1977 I. L. Champs, then & now

Life in the Minors
July, 2002 part II

1977 Pawtucket Red Sox photos, now and then

by Joe Kuras

Mike Paxton
I probably did better than I probably deserved. Yeah, I did. I wish I went a little bit further than I did, but it just didn’t work out that way.

Buddy Hunter
I wasn’t a very good hitter but I turned out to be a very good hitter, thanks to Ted Williams and Joe Morgan.

Dave Koza
"Nothing I ever do in life will probably compare to this."
--after his historic winning hit in Baseball's Longest game
(33 innings, 1981)

Sam Bowen
I am not ashamed to say I love the game more now and appreciate the game more now than I did when I played.

Jack "Home Run" Baker
April – I remember staying behind the plate in the old locker room and we’d come running in if we weren’t up at bat, we’d put our hands in the whirlpool and look through the window to watch how the game was going.

Don Aase
Trying to put goals on yourself can sometimes put too much pressure on yourself

Kim Andrew
appeared in 12 games & hit .323 for the Paw Sox in 1977

Andy Merchant
The clubhouse – We were lucky we had a radio. They got this big ole screen TV now with a lounge around it. …and the old chicken wire cages (lockers) for where we dressed.

Chuck Rainey
I tell people that playing baseball, from the time I was 20 years old to the time I was 30 years old, was such a great way to not have to grow up.

The 1977 Pawtucket Red Sox, at McCoy Stadium, July 28, 2002

Outfielder Luis "Poochie" Delgado (left) batted .281 for Pawtucket in 1977 and later played for the Seattle Mariners.

Catcher Andy Merchant (below) with his Dad

	Mike Paxton I probably did better than I probably deserved. Yeah, I did. I wish I went a little bit further than I did, but it just didn’t work out that way.
	Buddy Hunter I wasn’t a very good hitter but I turned out to be a very good hitter, thanks to Ted Williams and Joe Morgan.
	Dave Koza "Nothing I ever do in life will probably compare to this." --after his historic winning hit in Baseball's Longest game (33 innings, 1981)
	Sam Bowen I am not ashamed to say I love the game more now and appreciate the game more now than I did when I played.
	Jack "Home Run" Baker April – I remember staying behind the plate in the old locker room and we’d come running in if we weren’t up at bat, we’d put our hands in the whirlpool and look through the window to watch how the game was going.
	Don Aase Trying to put goals on yourself can sometimes put too much pressure on yourself
	Kim Andrew appeared in 12 games & hit .323 for the Paw Sox in 1977
	Andy Merchant The clubhouse – We were lucky we had a radio. They got this big ole screen TV now with a lounge around it. …and the old chicken wire cages (lockers) for where we dressed.
	Chuck Rainey I tell people that playing baseball, from the time I was 20 years old to the time I was 30 years old, was such a great way to not have to grow up.