Sahuaro High grad Alex Verdugo, the New York Yankees’ starting left fielder, became the seventh player from a Tucson high school to play in the World Series. Verdugo went 4 for 17 and made the last out of the World Series against the Dodgers.
He is the only Tucsonan of the seven not to win a World Series championship.
The other Tucsonans to play in the World Series are Rincon pitcher Pat Darcy, Tucson High catcher Ron Hassey, Canyon del Oro second baseman Ian Kinsler, CDO first baseman Chris Duncan, Salpointe Catholic pitcher Ed Vosberg and Amphitheater first baseman Erubiel Durazo.
New York Yankees outfielder Alex Verdugo celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning of Game 5 of Major League Baseball’s World Series on Oct. 30 in New York.
Few of the seven were productive on the big stage. Hassey went 4 for 14, Duncan was 1 for 8, Kinsler was 13 for 51. Durazo was 4 for 11 when the D’backs beat the Yankees in the 2001 World Series.
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This entry is part of longtime Star columnist Greg Hansen's weekly notebook. Looking for more? Find updates and Greg's archive at Tucson.com/Hansen.
Darcy, president of the Pima County Sports Hall of Fame, is the most famous of all Tucsonans in the World Series. He gave up Carlton Fisk’s unforgettable Game 6, walk-off home run in the epic 1975 World Series against Boston. But Darcy got his World Series ring a day later as the Reds triumphed.
Contact sports columnist Greg Hansen at GHansenAZStar@gmail.com. On X(Twitter): @ghansen711
Greg Hansen
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