Last week, I happened to write a post on my Orioles Card O’ the Day blog about the wonders of the Internet. I was recounting the various responses I’d received from people with some connection to the players I’d profiled: Todd Cruz’s godchild, a family friend of Sammy Stewart, one of Arnie Portocarrero’s children. The very next day I received an email from John O’Donoghue, thanking me for my interest in baseball and the Orioles. I wrote him back to thank him and to ask for an interview. He agreed, and shared the following uni number-related remembrance:
My initial number in spring training was 61, but when I was called up I was given 46. I was lucky enough to have spent time that spring with Mike Flanagan talking pitching and after growing up in Maryland knew 46 was his number. I felt uncomfortable wearing his number until he gave me his blessing. He was very good to me.
It’s great to hear about that sort of generational link between O’s pitchers, don’t you think? Anyway, before I start with the interview, let me give you a little bit of background. John Preston O’Donoghue is the son of John Eugene O’Donoghue, and the duo are the only father and son to ever pitch for the Orioles. The younger O’Donoghue was signed by Baltimore in 1990 out of Louisiana State University as an undrafted free agent, and pitched eleven games for the Birds in 1993, going 0-1 with a 4.58 ERA and sixteen strikeouts in nineteen and two-thirds innings. Now that you know a bit about John, here are the questions I emailed him and the responses he provided.
KB: Your father’s career ended just a few years after you were born. Though you didn’t necessarily grow up in the clubhouse like other second-generation baseball players, can you tell me what sort influence your father had on your development as a pitcher?
JO: My Dad’s career had a tremendous impact on my childhood. While I don’t remember going to watch him play, he and I went to a lot of Orioles and Phillies games. I grew up in Elkton, MD and was close to both cities. Going to the games for me meant going into the clubhouse to meet the players and my Dad’s old teammates that were coaching. I was young enough to think that everyone did this. I was fortunate that my Dad was my pitching coach while growing up and taught me good mechanics early on. (more…)
I’ve made some corrections from the 1990 O’s roster, thanks to the vigilance of reader Bruce. He dug through his personal files to find the roster listing at left, from