Forum Home

Master Index of Archived Threads


Dave Roberts, 1944-2009

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 09:35 AM
Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 09 2009 11:08 AM

Eight teams, ending with the Mets.

<blockquote><a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D95JN8D04.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://mooreslore.corante.com/archives/images/ap_logo.jpg"></a>

Former MLB pitcher Dave Roberts dies of cancer 01/09/2009 Associated Press

David Arthur Roberts, a left-handed pitcher who played for eight Major League teams including the 1979 World Series champion Pittsburgh Pirates, has died of lung cancer. He was 64.

Roberts' wife Carol and stepdaughter Kristy Rogan say he died at his home in Short Gap early Friday morning.

They say he developed lung cancer from asbestos exposure as a young man. During the off seasons, he worked as a boilermaker and was regularly exposed to the cancer-causing material.

Roberts had a 12-year career in Major League Baseball, beginning in 1969 with the San Diego Padres and ending in 1981 with the New York Mets.

In between, he played with the Pirates, Houston Astros, Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners.
</blockquote>

Benjamin Grimm
Jan 09 2009 09:42 AM

In what state would one find "Short Gap?"

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 09:45 AM

I believe that would be West Virginia.

metirish
Jan 09 2009 09:48 AM

R.I.P.

How times have changed , it's not that long ago that Roberts would have been working as a boilermaker during the off -season.


Roberts had a decent career.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/roberda05.shtml

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 09:49 AM
Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Jan 09 2009 10:59 AM

Funny how the UMDB is the last place in the world that uses the pre-two-letter-USPS-standardized abbreviations for states. It's sort of irksome on the one hand but it's stubborn anachronistic quality has to be respected, and it may be one of the top ten odd things about the UMDB --- number one being, of course, the blue hat standard.

Dave wore 15 in between Grote and Foster, and wore a full beard when seemingly 85% of the Mets pitchers were wearing full beards. Like Mike Marshall, he was a good journeyman pitcher who helped define the seventies before cashing his final check as a Met in the eighties. Unlike Marshall, he had nothing left by the time he reached Flushing.

batmagadanleadoff
Jan 09 2009 09:54 AM

="metirish":1seai211]Roberts had a decent career. http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/roberda05.shtml[/quote:1seai211]

He was one of baseball's best pitchers in 1971. His 14-17 W-L record that season was largely the result of pitching for one of the most dreadful teams in modern history.

Benjamin Grimm
Jan 09 2009 09:55 AM

="Edgy DC":3k1my762]Funny how the UMDB is the last place in the world that uses the pre-two-letter-USPS-standardized abbreviations for states. It's sort of irksome on the one hand but it's stubborn anachronistic quality has to be respected, and it may be one of the top ten odd things about the UMDB --- number one being, of course, the blue hat standard. [/quote:3k1my762]

I'd <i>love</i> to see the rest of that Top Ten list!

I'd also like to see a style guide to those old-fashioned state abbreviations. I had to guess at what they should have been, and I'm sure I got a few of them wrong. Last time I looked (which was years ago) I couldn't find any such thing online.

EDIT: Found it! On the website of my alma mater:
http://www.nyu.edu/classes/copyXediting/STABBREV.html

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 09 2009 10:56 AM

I'm an AP Style man.

Frayed Knot
Jan 09 2009 11:00 AM

I have no memories of this Dave Roberts.

The early '80s are perhaps my least baseball-knowledgeable era - both for the sport as a whole and the Mets.

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 11:01 AM

Pretty cool that he was a David Arthur also.

There were three David Arthurs in Major League history and all three played at the same time between 1971 and 1975. Who was the third?

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 09 2009 11:03 AM

Wore No. 15.

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 11:07 AM

Dude, I'm way ahead of you with the 15 thing.

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 09 2009 11:12 AM

Yeah but what you didn't know was that he wore 34 all through spring training that year, and switched only when the season began.

seawolf17
Jan 09 2009 11:15 AM

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":2sfd2kv5]Yeah but what you didn't know was that he wore 34 all through spring training that year, and switched only when the season began.[/quote:2sfd2kv5]
You should start a Web site with all that info.

Edgy DC
Jan 09 2009 11:30 AM

="John Cougar Lunchbucket":3j5pvsuf]Yeah but what you didn't know was that he wore 34 all through spring training that year, and switched only when the season began.[/quote:3j5pvsuf]

That's what I'm looking for.

G-Fafif
Jan 09 2009 02:59 PM

I spent an evening with Dave Roberts [url=http://faithandfear.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2008/3/7/3566325.html:3kn3tq44]once[/url:3kn3tq44].

Mendoza Line
Jan 09 2009 03:46 PM

]There were three David Arthurs in Major League history and all three played at the same time between 1971 and 1975. Who was the third?


Dave Schneck?

on edit - David Lee Schneck is not the answer.

Met Hunter
Jan 09 2009 04:07 PM

From a card show signing in Pittsburgh, 2005.

http://www.jpaulsports.com/images/photo ... _large.jpg

Met Hunter
Jan 09 2009 04:11 PM

The third guy was another pretty good pitcher: David Arthur McNally.

Edgy DC
Jan 10 2009 09:27 PM

Well done, Hunter.