Mullinks’
Moustache. It really rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it?
As
a subtle nod to one of the most popular Blue Jays-themed blogs – The Tao of
Stieb – I decided to (sort of) name my blog after a Blue Jay player of
yesteryear. I didn’t choose a great ex-player though; my choice was a little
bit more obscure, not quite so obvious, off the beaten path if you will. That
ex-player being, of course, Rance Mulliniks: he of the non-prototypical sports
body and he of the wonderfully iconic moustache.
I’ve
had an odd fascination with Rance Mulliniks for years, and I can’t explain in
concrete terms why. I do know that it started very early on in my
baseball-watching career, which coincided with the end of Rance’s career,
probably 1991 or 1992. How do I know? Because my first memory of Rance
Mulliniks is of him coming off the bench to pinch hit. (Fun fact: He was quite
skilled at pinch hitting and still holds the franchise record for career pinch
hits with 59). The Blue Jays were down, obviously late in the game. The pinch
hitter was announced and my eyes slowly crept open in wonderment and awe at this
supposed saviour, the Blue Jays last-ditch attempt at offence. What I saw appeared
to be a skinny old man, with the most glorious moustache, striding purposefully
up to the plate.
