Good morning! We’ve got a special edition of the newsletter today, featuring the story of a guy you probably don’t know about (but definitely should).

Here's what's coming:

Let’s dive in, shall we?

Who is the lowest draft pick in history to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

The answer is at the end of this email! Look for the ⭐ emoji.

By the numbers, he should be an easy Hall of Famer. But most baseball fans wouldn’t even know his name.

We’re talking about Tony Phillips. Ring a bell?

Throughout the 80s and 90s, guys like Wade Boggs, Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, and Dwight Evans took the spotlight away from Tony.

Even when he played for the Oakland Athletics, he was outshined by the Bash Bros – Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco.

Don’t get me wrong, those guys are legends, but we gotta give Tony his flowers.

Phillips was a gamer from the jump.

In high school, he was 5’ 8” and 145 lbs.

“I’ve always had Little Man’s disease,” Phillips told Sports Illustrated in 1997. “Your whole life people tell you that you can’t do this, you can’t do that. I always thought, Oh, yeah? Well, I’ll show you, you so-and-so. I didn’t have a chip on my shoulder – it was a chunk.”

While he didn’t have the ideal build for an MLB prospect, Tony was a hard worker. The type of ballplayer you always want on your team because you know he’ll scrap it out until the last pitch.

He was known across baseball for his volatile temperament.

Here’s a quote from Tony that gives you a little window into his mindset:

After two years at New Mexico Military Institute – a public military junior college – Phillips debuted in 1982 with the Oakland A’s and played there for the first eight years of his career.

After a couple of rough years in ‘88 and ‘89, the Athletics granted him free agency and he signed with the Tigers, where his best years were still ahead of him.

Giving up on your future stars – classic Oakland A’s behavior (at least up until now).

Phillips had a lot of great attributes, but let’s start with his most impressive skill: his defense.

You could put this guy anywhere on the diamond and he’d be solid. Many people argue that he is the game’s best “Super Utility Player” of all time.

He played first, second, third, shortstop, and every spot in the outfield throughout his career.

He had a lifetime defensive WAR of 6.3 and a .968 fielding percentage.

One of his most ridiculous defensive performances happened on July 6th, 1986, when he recorded 12 assists – tying an AL record.

At the plate, Tony always did one thing very well.

Over the course of his career, he drew 1,319 walks and had three seasons with an on-base percentage north of .400.

His power seemed to increase as he got older too.

Tony hit 19 homers with 95 walks in ‘94, and 27 bombs with 113 walks the following year. This man was legitimately Billy Beane’s wet dream.

His cumulative WAR was 50.9.

And to put into perspective how impressive that is, here’s a short list of guys who are in the Hall of Fame with a lower lifetime WAR:

Meanwhile, Tony never even got elected to a single All-Star Game.

Despite his lack of “official” accolades – for which he is more than deserving – Tony Phillips will forever remain an unsung hero of the game.

His story reminds us that chasing greatness shouldn’t be driven by external validation or subjective awards. It’s all about having a burning passion for the game, working your tail off, and leaving it all on the field.

Heck, Tony was still playing professional baseball at 52 years old, where he hit .269 in 29 games for the Yuma Scorpions.

Sportswriter Bob Ryan summed his career up best:

“(Tony) Phillips puts every ounce of energy into every game he plays. If it means fouling off six pitches before drawing a rally-extending base on balls, he’ll do that. If it means stepping in and out of the batter’s box to irritate the pitcher, he’ll do that. If it means breaking up a double play with a hard slide, he’ll do that. If it means moaning to the umpire, he’ll do that.”

“He has a tremendous knack for getting on people’s nerves. He also has a tremendous knack for helping teams win baseball games.”

If you’re hungry for more mind-blowing baseball history, subscribe to Dead Legends for free and get a new story every day.

POWERED BY: Dead Legends

More than any other sport, baseball is full of wild and whacky stories. And whether you’re a fairweather fan or a season-ticket holder, there is plenty you don’t know about America’s pastime.

Dead Legends is a daily newsletter that sends you a bite-sized baseball story every day that’s guaranteed to blow your mind.

Since I first heard about it, I haven’t missed a single email. You can subscribe for free right here 👇

Just in case you needed a laugh 😂

🌽 Dayton Webber, who has no hands and no legs, went viral after a dominating showing in the American Cornhole League on ESPN. [BroBible]

⚾️ What if one throw could change your life? That’s exactly what happened to Ethan Bryan, and countless others who decided to play catch for 365 days straight. [Joker Mag]

⛳️ After suffering a stroke 10 years ago, Jerry Trevino has re-learned how to play golf with one arm. [KLST-TV]

🏈 “It’s all about the kids.” Lamar Jackson may have just signed a $260 million, but he still remembers where he came from. The superstar QB just bought ice cream for this entire neighborhood of children. [The Sports Rush]

🔥 D3 baseball alum Kiefer Lord got drafted in the 3rd round of the MLB Draft on Monday. Here’s how he went from an unknown mediocre pitcher to a bonafide pro prospect. [San Mateo Daily Journal]

MLB had a problem during World War II:

Countless players left baseball to serve their country.

That opened the door for kids like Joe Nuxhall – who signed a pro contract as a 14-year-old.

Nuxhall made his MLB debut at 15 years and 316 days old, making him the youngest rookie in Major League Baseball history.

On June 10th of the same year, Nuxhall made his first-ever MLB appearance in a 13-0 blowout loss to Stan Musial’s Cardinals, becoming the youngest player to ever play in an MLB game.

It's a record that will likely stand the test of time.

Nuxhall went back and forth to the minors and ended up playing professionally until 1966. He was a two-time All-Star and was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

⭐ Trivia Answer:

C) Mike Piazza – Tommy Lasorda picked Mike in the 62nd round (1390th overall) as a favor to Vince Piazza, who grew up with the Dodgers’ legendary manager in Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Wanna submit a trivia question or fun fact for the next edition? Reply to this email.

Thanks for reading! 🤝

If you enjoyed this email, send me a quick reply and let me know what story you liked most. Or just vote in the poll below.

Your feedback helps me make this the best newsletter it can be (and ensures these emails keep hitting your primary inbox).

Enjoy the All-Star break!

Til next time,
Tyler

*Sponsored link.