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California
California (pronounced
i/kælɨˈfɔrnjə/) is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third most extensive (after Alaska and Texas). It is home to the nation's second- and sixth-largest census statistical areas (Los Angeles Metropolitan Area and San Francisco Bay Area), and eight of the nation's fifty most populated cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Long Beach and Oakland). The capital city is Sacramento.
California's diverse geography ranges from the Pacific Coast in the west, to the Sierra Nevada mountains in the east – from the Redwood–Douglas-fir forests of the northwest, to the Mojave Desert areas in the southeast. The center of the state is dominated by Central Valley, a major agricultural area. California contains both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States (Mount Whitney and Death Valley), and has the third-longest coastline of all states (after Alaska and Florida). Earthquakes are a common occurrence due to the state's location along the Pacific Ring of Fire: about 37,000 are recorded annually.
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Fishers, Indiana
Fishers is a town located in Fall Creek and Delaware townships, Hamilton County, Indiana, with a population of 76,794, according to the 2010 census. A suburb of Indianapolis, Fishers has grown rapidly in recent decades: about 350 people lived there in 1963, 2,000 in 1980, and only 7,200 as recently as 1990. In 2011, Fishers was named the number one city for families by The Learning Channel and was selected as a Green Community by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns. The town was named the safest city in the nation in 2011. In 2010, Fishers was ranked eighth in the best places to live according to Money, America's best affordable suburb by BusinessWeek, and the eleventh best place to move in the country by Forbes. Fishers was also ranked the 24th best place to live in America by Money magazine in 2005, 33rd in 2006, and 10th in 2008.
In 1802 William Conner settled what is now present-day Fishers, Indiana. Conner built a log cabin and a trading post along the White River (Indiana). The land that Conner settled is now known as Conner Prairie and is one of the nation's most respected living history museums.
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Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra (
/ˈdaɪkstrə/; born February 10, 1963 in Santa Ana, California), nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s.
Dykstra was signed by the Mets as a 13th round draft pick in 1981. A star in the minors, in 1983 he led the Carolina League in at-bats, runs, hits, triples, batting average, and stolen bases with 105, which was a league record for 17 years. That season, he batted .358 with 8 HR, 81 RBI, and 105 stolen bases while recording 107 walks against just 35 strikeouts. He was consequently named the Carolina League's MVP. Dykstra soon emerged as one of the Mets' prized prospects, and while playing in AA in 1984, he befriended fellow outfielder and teammate Billy Beane. Beane would later say that Dykstra was "perfectly designed, emotionally" to play baseball and that he had "no concept of failure." According to Beane, his first comments upon seeing Steve Carlton warming up on the mound were, "Shit, I'll stick him."
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Los Angeles
Los Angeles (
i/lɒs ˈændʒələs/ loss-AN-jə-ləs; Spanish: [los ˈaŋxeles], which is written Los Ángeles; British pronounciation /lɒs ˈændʒəliːz/ loss-AN-jə-leez) with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in the state of California, and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of 468.67 square miles (1,213.8 km2), and is located in Southern California. Often known by its initials L.A., the city is the focal point of the larger Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana metropolitan statistical area and Greater Los Angeles Area region, which contain 12,828,837 and nearly 18 million people respectively as of 2010, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world and the second largest in the United States. Los Angeles is also the seat of Los Angeles County, the most populated and one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the United States, while the entire Los Angeles area itself has been recognized as the most diverse of the nation's largest cities. The city's inhabitants are referred to as "Angelenos".
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Poway, California
Poway ( /ˈpaʊ.eɪ/) is a city in San Diego County, California. Originally an unincorporated community in San Diego County, Poway officially became a city in December 1980. Even though Poway lies geographically in the middle of San Diego County, most consider its relative location as north county inland. Poway's rural roots gave rise to its slogan "The City in the Country." As of the 2010 census the city had a population of 47,811. The ZIP code is 92064.
Poway is located at 32°58′12″N 117°2′19″W / 32.97°N 117.03861°W / 32.97; -117.03861 (32.969895, -117.038479). which lies north of the city of San Diego and south of the city of Escondido. Some nearby communities of San Diego include Rancho Bernardo, Sabre Springs, Scripps Ranch, Rancho Penasquitos, and in the county to the east, the community of Ramona. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 39.3 square miles (102 km2). 39.2 square miles (102 km2) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) of it (0.25%) is water.
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Tony Gwynn Stadium
Tony Gwynn Stadium is the home field of the San Diego State University (SDSU) Aztecs college baseball team. In addition, the San Diego Surf Dawgs of the independent Golden Baseball League used the park as their home field.
The stadium was originally named Smith Stadium in honor of Charlie Smith, the longtime San Diego State head baseball coach; the playing field is still called Smith Field. The stadium was extensively renovated and rebuilt in 1997 at a cost of $4 million dollars, funded mainly out of the pocket of John Moores, then owner of the San Diego Padres. The renovated stadium was named in honor of Tony Gwynn, a Hall of Fame superstar for the Padres. As an undergraduate Gwynn played both baseball and basketball for the SDSU Aztecs. He became SDSU's head baseball coach after he retired from the Padres.
The SDSU "Wall of Fame" is located just beyond the right field wall of the stadium. Among the amenities contained within the stadium itself are the following:
Two concession stands and two sets of restrooms located behind the seating area on the plaza level. There is also a novelty/souvenir shop located on the outer concourse, featuring SDSU merchandise.
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United States
The United States of America (commonly abbreviated to the United States, the U.S., the USA, America, and the States) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west, across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Pacific and Caribbean.
At 3.79 million square miles (9.83 million km2) and with over 312 million people, the United States is the third or fourth largest country by total area, and the third largest by both land area and population. It is one of the world's most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations, the product of large-scale immigration from many countries. The U.S. economy is the world's largest national economy, with an estimated 2011 GDP of $15.1 trillion (22% of nominal global GDP and over 19% of global GDP at purchasing-power parity). Per capita income is the world's sixth-highest.
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Aaron Rowand
Aaron Ryan Rowand (born August 29, 1977) is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. He has played for the Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants.
Rowand attended Glendora High School in California and graduated in 1995. Drafted by the New York Mets, he elected to go to college instead.
He attended Cal State Fullerton from 1996 to 1998. In 1998, Rowand earned All-America honors before being selected by the Chicago White Sox in the first round (35th pick) of the 1998 amateur draft. During his senior season, Rowand had 27 doubles.
On June 15, 2001, Rowand was called up to the Chicago White Sox for the first time. He made his major league debut for them the next day, on June 16, as a pinch hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals. He finished his rookie season fourth among American League rookies in batting average at .293. He collected his first major league hit on June 19, 2001, against Kansas City Royals' pitcher Tony Cogan.
Rowand suffered a broken left shoulder blade and rib in a dirt bike accident in the 2002 off season and spent part of spring training recovering. In 2003, Rowand was sent down to the minor leagues after hitting .133 in his first 60 games, but after spending 32 games in the minors, he returned to hit in the Major Leagues, hitting .387 after his return.
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Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline ( /ˈkeɪlaɪn/; born December 19, 1934 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Immediately after retiring from playing, he became the Tigers' TV color commentator, a position he held until 2002. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and longtime association with the Tigers organization, Kaline's nickname is "Mr. Tiger."
For most of his career, Kaline played in the outfield, mainly as a right fielder, where he was known for his strong throwing arm. Near the end of his career, he also played as first baseman and, in his last season, was the Tigers' designated hitter.
Kaline bypassed the minor league system and joined the team directly from Baltimore's Southern High School as an 18-year-old "bonus baby" signee, receiving $35,000 ($304,030 as of 2012), to sign with the Tigers. He made his major league debut on June 25, 1953 in Philadelphia as a late-inning replacement for outfielder Jim Delsing. Kaline wore No. 25 during his rookie campaign, but asked teammate Pat Mullin for his No. 6 after the 1953 season ended. Kaline, who was also known simply as "Six" in the Tiger clubhouse, wore the number for the rest of his major league playing career.
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Al Leiter
Alois Terry "Al" Leiter ( /ˈlaɪtər/; born October 23, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is now a studio analyst for MLB Network, and a color commentator for the YES Network.
Leiter attended Central Regional High School. Leiter was a prospect with the New York Yankees along with his brother Mark. Leiter made his major league debut as the starting pitcher for the Yankees on September 15, 1987, earning the win in a Yankees 4–3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. Leiter struggled with blisters on his pitching hand to such a degree that the Yankees gave up on him at the age of 23 and dealt him to the Toronto Blue Jays for outfielder Jesse Barfield on April 30, 1989. Early in his Blue Jay career, he was able to overcome the blisters with an exotic liniment (that he used throughout his career) and was seen as a very promising prospect.[citation needed] Leiter has also mentioned on a YES Network broadcast that early in his career with the Yankees, manager Billy Martin would walk up to him and ask him why he was lifting weights. Leiter responded, "To strengthen my arm." Billy was quoted as saying, "If you want to strengthen your arm, do some long toss." In his final start for the Yankees during his first stint, Dallas Green left Leiter in to throw 162 pitches in a cold damp day in 1989.
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Al Oliver
Albert Oliver, Jr. (born October 14, 1946 in Portsmouth, Ohio) is a former Major League Baseball player. Over the course of his 18-year career, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1968–77), Texas Rangers (1978–81), Montreal Expos (1982–83), San Francisco Giants (1984), Philadelphia Phillies (1984), Los Angeles Dodgers (1985) and Toronto Blue Jays (1985). Nicknamed "Scoop", Oliver batted and threw left-handed.
Oliver was a center fielder who also played left and right as well as first base. He was signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1964. From 1970 to 1976 he played on five Pirates division champions, including the team that defeated the Orioles in the 1971 World Series.
Oliver was called to the Major Leagues on September 14, 1968, which was the day his father, Al Oliver, Sr., died. He appeared in 4 games that season. In his official rookie season, Oliver batted .285 with 17 home runs and drove in 70 runs, placing second in the 1969 National League Rookie of the Year voting. The following season, 1970, Oliver hit .270 and was fifth in the NL with seven sacrifice files. He also finished second in the league with the 14 times he was hit by a pitch (the previous year he was plunked 12 times, fourth in the league). The Pirates won the National League East title for their first trip to the postseason since winning the 1960 World Series. However, they lost to the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS.
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Al Simmons
Aloysius Harry Simmons (May 22, 1902 – May 26, 1956), born Aloisius Szymanski, was an American baseball player. He played for two decades in the major leagues as an outfielder, and had his best years as a member of Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics during the 1930s. Simmons was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.
A "bucketfoot" hitter (his nickname was "Bucketfoot Al") who strode toward third base when hitting, Simmons starred as an outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics during their heyday in the early 1930s, then went on to play for the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, Washington Senators, Boston Braves, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Red Sox.
Simmons hit 307 career home runs, also compiling more hits than any right-handed batter in American League history until surpassed by Al Kaline. A deadly clutch hitter and a favorite of manager Connie Mack, Simmons won batting titles in 1930 and 1931 to help the A's to consecutive pennants. He recorded a .300 batting average and 100 or more runs batted in (RBI) in his first eleven major league seasons. Simmons' accumulated 2,000 hits in 1,390 games, which remains the shortest number of games needed to attain that mark in major league history.
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Albert Pujols
José Alberto Pujols Alcántara (born January 16, 1980), better known as Albert Pujols (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈalβert puˈxols]), is a Dominican-American professional baseball first baseman for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim of Major League Baseball. Pujols is considered one of the top players in Major League Baseball, and was the most feared hitter in baseball in 2008, according to a poll of all 30 MLB managers.
During his eleven seasons as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, Pujols won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2001, was selected as an All-Star nine times, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award three times. He has also twice won the National League Hank Aaron Award, and has two World Series rings from the Cardinals' 2006 and 2011 titles.
At the end of the 2011 season, he led all active players in batting average (.328),slugging percentage (.617), and OPS (1.037), and ranked 37th in number of home runs in Major League Baseball history. He was selected by ESPN.com as the greatest player of the decade from 2000–09. He stands 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) tall, weighs 230 pounds (100 kg), and bats and throws right-handed.
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Alvin Dark
Alvin Ralph Dark (born January 7, 1922), nicknamed "Blackie" and "The Swamp Fox", is a former shortstop and manager in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1946 to 1960. Named the major leagues' Rookie of the Year with the 1948 Boston Braves when he batted .322. After joining the New York Giants he hit .300 three more times and became the first NL shortstop to hit 20 home runs more than once. His .411 career slugging average was the seventh highest by an NL shortstop when he retired, and his 126 home runs placed him behind only Ernie Banks and Travis Jackson. After leading the NL in putouts and double plays three times each, he ended his career with the seventh most double plays (933) and tenth highest fielding percentage (.960) in league history. He went on to become the third manager to win pennants with both National and American League teams.
Dark attended LSU, in 1942 and was a football standout there as well as a baseball player. During World War II, he transferred through the V-12 program to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (then Southwestern Louisiana Institute) in Lafayette, Louisiana, where he again showed his baseball skills, batting .461 in 1944. His football skills were evident there as well as he quarterbacked SLI to an undefeated season in 1943 and a New Year's Day victory in the Oil Bowl. This led to his getting drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1945 NFL Draft. After serving in Asia during the war, however, he came home and chose baseball.
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Andre Dawson
Andre Nolan Dawson (born July 10, 1954 in Miami, Florida), nicknamed "The Hawk", is an American former center fielder and right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played for four different teams, spending most of his career with the Montreal Expos (1976–1986) and Chicago Cubs (1987–1992).
