In April of 1960, the Cubs made a trade with the reigning World Champion Dodgers to acquire one of their backup infielders. The backup infielder's name was Don Zimmer.

It was one of those moves that caused everyone in the league to scratch their heads. Although Zimmer was a competent enough player (he managed to stay in the majors for twelve seasons), he was coming off a season in which he hit only .165 in nearly 250 at bats. He had very little power, very little range in the infield, and his best days were behind him. Plus, the Dodgers didn't really have a place to play the 29-year-old Zimmer. He clearly wasn't going to crack the lineup in 1960. They had all-stars infielders like Charlie Neal (2B), Maury Wills (SS), and Junior Gilliam (3B).

(Although he did star in this commercial for about two seconds while he was with the Dodgers: VIDEO: Gillette Razor Ad)

Nevertheless, the Cubs traded promising young minor league pitcher Ron Perranoski (and two other players) to get him.

Plus, the Cubs said they acquired Zimmer to play him at 3B--and they already had a rookie phenom poised to take over the position...a youngster by the name of Ron Santo. Santo was furious when the trade was announced, and threatened to quit. Rather than upset the youngster, the Cubs put Zimmer at Second Base, and traded their fine young second baseman Tony Taylor to the Phillies.

How did this trade work out for the Cubs? Perranoski ended up becoming one of the premier relief pitchers in baseball for the next decade. He pitched in two league championship series, and three World Series, winning two rings with the 1963 and 1965 Dodgers. He also led the league in saves twice, and saved a total 179 games between 1961 and 1971.

(Photo: 1959 Topps Baseball Card)

Tony Taylor, who was only 24 years old at the time of the trade, played another sixteen years in the majors with the Phillies and the Tigers. When he retired after the 1976 season he was the oldest player in baseball (40 years old). Don Zimmer was the manager of the Boston Red Sox at the time.

(Photo Topps 1989 baseball card)

Zimmer's Cubs career was forgettable. He is probably best remembered for his very public criticism of the ridiculous "College of Coaches" system, which he claimed was stunting the growth of budding superstars Ron Santo, Billy Williams, and Lou Brock. His candor was rewarded with being left unprotected in the expansion draft of 1962. He was drafted by the New York Mets, and played on the worst team in baseball history. On the other hand, when Zimmer managed the Cubs in the late 80s, he did win the National League East title. The "Boys of Zimmer," as they were known in 1989, lost the NLCS to the San Francisco Giants, but they remain one of only five Cubs teams to make the playoffs in the last 62 years.