How Tom Qualters Went From Moneybags To Satchel Paige's Protegé

Tom Qualters, pictured here on his 1955 Topps card, passed away February 15, 2024.

In 1953, the Philadelphia Phillies gave pitching phenom Tom Qualters a $40,000 contract, immediately making him their highest paid player, eclipsing the combined salaries of his Hall of Fame teammates Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts. The fresh-faced right-hander quickly earned the nickname “Moneybags” and became the poster boy for the bonus rule, which required teams to keep a player on the active roster if his bonus exceeded $4,000. 

“It was somebody — a newspaper guy — who started that,” Qualters said about the nickname’s origin during a 2008 interview from his home. 

Qualters died February 15, 2024 in Somerset, PA. He was 88. When we spoke in 2008, his memories were sharp, and he didn't hold back about his rushed entrance to the majors.

Bonus Baby Blues

Some teams struck gold with their “bonus baby” signings, producing Hall of Fame talents such as Sandy Koufax and Al Kaline. However, others turned a cold shoulder to players like Qualters. He pitched just one game on the mound during the two years the Phillies were required to keep him on the roster. 

“That was about the worst rule they could have ever done,” he said. “You had to stay there two years. I was there 1953–54 and a little bit of 1955. … Basically, I was a batting practice pitcher. That was a sad thing. A lot of guys were in the same situation.”

The Phillies front office had different plans for Qualters. They shielded him from major league competition until he finished his mandated service time. For two years Qualters suffered on the bench while teammates resented him for holding a valued roster spot hostage.

“For some reason, the management in Philadelphia had this theory that if I went out there and got beat up, that it would ruin me,” he said. “What a bunch of bulls–t that was. It was the most frustrating period in my life. I hated being there. Some [players] were really good to me, and others ignored me altogether.

“I didn’t belong there. All I was doing was taking up space for someone who was a major league player. Imagine how that made me feel; I’m hurting the team, not helping them. I’m not even getting a chance to go out there and learn the game. It was two years out of my life that was totally a waste. You can sit there, talk and listen to guys — sure I got an education about the game, but it’s not like being on the field and playing it. You can’t learn to play the game by sitting on the bench. I could have bought a ticket. It was just a horrible thing.”

Supportive Teammates

Not all of the players, however, turned their backs on Qualters. He made it a point to acknowledge those who looked out for him.

“There were some guys who were very kind,” he said. “Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons were super guys. Jim Konstanty was [also] nice. There were other guys who didn’t want anything to do with me. As time wore on it got better and it wasn’t a personal thing anymore.”

Satchel Paige Intervenes

Qualters was relieved when the Phillies sent him to their Reidsville, North Carolina, Class B team. From there he was promoted to their Triple A team in Miami. With the Marlins, he linked up with Satchel Paige and thrived under the Hall of Famer’s tutelage.

After a shaky Triple A debut, Qualters showed up to the ballpark still doubting his abilities. The ageless Paige knew something was off about his new teammate.

“I’m sitting down in the bullpen, Satch sits down beside me and asked, ‘What’s wrong?’” Qualters recalled. “He recognized there was something wrong with me by the way I was acting. I did not know what to do so I just flat out told him that I did not have the courage to play the game and that I shook all over, etc. He called me Climber. He said, ‘Imma tell ya, Climber, them sons of bit–es can beat ya, but they can’t eat ya!’”.

Paige’s words were just the right recipe to help Qualters get through tough times on the mound. It was the push he needed to move forward with his career.

“Another tight game and I get called up there and I just get the shakes again,” he recalled. “I said to myself, ‘You sons of bit–es, you can beat me but you can’t eat me!’ It was all over from then on; I couldn’t wait to get out there.” 

Baseball Card Legacy

Qualters eventually made it back to the Phillies briefly in 1957 before resurfacing with the Chicago White Sox in 1958. His time in Chicago led a 1959 Topps card appearance. Even though he pitched only 43 innings, he said that didn’t make a difference to the baseball card manufacturer.

