NFT: Obscure NY athletes that you remember - any era/any sport

of the New York Raiders. Later gave the `79 Rangers a boost.

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There's a story behind my remembering Sid Gordon, a player who really wasn't that obscure. I'd guess it was the year 1946 when I was 7 years old. My Dad used to take me to the Polo Grounds every Saturday afternoon for Giants baseball games.
One Saturday the family car was in for repair and we went by subway. After the game, rather than try to rush into the subway with the first rush of thousands, we lingered a bit and I ran around the field a while(you could exit the Polo Grounds by going onto the field and walking straight out through centerfield under the clubhouse and onto 8th Avenue). After pausing for a half hour or so Dad said it's time to hit the subway. It was still pretty packed and thanks to me slowing Dad down we didn't get seats.
So as we're standing and I'm getting somewhat crushed as an undersized 7-year-old, a seated gentleman tapped my Dad on the back and pointing to me said, "Why not let him sit on my lap"? It was Sid Gordon.
Turned out he lived not too far from us in Queens. Best subway ride I ever had!

Rumun Ndur

Barry Kramer (who wouldn't be obscure had he not wrecked hi knee)

from NY or played in NY (though I believe Kramer played briefly with the Knicks, so he would qualify on both counts)

Hard to keep it short.

Mets: Joel Youngblood, Bruce Berenyi, Dave Gallagher, Brian Bohanon, Dave Telgheder, Derek Reed, Todd Pratt

Islanders: Mike Kaczycki, Paul Boutillier, Rich Kromm, Randy Boyd, Ari Haanpaa, Tom Fitzgerald, Tom Chorske, Kristian Kudroc, Branislav Mezei, Juraj Kolnik

Giants: Mike Mayock, Tom Flynn, Herb Welch, Bob Mrosko, Emmanuel McDaniel, Rod Babers, Gartrell Johnson

the great

Rosaire (Ross) Allen Moschitto

one of only 7 MLB players who has more game appearances than plate appearances.

In comment 12346671 pganut said:

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Hard to keep it short. Mets: Joel Youngblood, Bruce Berenyi, Dave Gallagher, Brian Bohanon, Dave Telgheder, Derek Reed, Todd Pratt Islanders: Mike Kaczycki, Paul Boutillier, Rich Kromm, Randy Boyd, Ari Haanpaa, Tom Fitzgerald, Tom Chorske, Kristian Kudroc, Branislav Mezei, Juraj Kolnik Giants: Mike Mayock, Tom Flynn, Herb Welch, Bob Mrosko, Emmanuel McDaniel, Rod Babers, Gartrell Johnson

Flynn is not that obscure -- he was DROY with 9 INTs as a rookie (I think with GB)

Barry Kramer was an All American at NYU. Back in those days that was about as New York as you could get. And yes, he did have a short career with the Knicks also.

Ken the animal Bannister

Hawthorne Wingo

In comment 12346678 Phil in Joisey said:

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Barry Kramer was an All American at NYU. Back in those days that was about as New York as you could get. And yes, he did have a short career with the Knicks also.

Phil, I lived across the street from the 'uptown' campus and met him and saw Happy Hairston and Mal Graham who had a beautiful stroke.

In comment 12346659 gtt350 said:

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whatever happened to that guy?

Victor "not-Carlos" Zambrano

Bobby Crespino
Mike Friede
Odessa Turner
Bill Melchioni
Mike Kekich
Pete Shaw

Steve Balboni

Coleman Zeno, Hinkey Haines, Leon McQuay, Junior Coffey, John Fuqua,henry Reed

Mets:Bob Aspromonte Rico Brogna, Del Unser, Pedro A, Martinez,
Joe Foy

Knicks: Louie Orr, Johnnie Newman, Fido Frey,

In comment 12346742 Crispino said:

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Bobby Crespino Mike Friede Odessa Turner Bill Melchioni Mike Kekich Pete Shaw

I was at the game at RFK when Odessa Turner had his Ramses Barden-like breakout game. Other than that game he didn't do much.

