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Things you may not have known about Mark Grace Mark's career Major League Baseball salary figures, by year:
This photo shows Mark Grace after winning his first championship - winning the Una Recreation League of Nashville, Tennessee. Grace's team, sponsored by the Wilburn Brothers Band, beat Nellecobal Mac Truck in the league's championship game of 1974. Grace is third from the left. Mark's dad, Gene Grace, was the team's coach and is wearing a hat in the photo. Thanks to Mark's teammate on that team, Rex Lee, for sending me this shot.
Even while with the Cubs, Mark was making history at Bank One Ballpark. On May 12, 1998, Mark became the first player ever to hit a homerun into the Bank One Ballpark Pool during an official game. Two months later, on July 29, he became the first visiting player to hit a second homerun into the pool.
Mark's first ex-wife, actress Michelle Grace, married actor Ray Liotta in Las Vegas on February 15, 1997. They were married by an Elvis impersonator. At the time of the marriage, Ray was 42, Michelle 27.
Mark wasn't the first Grace to play for the Chicago Cubs. Earl Grace played 27 games in 1929 and 7 games in 1931 for the Cubs. The backup catcher was traded to Pittsburgh mid-season, and would play a total of 6 more seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies before retiring in 1937. Interestingly, even though the Cubs made the World Series in 1929, Earl, like Mark, never played in the fall classic as a Cub (Chicago had traded for Boston Braves' catcher Zack Taylor to upgrade at the position for the pennant drive).
Ever wish you could see Mark Grace play in the World Series with the Cubs? You need to rent the 1990 comedy "Taking Care of Business" staring James Belushi and Charles Grodin. Mark makes his Hollywood debut, albeit in a non-speaking part. But seeing Grace hit the game-winning homerun in a World Series in a Cubs jersey is worth the price of the rental alone.
This newspaper ad for a Chicago nightclub speaks for itself. From left to right, this macho lineup includes Kyle Farnsworth, Mark Grace, Kevin Tapani, Mickey Morandini, Steve Trachsel, and Terry Adams. I'm sure thousands of women were shocked to discover that Mark Grace was in fact a homosexual biker (just kidding, obviously).
Another strange Grace sighting is in this rare 1989 poster entitled "Night Heat" issued by The Ol' Ball Park Company. It's hard to see, but the players' shirts say "Wrigley Bomb Squad." From left to right (I think) is Vance Law, Darrin Jackson, Shawon Dunston, Mike Harkey, Andre Dawson, Damon Berryhill and Mark Grace. Possibly the worst baseball poster I have ever seen, but as Bill Simmon's (ESPN Page 2's "Sports Guy") would say, it scores a perfect 100 on the Unintentional Comedy Scale.
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www.MarkGrace.com is
not affiliated with Mark Grace, his management or Major League Baseball.
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