He was a phantom ballplayer, as he never appeared in any games while on the active player roster of a Major League Baseball (MLB) team.
[2] Trail attended Libbey High School in Toledo, Ohio, where he was a star player in baseball, basketball and tennis.
The Yankees had named Trail their "designated player" for the season under the aforementioned bonus rule, which allowed him to be assigned to a minor league club while still counting against (and being considered part of) the team's 25-man active roster.
[7][8] In 1966, he began the season with the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League, but struggled to get in the starting line up and was demoted to Greensboro.
[14] After he retired, Trail worked in insurance and investments,[3] and coached basketball at Sylvania Southview High School.