Players who left the game on their own terms: former infielder Richie Hebner: one-time third baseman has fond memories of his career, but wishes he had the chance to play in an All-Star game.(Curtain Calls)

WHEN RICHIE HEBNER IS not at the ballpark, you might find him with one foot in the grave.

No, the former Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman is not dying, but he does spend an inordinate amount of time in cemeteries.

"I dug 30 graves last winter," said Hebner, who works for his family's grave digging business in the off-season. "In baseball you hear these players complaining when they pop one up. I never hear anyone complain when I'm doing that (digging graves). The company is pretty quiet."

As fate would have it, the Boston native turned out to be as good with the bat as he is with the shovel. Growing up with five brothers, the determined youngster got plenty of practice honing his baseball skills. And by the age of 18, he had impressed the Pirates enough to select him with their first pick in the 1966 amateur draft.

A wide-eyed Hebner made his major league debut in September 1968; however, it wasn't until the start of the next season that he would record his first hit.

"It was off of Bob Gibson. I wanted the ball, but I didn't dare ask for it because Gibson looked so vicious," he recalled.

The gritty infielder hit .301 that year to lead all National League rookies. After another solid campaign in 1970, the gutsy Bostonian would play a key role on the Pirates' 1971 World Series-winning team. The young third basemen slugged a game-winning homer in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series and added three more hits--including another round-tripper--in the series' finale.