Triple Play

                                          Kevin Brown, 1992 Donruss "Triple Play" series

This beauty right here is part of Donruss' "Triple Play" series. A triple play is when you get three guys out on one play. Donruss captured the essence of the triple play with this here picture of Kevin Brown pitching. Did this very pitch induce a dramatic and rare triple play? VERY unlikely, although I bet there were guys on base with zero outs. It probably induced a home run that induced Kevin Brown to punch something. Still though. TRIPLE PLAY. I like these primary and secondary colors. Very soothing. Let's check out the back to find out more about the triple play.

THE FIRST SPRING TRAINING BY A PROFESSIONAL TEAM IS BELIEVED TO BE BY THE CHICAGO NATIONAL LEAGUE TEAM IN 1886.

Interesting AND relevant. I always wondered, "Which professional team was the first ever to practice in March," and now I sort of know the answer! I like the term "believed to be" when used without any indication of who believes it. Let's just assume Kevin Brown himself researched this little tidbit while executing a triple play, since there is nary a mention elsewhere on this card about Kevin Brown or a triple play. Nevertheless, boy, I wish I could have seen the looks on the faces of the guys on the Chicago National League Team when Smokey "Too Drunk" Filmore suggested they practice baseball during huntin' season! History is hilarious.

Anyway, so it looks like Kevin Brown did not have a great year in '91, walking 90 and striking out 96. That is a 96/90 strikeout-to-walk ratio, which means that for every 96 guys he struck out, he walked 90. Talk about a triple play!

Kevin Brown is one of the most popular players to ever wear a Yankee uniform, and by popular I mean it's popular to talk about how he is not very popular, like, AT ALL. It' hard to pinpoint the exact reason Brown did not really connect with Yankees fans ... the not very pleasant persona? ... the lack of adequate performance? ... the time he broke his hand punching the wall like a meathead during a division race? ... the time he lasted two innings in Game Seven of the World Series, putting a bow on the greatest postseason collapse in baseball history? ... his inclusion in the Mitchell Report? Who knows. The point is that: triple play!

Brown sort of made a living of not connecting with his fans. According to Wikipedia:

Kevin Brown's tenure with the Padres during the 1998 season was somewhat marred when the San Diego fans chose to cheer slugger Sammy Sosa during his home run chase along with Mark McGwire. Frustrated by the fact that the Padres were trying to win games during a pennant race, Kevin Brown insulted San Diego fans to the media.

I kind of get that, and I kind of don't. Retrospect and steroids aside, baseball fans like to, I think, cheer for baseball, and it's cool to celebrate things that transcend your own team. That said, I like to think I would have booed the crap out of Sosa or McGwire were they to have attempted to pursue their ludicrous home run chase in the confines of Yankee Stadium. Nevertheless, I can totally picture Brown striking out Sosa, tossing his glove to the ground and screaming to the hostile home crowd, "ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?"

At least it appears Brown has been humbled by it all. According to Wiki:

In 2006, a neighbor accused Brown of pulling a gun on him after Brown accused the neighbor of putting yard debris on his side of the yard.

GIT YER LEAVES OFF MY SIDE ADA YARD SYLVESTER OR I'LL POP A CAP IN YER KEISTER I JUST DRANK THREE GALLONS A HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE JUST TRY ME

I don't think I could have made up something more befitting of my perception of a retired Kevin Brown than that, and that actually happened. Okay fine, it's believed by some to have happened.

So we got the gun ... we got the fist ... we're just one knife short of a ... TRIPLE PLAY!