Hank Aaron, Al Kaline, Carl Yastrzemski all almost signed with the Phils? Huh?

[Omar 382]

I found this article that said that all three players were linked to the Phillies.

"The Phillies really did have great shots at signing both (Aaron and Kaline), as well as fellow Hall of Fame outfielder Carl Yastrzemski. The Phillies gave Aaron a tryout and, being the last team in the National League to sign a black player, never got around to calling him again. In 1953, they gave Kaline a tryout and a $100,000 signing bonus came down to Kaline and pitcher Tom Qualters. Guess who got $100,000? The Phillies did offer Yastrzemski a $90,000 signing bonus, but his father wanted $100,000. The Phillies said no sale. And the rest is head-scratching history."

Y! SPORTS Very last paragraph of the article.


I can't find anything else on line that links any three of these players to the Phillies. How reliable is this source? Has anyone else heard a story like this?

 

[Retroram52]

Sounds like Amaro's relatives were the Phils' GM back then!

 

[Omar 382]

Sounds like Amaro's relatives were the Phils' GM back then!

Hahahaha, very true

 

[Retroram52]

Actually number 1, I was a teenager when Al Kaline was floating around the Phillies and I remember some of that transaction. Freakin' Phillies blew then as well.

 

[Omar 382]

Actually number 1, I was a teenager when Al Kaline was floating around the Phillies and I remember some of that transaction. Freakin' Phillies blew then as well.

Wow, so there must be some truth to the story. It is weird that I can't find anything else online about it. Thanks for the input. And yeah, of course we would fuck up what could have been "Mr. Phillie" and let him become "Mr. Tiger."

 

[Omar 382]

And of course Tom Qualters, the guy the Phillies gave the 100,000 dollar signing bonus to instead of Kaline, went on to pitch 9 2/3 innings for us with a 12.10 ERA, including a 162 ERA in 1953.

 

[Retroram52]

That is the ticket. Just plain effed up the whole matter and they did it again with Yaz and Aaron. Those articles are around but you'd have didg deep into the history vaults. Try a google search using history and teh speciffic players name. Usually that yields some info much of what you are looking for.