Tim, Meet Bobby

Ex-NFL quarterback Tim Tebow had his baseball tryout yesterday, and everything went great, as long as the pitchers kept throwing fastballs.  Those Tebow could hit, the breaking balls and change ups not as much.  In all, Tebow showed he could catch, run and look good in a uniform.  Is it enough for an MLB contract?  You tell me.  But I do know this—if I’d spent the season in Double-A or Triple-A enduring bus rides, fast food and lumpy hotel mattresses in the hopes of a September call up, I wouldn’t be thrilled if my organization signed and fast-tracked Tebow.

And if I were a scout, I’d remember Bobby Douglass, another lefty ex-quarterback who tried to switch sports.  As a signal caller for the Bears during the first half of the ’70s, Douglass was forever overthrowing his receivers, but could that young man run.  In 1972, Douglass rushed for 968 yards, good for a 6.9 yard-per-carry average and eight touchdowns.   He just couldn’t quarterback.

After a seven-year NFL career, Douglass resurfaced in 1979 with—wait for it—yes, the White Sox.  Bill Veeck thought it might be fun to sign him as a pitcher because, if nothing else, he threw hard.  Douglass was either 30 or 32, different sites give him different birth dates.  Whichever, he went to Triple-A Iowa and pitched seven innings in four games.  That translated into 7 earned runs, 13 walks and a 9.00 ERA. 

The moral of the story is this—try to pick the right sport the first time around.  The second time may be too late.