LCG Era Random: Charlie O’Brien

Do You Remember?

This is part of a series, people. Or at least that’s the idea.

LCG Era Random strikes again! What’s on my mind, today? Punch-less catchers who seem to hang around forever despite being a complete and utter liability at the plate. Modern-day folks like Brian Schneider and Gregg Zaun come to mind, although they’re Hank Aaron compared to today’s athlete of focus. LCG Era Random is all about taking a trip in the way-back machine. Today’s destination: Charlie O’Brien.

C’mon…don’t even pretend you don’t remember Charlie. I think defensive catchers who made their living based on what they did behind the plate and not at the dish, and I think…Charlie O’Brien. And when I think OB, I also think fropermullet. That would be the unique combination of afro, perm and mullet that created those gorgeous locks of his. Powerful stuff. In all seriousness, though, I love these types of guys. The modern-day Charlie O’Brien? Thinking maybe our boy Mikey DiFelice?

Anyway, I often find myself talking sports with friends, all of us whom played some level of organized sports either throughout high school, college or both, and we remind ourselves that these guys are so filthy good we can’t even comprehend. The biggest stiff on an NBA bench? That guy was All-State and probably All-Conference at some major D1 school. The pea-shooter journeyman out of the pen? We likely wouldn’t be able to touch his stuff. Average fourth-string receiver relegated to an NFL special-teamer? Not unlikely there are trophy cases dedicated to said receiver’s exploits at his high school alma mater.

So much is to say, while I mildly poke fun at Charlie for his hair and lack of pop, it’s all relative. Dude played for 15 seasons in the majors. That’s OK in my book. In going back into the archives, we found some more fun-filled facts about Charlie O and uncovered one reason O’Brien has left a much longer-lasting impact on the game. It is seriously a big deal, and I’m embarrassed that I was completely unaware of it. In the spirit of LCG Era Random, drink in these tidbits:

Career Stats
Batting Average – .221
Home Runs: 56
RBI: 261

Featured on the cover of this 1994 SI issue. Baseball brawls. A shoo-in topic for a future LCG Era Random. Those things were great. Uhhh, I mean terrible and reprehensible. Anyway, here’s OB throwing a couple haymakers to…wait a second, that’s John Cangelosi? In his memorable stint as a Met? Is that Terry Pendelton in the background? Oh, LCG Era Random is the gift that keeps on giving.

But, this is not the lasting legacy on baseball I was referring to earlier. Nope. You know those hockey mask style helmets you see a lot of catchers rocking today? Guess who you can thank for those? You got it…Charlie O’Brien. I, for one, had no idea. The man was not only a damn good defensive catcher, he was a visionary. Hell, he’s an innovator. Not sure what it says for the rest of the catchers who got repeatedly drilled in the head that nobody else ever thought of an alternative, but kudos to OB. The Wikipedia-approved short version of the story along with photo:

After getting smashed in his mask by two consecutive foul-tip balls in a game, O’Brien had the idea for a new catcher’s mask (a helmet, actually) while he was watching a hockey game. He worked with Van Velden Mask Inc., of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to develop his idea. The new design, called the All-Star MVP, was approved in 1996 by Major League Baseball.

Charlie O’Brien. That’s what popped into my head today. And that, my friends, is what LCG Era Random is all about. Feeling it? Don’t care. I’m gonna keep doing it.