When Johnny Ellis first came up to the Yankees in 1969, he was a catcher. The problem for Ellis back then was that the other catcher the Yankees promoted from their farm system that same season was a guy by the name of Thurman Munson. So the Yankees started playing Ellis at first base and he did OK there. In fact, I do remember having hope back then that this New London, CT native would become the next great Yankee first baseman. That didn’t happen.

He was never really more than a part-time player during his four seasons in the Bronx and then was included in a package of players that was dealt to Cleveland in November of 1972 for Graig Nettles. He had his two best big league seasons as Cleveland’s DH and part-time first baseman and then put back on his catching gear when he was traded to Texas in 1976, where he was the Rangers’ backup receiver for the final half-dozen seasons of his 13-year Major League career. In 883 games lifetime, Ellis averaged .262 and hit 69 home runs.

Also born on this same date was this last great Yankee closer before Mariano.