Ed Spiezio
Positions:
Bats: R Throws: R
Height: 71 Weight: 180
Born: Friday, October 31, 1941 in Joliet, IL USA
Died: in ,
Debut: 7/23/1964
Last Game: 9/27/1972
Full Name: Edward Wayne Spiezio
Born October 31st, 1941 in Joliet, Illinois. Ed Spiezio would only play part of one season for the White Sox. As fate would have it that part of a season would represent his last games in the league.
Making his debut with the Cardinals as a highly touted rookie, with a swing the future Hall of Famer Red Schoendienst would call the “best he had ever seen”, Ed would never crack into the everyday picture for the Redbirds and in five seasons would play in just 132 games, though he did win a World Series as part of the 67 squad.
In 1969 Ed would make his way to San Diego, where he became a more everyday option and would enjoy his two best seasons in 69 and 70. In 1971 his production would slump and there would be some injuries and prior to 1972 the Padres tried to get Ed to accept a 20% pay cut that was allowed at the time. Ed refused and after 94 games was dealt to the South Side.
Those of you that know Ed was primarily a third baseman are probably wondering why he came to the club in 72 when Bill Melton was the everyday guy? Bill Melton had been injured in 1972 and was out for the season, Ed Spiezio became the replacement. A replacement he was not, playing in 74 games and slashing .238/.276/.303 with 2 HR’s and just 22 RBI.
At the end of the season Ed was gone from the game for good. Ed’s son Scott would later play in the league and they would become one of the few father son tandems to win World Series rings when Scott won with the Angels in 2002.
