Friday, April 2, 2021

Baseball Player, Civil Engineer, Leading Exotic Bird Vet.....

The 2021 Topps Heritage set came out this week and I have bought zero packs, along with zero single cards.  Instead, I spent some time and money buying interesting cards from other Topps Heritage sets.  There were a few former Durham Bulls and Cardinals cards I was missing.  They seemed like a better use of my money at the moment.  I have a few of these types of cards to post over the next few weeks.  

First up is Cubs, Cardinals, and Expos pitcher Rich Nye.  

Nye played 5 years in the Majors, mostly with the Cubs.  His stints with the Cardinals and Expos lasted a combined total of 14 games.  Yet, for some reason, Topps gave him a baseball card in the 2019 Topps Heritage set.  Seemed odd.  What's so great about Rich Nye?  

Here is the card. 

 


Well, Rich was a smart guy.  He went to Cal-Berkley, played baseball, and earned a degree in civil engineering.  After his baseball career flamed out......

Career #1  - Civil Engineer

Rich used his civil engineering degree to help build the Sears Tower. 

 

Career #2 - Commodities Trader

Rich switched careers and decided that he would become a commodities trader.  

 

Back To College

Commodities trader was not very "inspirational", so Nye went back to college at the University of Illinois to attend Vet School.  

 

Career #3 - Veterinarian

Rich started working as a vet specializing in exotic birds in Niles, Illinois.  

 

Charter Member and President of the AAV

Apparently there was no professional organization for vets working with birds, so Rich started one.  He also ran the organization as its President.  If you work with birds, it's apparently a big deal. 

 

Career #4 - Commodities Trader

Not really a career switch, just earning money to start a large vet practice that will be the leading facility for exotic birds in the United States.  

 

Career #5 - Veterinarian

Nye started the Midwest Bird and Exotic Animal Hospital in Westchester, Illinois.  The practice was the leading research group on exotic birds in the United States.  

 

Career #6 -Textbook Author

Nye wrote several textbooks on avian medicine.  

 

Retirement

Just kidding.  

 

Career #7 -Nye Wood Turning 

Rich started his own wood turning business and makes rings and wooden bowels. 


4 comments:

  1. Wowza. Talk about being well-rounded. That's pretty darn impressive.

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    Replies
    1. It's really impressive. If the Leonardo Dicaprio character from Catch Me If You Can had a resume, it would look similar.

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  2. I knew the name, but never knew that there were so many interesting things attached to the owner of it.

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    Replies
    1. Always fun to dig a little deeper on some of the players who were either role players, or fringe Major Leaguers to see what they are doing. A few years back, I posted an old Durham Bulls set from mid 1990s and spent time looking up the players. Same team, I believe one returned to school and is now a pharmacist and another went back to med school and was a physician. You never know.

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