Johnny Romano

A slugging, 5’11” catcher, Romano tended to be overweight, so he was buried in the White Sox system, where he set a Three-I League record with 38 homers at Waterloo in 1955. He went 8-for-13 as a pinch hitter in 1959, when he and Earl Battey backed up Sherm Lollar on Chicago’s AL championship team. He became the Indians’ regular catcher in 1960 and was an All-Star in 1961 and 1962, when he hit 21 and 25 HR. He fractured a hand in 1963, and it bothered him for several years. Romano was reacquired by the White Sox in 1965 in a three-team deal that also brought them Tommy John and Tommie Agee