"On Opening Day last year, catcher Frank Fernandez caught the first ball thrown out by 81-year-old poetess Marianne Moore. As he presented it to her, he bent over and kissed her cheek. The crowd loved it. With two out in the second inning against the California Angels, Frank homered into the left field seats. It proved to be the ball game: 1-0.
Winning an opening game with a home run is the stuff rookies' dreams are made of. While all of this rookie's dreams didn't come true last year - he was disappointed that he did only part-time duty behind the plate - 'the big hit' was typical of the kind of year he had. He hit only .170, but in his 51 games, he got 23 hits and drove in 30 runs. Perhaps the most amazing thing about Frank's record at the plate was that he had 35 walks, many of them vital to victories. He drew more walks than Clarke, Gibbs, Howser, Kosco and Robinson - only two less than Pepitone - in fewer times at bat than any of them.
Of his 23 hits, he got six doubles, a triple and seven home runs. That is, 14 of his 23 hits yielded extra bases. On 23 hits, his slugging percentage was an amazing .385.
Big and rugged, Fernandez developed well, but Army duty set him back.
'There was one stretch when I had two weeks in service and I didn't play for almost a month. The pitchers were so far ahead of me by that time I couldn't believe the stuff they were throwing. I'd like to play more.'
Frank will see a lot more action this year - and provide a lot. Manager Ralph Houk plans to give him a chance to divide the catching chores with Jake Gibbs, giving the Yankees effective right and left hitting.
The 26-year-old local boy from Staten Island, who was All-City in baseball and football at Curtis High, attended Villanova on a basketball scholarship."
-The New York Yankees Official 1969 Yearbook
"For the first time in his seven years in Organized Baseball, Frank will not have to fight for a job. He came to camp last year and made the club as a reserve catcher. He showed his value on the first day of the season as he drove in the only run of the game with a homer off George Brunet to aid the Yankees and Mel Stottlemyre to a 1-0 victory over the California Angels.
Although he appeared in only 51 games (mostly against left-handers) and didn't hit much for average (.170), Frank had the knack of making his hits count. He drove in 30 runs on only 23 hits, and six times he drove in the deciding run. Frank continued to show really good power- he had seven homers, one a grand slam on May 16 at Boston and two hit into the upper deck of left field at Yankee Stadium. He also showed one of the strongest arms in the league.
Much of his playing time was interrupted last year due to military commitments. A local boy from Staten Island, he attended Villanova for one year, where he played basketball, before signing with the Yankees. Manager Houk has stated that Frank will receive much more playing time off his performance of last year, and will get a chance to prove he can hit right-handers as well as left-handers. Frank played winter ball during the off-season."
-1969 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"Frank Fernandez, in his second season as a Yankee catcher, probably will see more action this year, splitting the rough receiving chores with Jake Gibbs. In a total of only 163 major league times at bat, the Staten Island native is hitting .178 going into this season, but 17 of his 29 hits were for extra bases, including eight homers, plus 37 walks and 34 RBIs."
-1969 New York Yankees Scorecard and Official Program
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