Signing for $90,000 in 1963, Dietz and his roommate, fellow bonus catcher
Randy Hundley,
became known as "The Gold Dust Twins." Called up late in 1966, he hit a 410-foot
homer off
Sandy Koufax. Playing just 56 games in 1967, he was named the Topps all-star
rookie catcher, but didn't become a regular until 1970. That
year, he peaked in every
offensive category (.300, 22 HR, 107 RBI), and homered in the ninth inning of the
All-Star Game. Beaned in mid-1971, Dietz played down the stretch in a tight race
with L.A. with his head heavily bandaged. When the Giants clinched, Dietz grabbed
a radio microphone to shout, "The Dodgers can go to hell!" Because of a clerical
error, the Giants lost Dietz to the Dodgers in 1972, but he broke his finger in his
first start for Los Angeles.
(MC)