An 8-time National League (NL) All-Star, he was named the league's Rookie of the Year in 1977 after batting .282 with 19 home runs and 65 runs batted in (RBI), and won the Most Valuable Player Award in 1987 after leading the league with 49 homers and 137 RBI; he had been runner-up for the award in both 1981 and 1983. He batted .300 five times, drove in 100 runs four times and had 13 seasons of 20 home runs. A strong baserunner early in his career, he also stole 30 bases three times. He is one of six MLB players with at least 300 home runs and 300 stolen bases during his career.
Dawson was a center fielder until knee problems – worsened by the artificial surface at Olympic Stadium – forced his shift to right field, followed by his move to a team which played on grass. He led the NL in outfield putouts three consecutive years (1981–1983), and won eight Gold Glove Awards for fielding excellence. Upon his retirement, his NL totals of 409 home runs and 962 extra base hits both ranked tenth in league history; he also ranked seventh in NL history in games as an outfielder (2,303), and sixth in both outfield putouts (5,116) and total chances (5,366). He set Expos franchise records for career games, at bats, runs scored, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, runs batted in, extra base hits, total bases and steals, all of which have since been broken variously by Tim Raines, Tim Wallach and Vladimir Guerrero. Dawson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25, 2010.
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Andre Ethier
Andre Everett Ethier ( /ˈiːθiər/; born April 10, 1982 in Phoenix, Arizona), is a Major League Baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In 2009, Ethier hit six walk off hits (including four walk off home runs), which was the most by any player in the Major Leagues since 1974. His four walk-off home runs tied the Major League record for most in a season. He earned the nickname Captain Clutch by Dodgers fans, due to his late inning heroics.
Ethier transferred to Chandler-Gilbert Community College after playing with Arizona State University in the fall of 2000. The coaching staff at ASU told him that they thought he did not have Division I talent, and that he would do better to play junior college ball. At CGCC, Ethier recorded 94 hits as one of the top junior college players in Arizona, batting .468 with 32 doubles. He was named team MVP. During the summer of 2001, he played with the Keene Swamp Bats in the New England Collegiate Baseball League. In 2010, Ethier was inducted into the NECBL Hall of Fame.
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Andruw Jones
Andruw Rudolf Jones (born April 23, 1977) is a Curaçaoan baseball outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. Jones has been a noted defensive specialist, and won the Rawlings Gold Glove Award for outfielders every year from 1998 through 2007. Jones has appeared in the All-Star Game five times, and he won both the Hank Aaron Award and a Silver Slugger Award for outfielders in 2005. In 2002, he was the inaugural National League (NL) All-Star Final Vote winner.
Jones made his debut during the 1996 season with the Atlanta Braves. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player ever to hit a home run in the postseason, and just the second player ever to homer in his first 2 World Series at bats. The following season, Jones batted .231 with 18 home runs and finished 5th in voting for Rookie of the Year. In 1998, Jones batted .271 with 31 home runs and in 1999, he batted .275 with 26 home runs. Jones batted .303 with 36 home runs and 104 runs batted in (RBI) in 2000 and made his first All-Star team. The following season, Jones again blasted over 30 home runs and drove in 104 runs but his average dipped to .251 while his strikeouts increased. Jones played better in 2002 and 2003 and made the All-Star team in both seasons. However, Jones struggled in 2004 and failed to hit at least 30 home runs for the first time since 1999. However, in 2005, he led the league with 51 home runs and also led the NL with 128 RBI. He finished 2nd to Albert Pujols for National League MVP. In 2006, Jones batted .262 with 41 home runs and 129 RBI. In 2007, in his last season with the Braves, Jones batted just .222 with 26 home runs and 94 RBI.
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Andrés Galarraga
Andrés José Padovani Galarraga (Spanish: [anˈdɾez ɣalaˈraɣa]; born June 18, 1961 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Montreal Expos (1985–1991 and 2002), St. Louis Cardinals (1992), Colorado Rockies (1993–1997), Atlanta Braves (1998, 2000), Texas Rangers (2001), San Francisco Giants (2001 and 2003) and Anaheim Angels (2004). He batted and threw right-handed.
At six-foot-three and 235 pounds (1.91 m, 117 kg), Galarraga began his professional career in Venezuela at the age of 16. Despite several injuries that plagued Galarraga throughout his career, he was a very popular player both for his achievements on the field, and for his big and bright smile. He was nicknamed The Big Cat (textually translated from English as El Gran Gato, although his nickname in his native Venezuela was El Gato) for his extraordinary quickness at first base in spite of his big frame. Galarraga was a five time All-Star, won two National League Gold Glove Awards and two NL Silver Slugger awards, and won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award after his successful return to baseball following cancer treatment.
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Andy Van Slyke
Andrew James Van Slyke (born December 21, 1960 in Utica, New York) is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder and former first base coach for the Detroit Tigers.
Van Slyke earned All-American honors in baseball as a senior at New Hartford Central High school located in New Hartford, New York.
He was drafted in the first round (sixth overall pick) of the 1979 Major League Baseball amateur draft by the St. Louis Cardinals. Called up from the AAA Louisville Redbirds, he made his Major League debut with the Cardinals on June 17, 1983, collecting a double, an RBI and making three putouts in the outfield without an error.
In 1985, he was one of five Cardinals to steal at least 30 bases. He stole 34 that season, part of the "Whiteyball" era.
He began his career the first two years by playing first base, third base, and all three outfield positions. Van Slyke mostly played right field the next two years on the strength of his excellent throwing arm, occasionally platooning with Tito Landrum or substituting for Willie McGee in center. On September 21, 1986, he hit a rare inside-the-park home run. During spring training of 1987, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with left-handed hitting catcher Mike LaValliere and minor league pitcher Mike Dunne for catcher Tony Pena. The trade occurred on April 1, with Van Slyke initially thinking it was an April Fools joke. In Pittsburgh, he mostly played center field alongside stars Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla.
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Anisha Nicole
Anisha Nicole Gwynn, (born August 8, 1985 in San Diego, California) known best by her stagenames Anisha Nicole and Nee-Nee Gwynn, is an R&B/hip hop pop-artist. Her father is Tony Gwynn, former Major League Baseball player for the San Diego Padres and current head baseball coach for San Diego State University. Her brother, Tony Gwynn Jr., is currently an outfielder with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Her uncle is former Major League Baseball player Chris Gwynn.
Gwynn released her first single in 2003, "No Means No," which peaked at number three on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and also ranked sixteenth on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles sales. In 2005, Gwynn released her first album, "19," on her mother's recording label, Base Hit Records. Her father wore jersey number 19 for the Padres.
Anisha Nicole Gwynn is a notable graduate of Poway High School (2003). She attended California State University, Northridge (CSUN) before she decided to pursue her musical career full-time.
As of 2005, Gwynn lives in Los Angeles to be closer to the recording industry.
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Arky Vaughan
Joseph Floyd "Arky" Vaughan (March 9, 1912 – August 30, 1952) was a professional baseball player. He played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball between 1932 and 1948 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Brooklyn Dodgers, primarily a shortstop. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Born in Clifty, Arkansas, Vaughan made his professional debut in 1931 at age 19 for the minor league Wichita Aviators of the Western League, where he hit .338 with 21 home runs. When the Aviators became affiliated with the Chicago Cubs after the season, Vaughan was acquired by the Tulsa Oilers, who were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates. On April 7, 1932, Vaughan was acquired from the Oilers by the Pirates.
Vaughan began the 1932 season as the backup to the Pirates' starting shortstop, Tommy Thevenow. Through the first thirteen games of the season, Vaughan appeared only twice, once as a late-game replacement for Thevenow and once as a pinch-hitter. However, Thevenow was still suffering the effects of a season-ending ankle injury he had suffered in 1931, which opened up the door for Vaughan to take over the job. When Thevenow returned at the end of May after missing a month, he found himself in a reserve role.
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Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948), best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American baseball player who spent 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) playing for three teams (1914–1935). Known for his hitting brilliance, Ruth set career records for home runs (714), slugging percentage (.690), runs batted in (RBI) (2,217), and on-base plus slugging (OPS) (1.164). Ruth originally entered the major leagues with the Boston Red Sox as a starting pitcher, but after he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1919, he converted to a full time right fielder. He subsequently became one of the league's most prolific hitters and with his home run hitting prowess, he helped the Yankees win seven pennants and four World Series titles. Ruth retired in 1935 after a short stint with the Boston Braves, and the following year, he became one of the first five players to be elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Ruth was the first player to hit 60 home runs in one season (1927), a mark first eclipsed by Roger Maris in 1961 with 61. Ruth's lifetime record of 714 home runs stood until 1974 when it was surpassed by Hank Aaron. Unlike many power hitters, Ruth also hit for a high batting average: his .342 lifetime average is the tenth highest in baseball history, and in one season (1923) he batted .393, a Yankee record. Ruth dominated the era in which he played. He led the league in home runs during a season twelve times, slugging percentage and OPS thirteen times each, runs scored eight times, and RBIs six times. Each of those totals represents a modern record.
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Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds (born July 24, 1964) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007.
Bonds' accomplishments during his baseball career place him among the greatest baseball players of all-time. He has a record-setting seven Most Valuable Player awards, including a record-setting four consecutive MVPs. He is a 14-time All-Star and 8-time Gold Glove-winner. He holds numerous Major League Baseball records, including the all-time Major League Baseball home run record with 762 and the single-season Major League record for home runs with 73 (set in 2001), and is also the all-time career leader in both walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688).
Bonds has led a controversial career, notably as a central figure in baseball's steroids scandal. In 2007, he was indicted on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice for allegedly lying to the grand jury during the government's investigation of BALCO, by testifying that he never knowingly took any illegal steroids. The trial began March 21, 2011; he was convicted on April 13, 2011 on the obstruction of justice charge.
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Bill Buckner
William Joseph "Bill" Buckner (born December 14, 1949) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Despite winning a batting crown in 1980, representing the Chicago Cubs at the All-Star Game the following season and accumulating over 2,700 hits in his twenty-year career, he is best remembered for a fielding error during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series against the New York Mets, a play that has since been prominently entrenched into American sports lore.
Bill Buckner was born in Vallejo, California and grew up in American Canyon, California. Buckner graduated from Napa High School in 1968 after playing on the school's baseball and football teams. While playing football, he was a two-time All-State wide receiver Coaches and also achieved All-America honors twice. Buckner was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft. His friend, Bobby Valentine, was the Dodgers' first round pick. Upon signing with the Dodgers, Buckner was assigned to the Ogden Dodgers of the Pioneer Baseball League, where he played for manager Tommy Lasorda. He also briefly attended the University of Southern California and Arizona State University and became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity while a farmhand with the Dodgers.
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Bill Madlock
Bill "Mad Dog" Madlock, Jr. (born January 12, 1951 in Memphis, Tennessee) is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1973 to 1987, Madlock was a right-handed hitter who won several National League batting titles. His record of four batting titles as a third baseman would be eclipsed in 1988 by Wade Boggs. Since 1970, only Tony Gwynn has won more National League batting titles (eight). Madlock is also one of only three right-handed hitters to have won multiple National League batting titles since 1960, Roberto Clemente having also won four and Tommy Davis having won back-to-back titles in 1962 and 1963.
Raised in Decatur, IL for most of his life, he played organized baseball in the Decatur youth leagues and all star teams and graduated from Eisenhower High School in Decatur in 1969. At Eisenhower, he played 4 years of basketball, baseball, and football. From 1973 to 1987, he played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.
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Bill Terry
William Harold Terry (October 30, 1898 – January 9, 1989) was a Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Terry was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954. In 1999, he ranked number 59 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. The Giants retired Terry's uniform no. 3 in 1984; it is posted on the facade of the upper deck in the left field corner of AT&T Park. Nicknamed "Memphis Bill", he is most remembered for being the last National League player to hit .400, a feat he accomplished by batting .401 in 1930.
Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Terry made his professional baseball debut in 1915 at the age of 16. He began his career as a pitcher, playing for two separate minor league teams, the Newnan Cowetas of the Georgia-Alabama League and the Dothan club of the FLAG League. With Newnan, he managed an impressive win-loss record of 7-1, with a microscopic 0.60 earned run average in eight games.
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Bill Virdon
William Charles Virdon (born June 9, 1931 in Hazel Park, Michigan) is a former outfielder, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. A premier defensive outfielder during his playing days (1955–65) as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates (winning a Gold Glove in 1962), Virdon also had a long tenure in the major leagues as a manager, with the Pirates (1972–73), New York Yankees (1974–75), Houston Astros (1975–82), and Montreal Expos (1983–84). He was the American League Manager of the Year in 1974, his only full season working for the Yankees of George Steinbrenner. Bill also was named National League Manager of the Year in 1980 while with the Houston Astros.
Virdon initially signed with the Yankees, but he never played for the big league club. As a minor league prospect, he was traded to the Cardinals in a multi-player deal before the 1954 season for veteran outfielder Enos Slaughter, now a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. After one more year of seasoning in the minors, Virdon joined the Cardinals in 1955 and was named National League Rookie of the Year. He was traded to Pittsburgh in May 1956.
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Bob Brenly
Robert Earl Brenly (born February 25, 1954 in Coshocton, Ohio) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. He played the majority of his career as a catcher with the San Francisco Giants and played half a season for the Toronto Blue Jays. Brenly is currently a color commentator for the Chicago Cubs alongside Len Kasper on WGN, Comcast SportsNet, and WCIU.
