You can define The Rocks as US Postal Zip Code 15136. That zip code spawned a lot of noteworthy athletes - mostly football players. Want to get a conversation started with some old timers you don't really know at a family reunion in McKees Rocks, simply bring up the names of old athletes. That's what I did.
From Montour high school in the late 60s and early 70's there were QBs Chuck Burkhart and John Hufnagel and TE Ted Kwalick who all went to Penn State. Pitt got their share of Montour Spartans too with QBs Billy Daniels, Bobby Medwid and Dave Havern. Penn State Maxwell Trophy winner Chuck Fusina graduated from nearby Sto-Rox high school. The best of them all, by consensus, was the all-around athlete from Bishop Canevin high school who won a National Championship with Notre Dame - Tommy Clements. Before long I was hearing stories of the original Rox legend, Pitt All-American RB from the late 20s Toby Uansa. The life and times of Toby Uansa is perhaps a story for another day.
How about baseball players from 15136? That is a short list of one - Bob Priddy. A 1958 graduate of McKees Rocks high school (years before it merged with Stowe high school to become Sto-Rox in 1966), he was signed to a free agent deal by his hometown Pirates before the 1959 season. One of the old timers at yesterday's party said the signing took place at a now long gone restaurant that used to be located at the corner of Charters Avenue and Singer Avenue directly across from where a Pat Catans is located today. Priddy, at 6' 1", was signed as a shortstop who could hit in high school. Pitchers at the next level however, proved to be a bridge too far for Priddy. But he had a shortstop's strong arm, so the Bucs asked him to try pitching (much to the dismay of his dad according again to the old timers at the party). As a pitcher he made it to the major leagues.
Priddy debuted with the Pirates as a September call up in 1962. He spent the entire 1963 season with the Pirates then AAA affiliate the Columbus Jets. In 1964 he made it back to the major leagues where he stayed for the next 8 years. In February 1965, the Bucs traded Priddy along with minor league infielder Bob Burda for veteran catcher Del Crandall. Priddy spent 65 and 66 with the Giants, 67 with the Senators, 68 and part of 69 with the White Sox. He played the final 3 years of his career in Atlanta with the Braves. His last big league appearance came on September 12, 1971. Down 4-1 to the Giants in Atlanta, Priddy pitched the 9th inning, giving up a 2-run double to Bobby Bonds. The Braves lost the game 6-1.
A 9-year career is not shabby at all, but at best he was a journeyman right-handed relief pitcher. He was a teammate of Clemente, Groat, Frank Howard, Mays, McCovey, Tommy John, Luis Aparicio, Aaron, and Cepeda to name a few. He finished his career with 24 wins and 38 losses and a 4.00 ERA. He pitched in 249 games and over 535 innings.
On July 3, 1966 while pitching for the Giants, Priddy surrendered a grand slam to Braves pitcher Tony Cloninger. Later in that game Cloninger hit a 2nd grand slam off of Giants reliever Ray Sadecki. Cloninger, who died this past July at the age of 77, became the first NL player to hit two grand slams in a game. No other pitcher has ever accomplished this feat. He remained the only NL player to hit two grand slams in a game until 1999 when Cardinals 3rd baseman Fernando Tatis hit two in the same inning against the Dodgers.
But the most curious trivia associated with Bob Priddy may the guy he shared his 1964 Topps baseball card with - Tom Butters. That is a cool story for the another issue of Morningsider.
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