“They didn’t care what you did or didn’t do, as long as you were on the team [you had a card],” he said.

Fifty years later, the amount of fan mail he received after being on the team for only one season still amazed him. Topps even had him sign 300 cards for their 2008 Topps Heritage set.

“It’s been crazy the last 4–5 years,” he said. “I probably get 3–4 of them per week. I have a card from 1959 when they went to the World Series. I didn’t even play [for the White Sox] in 1959, that’s when I hurt my arm. A guy came here with 300 cards I had to autograph and [Topps] paid me money for it.”

*I originally wrote this article for the Wax Pack Gods website.*

Read More

How Charlie Maxwell Quitting In Boston Fueled A Tigers All-Star Career

Charlie Maxwell's journey to becoming a celebrated Major League Baseball player was marked by perseverance through adversity. The Detroit Tigers fan favorite made it to All-Star status after almost giving up on the game early in his career. Maxwell, a Paw Paw, Michigan legend, died December 27, 2024. He was 97. 

The Boston Red Sox initially signed Maxwell in 1947 after serving in World War II, and he excelled in the minors, particularly with the Louisville Colonels in Triple-A. However, his tenure with Boston proved frustrating. Despite hitting close to .400 in Louisville and breaking home run records, Maxwell rarely saw playing time in the majors. Repeated call-ups and demotions left him disheartened, and he nearly quit baseball due to the lack of opportunities. 

Reflecting on his time with Boston, Maxwell said in a 2008 phone interview, "They'd call me to Boston, they wouldn't play me for a few weeks, and send me back down. I didn't like that too well. I was doing so good at Louisville, hitting almost .400 a few times, but I never got to play in Boston." 

His frustration peaked when management repeatedly misled him about playing time. 

"They said I was going to play and never did. Nobody ever told me why," he said. 

One incident encapsulated his discontent. 

"I got to Chicago, I was there for three weeks and never got into a game—not even to pinch-hit. Then they sent me back to Louisville. I said, 'I'm not going to go.' I went back home and stayed for a week before they found me." 

Breakthrough in Detroit

Maxwell’s career took a turn for the better when he joined the Detroit Tigers. Unlike in Boston, he finally got the chance to play regularly. 

"In Detroit, Jim Delsing was struggling, and they never could get me out. I got the chance to play regularly, which I didn’t get in Boston," Maxwell said. 

This shift allowed him to showcase his talent and establish himself as a reliable hitter. One of his defining moments came in a doubleheader, where he hit four home runs in a single day. Maxwell credited his success in Detroit to the opportunities he received and the chance to finally play without being overlooked. 

"I was leading the team in homers, but I couldn’t even play,” he said. “The coaches made up the lineup, and that was the day I hit the four home runs. We won 12-15 in a row after that before getting beat."

Memorable Moments 

Maxwell’s early years in the majors included unforgettable highlights. In 1951, his first three major league home runs were hit off Hall of Famers Satchel Paige, Bob Feller, and Bob Lemon. He recounted his grand slam against Paige with pride.

"I faced him the day before, and he struck me out on a hesitation pitch," he said. "The next day, I said, 'Well, I’ll be ready for that one,' and that’s when I hit the grand slam off him in St. Louis." 

Reflections on the Game and Management 

Maxwell spoke candidly about the challenges players faced during his era. He criticized the way minor league stars were often overlooked for major league roles and how poor management decisions could derail careers. 

"There were guys playing regularly in the majors that didn’t compare to the guys in the minors trying to come up. A lot of players quit because of this," he said. 

He had little respect for managers like Bill Norman, who Maxwell felt mismanaged the Tigers. 

"Norman was one of the worst managers," Maxwell said. "It was chaos from day one. He was playing guys that shouldn’t be playing."

Similarly, he expressed frustration with Al Lopez.

"Lopez would make players look bad," he said. "He’d wait until a guy got out to the field, then send someone to replace him. I never played with a manager that made players do those things." 