Brenly attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio and was a member of the Bobcat baseball team. By the time Brenly graduated in 1976, he had earned All-America honors and matched Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt's school-record 10 home runs in a single season.[citation needed]
Bob Brenly's only curtain call in baseball occurred during a minor league game (teams and date unknown).[citation needed] Brenly's team was on the road, and the home team's fans designated him as the game's "Beer Batter," where if the player struck out, beer in the stadium would be sold at half price for the rest of the inning. Brenly struck out three times that game, and the fans stood on their feet and cheered for him after the third time as he came back out from the dugout and acknowledged the crowd.[citation needed]
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Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds (March 15, 1946 – August 23, 2003) was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from 1968 to 1981, primarily with the San Francisco Giants. Noted for his outstanding combination of power hitting and speed, he was the first player to have more than two seasons of 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, doing so a record five times (the record was matched only by his son Barry), and was the first to accomplish the feat in both major leagues; he became the second player to hit 300 career home runs and steal 300 bases, joining Willie Mays. Together with Barry, he is part of baseball's most accomplished father-son combination, holding the record for combined home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases [1]. A dangerous leadoff hitter, he also set major league records for most times leading off a game with a home run in a career (35) and a season (11, in 1973); both records have since been broken. He batted and threw right-handed.
Born in Riverside, California, Bonds played varsity high school baseball at Riverside Polytechnic High School and signed with the Giants in 1964. His sister Rosie was a 1964 Olympic hurdler, and his brother Robert won two gold medals in the hurdles at the high school track and field state finals in 1960, and was an NFL Draft pick in 1965. In 1964 he was a High School All-American in track & field, while also being named Southern California High School Athlete of the Year. Playing in the Giants' minor league system, he was Most Valuable Player of the class-A Western Carolina League.
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Bobby Bonilla
Roberto Martin Antonio "Bobby" Bonilla ( /boʊˈniːjə/, born February 23, 1963 in The Bronx, New York) is a former player in Major League Baseball who played from 1986 to 2001.
Bonilla was signed out of high school by Pittsburgh Pirates scout Syd Thrift. His rise through the Pirates' farm system came to a halt during spring training in 1985 when he broke his right leg in a collision with teammate Bip Roberts. The White Sox then acquired him through the Rule 5 Draft. After making his major league debut with Chicago, Bonilla was regularly hazed by veteran players and Negro League Baseball star Buck O'Neil who put shaving cream in his shoes. Syd Thrift, then the Pirates' General Manager, reacquired the unhappy Bonilla in exchange for pitcher Jose DeLeon. Bonilla also played from 1984 to 1988 with the Mayaguez Indians of the Puerto Rican Winter League.
Bonilla became the Pirates' starting third baseman in 1987, but after committing 67 errors over his next two seasons, manager Jim Leyland moved him to right field. There he formed a formidable combination alongside stars Barry Bonds and Andy Van Slyke and helped propel the Pittsburgh Pirates to two of their three straight NL East titles from 1990 to 1992. During a 1989 incident, Bonilla was reportedly reprimanded for his assault on clubhouse attendant Gabe Thomas. He later claimed he was only upset because Thomas was allegedly told by Bonilla to remove the mesh from the seating at Three Rivers so his family could keep their distance from other fans. His family never made the trip from D.C.
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Bobby Meacham
Robert Andrew Meacham (born August 25, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who spent his entire six year career with the New York Yankees. Currently, he is serving as the first base coach for the Houston Astros.
Meacham was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California in the fourteenth round of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft, but chose, instead, to play baseball at San Diego State University.
He earned third team All-America accolades as a freshman, and was named San Diego State Aztecs team MVP in 1979. He was second team All-American in 1981 after batting .375 with seven home runs, 51 runs batted in and 44 stolen bases, and was selected by the St. Louis Cardinals with the eighth overall pick in the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed, ending his college career as SDSU's all-time leader in runs (214), hits (277) and at bats (767), and was second in career stolen bases (116), including a streak of thirty consecutive.
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Bobby Valentine
Robert John "Bobby V" Valentine (born May 13, 1950) is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Valentine played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969, 1971–1972), California Angels (1973–1975), New York Mets (1977–1978), and Seattle Mariners (1979) in MLB. In addition to the Red Sox, he managed the Texas Rangers (1985–1992) and New York Mets (1996–2002) of MLB, as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball (1995, 2004–2009).
Valentine has also served as the Director of Public Safety & Health for the city of Stamford, Connecticut and an analyst for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.
Valentine was widely recruited out of Rippowam High School in Stamford, Connecticut by the University of Nebraska, Duke University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Southern California as a star in football and baseball. He attended USC where he became a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him number five overall in the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft.
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Bonnie Bernstein
Bonnie Lynn Bernstein (born August 16, 1970) is an American television and radio sportscaster.
Bernstein grew up in Howell, New Jersey. She attended the University of Maryland, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with a degree in broadcast journalism, after being a four-time Academic All-American in Gymnastics. She received the Thomas M. Fields award for excellence in academics and sports. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.
Bernstein has worked for various radio and television channels: Before her first network job at ESPN. Bernstein made local television history by becoming the “Biggest Little City’s” first-ever female weekday sports anchor at NBC affiliate KRNV-TV in Reno, Nevada. Prior to working in Nevada she was the weekend news anchor in Salisbury, Maryland, at ABC affiliate WMDT-TV. She began her career in broadcasting as the news and sports director of WXJN-FM radio in Lewes, Delaware.
Bernstein first joined ESPN in 1995 as its Chicago Bureau Chief, where she covered Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls record-setting championship run (1996–98). She also filed reports for SportsCenter during the Major League Baseball post-season including the World Series (1995–97) and the NCAA Women's Basketball Championship, and served as a correspondent for Sunday NFL Countdown and College GameDay.
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Brooks Robinson
Brooks Calbert Robinson, Jr. (born May 18, 1937) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire 23-year major league career for the Baltimore Orioles (1955–1977). Nicknamed "The Human Vacuum Cleaner", he is generally acclaimed as the greatest defensive third-basemen in major league history. He won 16 consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his career, tied with pitcher Jim Kaat for the second most all-time for any player at any position. Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas to Brooks Calbert and Ethel Mae (née Donkey) Robinson. His father worked for a large bakery in Little Rock, Colonial Bakery, and then went to work for the Little Rock Fire Department (rising to the rank of captain ), while his mother at first worked for Sears Roebuck & Company, and then in the controller's office at the state capitol. His father played second base for a semi-pro team. Young Brooks Robinson, Jr., delivered the Arkansas Gazette on his bike, and also operated the beer and sold wine at Lamar Porter Field.
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Bubbles Hargrave
Eugene Franklin "Bubbles" Hargrave (July 15, 1892 – February 23, 1969) was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees. He won the National League batting title in 1926 while playing for Cincinnati. Bubbles' younger brother, Pinky Hargrave, was also a major league catcher.
Hargrave was born in New Haven, Indiana. He started his professional baseball career in 1911 in the Central League and made his major league debut in 1913 with the Chicago Cubs. He was their backup catcher until 1915. From 1916 to 1920, he played mostly in the American Association. In 1920, he had a big season with the St. Paul Saints, batting .335 with 22 home runs and finishing second in the league batting race. St. Paul won the pennant.
Hargrave was then acquired by the Cincinnati Reds. He was their starting catcher for most of the 1920s and consistently put up good hitting numbers. In 1926, he won the National League batting title with a .353 average. The rules at the time required batting champions to play in at least 100 games, and Hargrave pinch hit several times to get to 105. He was the first catcher to lead the NL in batting average. In 1927, he led the league's catchers in fielding percentage.
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Buck Martinez
John Albert "Buck" Martinez (born November 7, 1948) is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager, and currently the television play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays. He played 17 seasons in the majors with the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers and Toronto Blue Jays. Since the end of his playing career, he has been a broadcaster, working on Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles radio and television broadcasts, and nationally for TBS.
Martinez managed the Toronto Blue Jays from 2001 to May 2002 and Team USA at the inaugural World Baseball Classic in 2006. He attended Elk Grove High School, Sacramento City College, Sacramento State University and Southwest Missouri State University.
Martinez made his major league debut in 1969, playing 72 games with the Kansas City Royals. Over the next few years, however, he developed the reputation of being an offensive liability, and he never appeared in more than 95 games during his time with Kansas City, through 1977.
Martinez was traded twice over the next few years, including to the Milwaukee Brewers in late 1977. In the midst of an 18–8 loss to Kansas City on Wednesday, August 29, 1979, the Brewers made several position changes, willingly losing their DH in the process. Amongst other moves, 3B Sal Bando was moved to pitcher in the 4th inning – he hurled three innings, going to bat in the fifth as a pitcher and popping up. In the 7th, Bando and 2B Jim Gantner switched positions, though while a pitcher Gantner never made it to the plate as a batter. The next inning, Martinez entered the game as the Brewers sixth pitcher of the day. As a pitcher, Martinez batted in the 9th, stroking an RBI single. For each of Bando, Gantner and Martinez, all of whom played in over 1,000 ML games, this game was their lone appearance in the majors as a pitcher. [1]
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Bud Black
Harry Ralston "Bud" Black (born June 30, 1957 in San Mateo, California) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher and current manager of the San Diego Padres.
Black is a graduate of Mark Morris High School in Longview, Washington.
Black played two years at Lower Columbia College in Longview. For his junior and senior years, he played at San Diego State.
Black pitched fifteen seasons in the majors, most notably for the Kansas City Royals, winning 121 games in his career and was part of the starting rotation for the Royals team that won the 1985 World Series. He also played professionally for the Seattle Mariners, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants.
Black was the starting pitcher for the Royals during the famous George Brett pine tar incident, and was the pitcher that gave up Reggie Jackson's 500th career home run.
Black was the pitching coach of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim from 2000-2006 under Manager Mike Scioscia. As the Angels pitching coach, Black won a World Series ring in 2002 against the San Francisco Giants.
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Buddy Bell
David Gus "Buddy" Bell (born August 27, 1951 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is a former third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. After an 18-year career with four teams, most notably the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers, he managed the Detroit Tigers, Colorado Rockies and Kansas City Royals for three seasons each. He is the son of outfielder Gus Bell and the father of third basemen David and Mike. He is currently the Director of Operations for the Chicago White Sox Minor League system.
Bell was born while his father was playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was drafted in 1969 by the Indians and was regarded as a promising prospect from the beginning. He first appeared in the Major Leagues with the Indians in 1972, appearing mostly in the outfield as a rookie, but afterwards becoming a fixture at third base. Bell was a solid, but not overpowering, right-handed hitter on a mostly lackluster Indians team. He was named to the All-Star team in 1973.
After the 1978 season Bell was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Toby Harrah – another solid, veteran third baseman. Bell enjoyed his best season with the Rangers in 1979, collecting 200 hits, 101 RBI, and his first Gold Glove Award. From 1979 through 1984, Bell won the gold glove for third base in The American League. He also won the silver slugger award in 1984. He finished in the top 10 in Batting Average in 1980 and 1984.
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Cal Ripken, Jr.
Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. (born August 8, 1960), nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles (1981–2001).
Ripken is perhaps best known for breaking New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig's record for consecutive games played, a record many deemed unbreakable. He surpassed the 56-year-old record when he played in his 2,131st consecutive game on September 6, 1995, against the California Angels in front of a sold-out crowd at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. To make the feat even more memorable, Ripken hit a home run in the previous night's game that tied Gehrig's record and another home run in his 2,131st game. Fans later voted his 2,131st game as Major League Baseball's "Most Memorable Moment" in MLB history. Ripken played in an additional 501 straight games over the next three years, and his streak ended at 2,632 games when he voluntarily removed his name from the lineup for the final Orioles home game of the 1998 season. His record 2,632 straight games spanned over seventeen seasons, from May 30, 1982, to September 20, 1998.
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Cap Anson
Adrian Constantine Anson (April 17, 1852 – April 14, 1922), nicknamed "Cap" (for "Captain") and "Pop", was a National Association and Major League Baseball first baseman. He played a record 27 consecutive seasons, and was regarded as one of the greatest players of his era and one of the first superstars of the game.
Anson spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs franchise (then known as the "White Stockings" and later the "Colts"), serving as the club's manager, first baseman and, later in his tenure, minority owner. He led the team to five National League pennants in the 1880s. Anson was one of baseball's first great hitters, and the first to tally over 3,000 career hits.
His contemporary influence and prestige are regarded by historians as playing a major role in establishing the racial segregation in professional baseball that persisted until the late 1940s.. However, a 2006 biography of Anson that exhaustively examined 19th-century newspaper reporting related to him on the subject of racism reached the following conclusion: "As far as the nineteenth century, he rightfully should endure as the big leaguer who, until the late 1940s, was involved in the greatest number of reported negative incidents, on the field, relating to blacks." On several occasions, Anson refused to take the field when the opposing roster included black players. "But at the same time, his argumentative nature could be readily discounted by those around him. So, the notion that he had 'coattails' in persuading players and officials on other teams to do as he did is rather spurious."
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Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski ( /jəˈstrɛmski/; nicknamed "Yaz"; born August 22, 1939) is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox (1961–1983). He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career played at first base and as a designated hitter. Yastrzemski is an 18-time All-Star, the possessor of seven Gold Gloves, a member of the 3000 hit club, and the first American League player in that club to also accumulate over 400 home runs. He is second on the all-time list for games played, and third for total at-bats. He is the Red Sox' all-time leader in career RBIs, runs, hits, singles, doubles, total bases, and games played, and is second on the team's list for home runs behind another Red Sox great, Ted Williams, his predecessor in left field. In 1967, Yastrzemski achieved a peak in his career, leading the Red Sox to the American League pennant for the first time in over two decades, in that season being voted the American League MVP, and being the most recent winner of the triple crown for batters in the major leagues.
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Carlos Beltrán
Carlos Iván Beltrán (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkarloz βelˈtɾan]; born April 24, 1977 in Manatí, Puerto Rico) is a Puerto Rican professional baseball outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball.
In his youth, Beltrán excelled in many sports, with volleyball and baseball being his favorites. At his father's urging, he gave up volleyball to concentrate on baseball when he was seventeen. Graduating from Fernando Callejo High School in 1995, the highly-regarded five tool player was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the second round of that year's amateur baseball draft.
