The first ten years of the Atlanta Braves were difficult to gage....big swings in wins and losses plus a career altering injury....but the good years are highly correlated with the fortunes of this solid submarining fireman who improved each year from his debut in 1966....it was family affair, teammate George Stone was a cousin.....a driving force in the 1969 Braves edging out the Giants for a berth in the first NLCS saving 27 games....Then it happened....at the very start of the 1970, Cecil had a freak index finger injury on a basketball hoop....unnecessarily Upshaw was demonstrating roundball skills that made him a two sport star.....result severe thumb damage; amputation was considered and the season was lost....Infused with determination came back for 1971....a 17 save effort allowed the Atlanta Tribe to inch above .500....1972 was more difficult, as the Braves’ player union representative, he was focused negotiations in the early season strike....wins, saves, ERA regressed....1973 started even worse and was ushered out of Atlanta for Houston (being traded was the usual fate of many early 1970’s player representatives) culminating his worst seasons a pro.....1974 found Cecil plying his trade on the shores of Lake Erie for the tribe and in Yankee pinstripes....result was an odd juxtaposition, lowered ERA by nearly 2 runs a game but only had one win next to six loses....after four cities in two years, settles into the Southside of Chicago for his last season in a diminished role, mostly mop up for lost games....released before 1976 season..... While he found success in the plastics industry post baseball, Upshaw was pivotal in extending pension benefits for players....also pressed for changes in scoring of saves helping his own cause....Passed away at young age of 52.
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