A career abruptly ended…. Heart condition, specifically pericarditis, an inflammation of the
membranes that surround the heart, and it had not only truncated his 1972 season
but forced him to retire from the Red Sox and the game….A native Iowan the only
non pitcher to make the bigs from Northern Iowa University…there he was a
teammate of Oriole Eddie Watt…Drafted and crawled up the White Sox organization…two
late season call up and after one season on the bench became a regular in
1968….named to AL all star squad that year…hit .247 which was “good” for that
year….after a year of diminished playing time to Ed Hermann, Duane turned in a
sparkling .316 average in 1970….He and Hermann combined for 23 home runs, 93
RBI’s, and .299 BA….This one of lone bright spots of White Sox worst year to
date….With catching a relative strength, Duane was traded to the rouge hose….Hit
a personal best 10 home runs as the #1 catcher….Was contesting that position
with Carlton Fisk in 1972 when the forced retirement was announced….Duane
returned to Iowa and lived for another 24 years before succumbing to his
condition.
And they couldn't get a picture of him in a Red Sox uniform! That's a White Sox uni with an airbrushed helmet!
ReplyDeleteWow! you're right. After 40+ years I never noticed that. It not a bad job, unlike Lew Krausse.
ReplyDelete