After selecting Beltrán in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft, the Kansas City Royals assigned him to their rookie-level team in the Gulf Coast League, the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Beltrán made his Major League debut on September 14, 1998, playing 15 games. Going into 1999, he won the job as the Royals' starting center fielder and leadoff hitter. He displayed significant power by midsummer, and was moved to the #3 slot in the batting order. Beltrán won the American League Rookie of the Year award, batting .293 with 22 home runs, 108 RBI and 27 stolen bases. On September 27, 1999, Beltran made the final out at Tiger Stadium striking out against relief pitcher Todd Jones as the Detroit Tigers beat the Royals 8–2.
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Carlos Delgado
Carlos Juan Delgado Hernández (born June 25, 1972) is a retired Puerto Rican professional baseball player. With 473 home runs and 1,512 RBI, he holds the all-time home run and RBI records among Puerto Rican players. He is one of only six players in Major League history to hit 30 home runs in ten consecutive seasons, becoming the fourth player to do so.
During his twelve years with the Toronto Blue Jays, Delgado set many team records, including home runs (336), RBI (1,058), walks (827), slugging percentage (.556), OPS (.949), runs (889), total bases (2,786), doubles (343), runs created (1,077), extra base hits (690), times on base (2,362), hit by pitch (122), intentional walks (128) and at bats per home run (14.9). Delgado also played for the Florida Marlins and New York Mets.
Delgado was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico to Carlos "Cao" Delgado and Carmen Digna Hérnandez. He grew up in the El Prado section of Aguadilla. There, he attended elementary school alongside his three siblings. Both his father, "Don Cao", and his grandfather, Asdrúbal "Pingolo" Delgado, were well-known figures in the town. Carlos has said that this made him feel "protected", but that it also demanded that he had to behave properly.
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Carlos Lee
Carlos Noriel Lee (born June 20, 1976, in Aguadulce, Panama) is a first baseman in Major League Baseball who plays for the Houston Astros. He bats and throws right-handed.
Lee made his major league debut with the Chicago White Sox on May 7, 1999, hitting a home run in his first Major League at-bat. He would remain in the White Sox organization until being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for outfielder Scott Podsednik and pitcher Luis Vizcaino.
Lee was the White Sox' starting left fielder for the first six years of his career, with only a few games a season as a designated hitter. He can hit for both average and power. From 2001–02, his batting average slumped to the .260s, but he has returned to exceeding .300, and has a career average of .288. His home run totals increased over the years. White Sox television announcer Ken Harrelson gave Lee his nickname "El Caballo," which means "The Horse."
Lee's best showing was in the National League with 114 RBI. He was selected for the National League All-Star team in his first two seasons as a Brewer, and participated in the Home Run Derby in 2005.
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Cecil Cooper
Cecil Celester Cooper (born December 20, 1949 in Brenham, Texas), nicknamed "Coop," is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball and the former manager of the Houston Astros. From 1971 through 1987, Cooper played for the Boston Red Sox (1971–76) and Milwaukee Brewers (1977–87). He batted and threw left-handed, and attended Prairie View A&M University in Prairie View, Texas.
Cecil Cooper was born on December 20, 1949, in Brenham, Texas, a city with a population of 13,000 and located 70 miles northwest of Houston. Raised in nearby Independence, Cooper was the youngest of 13 children, seven boys and six girls. Cooper's mother Ocie died when he was just 10. His ball-playing father, Roy, worked with a nearby Department of Public Works. A 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) left-hander, Cecil was taught baseball by his brothers John, Sylvester, and Jessie. John and Sylvester later played with the barnstorming Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro Leagues.* John as a pitcher while Sylvester was a catcher who according to Cecil once caught Satchel Paige According to a 1980 Sports Illustrated story, father Roy also played in the Negro Leagues.
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Charley Steiner
Charles Harris "Charley" Steiner (born July 17, 1949) is an American sportscaster and broadcast journalist. He is currently the main play-by-play voice for the Los Angeles Dodgers Radio Network, paired with Rick Monday.
Originally from the New York City area, Steiner attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois, and began his career as a newscaster for WIRL radio in Peoria, in 1969. After graduating from Bradley in 1971, he hosted his first sports show on KSTT radio in Davenport, Iowa. A year later, Steiner moved to New Haven, Connecticut, and worked for WAVZ radio as its news director, before moving north to Hartford and WPOP radio in a similar capacity.
In 1977, Steiner relocated to WERE (1300 AM) in Cleveland, Ohio, where he served as a sportscaster and later news director. While in Cleveland, he received his first television exposure when WKYC-TV hired him as a sports commentator.
Steiner entered the New York market in 1978 at WXLO-FM where he did newscasts for, among others, then-morning host and future actor Jay Thomas. He later moved over to sister station WOR for several years as its morning drive sportscaster, while working simultaneously as the sports director for the RKO Radio Network. He was also the play-by-play voice for the USFL's New Jersey Generals from 1983 to 1985, and for NFL's New York Jets in 1986 and 1987.
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Chick Hafey
Charles James "Chick" Hafey (February 12, 1903, Berkeley, California – July 2, 1973, Calistoga, California) was an American player in Major League Baseball. Hafey was part of two World Series championship teams (in 1926 and 1931) as a St. Louis Cardinal, and was selected by the Veteran's Committee for the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals (1924-1931) and Cincinnati Reds (1932–1935, 1937), Hafey was a strong line-drive hitter who batted for a high average on a consistent basis. Hafey also had a power peak, averaging 27 home runs and 114 RBI from 1928 to 1930. In the field, he was known for having a "rifle arm." In 1931, Hafey won one of the closest races for a batting title in history, hitting .349 to beat New York's Bill Terry by just .0002, and teammate Jim Bottomley by .0007. The title was only secured by a hit in Hafey's final at-bat of the season. Hafey was fifth in the voting for the 1931 MVP award. When Hafey's Cardinals faced Al Simmons' Athletics in the 1931 World Series, it marked just the second time that two reigning batting champions had opposed one another in the Fall Classic.
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Chip Caray
Harry Christopher "Chip" Caray III (born 1965) is a television broadcaster for Fox Sports South and SportSouth's coverage of the Atlanta Braves baseball and Southeastern Conference basketball, and is an occasional radio broadcaster and co-host of the pre-game and post-game shows on the Atlanta Braves Radio Network. Chip is also known from his time as a broadcaster for the Fox Saturday Game of the Week and as the television play-by-play broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs from 1998 to 2004. He is the son of broadcaster Skip Caray, the grandson of broadcaster Harry Caray, and the older half-brother of broadcaster Josh Caray.
Caray graduated from the University of Georgia in 1987 with a degree in Journalism. Well before his first big job with Fox, he worked with local television stations in Panama City, Florida, and Greensboro, North Carolina. He was the play-by-play broadcaster for the Orlando Magic of the NBA from 1989 to 1996.
He worked on baseball games for the Seattle Mariners of the American League from 1993 to 1995. While broadcasting with the Mariners, Caray received a two-game tryout with the St. Louis Cardinals. After the 1994 season, he was expected to sign with St. Louis, but chose instead to remain with Seattle. Caray was also a broadcaster for the first edition of Major League Baseball on Fox in 1996.
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Chipper Jones
Larry Wayne "Chipper" Jones, Jr. (born April 24, 1972) is an American professional baseball third baseman with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. Although initially a shortstop, he has spent most of his career as the starting third baseman for the Braves. In 2002 and 2003, Jones primarily played left field, before returning to third base in 2004.
Jones debuted in 1993, and has played his entire career with the Atlanta Braves. Chipper won the 1999 National League Most Valuable Player Award, as well as the 1999 and 2000 National League Silver Slugger Award for third basemen. He currently holds the Braves team record for career on base percentage (.406), and on July 5, 2007, he passed Dale Murphy for third place on the Braves all-time career home run list.
In his career, through the 2011 season, Jones is a .304 hitter with 454 home runs, 1,455 walks, and 1,561 RBI in 2,387 games. He is behind only Eddie Murray on the all-time switch hitters career RBI list. He is considered one of the game's best all-around hitters, and one of the best switch hitters in the history of the game. He is the only switch hitter in Major League Baseball history to have a .300+ career (.304 at the end of the 2011 season) batting average and 400 or more home runs.
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Chris Berman
Christopher James "Chris" Berman (born May 10, 1955), also known by the nickname Boomer, is an American sportscaster. He anchors SportsCenter, Monday Night Countdown, Sunday NFL Countdown, U.S. Open golf, the Stanley Cup Finals, and other programming on ESPN and ABC Sports.
Berman was born in Greenwich, Connecticut and raised in Irvington, New York. He is Jewish on his father's side. During his childhood he went to Camp Winnebago in Fayette, Maine. In 1970, he attended the Hackley School and Brown University from which he graduated in 1977 with a degree in history.
Berman moved to WNVR in Waterbury, Connecticut. He was eventually hired at Hartford's WVIT-TV to do weekend sports at $23 per shift. He joined ESPN in 1979 a month after its founding and has been with the network since. Along with Bob Ley, he is one of ESPN's longest-tenured employees. Berman, who is generally known to be heavy-set, often jokes that he now uses his original ESPN jacket from 1979 when he was much skinnier. He is the host of Monday Night Countdown, replacing previous host Stuart Scott. In 1988 and 1989, he hosted ESPN's first game show, Boardwalk and Baseball's Super Bowl of Sports Trivia which was taped at the now-defunct Boardwalk and Baseball amusement park in Orlando, Florida.
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Chris Gwynn
Christopher Karlton "Chris" Gwynn (born October 13, 1964 in Los Angeles, California) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.
The California Angels drafted Gwynn in the fifth round of the 1982 Major League Baseball Draft. However, Gwynn did not sign with the Angels, opting to attend San Diego State University, where he played college baseball for the San Diego State Aztecs baseball team. Gwynn played for the United States national baseball team in the 1984 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal.
Gwynn was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round (tenth overall) of the 1985 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his MLB debut in 1987. After the 1991 season, the Dodgers traded Gwynn with minor leaguer Domingo Mota to the Kansas City Royals for Todd Benzinger. He played two seasons with the Kansas City Royals (1992–1993). Gwynn signed with the Dodgers as a free agent after the 1993 season, and he played with them in 1994 and 1995. He joined his older brother Tony with the San Diego Padres for his final season in 1996.
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Chuck Klein
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein (October 7, 1904 – March 28, 1958) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1928–33, 1936–39, 1940–44), Chicago Cubs (1934–36) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1939).
Klein was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was known as the "Hoosier Hammer." He was one of the most prodigious National League sluggers in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Klein worked in a steel mill in his youth, and played semipro baseball on his own time. The St. Louis Cardinals soon noticed his talent, and signed him to a minor-league contract. He eventually worked his way up to the Cardinals' farm team in Fort Wayne. After hitting 26 homers in 88 games in 1928, Klein was slated to be called up to St. Louis midway through the season. However, Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis discovered that the Cardinals owned a team in Dayton, Ohio that played in the same league as Fort Wayne. Landis ordered the Cardinals to sell off the Fort Wayne team and give up the rights to its players. The Phillies outbid the New York Yankees for Klein's services, and Klein joined the Phillies in July.
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Cool Papa Bell
James Thomas "Cool Papa" Bell (May 17, 1903 – March 7, 1991) was an American center fielder in Negro league baseball, considered by many baseball observers to have been one of the fastest men ever to play the game. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
James Thomas Nichols was born May 17, 1903, in or near Starkville, Mississippi. The 1910 U.S. Census shows him as the fourth of seven children living with his widowed mother, Mary Nichols, in Sessums Township, just outside of Starkville. When and why he changed his name to "Bell" is unknown. He joined the St. Louis Stars of the Negro National League as a pitcher in 1922. By 1924, he had become their starting center fielder, and was known as an adept batter and fielder, and the "fastest man in the league". After leading the Stars to league titles in 1928, 1930, and 1931, he moved to the Detroit Wolves of the East-West League when the Negro National League disbanded. Detroit soon folded, leaving Bell to bounce to the Kansas City Monarchs and the Mexican winter leagues until finding a home with the Pittsburgh Crawfords in the reorganized NNL. In Pittsburgh, he played alongside Ted Page and Jimmie Crutchfield to form what is considered by many to have been the best outfield in the Negro leagues. Bell left the Crawfords in 1938 to return to Mexico, coming back to baseball in the United States in 1942 to play for the Homestead Grays, who won Negro league titles in 1942, 1943, and 1944 with his help. He last played for the semi-pro Detroit Senators in 1946. He coached for the Monarchs in the late 1940s, managing their barnstorming "B" team, scouting for the club, signing prospects, and teaching the ins and outs of the game to future major-league baseball greats Ernie Banks, Jackie Robinson, and Elston Howard, among others.
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Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio (born December 14, 1965) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros (1988–2007). He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He is currently the head varsity baseball coach for St. Thomas High School in Houston, Texas.
Craig Biggio graduated from Kings Park High School on Long Island, New York, where he excelled as a multi-sport varsity athlete. Most notably, after the 1983 season, Biggio was awarded the Hansen Award, which recognized him as being the best football player in Suffolk County. However, Biggio's passion lay with baseball, such that he turned down football scholarships for the opportunity to play baseball for Seton Hall University.
An infielder in school, Biggio switched to catcher at Seton Hall University because his team needed one. Biggio was an All-American baseball player at Seton Hall, where he played with other future Major League Baseball stars Mo Vaughn and John Valentin. Biggio, Vaughn and Valentin, along with Marteese Robinson, were featured in the book The Hit Men and the Kid Who Batted Ninth by David Siroty which chronicled their rise from college teammates to the major leagues. Biggio was drafted by the Houston Astros in the first round (22nd overall) in 1987.