The All-Star Experience 

Maxwell made it to two All-Star games (1956-1957), but described it as underwhelming compared to today’s spectacle. 

"It wasn’t one of the highlights of my 14 years in the majors," he admitted. "There were no parties, no cocktail hours—nothing for the players except playing the game. By the time the game was over, most of the regulars were gone. It didn’t feel like an All-Star Game looking back." 

Retirement and Life After Baseball

By the time Maxwell retired at 37, he knew it was time to move on. 

"You know because you aren’t quick enough with your hands," he said. 

While he believed he could have extended his career as a designated hitter, the role didn’t exist at the time. 

"Back then, if you couldn’t play regularly, they didn’t want you."

Maxwell transitioned into business, finding success and fulfillment in manufacturing. 

"I enjoyed competing in the business world," he said. "Even today, I can’t watch a game more than an inning or two. I have other interests. I got tired of competing in sports and enjoyed competing in business instead." 

"I enjoyed my time in baseball, but I’ve enjoyed life after baseball just as much." 

Read More

How Chase Budinger Made The Transition From NBA Star To 2024 Beach Volleyball Olympian

Chase Budinger at the 2018 AVP NYC Open / Mpu Dinani

Fans watching the 2024 Paris Olympics see a familiar face in Chase Budinger, but playing in a less-than-familiar arena on the sand. The NBA veteran made the switch to beach volleyball in 2018 after seven-year NBA career, focusing on making the Olympics in his first love, beach volleyball. 

Below is a 2018 interview I conducted with Budinger in New York City, just as he started on his Olympic journey. We discussed his transition, as well as how he was tested guarding LeBron James and Kevin Durant, both who have joined Budinger as 2024 Olympians.

Making The Switch

Entering this year’s AVP Gold Series in New York City, there was a big question mark as to whether Chase Budinger was truly ready to compete at the top tier of professional beach volleyball. Skeptics were weary of the 6’7″ California native, as he just returned to the sand this winter after capping a seven-year NBA career—as well as a season playing in Europe.

Spending the weekend playing alongside two-time Olympian Sean Rosenthal, the pair came away with a fifth-place finish—led by Budinger flashing dominant stretches at the net both blocking and hitting.

“I had a good run,” Budinger said at the 2018 AVP Gold Series last weekend in New York City. “[I had] three great years at Arizona, seven years in the NBA, and one overseas professionally. This winter, I didn’t want to go back overseas, and pretty much Sean [Rosenthal] came calling. It was the right fit and the perfect timing for me to make the transition.”

For those inside of the volleyball community, Budinger’s prowess is of little surprise. He was one of the most lauded prep stars in California’s history. He was Volleyball Magazine’s 2006 National High School Player of the Year. However, he was also the co-MVP of the 2006 McDonald’s All-American basketball game alongside Kevin Durant. When it came time to choose a college, he could not resist Hall of Famer coach Lute Olson’s pitch to focus solely on basketball at the University of Arizona.

“I pretty much went to Arizona because of Lute Olson,” he said. “Looking at that team, I felt like I could play right away and he had high expectations for me. … My three final schools were Arizona, UCLA, and USC. If I chose the other two schools, I would have played both [sports] … At that time I pretty much put it in my head to get away from volleyball and focus on just basketball and see how far basketball could take me.”

Committing To Training

Once he committed to returning to his volleyball roots, Budinger leaned on Rosenthal’s two decades of professional beach volleyball experience for support. Training together for the past six months, Budinger has tried to soak up as much knowledge as he could while building their partnership.

“It has definitely been a learning curve for me,” he admits. “There has been a lot of learning on the fly just because it comes so quickly. We started in late January teaming up and practicing. For now, communicating is the biggest thing while working together at every practice just picking each other’s brain, me especially picking his brain.”

Even though it is early in the beach volleyball season, the duo are already showing signs that they will be a formidable team for the rest of the summer. At the first AVP stop in Austin, Texas, they lost both of their matches en route to a 13th-place finish. But just a few short weeks later in New York City, the pair had a breakthrough performance that put them within a few points of advancing to the semi-finals.

