centerfield maz

Larry Louis Poncino was born on February 3rd 1957 in Los Angeles California. He attended San Clemente High School & then the University of Nevada-Reno. Poncino began as an umpire in the Calfornia League (1977) moving on to the Texas League (1978-1979) & the Pacific Coast League for twelve years (1980-1992). He got to the majors as a National League umpire in 1985, working there through the 1999 season. In 1991 he was the home plate umpire working Montreal Expo Dennis Martinez perfect game at Dodger Stadium. He also worked the right field line of the 1996 All Star Game at Philadelphia, won by the National League 6-0. In 1999 Poncino was part of the mass umpire resignation of umpires organized by its union head Ritchie Phillips. The plan backfired as all resignations were accepted by MLB & a new union was formed with. MLB picked & chose what umpires they wanted back over time but 22 were left without jobs. Poncino was hired back in 2002 working the 2003 & ...

Willard Wayne Terwilliger was born on June 27, 1925 in Clare, Michigan. The tall lanky second baseman earned the nickname “Twig” because of his frame & his name. He played at West Michigan University getting signed by the Chicago Cubs in 1948. He spent two season with the Cubs, playing 133 games in 1950 hitting a career high 10 HRs with 32 RBIs and a .242 average. He was a fast infielder coming in sixth in steals that year (13) & had nine sacrifice hits (9th in the league). He spent a brief time with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1951, although he hit .280 in 37 games he was placed on waivers. He was purchased by the Washington Senators, and after one season in the minors, became their regular second baseman for two seasons. He hit a career-high .252 with 24 doubles 46 RBIs 13 sac hits (6th in the league) and 64 walks, posting a .343 on base %. Defensively at second base, he posted the leagues fourth best fielding percentage (.983) was third in assists (393) & fifth in p...

Daniel Ralph Iassogna was born on May 3rd, 1969 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He went to High school in Trumball, Connecticut, & then earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Connecticut (Uconn). From there he began his pro umpiring career, first working in the New York Penn. League in 1992. By 1994 he was pushed up to the South Atlantic League, then the Carolina League the next season. In 1996 he began a two year stint at AA ball in the Texas League. From there he was promoted to AAA in the International League where he remained through the 2003 season. In August of 1999 he made his MLB debut working as a fill in, a position he held for vacationing umpires for five seasons. On August 13th 2002 at Arlington, Texas in a game between the Texas Rangers & the Chicago White Sox, Iassongna was part of a history making umpire crew. The umpiring crew was made up of the same ethnic background, all Italian / Americans. Iassogna was on the line at third base, To...

George Lawrence Puccinelli was born on June 22nd 1907, in San Francisco California. The six foot one right fielder was part of a long line of early twentieth century second generation Italians. He began his pro career in 1927 with A ball Denver. It was just the start of a long 13 year minor league career. In 1931 he hit 20 HRs between A ball & AA ball. In 1930 he got a chance in the major leagues, playing eleven games with the NL Champion St. Louis Cardinals, batting .563 going 9-16. He showed off his power in just his third game, hitting a three run HR against the Robins in Brooklyn. Two weeks later he hit another HR in his next game, coming in Cincinnati. On August 30th, he hit HR #3 at Wrigley Field in Chicago. He got into one World Series game going 0-1 against the Champion Philadelphia Athletics. He returned back to the minor leagues, leading the International League in hitting, batting .391, missing out on a .400 season by nine points. He also hit 28 HRs that y...

Congratulations to Zack Wheeler on his first MLB victory in an impressive debut in Atlanta. The Mets took two from the Braves as Matt Harvey won the first game for his sixth victory of the year. Mets fans are hoping this is the future of the front end of the pitching rotation for years to come.