I'll admit it -- I'd never heard of George Genovese before reading this fantastic article by Chris Haft:
Genovese signed approximately 40 players who proceeded to the Major Leagues. That group included Garry Maddox and Gary Matthews, who patrolled the Giants' outfield in the first few seasons after the club traded Mays to the New York Mets in 1972. Along with Bobby Bonds -- whom the Giants signed only after Genovese's intense lobbying -- Maddox and Matthews helped maintain the club's proud black legacy.
The article also notes that Genovese signed George Foster and Chili Davis in the '70s, and Rob Deer and Matt Williams in the '80s. I've long been fascinated with the parade of All Star outfielders that the Giants had (and frittered away) in the '70s, but I had no idea that one guy was responsible for the bulk of them.
And without Genovese lobbying for Bobby Bonds, there's a pretty good chance that my memory is 586 home runs lighter because the Giants don't sign a certain Pirates outfielder after 1992. I don't like that alternate dimension.