RELATED LINKS Submissions » Catching, A Family Affair: A Father's Day Tribute by Chuck Rosciam » Nothing to Blame but the Ball: Remembering the Home Run Surge of 1987 by Tommy Szarka

The son of Ozzie Virgil, the younger Virgil backed up Bo Diaz for the Phillies in 1982-83 and won the starting job outright in 1984, hitting a career-high .261 wth 18 HR. When the Phillies opted for younger catchers Darren Daulton and John Russell in 1986, Virgil was traded to Atlanta with Pete Smith for Steve Bedrosian and Milt Thompson. In 1987 he belted 27 HR in cozy Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, and when he was an All-Star that year, his father was an All-Star coach. Virgil declined precipitously and by mid-1988 was sharing the catching job with Bruce Benedict. (SG)