Sad Alumni News

From the Baltimore Sun:

Ex-Oriole Motton dies at 69
Though he often was out of lineup, power hitter 'would light up a room'

Curt Motton's timing when it came to hitting some of the American League's top pitchers was under his control. When he played, and how much, was not.

Motton, who died Thursday at age 69 after a year-long battle with stomach cancer, had the good fortune of playing with the Orioles when they were the league's most dominant team.

It was also his misfortune, considering that Motton could never break into an outfield that featured Paul Blair, Frank Robinson and Don Buford.

"[Orioles manager] Earl Weaver loved guys like Curt Motton because he knew what he was going to get," Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer recalled Friday. "Guys like Curt made us more of a complete team."

Like many who knew Motton, Palmer said what he remembered most was Motton's engaging personality.

Motton played 44 games for the Fox Cities Foxes in 1965. He hit six homers in those games.

Motton would be in the major leagues in 1967 and played (briefly) for the Brewers in 1972. Click the link up top for the story.