on june 8, 1971, randy poffo -- handsome, polite, clean cut -- sat inside his house at 3909 venard road and waited for the phone to ring. At approximately 10 a.m., the chicago white sox opened baseball's amateur draft by selecting danny goodwin, a catcher out of nearby peoria central high. Roughly three hours later, with the 40th pick, the chicago cubs took catcher steve haug, also from illinois. One spot later, the oakland a's tabbed catcher ron williamson. Four picks after that, michael uremovich, another catcher, went to the twins. Then steve hergenrader to the white sox. And david christiansen to the angels. And michael frazier to the dodgers. And ... And ... By the time two days and 48 rounds had passed a whopping 66 catchers were selected.
none by the name of randy poffo.
"that was the darkest of dark times for us," says lanny. "to describe it simply as sad does the pain no justice. Randy was ignored. Completely ignored. I assure you, he never forgot that feeling.
"never."
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