Baseball TTM from Richard Billings (Dec 1972 Sport Grafica cover story)

How many of these Sport Grafica magazines are still around? At least one I picked up from eBay to feed my research into Grafica winter league photo sets. This 15-Dec issue sits about halfway through their 1972-73 season (set profile).

Richard Billings (career stats) satisfied my autograph request in less than two weeks with this handwritten letter.

Thanks for your letter. How did you get this magazine? More importantly, why would you want this magazine? I still have a couple of those magazines that I brought back from Maracaibo, Venezuela, but never really knew the translation. I appreciate you translating this for me, Rich Billings

Mr. Billings garnered this cover story thanks to his Yogi-like role as player-manager, taking over Las Aguilas de Zulia after Larry Doby failed to find success.

Expand to enjoy Google's stab at translation

A leader of men and mustaches

This writer made key points about how catchers track pitchers as they tire and why managers need great assistant coaches. Reading between the lines, Billings might've leaned on his staff's expertise in ways Doby failed to do. Its closing note about Richard's ability to motivate players and inspire positivity explains how he became a Venezuelan fan favorite across multiple seasons in Maricaibo.

Richard's onfield interview from June 1972 mentions his Venezuelan club and gives you a feel for his personality. This 1974-75 winter league "sticker" (set profile) shows some Las Aguilas uniform and ballpark.

Thanks again to Mr. Billings! Always fun to add something so unusual to one's collection.