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Craig McMurtry
Joe Craig McMurtry (born November 5, 1959 in Troy, Texas) was a Pitcher for the Atlanta Braves (1983–86), Texas Rangers (1988–90) and Houston Astros (1995). He is currently Baseball coach at Temple College.
In 1982, McMurtry was Pitcher of the Year for International League Richmond Braves. In 1983, he finished 7th in voting for the National League Cy Young Award and 2nd in voting for National League Rookie of the Year, to Darryl Strawberry, for having a 15-9 record with a 3.08 ERA in 36 games, 35 of them started. He also completed six games and shutout three.
In 8 seasons, he had a 28-42 win-loss record, 212 games, 79 games started, 6 complete games, 3 shutouts, 36 games finished, 4 saves, 667 ⅔ innings pitched, 650 hits allowed, 341 runs allowed, 303 earned runs allowed, 54 home runs allowed, 336 walks allowed, 349 strikeouts, 10 hit batsmen, 18 wild pitches, 2,921 batters faced, 17 intentional walks, 8 balks and a 4.08 ERA.
McMurtry was the first pitcher to give up a major league home run to Barry Bonds (June 4, 1986, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium).
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Craig Sager
Craig Sager (born 1949 in Batavia, Illinois), is currently a sideline reporter for TNT and TBS. Sager is a graduate of Northwestern University. He has previously covered sports for CBS and CNN. His nickname is "America's Sideline Reporter" and Mr.Fancy Suit.
Sager graduated from Northwestern University in 1973, earning a bachelor's degree in speech. He is a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He made both the football and basketball teams as a walk-on, having grown to 6 ft 4 in.[citation needed] He also served as Willie the Wildcat, the school's mascot.
Before working for CBS, he worked in Kansas City, Missouri, for KMBC, as well as WINK-TV in Fort Myers, Florida, WTSP in St. Petersburg, Florida, and WXLT in Sarasota, Florida where he began his broadcast career in 1972.
Sager was sports director for WINK-TV in Ft. Myers, Fla., where he was honored with the Sportscaster of the Year Award from the Florida High School Coaches Association. He also had a stint at WSPB radio in Sarasota, Fla.
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Cristóbal Torriente
Cristóbal Torriente (November 16, 1893 - April 11, 1938) was a Cuban outfielder in Negro league baseball with the Cuban Stars, All Nations, Chicago American Giants, Kansas City Monarchs and Detroit Stars over a career that lasted from 1912 to 1928, plus a single game in 1932.
Torriente played much of the summer of 1916 for the "Western" Cuban Stars team, but apparently got into an argument with the manager in St. Louis and found himself without a team. He quickly tracked down former teammate and friend José Méndez and was quickly hired by J.L. Wilkinson to play for his All Nations just before a big series with C.I. Taylor's Indianapolis ABCs and Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants. Torriente would go on to play several years for both teams.
Torriente was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. He was a talented slugger on Rube Foster's great Chicago American Giants teams of 1918-1925. He was a terrific pull hitter, though he could hit with power to all fields. He was stocky and slightly bowlegged, but had deceptive power, along with a strong, accurate arm from center field. He was considered to be a complete player: Indianapolis ABC's manager C.I. Taylor stated, "If I see Torriente walking up the other side of the street, I would say, 'There walks a ballclub.'"
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Curt Flood
Curtis Charles Flood (January 18, 1938 – January 20, 1997) was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons from 1963 to 1969. He also batted over .300 six times and led the NL in hits (211) in 1964. He retired with the third most games in center field (1683) in NL history, trailing only Willie Mays and Richie Ashburn.
Flood became one of the pivotal figures in the sport's labor history when he refused to accept a trade following the 1969 season, ultimately appealing his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Although his legal challenge was unsuccessful, it brought about additional solidarity among players as they fought against baseball's reserve clause and sought free agency.
Born in Houston, Texas, and raised in Oakland, California, Flood played in the same outfield in West Oakland's McClymonds High School as Vada Pinson and Frank Robinson. Flood signed with the Cincinnati Redlegs in 1956 and made a handful of appearances for the team in 1956-57 before being traded to the Cardinals in December 1957. For the next twelve seasons, he became a fixture in center field for St. Louis; although he struggled at the plate from 1958 to 1960, his defensive skill was apparent. He had his breakthrough year after Johnny Keane took over as manager in 1961: He batted .322 and followed by hitting .296 in 1962 with 12 home runs. He continued to improve offensively in 1963, hitting .302 and scoring a career-high 112 runs, third most in the NL; he also had career bests in doubles (34), triples (9) and stolen bases (17) and collected 200 hits in an NL-leading 662 at bats. In that year he received the first of his seven consecutive Gold Gloves.
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Curt Schilling
Curtis Montague Schilling (born November 14, 1966) is a former American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He helped lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series in 1993 and won World Series championships in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks and in 2004 and 2007 with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling retired with a career postseason record of 11–2. His .846 postseason winning percentage is a major-league record among pitchers with at least 10 decisions.
After retiring, he founded Green Monster Games which was renamed 38 Studios. The company released Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning in February 2012, but just three months later, Schilling laid off his entire staff amid severe financial troubles that resulted in the company missing payroll the previous week.
Schilling graduated from Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1985, before attending Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona.
Schilling began his professional career in the Red Sox farm system as a second-round pick in what would be the final January draft in MLB. He began his professional career with the Elmira Pioneers, a then Red Sox affiliate. After two and a half years in the minor leagues, he and Brady Anderson were traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1988 for Mike Boddicker. His major league debut was with the Orioles (1988–1990), and he then spent one year with the Houston Astros (1991).
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Curtis Granderson
Curtis Granderson (born March 16, 1981) is an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played for the Detroit Tigers (2004–2009). Granderson is a left-handed batter who throws right-handed. A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player. He is a two-time MLB All-Star (2009 and 2011) and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2011.
Off the field, Granderson is recognized for his commitment to the community through outreach and charity work. Many of his charitable endeavors support inner city children. He has also served as an ambassador for MLB abroad. Granderson won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award in 2009 for his on-field performance and contributions in the community.
Granderson grew up in Lynwood, Illinois, a city south of Chicago. His father, Curtis Sr., was a dean and physical education teacher at Nathan Hale Elementary and Middle School in Chicago. His mother, Mary, taught chemistry at Curie Metropolitan High School in Chicago. Granderson's half-sister, Monica, is an English professor at Jackson State University.
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Cy Seymour
James Bentley "Cy" Seymour (December 9, 1872 – September 20, 1919) was an American center fielder and pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1896 through 1913, Seymour played for the New York Giants (1896–1900, 1906–1910), Baltimore Orioles (1901–1902), Cincinnati Reds (1902–1906) and Boston Braves (1913). He batted and threw left-handed.
Primarily a center fielder, Seymour retired with 1,724 hits and a lifetime batting average of .303. He was a pitcher for his first five seasons, ending his MLB career with a 61-56 win-loss record and a 3.76 earned run average in 140 games pitched (123 as a starting pitcher). Only Babe Ruth retired with more combined wins and hits. Seymour is the Reds' career leader in batting average (.332) and holds the Reds' single-season record for batting average (.377 in 1905).
Seymour played semi-professional baseball in Plattsburgh, New York, receiving a monthly salary of $1,000 ($27,936 in current dollar terms). He began his professional career in minor league baseball with Springfield Ponies of the Class-A Eastern League and New York Metropolitans of the Class-A Atlantic League in 1896.
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César Cedeño
César Cedeño Encarnación (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈθesar θeˈðeɲo]; born February 25, 1951 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Houston Astros (1970–81), Cincinnati Reds (1982–85), St. Louis Cardinals (1985) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1986). He batted and threw right-handed.
Signed by Houston as an amateur free agent in 1967, Cedeño debuted on June 20, 1970 at 19 years of age. He never became "The next Willie Mays", as Houston manager Leo Durocher once suggested he would, but certainly he had a distinguished career and was a solid performer in the Major Leagues.
Cedeño showed signs of superstardom early in his career, batting .310 in his rookie season in 1970, and .320 in both 1972 and 1973. Possessing a rare combination of power, blazing speed, and good defense, he became the second man in Major League history (after Lou Brock in 1967) to hit 20 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season. Cedeño accomplished the feat three years in a row (1972-1974). He also stole 50-plus bases the next three years (1975-1977), twice led the league in doubles (1971-1972) and collected 102 RBI in 1974.
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Dale Murphy
Dale Bryan Murphy (born March 12, 1956 in Portland, Oregon) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman. During an 18-year baseball career, 1976–1993, he played for three different teams, but is noted for his time with the Atlanta Braves. Murphy won consecutive National League Most Valuable Player Awards (1982–1983), the National League's Silver Slugger Award four straight years (1982–1985), and the National League's Gold Glove award five straight years (1982–1986).
In 1976 Murphy began his major league career with a nineteen game stint catching with the Atlanta Braves. He appeared in only eighteen games the following season. In 1978, Murphy played first base mostly. At the plate, he slumped to a .226 batting average, though he also showed hints of his future power by hitting 23 home runs.
Murphy switched to the outfield in 1980, a move that would help initiate a decade of highly productive play in the National League. Beginning in left field, he soon switched to center field, the position at which he would find his greatest success. By 1982, the most decorated year of Murphy's career, the former bench-riding catcher had transformed himself into an All-Star MVP outfielder who appeared in each of Atlanta's 162 games. His turnaround as a fielder was equally stark. In 1978, as a first baseman, Murphy had led all National League first-baggers in errors; in 1982, spending time at each of the three outfield positions, he won his first of five consecutive Gold Gloves.
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Dan Brouthers
Dennis Joseph "Dan" Brouthers ( /ˈbruːθərz/; May 8, 1858 – August 2, 1932) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball whose career spanned the period from 1879 to 1896, with a brief return in 1904. Nicknamed "Big Dan" for his size, he was 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) and weighed 207 pounds (94 kg), which was large for 19th-century standards.
Recognized as the first great slugger in baseball history, and among the greatest sluggers of his era, he held the record for career home runs from 1887 to 1889, with his final total of 106 tying for the fourth most of the 19th century. His career slugging percentage of .519 remained the major league record for a player with at least 4,000 at bats until Ty Cobb edged ahead of him in 1922. At the time of his initial retirement, he also ranked second in career triples (205), and third in runs batted in (1,296) and hits.
A dominating hitter during the prime of his career, he led (or was in the top of) the league in most offensive categories, including batting average, runs scored, runs batted in (RBI), on base percentage and hits. He led the league in batting average five times, the most by a 19th-century player, and his career .342 batting average still ranks ninth all-time. Brouthers is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date who have appeared in Major League games in four decades.
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Dan Shulman
Daniel "Dan" Shulman (born February 9, 1967 in Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian sportscaster, currently employed with the American network ESPN as well as Canadian network TSN.
Shulman serves as a play-by-play announcer for ESPN's NBA coverage (primarily teamed with Hubie Brown), men's college basketball (with Dick Vitale), and Sunday Night Baseball (with Orel Hershiser and Terry Francona), as well as occasional baseball coverage on ESPN Radio. Shulman also serves as a reporter and contributor on TSN's SportsCentre and other Bell Media properties in Canada. Prior to rejoining TSN in Canada, he was a regular guest on Prime Time Sports hosted by Bob McCown on The Fan 590, an AM radio station in Toronto.
Shulman graduated from the University of Western Ontario in actuarial science, but he eventually moved into a career in sports broadcasting.
Shulman began his broadcasting career at the University of Western Ontario, becoming a main voice of university football and basketball for the Western Mustangs on CHRW radio in London, Ontario, and later at radio station CKBB in Barrie. During the early 1990s, he was hired by the Fan 1430 (a sports radio station in Toronto, now known as Sportsnet Radio The Fan 590) as the host of Prime Time Sports. He worked for CTV in its coverage of the 1994 Winter Olympics from Lillehammer, Norway, covering hockey, and the 1994 World Championships of Basketball.
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Danny Graves
Daniel Peter Graves (born August 7, 1973 in Saigon, South Vietnam) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. Born to an American serviceman father and a Vietnamese mother, he is the only Vietnam-born player in the history of the major leagues, and one of the few Vietnamese-American players. Graves pitched for most of his career for the Cincinnati Reds, where he was team's saves leader each year from 1999–2004, except for 2003 when he was a starting pitcher.
He played college baseball at the University of Miami.
Graves's family moved to the U.S. when he was fourteen months old. He graduated from Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida and was awarded a baseball scholarship to the University of Miami. As a right-handed relief pitcher for the school as a junior, he posted a 0.89 earned run average and led collegiate baseball with a school-record 21 saves.
Graves was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the fourth round of the 1994 Major League Baseball Draft. Two days after being drafted, he tore his ACL during the College World Series. After a year of rehabilitation, he was named Cleveland's top minor league pitcher of 1995, and was in the major leagues a year later. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in July 1997.
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Dante Bichette
Alphonse Dante Bichette, Sr. ( /ˈdɑːnteɪ bɨˈʃɛt/; born November 18, 1963 in West Palm Beach, Florida) is a former Italian-American Major League Baseball player. Bichette was a four-time All-Star as a member of the Colorado Rockies.
He began his career with the California Angels in 1988, but was a streaky hitter and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1991. After putting up only average numbers with Milwaukee, he was traded to the new expansion team, the Colorado Rockies. On April 7, 1993 he hit the first home-run in Rockies history, a solo shot off of New York Mets pitcher Bret Saberhagen. It was with the Rockies where he shone as a player. Bichette was part of the "Blake Street Bombers" which also included sluggers Larry Walker, Andres Galarraga, and Vinny Castilla. At least some of his slugging success can be attributed to the home run-friendly ballparks in Denver, Mile High Stadium and Coors Field. During his time in Colorado, his at-bat music was Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
He finished the Rockies' first season with 21 home runs and a .310 batting average, his personal best for both at the time. Bichette also hit his first home run at the newly-constructed Coors Field, a fourteenth-inning smash against the Mets that secured an opening day victory for the Rockies in 1995. Bichette had his best season in 1995, coming very close to the Triple Crown with a .340 batting average, 40 home runs and 128 RBIs and barely lost the MVP voting to the Cincinnati Reds' Barry Larkin.
