats.  Still hit over 20 HR’s with limited AB’s that year, and two big HR’s in the Series versus the Reds.

Arthur Richman. A Damon Runyon New Yawker for sure.  Influenced George to hire Torre, part scout, part schmoozer, friend to a lot of players. I met him once in a luxury box at the Stadium. He was with a lot younger woman and was flashing his diamond ring that David Wells had bought for the Yankee connected to celebrate his perfect game, so that goes back a ways.  I remember he made reference to his preferred method of getting to and home from the stadium – the subway. He had “what a character” written all over him and really knew how to hold court. Now you have computer stat nerds as front office advisors, you won’t see Richman’s like again.