Schnozz -- November 13, 2013

Ernie Lombardi was born in Oakland and made his professional debut with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League.  He was a good catcher and a fantastically powerful hitter.  He was also cursed with the inability to run.  He played for the Dodgers, the Reds, where he caught Johnny Vander Meer's consecutive no-hitters, the Braves and the Giants.  After he left the majors, he went back to the Oakland Oaks, where he helped Casey Stengel lead the Nine Old Men to the Coast League Pennant.

Lombardi had many nicknames, espcially "Schnozz" because of his prodigious nose. 

I remember many stories about his sadness at not being elected to the Hall of Fame.  He died in 1977 and was finally elected in 1986.