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Darren Lewis
Darren Joel Lewis (born August 28, 1967 in Berkeley, California) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics (1990), San Francisco Giants (1991–1995), Cincinnati Reds (1995), Chicago White Sox (1996–1997), Los Angeles Dodgers (1997) and Boston Red Sox (1998–2001); he played his final season in 2002 with the Chicago Cubs. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 31, 2002, but refused to report to the Pirates, choosing to retire instead.
During his 13-year career, he established himself as one of top base stealers of the 1990s. He also was very good defensively. He won an NL Gold Glove Award as a member of the Giants in 1994. He made postseason appearances with the Reds in 1995, and in 1998, 1999 with the Red Sox.
He was best remembered for playing with the Giants and Red Sox, where he had his best seasons. Dusty Baker, who managed the Giants during Lewis' tenure with San Francisco, named his own son after him.
On June 17, 1993, while playing the Cincinnati Reds, Lewis set a major league record by playing his 243rd consecutive errorless game. It is the most ever by an OF at the start of his career. This was followed on July 16, 1993 against the New York Mets, when he broke Don Demeter's all-time MLB record by playing his 267th consecutive game without an error. The streak continued until June 30, 1994 when the Giants played the then Montreal Expos. Lewis was charged with his first error in 392 Major League games (938 chances) when he allowed Cliff Floyd's base hit to skip under his glove.
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Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry (born March 12, 1962) is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder. Strawberry was well known for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it. Throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the game, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter's box with his 6-foot-6 frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams.
During his 17-year career, he helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship in 1986 and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships in 1996, 1998 and 1999. A popular player during his career, Strawberry was voted to the All-Star Game eight straight times from 1984–1991. Strawberry was formerly an analyst for SportsNet New York. His memoir, "Straw: Finding My Way," written in collaboration with author John Strausbaugh, was published on April 28, 2009 by Ecco, an imprint of HarperCollins publishers.
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Dave Barnett
David Lane "Dave" Barnett (born April 27, 1958) is a former ESPN personality who currently works for the Texas Rangers. Before working for ESPN, Barnett served as the announcer for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs from 1988 to 1996, the Dallas Mavericks from 1981 to 1988, the 1990 Texas Rangers games, and Southwest Conference football and basketball on Raycom Sports. In 2009, Barnett's contract with ESPN ended, allowing him to return to the Texas Rangers, where he served as a radio broadcaster. On May 26, 2011, it was announced that Dave Barnett would be replacing John Rhadigan as the Texas Rangers television play-by-play announcer.
Twice won UPI 'Radio Commentator of the Year' awards.
He is married with two children and lives in Lantana, Texas.
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Dave Parker
David Gene "The Cobra" Parker (born June 9, 1951 in Calhoun, Mississippi) is an American former player in Major League Baseball. He was the 1978 National League MVP and a two-time batting champion. Parker was the first professional athlete to earn an average of one million dollars per year, having signed a 5-year, $5 million dollar contract in January 1979. Parker's career achievements include 2712 hits, 339 home runs, 1493 runs batted in and a lifetime batting average of .290. Parker was also known as a solid defensive outfielder during the first half of his career, with a powerful arm. From 1975 to 1979, he threw out 72 runners, including 26 in 1977.
He was a baseball All-Star in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1986, and 1990. In the 1979 All-Star Game, Parker showcased his defensive ability and powerful arm by throwing out Jim Rice at third base and Angels catcher Brian Downing at home. Parker also contributed an RBI on a sacrifice fly and was named the game's MVP.
In the early 1970s, as a member of the Pirates AAA minor league ball team Charleston (WV) Charlies, Parker hit a home run that landed on a coal car on a passing train and the ball was later picked up in Columbus Ohio. He began his major league career on July 12, 1973 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, for whom he played from 1973 to 1983. In 1977, he was National League batting champion, a feat he repeated in 1978 when he was named the National League's MVP. This was in spite of a collision at home plate with John Stearns during a game against the Mets on June 30, 1978 in which Parker fractured his jaw and cheekbone; he wore a facemask in order to minimize his time away from the lineup. The Pirates rewarded him with baseball's first million-dollar-per-year contract. The following year, he was an instrumental part of the Pirates' World Series championship team.
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Dave Winfield
David Mark Winfield (born October 3, 1951) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight. Over his 22-year career, he played for six teams: the San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, and Cleveland Indians. In 2004, ESPN named him the third-best all-around athlete of all time in any sport. He is a member of both the Baseball Hall of Fame and the College Baseball Hall of Fame.
Winfield was born the same day Bobby Thomson hit his pennant-winning home run for the New York Giants, known as "the shot heard 'round the world", and grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota. His parents divorced when he was three years old, leaving him and his older brother Stephen to be raised by their mom, Arline, and a huge extended family of aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins and mentors.
The Winfield brothers honed their athletic skills in St. Paul's Oxford playground, where coach Bill Peterson was one of the first to take the young Winfield under his wing. It wasn't until his senior year in high school that Winfield became a formidable 6'6" athlete.
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David Justice
David Christopher Justice (born April 14, 1966) is an American former outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves (1989–1996), Cleveland Indians (1997–2000), New York Yankees (2000–2001), and Oakland Athletics (2002).
David was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Robert and Nettie Justice. His father left the family when Justice was two years old. Justice graduated from Covington Latin School in Covington, Kentucky at age 16 in 1982. He skipped the seventh and eighth grades. He then attended Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Kentucky majoring in Criminal Justice.
Justice made his major league debut in May 1989, playing for the last-place Braves. The young right fielder earned the starting job after Braves fan favorite Dale Murphy was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies. Justice promptly went on an offensive tear during the second half of the 1990 season, finishing with 28 home runs, which helped him claim the National League's Rookie of the Year Award. In 1991, the upstart Braves surged to the top of their division and Justice was leading the National League in runs batted in when he was sidelined by a nagging back injury in June. He finished with 87 runs batted in despite the injury and played in his first World Series.
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David Ortiz
David Américo Ortiz Arias (born November 18, 1975), nicknamed "Big Papi", is a Dominican-American professional baseball player with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Previously, Ortiz played with the Minnesota Twins from 1997 until 2002. Ortiz is a seven-time All-Star and holds the Red Sox single season record for home runs in a regular season with 54, set during the 2006 season. In 2005, Red Sox ownership presented him with a plaque proclaiming Ortiz "the greatest clutch-hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox".
Ortiz graduated from Estudia Espallat High School in the Dominican Republic and in 1992 he was signed by the Seattle Mariners who listed him as "David Arias". He played for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, a Mariners farm team, until 1996, when he was traded to the Minnesota Twins as the player to be named later in an earlier trade for Dave Hollins. When he arrived in Minnesota, he informed the team that he preferred to be listed as "David Ortiz."
He made his Twins debut in September 1997. For a few years, he was moved back and forth between the Twins and their minor league affiliate in Connecticut, the New Britain Rock Cats. The Twins advanced to the American League Championship Series that year, where they lost to the Anaheim Angels. Despite showing flashes of talent, Ortiz's time with the Twins will be remembered as a series of injuries and inconsistency both in the field and at the plate. Ortiz suffered wrist injuries in both 1998 and 2001. He continued to experience knee problems in early 2002 that plagued him throughout the season, despite hitting 32 doubles, 20 home runs and 75 RBIs in 125 games. He was released by the Twins after the season. In six seasons with the Twins, Ortiz hit 58 home runs and 238 RBI.
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David Wells
David Lee Wells (born May 20, 1963), nicknamed "Boomer", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. Wells was considered to be one of the game's better left-handed pitchers, especially during his years with the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched the fifteenth perfect game in baseball history. He is tied only with Kenny Lofton for appearing in the post-season with six different teams. Wells is currently a broadcaster on MLB on TBS and the host of "The Cheap Seats" on FOXSports.com.
Wells was born in Torrance, California. He grew up in the San Diego neighborhood of Ocean Beach and attended local public schools. He graduated from Point Loma High School in 1982. He was a self-described "gym rat" who spent most of his time at the Ocean Beach Recreation Center and Robb Field. Baseball facilities at both Point Loma High School and Dana Middle School are named for him. He lives in San Diego with his wife and two sons. He has a tattoo of Babe Ruth.
Wells was a journeyman starter for the first eight seasons of his career. He debuted for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987 as a reliever and did not secure a job as a full-time starter until he was 30 years old, despite pitching well most of the time and helping the Blue Jays win a World Series. He was released by the Blue Jays during spring training in 1993 and was signed by the Tigers almost immediately.
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Debs Garms
Debs C. Garms (June 26, 1907 in Bangs, Texas – December 16, 1984 in Glen Rose, Texas) was a professional baseball player for twelve seasons as an outfielder and third baseman for the St. Louis Browns, Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals. Garms broke up Johnny Vander Meer's streak of hitless innings in 1938. He won the National League batting title in 1940, hitting .355 for the Pittsburgh Pirates despite having played in only 103 games and garnering 358 at bats. Garms' batting title proved very controversial because of his limited playing time[citation needed]. In 1941 he set a then-major league record for consecutive pinch hits with seven, which stood until Dave Philley broke it in 1958.
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Dennis Eckersley
Dennis Lee Eckersley (born October 3, 1954), nicknamed "Eck", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. Eckersley had success as a starter, but gained his greatest fame as a closer, becoming the first of only two pitchers in Major League history to have both a 20-win season and a 50-save season in a career (the other being John Smoltz).
He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, his first year of eligibility. He is also noted as the pitcher who gave up a dramatic, walk-off home run (a phrase Eckersley coined after this home run) to the injured Kirk Gibson in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series.
Eckersley was drafted by the Cleveland Indians out of Washington High School of Fremont, California, in the third round of the 1972 amateur draft, and made his Major League debut on April 12, 1975. He was the American League Rookie Pitcher of the Year in 1975, compiling a 13–7 record and 2.60 ERA. His unstyled, long hair, moustache, and live fastball made him an instant and identifiable fan favorite. Eckersley pitched reliably over three seasons with the Indians; he even threw the 200th no-hitter in history on May 30, 1977, against the California Angels.
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Dennis Shaw
Dennis Wendell Shaw (born March 3, 1947 in Los Angeles, California) is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Buffalo Bills, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Shaw played college football for the San Diego State University Aztecs. While playing for the Aztecs he set an NCAA record by throwing nine touchdown passes in a 70-21 win against New Mexico State University on November 15, 1969. In that same season he set a single season school record for touchdown passes (39) and passes intercepted (26), the latter statistic led the NCAA for that season. He transferred from the University of Southern California and also played prior to that at Mount San Antonio Junior College.
Shaw then played four seasons for the Buffalo Bills and two for the St. Louis Cardinals. Shaw was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year by the Associated Press in 1970 and is one of only five quarterbacks (along with Ben Roethlisberger, Vince Young, Matt Ryan, and Sam Bradford) to win the award.
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Denny Matthews
Dennis G. "Denny" Matthews (born November 14, 1942) is an American sportscaster, best known as a play-by-play announcer for Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals since the team's inception in 1969.
Matthews grew up in Bloomington, Illinois, and attended Illinois Wesleyan University, where he played baseball and football, and belonged to the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He worked for local radio and television stations in Peoria and St. Louis before his hiring by the Royals.
Matthews has broadcast for the Royals since their inception in 1969, when he teamed with Bud Blattner. From 1974 to 1998 – a stretch that includes the best seasons in the Royals' history – Matthews was paired with Fred White. In 1999, the two also teamed up to write a book called Play by Play: 25 Years of Royals on Radio, which recounts anecdotes from those seasons. Matthews also called baseball events for the national CBS Radio network in the 1980s.
In 1999, the Royals fired White and replaced him with the younger Ryan Lefebvre. Despite a tremendous age difference, Matthews and Lefebvre integrated their styles well and their dry wit and rapport became popular with Royals fans.
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Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter ( /ˈdʒiːtər/; born June 26, 1974) is an American baseball shortstop who has played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees. A five-time World Series champion, Jeter has been a central figure of the Yankees during their success of the 1990s and 2000s due to his clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning. He is the Yankees' all-time career leader in hits (3,155), games played (2,472), stolen bases (342), and at bats (10,066). His accolades include twelve All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards, four Silver Slugger Awards, two Hank Aaron Awards, and the Roberto Clemente Award. Jeter is the all-time MLB leader in hits by a shortstop, and the 28th player to reach 3,000 hits.
The Yankees drafted Jeter out of high school in 1992, and he debuted in the major leagues in 1995. The following year, he became the Yankees' starting shortstop, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and helped the team win the 1996 World Series. Jeter continued to contribute during the team's championship seasons of 1998–2000; he finished third in voting for the American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1998, recorded multiple career-high numbers in 1999, and won both the All-Star Game MVP and World Series MVP Awards in 2000. He has consistently placed among the AL leaders in hits and runs scored for the past ten years, and since 2003 has served as the Yankees' team captain.
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Dick Enberg
Richard Alan "Dick" Enberg (born January 9, 1935) is an American sportscaster. He currently provides play-by-play for telecasts of San Diego Padres baseball on Fox Sports San Diego, following a long career calling various sports nationally for such networks as NBC, CBS, and ESPN. Enberg is well known for his signature catchphrase ("Oh, my!") that he uses after exciting and outstanding athletic plays. He also announced or hosted the Rose Bowl Parade for many years, sometimes with the help of family members.