“Every tournament is going to be really helpful for us getting that game experience,” he said. “For me, it’s really just about repetitions and game experience. It seems like you play these guys over and over in the AVP. I am so new to these guys and they are to me, but eventually you’ll start getting some reads on these guys. Taking it all in, I knew this first year was going to be a lot ups and downs for me.”

In most professional sports leagues, a 30-year-old rookie would be far from prospect status. But in the world of beach volleyball, the top talents peak in their late 30s, with many competing well into their 40s. Budinger felt that he is right on time to make an impact on the tour.

“I want to play for a long time,” he said. “I think I started at a good time. I’m still young. Volleyball players can play for a long time in their 40s; that is at least another ten years for me. That is kind of the goal, to play for ten years. When I made the transition, I always knew that in the back of my mind that I wanted to go back to volleyball and the only way that I was going to permit it was if my body could hold up. I think I came here at a time when I am still athletic, still can jump, and still can play.”

Guarding The Greats

Budinger’s showing in New York City came on the heels of the Golden State Warriors winning the NBA championship. Playing as a small forward in the NBA, he had the daunting task of guarding both LeBron James and the aforementioned Kevin Durant. Taking a moment to reflect on how he approached defending both superstars, he explained the nearly impossible task of stopping them.

“They’re un-guardable,” he admitted. “I had to try to guard Kevin and LeBron. Those two guys are just unbelievable. Durant, the way he could handle the ball, it is just unreal for being 6’11”. His handle makes him everything, just how he could cross people up, get into the lane and get to his spots. Once he gets to his spots, all he needs to do is jump and shoot over you and you can’t do anything about it.

“LeBron is just a bully. If he knows that he’s bigger than you, he’s just going to bully you and you can’t do anything. That’s what happened to me.”

So, does Budinger’s experience of going up against arguably two of the best basketball players of his generation transfer to the volleyball court? He said it’s another world where facing those legends earn you no points on the sand.

“It’s different,” Budinger says. “I just put my basketball days back and enjoy the memories I had from them. Out here, the energy is completely different. I will take all of the work ethic and approach that I learned over the years [playing basketball] to this game. But as far as playing against those guys, it doesn’t mean anything here.”

 

Read More

Kusnick And Perfect Game's Legal Battle Raises Questions About NIL Rights

The issue of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights has become a hot topic in the sports world, especially in collegiate athletics. However, the conversation around NIL rights is also gaining traction in youth sports, particularly concerning organizations like Perfect Game. Sports agent Josh Kusnick, who is ensnared in a lawsuit with Perfect Game, shed light on the pressing need for reform in a recent interview.

Perfect Game originally hired Kusnick to develop NFTs and consult for their expansion into trading cards and memorabilia. As talks soured, Kusnick went public with his dealings with Perfect Game. The amateur baseball giant sued Kusnick for defamation, claiming his statements affected their licensing deal with an immensely popular trading card maker. 

We've got a new lawsuit involving trading cards to talk about! It's...well...basically Perfect Game v. Joshua Kusnick...and it's a defamation/libel/slander lawsuit.

Who wants to do a (kinda) live-read of this?

(Kinda, because I skimmed it already) pic.twitter.com/DLM0q3Rusy

— Paul Lesko (@Paul_Lesko) June 13, 2024

 

Kusnick recently filed a motion to dismiss, with a lengthy 400-page document filled with revealing details he hopes will clear his name.

Conditional Participation and Inadequate Compensation

One of the most contentious issues is the conditional nature of participation in Perfect Game’s events. Kusnick highlighted Perfect Game forcing players to sign over their NIL rights as a prerequisite for participation. This practice not only exploits young athletes but also raises ethical concerns about commodifying children's talents.

