Bill Hass looks at former Greensboro players, coaches and managers still in the majors

from Bill Hass, former News and Record sports writer now at gsohoppers.com:

SPRINGER NOW SENIOR MEMBER OF GREENSBORO MAJOR-LEAGUERS

Oakland’s Russ Springer I’ll be honest – I don’t recall Russ Springer.

He put in a short stint with the Greensboro Hornets in 1990, starting 10 games and compiling a 2-3 record with a 3.69 ERA. I may have seen him play, but I just don’t remember.

(About all I can remember right now is the theme from “SpongeBob SquarePants” that was enthusiastically sung by some 7,000 Guilford County second-graders at Wednesday’s game in NewBridge Bank Park. If you know how to get that song out of your head, please help.)

Anyway, the reason I bring up Springer is that he’s now the player in the major leagues with the oldest connection to Greensboro. He replaces pitcher Curt Schilling, now officially retired. Schilling pitched here in 1987.

Springer made it to the majors with the Yankees in 1992 and began a career noted for longevity, determination and a lot of stickers on his travel bag. He’s been with California, Philadelphia, Houston, Arizona, Atlanta, Arizona again, St. Louis, Houston again, St. Louis again and, this year, Oakland.

In addition to those franchises, he has made minor-league stops in Albany, Vancouver, Jackson, Richmond, Tucson, Memphis and New Orleans.

to get the rest on the Russ Springer story and for the entire list of former Greensboro players, coaches and managers still in the major leagues go to www.gsohoppers.com