Enberg was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan. Following high school in nearby Armada, he played college baseball and earned a bachelor's degree in 1957 at Central Michigan University. Enberg then went on to ? school at Indiana University, where he earned master's and doctorate degrees in health sciences. While at Indiana, Enberg voiced the first radio broadcast of the Little 500, the bicycle racing event popularized in the film Breaking Away. He was also the play-by-play announcer for Indiana Hoosiers football and basketball games, and in 1961 called his first NCAA basketball tournament event, the championship game between Cincinnati and Ohio State. From 1961 to 1965 he was an assistant professor and baseball coach at Cal State Northridge, then known as "San Fernando Valley State College."
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Dick Groat
Richard Morrow Groat (born November 4, 1930 in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania) is a former two-sport athlete best known as a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for four National League teams, mainly the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player in 1960 after winning the batting title with a .325 average for the champion Pirates. From 1956 to 1962 he teamed with second baseman Bill Mazeroski to give Pittsburgh one of the game's strongest middle infields; he led the NL in double plays a record five times, in putouts four times and in assists twice. At the end of his career he ranked ninth in major league history in games at shortstop (1,877) and fourth in double plays (1,237), and was among the NL career leaders in putouts (10th, 3,505), assists (8th, 5,811) and total chances (9th, 9,690). Also an excellent basketball player, he attended Duke University and is a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He was twice an All-American at Duke and was voted as the Helms National Player of the Year in 1952 after averaging 25.2 points per game. He played one season as a guard in the National Basketball Association. In 2011 Groat was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, becoming the first man ever inducted into both the college basketball and college baseball halls of fame. He is currently the color commentator for the Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball team.
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Dick Stockton
Dick Stockton (born Richard Stokvis on October 12, 1942 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American sportscaster. He is currently employed by Fox Sports and Turner Sports as a football, baseball, and basketball play-by-play announcer.
Stockton attended Syracuse University, where he received his degree in political science in 1964. In 1965, he began his sportscasting career at local radio and television stations in Philadelphia. He became sports director at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh in 1967, and moved to WBZ-TV and WBZ radio in Boston in 1971. Three years later, he began calling Boston Celtics telecasts for WBZ, and the following year he became the lead announcer for Boston Red Sox games on WSBK-TV. Stockton was part of the broadcast crew for NBC Sports' coverage of the 1975 World Series, and called, on TV, Carlton Fisk's famous, game-winning home run in Game 6 of that series. In 2001, he was inducted as a broadcaster into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Stockton has been named as one of the top 50 network sportscasters of all time.
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Dick Williams
Richard Hirschfeld "Dick" Williams (May 7, 1929 – July 7, 2011) was an American left fielder, third baseman, manager, coach and front office consultant in Major League Baseball. Known especially as a hard-driving, sharp-tongued manager from 1967 to 1969 and from 1971 to 1988, he led teams to three American League pennants, one National League pennant, and two World Series triumphs. He is one of seven managers to win pennants in both major leagues, and joined Bill McKechnie in becoming only the second manager to lead three franchises to the Series. He and Lou Piniella are the only managers in history to lead four teams to seasons of 90 or more wins. Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008 following his election by the Veterans Committee.
After growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, and Pasadena, California, Williams signed his first professional contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, and played his first major league game with Brooklyn in 1951. Initially an outfielder, he separated a shoulder making a diving catch early in his career, weakening his throwing arm. As a result, he learned to play several positions (he was frequently a first baseman and third baseman) and became a notorious "bench jockey" in order to keep his major league job. He appeared in 1,023 games over 13 seasons with the Dodgers, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics and Boston Red Sox. A right-handed batter and thrower, Williams had a career batting average of .260 with 70 home runs.
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Dixie Walker
Fred E. "Dixie" Walker (September 24, 1910 – May 17, 1982) was a right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1931, 1933–36), Chicago White Sox (1936–37), Detroit Tigers (1938–39), Brooklyn Dodgers (1939–47) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1948–49). In an 18-season career, Walker posted a .306 batting average with 105 home runs and 1,023 RBIs in 1,905 games.
Walker's popularity with the Ebbets Field fans in the 1940s brought him the nickname "The People's Cherce" (so-called, and -spelled, because "Choice" in the "Brooklynese" of the mid-20th century frequently was pronounced that way). An All-Star in five consecutive years (1943–47) and the 1944 National League batting champion, he was also considered for the MVP Award five times.
A native of Villa Rica, Georgia, Walker was the scion of a baseball family. His father, Ewart (the original "Dixie Walker"), was a pitcher for the Washington Senators (1909–12); an uncle, Ernie, was an outfielder for the St. Louis Browns (1913–15); and his younger brother, Harry "the Hat", also an outfielder, played for four National League teams between 1940 and 1955 and managed the St. Louis Cardinals (1955), Pittsburgh Pirates (1965–67) and Houston Astros (1968–72). All four Walkers batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
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Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell (October 17, 1924 – July 1, 2010) was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell". Coryell was the first coach ever to win more than 100 games at both the collegiate and professional level. He was inducted into the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame in 1986. Coryell is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.
Don Coryell enlisted in the Army in 1943 and spent 3½ years as a paratrooper. He played defensive back for the University of Washington from 1949 to 1951. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Washington. He was a high school coach in Hawaii where his teams ran a version of the I formation running game. He would also coach at the University of British Columbia (where he compiled a 2 win, 16 loss reord),Wenatchee Valley College, and a military team at Fort Ord. As head coach at Whittier College from 1957 to 1959, Whittier won conference championships in each of Coryell's three years. He would also rely on the I formation at Whittier. In 1960, he was an assistant coach under John McKay for the USC Trojans, where the I formation would be its signature offense for decades. While the origin of the I formation is unclear, Coryell was one of its pioneers.
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Don Horn
Donald Glenn Horn (born March 9, 1945) is a former National Football League quarterback. He was a first round pick All American out of San Diego State University by the Green Bay Packers, but his NFL career was less impressive because he only threw for 3,369 yards and 20 touchdowns in 8 seasons. He finished his pro career in 1975 with the Portland Thunder of the up-start WFL, where he completed 158 of 272 passes for 1742 yards and 11 TDs (and 12 picks.)
During a conversation in 2008, Don talked about the excitement he felt when he was drafted by the Green Bay Packers as their first round draft choice with a contract for $15,000. As he stated, "that was over $1,000 a month, something today's players wouldn't even cross the street for".
Vince Lombardi, the coach that drafted him, told his players that he was aware "three or four of you are here for the money and are sorry souls". Horn responded that the opposite is true today, that only "three or four are playing now for the love of the game".
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Don Mattingly
Donald Arthur "Don" Mattingly (born April 20, 1961) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Nicknamed "The Hit Man" and "Donnie Baseball", he played his entire 14-year major league baseball career for the New York Yankees (1982–1995).
Mattingly was named to the American League (AL) All-Star team six times. He won nine Gold Glove Awards, three Silver Slugger Awards, and was the 1985 AL Most Valuable Player. Mattingly served as captain of the Yankees from 1991 through 1995, and the Yankees retired his uniform number after his retirement. After his playing career, Mattingly served as a hitting coach for the Yankees and Dodgers prior to taking on his current position as manager of the Dodgers.
A graduate of Memorial High School in Evansville, Indiana in 1979, he led the Tigers to a state record 59 straight victories through the 1978-79 season. In 1978 the Tigers were crowned State Champions and were State Runners-up in 1979. Don was the L.V. Phillips Mental Attitude recipient in 1979. He was All-City, All-SIAC (Southern Indiana Athletic Conference), and All State in both 1978 and 1979. During the four years he played in high school the Tigers compiled a 94-9-1 won – loss record and Don hit .463. He still holds Memorial records for hits (152); doubles (29): triples (25 - also the state record); RBIs (140); and runs scored (99).
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Don Orsillo
Don Orsillo (born December 16, 1968) is the play-by-play announcer for Boston Red Sox games on the New England Sports Network.
Orsillo was born in Melrose, Massachusetts where he often dreamed of being a broadcaster for the Red Sox. He moved to and grew up in Madison, New Hampshire and was educated at John H. Fuller Elementary School. At the age of 12 he attended Kennett Middle School in nearby Conway, New Hampshire. Don's family moved west just before high school. He is a 1987 graduate of Miraleste High School in Rancho Palos Verdes, California, where he played on the Marauder basketball and baseball teams.
Orsillo graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in Communication Studies. While at Northeastern, he interned under Red Sox radio voice Joe Castiglione.
Before doing Major League Baseball games, he worked in the minor leagues announcing Pawtucket Red Sox games on the radio from 1996 to 2000, having previously done games for some of the New York Mets minor league affiliates. Don started with the Pittsfield Mets of the New York – Penn League for the 1991 and 1992 season and then moved up within the organization.
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Don Sutton
Donald Howard Sutton (born April 2, 1945) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher and current radio sportscaster. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998.
Sutton was born in Clio, Alabama, a small town in Barbour County, and on the same date as future Dodger teammate Reggie Smith. He was born to sharecroppers at the end of World War II, in a tar-paper shack. At the time Sutton was born his father was 18 and his mother was 15. Sutton's father, Howard, gave him the strong work ethic that he had throughout his career. His father tried logging and construction work, and in looking for work, moved the family to Molino, Florida, just north of Pensacola.
Sutton attended J. M. Tate High School in Cantonment/Gonzalez, Florida where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He led his baseball team to the small-school state finals two years in row, winning his junior year, 1962, and losing 2–1 in his senior year, and was named all-county, all-conference, and all-state for both of those seasons. He graduated in 1963, and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed". He wanted to attend the University of Florida, but then coach Dave Fuller was not interested. Instead he attended Gulf Coast Community College in Panama City, Florida for one year, and then after a good summer league, was signed by the Dodgers.
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Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider (September 19, 1926 – February 27, 2011), nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers (1947–62), New York Mets (1963), and San Francisco Giants (1964).
Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980. He appears in Roger Kahn's acclaimed memoir, The Boys of Summer.
Born in Los Angeles, Snider was nicknamed "Duke" by his father at age five. Growing up in Southern California, Snider was a gifted all-around athlete, playing basketball, football, and baseball at Compton High School, class of 1944. He was a strong-armed quarterback, who reportedly could throw the football 70 yards. Spotted by one of Branch Rickey's scouts in the early 1940s, he was signed to a baseball contract out of high school in 1943. He played briefly for the Montreal Royals of the International League in 1944 (batting twice) and for Newport News in the Piedmont League in the same year. After serving in the military in 1945, he came back to play for the Fort Worth Cats in 1946 and for St. Paul in 1947. He played well and earned a tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers later that year. He started the next season (1948) with Montreal, and after hitting well in that league with a .327 batting average, he was called up to Brooklyn for good during the middle of the season.
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Earl Averill
Howard Earl Averill (May 21, 1902 – August 16, 1983) was an American player in Major League Baseball who was a center fielder from 1929 to 1941. He was a six-time All-Star (1933–38) and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Born in Snohomish, Washington, Averill broke into the major leagues in 1929 (at the age of 27) with the Cleveland Indians. He played for Cleveland for over ten years, and remains the all-time Indian leader in total bases, runs batted in, runs, and triples. He also remains 3rd in all-time Indian hits and doubles, and 4th in all-time Indian home runs and walks. During his time in Cleveland, the team never finished higher than 3rd. He's famous for hitting the line drive that broke Dizzy Dean's toe in the 1937 All-Star Game. Averill was the first major league player to hit 4 home runs in a doubleheader (with home run in each game) on September 17, 1930; he was also one of the first players to hit a home run in his first major league at-bat (April 16, 1929, opening day). Averill batted .378 in 1936, leading the American League in hits with 232, but finishing 2nd to Luke Appling in the batting race (Appling batted .388 for the White Sox).
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Edd Roush
Edd J. Roush (May 8, 1893 – March 21, 1988) was a Major League Baseball player who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. He played the majority of his career in center field.
Roush made his major league debut on August 20, 1913 for the Chicago White Sox. He switched to the fledgling Federal League in 1914 and spent two seasons with the Indianapolis Hoosiers, who became the Newark Pepper in 1915. In 1916, he split the season between the New York Giants and the Cincinnati Reds.
With the Reds from 1917 to 1926, the left-handed hitting Roush never batted below .321, and was an instrumental part of the team's World Series championship in 1919. He won the National League batting title in 1917 and 1919. His best career year in batting average was 1921, when he batted .352. He also led the leagues in Slugging average (.455) in 1918, in Doubles (41) in 1923, and in Triples (21) in 1924. He was renowned as having the best arm of any outfielder in his era. He held out most of the 1922 season over a salary dispute that continued into spring 1923.
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Eddie Collins
Edward Trowbridge Collins, Sr. (May 2, 1887 – March 25, 1951), nicknamed "Cocky", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman, manager and executive. He played from 1906 to 1930 for the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox.
At the end of his career, he ranked second in major league history in career games (2,826), walks (1,499) and stolen bases (744), third in runs scored (1,821), fourth in hits (3,315) and at bats (9,949), sixth in on base percentage (.424), and eighth in total bases (4,268); he was also fourth in AL history in triples (187). He still holds the major league record of 512 career sacrifice bunts, over 100 more than any other player. He was the first major leaguer in modern history to steal 80 bases in a season, and still shares the major league record of six steals in a game, which he accomplished twice in September 1912. He regularly batted over .320, retiring with a career average of .333. He also holds major league records for career games (2,650), assists (7,630) and total chances (14,591) at second base, and ranks second in putouts (6,526). Collins is one of only 29 players in baseball history to have appeared in Major League games in four decades.
