The game initially was known as “The Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.” The basis of it was that there is an assumption that anyone involved in the Hollywood film industry can be linked to Mr. Bacon through their film roles within six steps. Far be of it for me to not appropriate a good idea, I am sharing my “Baseball Chain of Jewels,” which connects players in less than six steps.
Chain, Chain, Chain…Chain of Jewels
Chain of Jewels: Ron Washington (Latest Black manager) to Frank Robinson (First Black manager)
We have a Dodgers connection here:
Ron Washington played with Davey Lopes for the 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers
Davey Lopes played with Frank Robinson for the 1972 Los Angeles Dodgers
Chain of Jewels: Shohei Ohtani (current Japanese star) to Masanori Murakami (First Japanese player in the majors - SF Giants in 1964)
I’m sure the Giants would like to repeat this precisely. This is a good chain with HOFer Gaylord Perry, future HOFer Mike Trout, and a guy I would vote for the HOF, Bobby Abreu.
Shohei Ohtani played with Mike Trout for the 2020 Los Angeles Angels
Mike Trout played with Bobby Abreu for the 2012 Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Bobby Abreu played with Danny Darwin for the 1996 Houston Astros
Danny Darwin played with Gaylord Perry for the 1980 Texas Rangers
Gaylord Perry played with Masanori Murakami for the 1965 San Francisco Giants
Chain of Jewels: Gerrit Cole (145 wins) to Mudcat Grant (145 wins)
A pair of pitchers with the same number of career wins.
Gerrit Cole played with Charlie Morton for the 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates
Charlie Morton played with John Smoltz for the 2008 Atlanta Braves
John Smoltz played with Ted Simmons for the 1988 Atlanta Braves
Ted Simmons played with Mudcat Grant for the 1969 St. Louis Cardinals
Chain of Jewels: Bob Melvin (2024 SF Giants manager) to Bill Rigney (First SF Manager in 1958)
Another Giants-related chain. My feeling is that whenever you can mention Willie Mays, you should do it.
Bob Melvin played with Chris Speier for the 1987 San Francisco Giants
Chris Speier played with Willie Mays for the 1972 San Francisco Giants
Willie Mays played with Bill Rigney for the 1951 New York Giants
Chain of Jewels: Ronald Acuna Jr. (73 stolen bases in 2023) to Tommy Harper (73 stolen bases in 1969)
Four different teams in this chain pair two guys who stole a lot of bases in a season.
Ronald Acuna Jr. played with Jhoulys Chacín for the 2020 Atlanta Braves
Jhoulys Chacín played with Alan Embree for the 2009 Colorado Rockies
Alan Embree played with Dennis Martinez for the 1995 Cleveland Guardians (Indians at the time)
Dennis Martinez played with Tommy Harper for the 1976 Baltimore Orioles
Chain of Jewels: Craig Counsell (2024 Cubs manager) to Whitey Lockman (1974 Cubs manager)
Two Cubs managers, fifty years apart.
Craig Counsell played with Bobby Witt for the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks
Bobby Witt played with Charlie Hough for the 1987 Texas Rangers
Charlie Hough played with Claude Osteen for the 1970 Los Angeles Dodgers
Claude Osteen played with Whitey Lockman for the 1960 Cincinnati Reds
Chain of Jewels: Lucas Giolito (led the league, allowing 41 homers in 2023) to Robin Roberts (led the league, allowing 41 homers in 1955)
Gopher balls galore. I love the fact that Roberts ended up with an expansion team.
Lucas Giolito played with Oliver Pérez for the 2016 Washington Nationals
Oliver Pérez played with Jesse Orosco for the 2003 San Diego Padres
Jesse Orosco played with Rusty Staub for the 1984 New York Mets
Rusty Staub played with Robin Roberts for the 1965 Houston Colt .45s (now the Astros)
Chain of Jewels: Frank Thomas (Original Met, 1951-66) to Frank Thomas (HOFer, 1990-2008)
Charlie Hough is on the middle link of this chain of players with the same name and 18 seasons later, he’s on the third link.
Frank Thomas played with Chris Cannizzaro for the 1962 New York Mets
Chris Cannizzaro played with Charlie Hough for the 1973 Los Angeles Dodgers
Charlie Hough played with Frank Thomas for the 1991 Chicago White Sox
Chain of Jewels: Joe Frazier (MLBer 1947 to 1956) to Mike Tyson (MLBer 1972 to 1981)
A heavyweight battle in this chain.
Joe Frazier played with Alex Grammas for the 1956 Cincinnati Redlegs
Alex Grammas played with Bob Gibson for the 1959 St. Louis Cardinals
Bob Gibson played with Mike Tyson for the 1972 St. Louis Cardinals