ICYMI Elliott: Wray Upper played in Hank Aaron's first minor-league game

Originally Published May 22, 2010

Legendary Wray Upper, 87, passed away Dec. 8 in Barrie, Ont. A celebration of life for Upper will take place in Cambridge on Dec. 21. The event will be held at the Coutts Funeral Home on St. Andrews Street from 1-to-4 pm in Cambridge. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Make-a-Wish Canada or Lions Foundation of Canada Guide Dogs.

By Bob Elliott

Canadian Baseball Network

CAMBRIDGE, Ont. _ Wray Upper is in a green chair on his front porch, thinking about a day long ago.

He scratches his forehead, two days after his 79th birthday, and looking into a cloudless sky as he remembers Wednesday June 18, 1952.

Upper’s St. Cloud Rox, of the class-C Northern League, visited Carson Park home of the Eau Claire Bears (Wisc.).

Not just another game of the 195 pro games Upper played.

“I didn’t know a lot about the new guy, he comes up in the second and hits a line drive to my to left to knock in a run,” Upper said and smiled as he added “maybe the shortstop should have had it, we threw him out at second.”

The No. 7 hitter for Bears was shortstop Henry Aaron, age 18. The line drive past the Port Colborne, Ont. native was Aaron’s first hit as a pro after the Boston Braves signed him the Indianapolis Clowns. Also in the Bears lineup was OF Wes Covington.

“He was skinny, a bean pole,” Upper said. “I talked to him after the game, nice fella.”

Aaron had 323 more hits in the minors at Eau Claire and class-A Jacksonville, was promoted to the Milwaukee Braves in 1954, collecting 3,771 hits not to mention 755 homers.

How many times did Upper look at the TV and say “I played against that guy!” watching Aaron.

“I did that a few times,” Upper said.

Upper was given a $500 signing bonus with a monthly salary of $150 heading south via Greyhound to Sanford, Fla. (“took two days”) and New York Giants training camp. He spent 1951 at class-D Lenoir and began 1952 at class-D Moultrie before moving to St. Cloud.

“Aaron was a really good player,” Upper said, “but Willie Mays was at our spring training. He was a better, could do anything.”

Returning home, Upper played third and managed the Galt Terriers in the Intercounty League for decades. He was an 11-time all-star, from his first selection in 1958 to 1973.

He won the 1958 batting title and when he retired in 1974, was the all-time leader in games (470), hits (565) and RBIs (232)

Stories flew on the front porch:

Like down 3-0 in the best-of-seven 1964 final against London, he used knuckle-curve artist Dick Krol to win four straight. When a Belleville player hit one over the fence, Upper’s centre fielder, Larry Cunningham, took a ball from his back pocket and bounced it against the fence. The ump saw the ball against the fence and ruled a double.

Or the night Roger Dewaele went 5-for-5, including a homer into the Thames River in London.

Or the night Upper, trying to score, was tagged after being tripped by Brantford third baseman Charlie Cippola.

“I chased him ‘til he hopped the fence, he didn’t come back,” Upper said.

Or scouting for the Giants he alerted scout Herm Hannah to Chris Speier of the Stratford Kraven Knits. And how working for the Kansas City Royals how he was the first to have first-round pick Scott Thorman fill out am info card.

Like any good hitter Upper loved his bats from south of the border.

Returning from a trip with the juniors Ed Heather noticed a player had not only used two of Upper’s prized bats but broken them.

The wise Heather reached Dickson Park early the next night and asked Upper “tell me the three most important things in your life?”

“My family, my job and my dogs,” Upper said.

“Good,” Heather said, “because we broke two of your bats last night.”

All was forgiven.