Yanks: Walt No Neck Williams Frank Fernandez Dick Dirt Tidrow Stan Bahnsen Rich McKinney Rawly Eastwick Bill Sudakis Cesar Tovar Andre Robertson Sandy Alomar Lindy McDaniel Cecil Upshaw Cliff Johnson Kerry Dineen Rudy May Jerry Moses Jim Mason Brian Dayett Oscar Azocar Dooley Womack Sam McDowell Johnny Callison Jim Ray Hart Otto Velez Rusty Torres Paul Zuvella
Bill Monboquette Tony Solita Charley Spikes

Mets: Rod Kanehl Bobby Pfeil Donn Clendenon JC Martin Don Cardwell Ken Boswell Jack Fischer Ron Taylor Kevin Elster
Joe Foy

Giants: Darrell Doss Willie Williams Walker Gillette Bob Grim Bob Lurtsema Randy Johnson Leon Perry Bjorn Nittmo Joe Dawkins Rich Houston Leon McQuay Norm Snead

Rangers: Gilles Villemure Gilles Gratton Jere Gillis Don Murdoch Ulf Nillson Greg Polis Dale Tallon

NY Raiders Ron Ward Andre Lacroix

Knicks: Jesse Dark John Gianelli Ken Bannister Harthowne Wingo Don May Lonnie Shelton Dean Meminger Neal Walk

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defenseman, New York Rangers. As a kid I remember him for a short period thinking he was Bobby Orr.

Benny Agbayani-Jay Payton-Timo Perez

Andy Philips
Enrique Wilson
Craig Wilson
Tony Womack
Sterling Hitchcock
Glenallen Hill
Drew Henson
David Weathers
Austin Kearns
Kevin Thompson
Raul Mondesi
Cory Lidle

Epitome of wildly overpaid, unproductive, old Ranger signing. Remember him celebrating prematurely. A true Ranger.

NY Jets running back and Englewood NJ native

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You mean the guy who won a Vezina and holds the record for the lowest goals against in the all-star game? He wasn't an obscure Ranger. Now, if you said sulky driver at Roosevelt Raceway, I would have given you that.

was good for awhile and looked like he'd be part of the next "great" Knicks team along with the two Rays and Mike "The Stinger" Glenn. But he wrecked his knee. Sly Williams looked like he was gonna be good, too, but he snorted everthing including the end lines.

Knicks

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Billy Martin (Knicks)

My 12 year old self will never forget the dropped punt that Wesley Mallard picked up and ran for a first down in a regular season game vs. the Vikings. And I have no clue why I remember that.

Jerry Milbourne

Bjorn Nittmo

tough as nails!

"I'm no goon. I play hockey. I check. If anybody wants to fight, I'll fight." Nick once said. Not that many people really wanted to fight him. Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, one of hockey's most infamous tough guys, wrote in his book that Fotiu was the only man he was afraid to fight in his NHL career.

Pat Cummings
Kenny Bannister
Rory Sparrow

Giants
Earnest Gray
Bill Currier
Larry Flowers

Yankees
Jerry Mumphrey
Claudell Washington
Paul Zuvella
Bob Tewksbury

Rangers
Tom Laidlaw
Grant Ledyard
Kelly Miller
Eddie Mio

Yankees: Oscar Gamble, Jerry Kenny, Horace Clark
Giants: Carter Campbell, Leon Bright, Ernest Gray

He's so obscure I got his name confused with Jerry Mumphrey

Larry Milbourne

Alex Karpotsev NYR, Billy Ard NYG, Mike Rosenthal NYG, Chris Morris of the Nets, Bobby Meachem NYY

As a kid during the 1976 WS vs the Reds, I was sitting with my dad way out in right field when Jim Mason hit a HR that rattled under my seat. I can remember seeing myself on the news for a split second when we got home later.

In comment 12347746 Bluenatic said:

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Mike Cherry, Danny Kannell and Kent Graham.. What a year.

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His position was listed as forward, but it should have read "enforcer".



BTW, since Alexander Karpovtsev was mentioned, some of you who remember him may not know that he was one of the coaches killed in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash.

In comment 12347182 SomeFan said:

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Homered his first at bat. Sky was the limit. Ha

in PA and my buddy said.. and I quote:

"DUDE, our waitress looks like Ron Kittle"