2. Don Mossi: A face only his mother could love. Maybe.
He was born in 1929. A rumor had it that his nose was born in 1928. Don Mossi was a sturdy left handed pitcher who toiled mostly for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians from 1954 through 1965. He was a forerunner to the lefty bullpen ‘specialist’ used by managers so commonly today, often working in relief 18-20 times per season. Don was an important piece on the pitching staffs of some very good teams, including as a rookie on the 1954 Indian team which won 111 games and the American League Pennant. He finished with earned run averages above his league’s average seven times. He was blessed with a good fastball and a sharp curve. He was not, however, blessed with an appearance which might decorate the cover of GQ.
Mossi was nicknamed “The Sphinx” by teammates and it wasn’t because he was good at riddles. His eyes would have looked quite normal had they not been covered by thick black eyebrows that one might be tempted to check for rabbits. His protruding nose was long and sloped, pointing toward thick lips and a rounded chin. Still, these features paled compared to Don’s most noticeable attributes. Looking like two radar domes peeking from behind his head, Mossi’s ears challenged the frame of every baseball card he ever appeared on.
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