In my last post, I wrote about the Braves helping Satchel Paige get his Pension. Carmen Fanzone is one of 847 players from 1947-1979 who didn't qualify for a pension. A player needed 5 years to get the minimum MLB pension up until 1969 then it dropped to 4 years. After 1980 it dropped to 43 games and only 1 game to qualify for health insurance, but none of it was retroactive. Carmen was 85 days short of 4 years.
Carmen Fanzone was a jazz trumpeter who once played the National Anthem before a game at Wrigley Field. He was a utility player and caught the last out in Milt Pappas's 1972 no hitter. He was cut by the Cubs following the 1974 season and was playing AAA ball in Hawaii in 1975 when he broke his ankle and ended his playing career. Fortunately he was able to catch on with Don Ho's band. Carmen has kept busy at Cubs Fantasy Camps and a musicians union rep in Los Angeles.
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