For a mere hundred bucks, the Giants acquired pitcher Johnny Pregenzer in 1960. He would only pitch 27 2/3 innings in the majors, but that $100 was spent dozens of times over by fans paying for the privilege of worshipping him a few years later.
The name may be forgotten now, but the John Pregenzer Fan Club reached as far as the White House, had its own navy and secret salute, and sold its own sweatshirts. It hosted at least two fancy San Francisco dinners for Pregenzer — the same number of wins he would have in his major league career — and San Francisco’s mayor gave him the key to the city.