An unabashed cockfighting enthusiast, macho Borbon reportedly could warm up faster and throw a ball farther than anyone else in the NL during the mid-1970s when he was a top reliever for Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine.” He liked to show off by throwing strikes to home plate from the center field warning track during batting practice. His best seasons were 1973 (11-4 with 14 saves) and 1977 (10-5 with 18 saves).