"If you sign a permission slip and you go to a Perfect Game event, they can make stuff of your kid from that event,” Kusnick said. “So, like, if your kid's 12 and he becomes Mike Trout, they can make a card of him when he's, like, 12. They can make cards of 12-year-old you forever and not pay you for it."

Perfect Game NIL Release - Kusnick's Motion To Dismiss

The Value of Every Athlete

Kusnick stressed the importance of recognizing the value of every athlete, not just the elite performers. He challenged the notion that only standout athletes deserve compensation.

"Think about what that kid's worth to mom and dad, and that's what they're looking at,” he said. “Yes. And that's not me talking. No. I'm telling you; I was in those rooms. … The contributions of all athletes, regardless of their current skill level, are vital to the success of youth sports events. Recognizing and compensating these contributions is not just a legal obligation, but also an ethical imperative."

The Need for Reform and Transparency

As NIL rights gain recognition and legal backing, significant reforms are needed in youth sports organizations. Kusnick called for transparency and fair policies that compensate all athletes for their contributions.

"The absence of a robust NIL model in organizations like Perfect Game reflects a reluctance to adapt to the changing landscape,” he said. “The current approach, which requires athletes to sign over their NIL rights without compensation, is incompatible with the evolving legal and ethical standards of the sports industry."

Perfect Game’s Business Model: A Closer Look

Perfect Game's business model is another point of contention. According to Kusnick, the organization's revenues have historically come primarily from on-field tournaments. However, recent management shifts indicate a significantportion of their revenue now comes from other sources, such as merchandise and branding opportunities.

"When they took over, 95% of the business revenues came from the on-field tournaments, right?” he said. “That was the product and the model. Most of the money comes from the games, but then they started branching out.”

In Kusnick’s motion, he filed Perfect Game’s contract with Leaf, showing a $275,000 deal between the two companies for the trading card rights for Perfect Game’s events.

Leaf / Perfect Game Contract - Kusnick's Motion To Dismiss

As these young athletes help to generate additional revenue for Perfect Game, Kusnick feels this is a situation where these players can no longer allow Perfect Game to exploit their talents.

"If 35% of your revenues are not on-field tournaments and it's advertising, baseball cards, bat companies and all the other stuff that you're bragging, I'm sorry, what is that called, then?” he said. “Explain that to me like I'm stupid, like you described in the first sentence."

Potential Privacy Concerns

Another issue Kusnick brought up in his motion, as well as our conversation, was access to personal information. He explained how anyone can purchase Perfect Game's Scout level plan for $799.99/yr to gain contact information for all Perfect Game athletes. While this information might be useful for scouts, Kusnick alleged this access is unchecked without a screening process, allowing any person willing to pay the fee to have address and phone contact data. This little-known feature opens a major question about privacy concerns with how Perfect Game does or does not protect their data.

Perfect Game Scout Access / Kusnick's Motion To Dismiss

Embracing a Fair Future

The handling of NIL rights in youth sports is at a critical juncture. Kusnick’s hopes this legal battle pushes organizations like Perfect Game to adapt to the changing landscape and implement transparent and equitable NIL policies.

"This is not just a legal obligation but a step towards fostering a fair and respectful environment for all athletes,” he said. “Embracing these changes is essential for ensuring a just and equitable future in youth sports."

 

Read More

DJ Mark The 45 King Exclusive Mix From The Formula Radio Show With DJ Groove Da Moast

DJ Groove Da Moast

We take a short break from the baseball happenings to salute two hip hop pioneers, DJ Mark The 45 King and DJ Groove Da Moast. Sadly, both DJs died within a week from each other in October 2023, but we have this gem from The Formula Radio Show archives connecting the two legends.

In February 2005, DJ Mark The 45 King was the show's featured guest, masterfully spinning exclusive tracks from his personal archives. 

DJ Groove Da Moast (aka Fredy Blast) followed The 45 King with a tribute set of his own, expertly mixing up 45 King's classics. DJ Skeme Richards and Primetime provide the commentary in between the mixes, giving you a slice of the hip hop landscape at the time. 

Read More