The Recking Ball was a fun player to watch in Vancouver in 2005. He had ridiculous strength, he flattened guys heading for home, and he had a flock of women who purchased tickets right behind home plate just so they could be close to ‘that ass’.

One even ran onto the field one night, sprinted around to second base where Recker was standing, and planted a smooch on his behind. That doesn’t happen to most Canadians catchers, I can tell you.

And then there was the whole ongoing riff on whether Recker’s hygiene habits were up to par. That came from a Mike Massaro interview in which I asked him who was stinkiest after the team bus broke down on a road trip in blazing sun. He replied with a laugh that it was Recker who was the whiffiest, and that story just didn’t die for the rest of the season,  with other players piling on despite the catcher’s claims it was bogus.

Fun times. 

Recker was drafted in the 18th round - not exactly a spot you usually find potential major leaguers - from an unknown college, at that. But at every level, he’s been a presence.

From the LeHigh Valley Morning Call: 

Minor league baseball player Anthony Recker once told his former Catasauqua High coach Tim Hurd that he would move on with his life if he didn’t continue to rise through the Oakland A’s organization.

That hasn’t been a problem so far.

On Wednesday, Recker played in his third straight minor league all-star game, each at a different level. The 6-2, 240-pound catcher — now with Oakland’s Double-A affiliate, the Midland RockHounds — went 1-for-5 with an RBI in the Texas League All-Star game at Springfield, Mo.

Well done, Reck. You’re ‘this close’ to the bigs, boyo, and this whole city is behind you.

The former Alvernia College star made stops at all three of Oakland’s Single-A affiliates — the Vancouver Canadians, Kane County (Ill.) Cougars and Stockton (Ca.) Ports — before reaching Midland. His favorite city along the way was Vancouver, he said, in part because it was his first.

Part of me thinks, "Awww, thanks Reck." The logical part of me thinks, "Hmm… Vancouver, Stockton, Kane County… he BETTER have liked Vancouver best! That’s not much competition…"