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Eddie Murray
Eddie Clarence Murray (born February 24, 1956), nicknamed "Steady Eddie", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and designated hitter. He was known as one of the most reliable and productive hitters of his era. Murray is regarded as one of the best switch hitters ever to play the game. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Murray was the eighth child of twelve and still has 5 sisters and 4 brothers, and has often quipped that as a child, he did not have to go far for a pick-up baseball game. The games were quite fierce and his older brothers never let him win. He carried that competitive edge to each of his next levels of baseball. At his Hall of Fame induction, Murray thanked his little league coach, Clifford Prelow, for teaching him not just the game of baseball but also love for the game as well. Prelow, an ex-Dodger minor leaguer, also worked his boys hard; making them run out every ground ball and threatening them with 100 yard wind sprints if they did not work. Prelow remembers that young Murray never earned that punishment. Later, Murray attended Locke High School in Los Angeles, California, where he batted .500 as a senior and was a teammate of Ozzie Smith.
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Ellis Burks
Ellis Rena Burks (born September 11, 1964 in Vicksburg, Mississippi) is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons. He batted and threw right-handed.
Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1st round (20th pick) of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft, Burks made his debut in the 1987 season as a regular center fielder at age 22, becoming the third player in the Red Sox history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in one season. He was selected to both the Baseball Digest and Topps "All-Rookie" teams. Defensively, Burks showed excellent range, a sure glove and a strong arm. The only problem for Burks while with the Red Sox was that he was injury-prone. He had shoulder surgery in 1989, and it was the first of many setbacks for him. During the 1990 season he hit two home runs in the same inning of a game, to become the second player in Red Sox history to achieve the feat. Bill Regan was the first, in 1928.
Later Burks suffered from bad knees and back spasms. After six pretty good seasons in Boston, and despite his injuries, he ended up leaving as a free agent and signing with the Chicago White Sox in January 1993. He found his old self in Chicago. He surpassed all expectations around him by turning in a solid, injury-free season, filling the White Sox urgent need for a quality right fielder. He was one of the club's better performers in the playoffs, batting .304. A free agent at the end of the season, he signed a lucrative five-year contract with the Colorado Rockies (1994–98).
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Ellis Valentine
Ellis Clarence Valentine (born July 30, 1954 in Helena, Arkansas) is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. He was drafted by the Montreal Expos in 1972; playing for the Expos, he was elected a National League All-Star in 1977 and received a Gold Glove Award in 1978. He also played for the New York Mets, California Angels and Texas Rangers, before retiring in 1985 after being hit in the jaw by a ball.
On April 15, 1977 he hit the first ever home run at Olympic Stadium.
Valentine is known to have one of the best if not the greatest outfield arms in the history of Major league baseball.
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Enos Slaughter
Enos Bradsher Slaughter (April 27, 1916 – August 12, 2002), nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938–1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St. Louis Cardinals.
Slaughter was born in Roxboro, North Carolina and joined the Cardinals in 1938 before being traded to the New York Yankees in 1954.
When Slaughter was a minor leaguer in Columbus, Ohio he came running towards the dugout from his post in the outfield. He slowed down near the infield and began walking the rest of the way. Manager Eddie Dyer told him, "Son, if you're tired, we'll try to get you some help." For the rest of his career, Slaughter ran everywhere he went on a baseball field.[citation needed] In 1937, he had 245 hits and 147 runs scored for Columbus.
Batting left-handed and throwing right, he was renowned for his smooth swing that made him a reliable "contact" hitter. Slaughter had 2,383 hits in his career, including 169 home runs, and 1,304 RBIs in 2,380 games.[citation needed] Slaughter played 19 seasons with the Cardinals, Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and Milwaukee Braves. During that period, he was a 10-time All-Star and played in five World Series. His 1,820 games played ranks fourth in Cardinals' history behind Ozzie Smith, Lou Brock, and Stan Musial. He presently ranks second in RBIs with 1,148; fifth in ABs with 6,775; and sixth in doubles with 366. His career accomplishments are especially impressive considering that he missed 3 seasons beginning in 1943 (when he was 27) to serve in the military during World War II.
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Erin Andrews
Erin Jill Andrews (born May 4, 1978) is an American sportscaster, journalist, and television personality. As of 2011 she is a co-host of College GameDay on ESPN and a contributor for Good Morning America on the ABC network.
Andrews was born in Lewiston, Maine to Paula Andrews, a teacher, and Steven Andrews, a TV journalist. She moved to Tampa, Florida as a young girl when her father, a six-time Emmy Award-winner, began working as an investigative reporter for WFLA-TV.
Andrews attended Bloomingdale High School in Valrico, Florida, where she was a member of the cheerleading team, student government, and the National Honor Society. Following her graduation from high school in 1996, Andrews attended the University of Florida, graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Telecommunications. While in college, she was a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority and the Florida Gators Dazzlers dance team from 1997 to 2000. She also has a younger sister Kendra Andrews, who is a professional dancer and actor.
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Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks (born January 31, 1931 in Dallas, Texas), nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a retired professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 19 seasons on the National League's (NL) Chicago Cubs team, from 1953 through 1971. Banks was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, in 1999.
Banks was a letterman and standout in football, basketball and track at Booker T. Washington High School in Dallas, Texas, from which he graduated in 1950.
Banks signed with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League in 1950 and broke into the Major Leagues in 1953 with the Chicago Cubs as their first black player. He played for the Cubs his entire career, starting at shortstop and moving to first base in 1962.
Initially Banks' double play partner was Gene Baker, the second black player on the Cubs, and Banks' roommate on road trips. Thus making Banks and Baker, the first all black double play combination in major league history. When Steve Bilko would play first base, Cubs' announcer and home-town rooter Bert Wilson would refer to the Banks-Baker-Bilko double play combination as "Bingo to Bango to Bilko". This combination would not last quite as long as "Tinker to Evers to Chance", but Banks would become a Cubs institution.
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Ernie Johnson, Jr.
Ernest Johnson, Jr. (born November 5, 1956) is a sportscaster for Turner Sports coverage on TNT, TBS, truTV and CBS Sports.
Johnson's career began in 1977 while he was still a student at the University of Georgia, when he took a job as the news and sports director for the radio station WAGQ-FM in Athens, Georgia. He held that job until 1978, when he graduated from Georgia with a B.A. in journalism, summa cum laude. In 1979, Johnson began his broadcasting career at WMAZ-TV in Macon, Georgia. He worked there as a news anchor until 1981, when he moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina to work as a news reporter at WSPA-TV. Johnson moved back to Georgia in 1982, this time taking a job in Atlanta at WSB-TV as a general assignment news reporter. He became the station's weekend sports anchor and reporter in 1983. He held those jobs until 1989, when he left to join Turner Sports.
From 1993 to 1996, Johnson called Atlanta Braves baseball games for SportSouth (now FSN South) with his father, Ernie Johnson Sr., a former Major League Baseball pitcher and Braves play-by-play announcer.
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Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi (April 6, 1908 – September 26, 1977), was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci", "The Cyrano of the Iron Mask" and "Lom". Bill James called him "the slowest man to ever play major league baseball well." [1] He is listed at 6'3" and 230 lbs, but he probably approached 300 lbs towards the end of his career. He was also known as a gentle giant and this made him hugely popular among Cincinnati fans.
Ernie Lombardi started his professional baseball career for his hometown Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. He hit well (over .350 with power in 1929 and 1930) and had a strong arm. His talents were soon noticed by the Brooklyn Dodgers who purchased his contract for $50,000. Lombardi played his rookie season for the Robins in 1931 and played well (batting .297). Brooklyn had too many quality catchers at the time and Robins manager Wilbert Robinson contemplated using the strong-armed Lombardi as a pitcher. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds shortly before the start of spring training for the 1932 season. Lombardi flourished his first year in Cincinnati, batting .303 with 11 home runs and 68 runs batted in. He became a national star in 1938 when he hit a league-leading .342 with 19 home runs, drove in 95 runs, and won the National League's MVP award. Ernie Lombardi became one of the Reds' most productive and popular players. He also has the distinction of catching both of Reds left-hander Johnny Vander Meer's back-to-back no-hitters, accomplished on June 11 and June 15, 1938. Vander Meer's feat has never been matched. Lombardi's hitting skills and leadership helped the Reds to the National League pennant in 1939 and 1940, and the World Series title in 1940.
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Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson (born August 31, 1935) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956 to 1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues. He won the Triple crown, was a member of two teams that won the World Series (the 1966 and 1970 Baltimore Orioles), and amassed the fourth-most career home runs at the time of his retirement (he is currently ninth). Robinson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Robinson was the first African-American hired to serve as manager in Major League history. He managed the Cleveland Indians during the last two years of his playing career, compiling a 186–189 record. He went on to manage the San Francisco Giants, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals.
Robinson attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, where he was a basketball teammate of Bill Russell. During the off-season while playing for the Reds in the late 1950s, he attended Xavier University in Cincinnati.
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Fred Clarke
Fred Clifford Clarke (October 3, 1872 – August 14, 1960) was a Major League Baseball player from 1894 to 1915 and manager from 1897 to 1915. A Hall of Famer, Clarke played for and managed both the Louisville Colonels and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was a left fielder and left-handed batter.
Of the nine pennants in Pittsburgh franchise history, Clarke was the player-manager for four of them. He and fellow Hall of Famers, Honus Wagner and Vic Willis, led Pittsburgh to a victory over Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers in the 1909 World Series. Clarke batted over .300 in 11 different seasons. His 35-game hitting streak in 1895 was the second-longest in major league history at the time and is still tied for 11th-longest. For six years, Clarke held the major league record for wins by a manager.
Fred Clarke was born on a farm near Winterset, Iowa. At age two, his family moved as part of a covered wagon caravan from Iowa to Kansas before relocating to Des Moines, Iowa, five years later. As a child in Des Moines, Clarke sold newspapers for the Iowa State Register where his boss was future Baseball Hall of Fame member, Ed Barrow. In 1892, a professional team in Hastings, Nebraska sent a railroad ticket to Des Moines semiprofessional player, Byron McKibbon, but McKibbon backed out and gave the ticket to Clarke instead. Clarke impressed the Hastings team and he signed his first professional contract. He was in the Southern League at age 21 and played for teams in Montgomery, Alabama, and Savannah, Georgia.
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Fred Dryer
John Frederick "Fred" Dryer (born July 6, 1946 in Hawthorne, California) is an American actor and former football defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). Dryer played 13 years in the NFL, playing 176 games, starting 166, and recording 104 career sacks with the New York Giants and Los Angeles Rams. Dryer is the only NFL player to score two safeties in one game.
Following his retirement from football, Dryer had a successful career as a film and television actor, notably starring in the series Hunter. His height (6'6" or 1.98 m) and physique was useful for his action roles.
The son of Charles F. Dryer and Genevieve Nell Clark, Dryer began his football career at Lawndale High School in Lawndale, California, and then attended El Camino Junior College before transferring to San Diego State University (SDSU).
Dryer was inducted to the El Camino C.C. Athletic Hall Of Fame in 1988, as a charter member and was the Athlete of the Year for his 1966 performance on the football field. Dryer was also a 1966 Junior College All-American
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Fred McGriff
Frederick Stanley McGriff (born October 31, 1963 in Tampa, Florida) is a left-handed former Major League Baseball player who starred for several teams from the mid-1980s until the early 2000s. A power-hitting first baseman with a tall, lanky build, the five-time All-Star became, in 1992, the first player since the dead-ball era to lead both leagues in home runs. Although he never hit more than 37 homers in a single season, he finished his career only seven homers away from joining the exclusive 500 home run club. He won a World Series title as a first baseman with the Atlanta Braves in 1995. He currently works in the Tampa Bay Rays' front office as an advisor. He also currently works for Bright House Sports Network as a co-host for "The Baysball Show".
McGriff's nickname, "Crime Dog", is a play on McGruff, a cartoon dog created for American police to raise children's awareness on crime prevention. At first, McGriff stated he would prefer "Fire Dog" (a reference to a fire in the press-box of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium the day the Braves acquired him from the Padres; symbolically, the then-slumping Braves "caught fire" and ended up winning their division), but since has stated that he actually is fond of the "Crime Dog" nickname.
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Freddy Sanchez
Frederick Phillip "Freddy" Sanchez, Jr. (born December 21, 1977) is an American professional baseball player. A second baseman, Sanchez currently plays for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. Earlier in his career, Sanchez played for the Boston Red Sox (2002-2003) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (2004-2009) before coming to the Giants during the 2009 season. He bats and throws right-handed.
Sanchez graduated in 1996 from Burbank High School in Burbank, California, where he was a consistent three-year varsity player. In his senior year he was named MVP of the talent-filled Foothill League of the CIF. He also starred in the Daily News Bernie Milligan All-Star Game, where he earned MVP honors. While in high school, he played on the same summer league team as former teammate Jack Wilson. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 30th round out of Burbank High, but opted not to sign.
His success in high school was nothing short of miraculous. Sanchez was born with a severely pigeon-toed left foot and a club right foot, and his parents had received an initial medical prognosis that he might never walk. After seeking specialized medical attention through the Children's Orthopaedic Center at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, he underwent surgery to correct his foot problems at 13 months, and then had to undergo years of physical therapy before he could walk properly.
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Garry Maddox
Garry Lee Maddox (born September 1, 1949 in Cincinnati, Ohio) is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who was known for his outstanding defense.
Maddox was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the second round of the 1968 amateur draft. Maddox missed two seasons due to his service in the U.S. Army during the 1969 and 1970 seasons. Exposure to chemicals in Vietnam left his skin highly sensitive, and he has worn a full beard ever since to protect his face.
Maddox reached the major leagues with the Giants in 1972. On May 4, 1975, the Giants traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies for first baseman Willie Montañez after the Phillies had failed in their efforts to acquire Rusty Staub from the Mets. The Phillies traded Montanez with the intention to replace him at first-base with Dick Allen. Maddox went on to win his first Gold Glove Award as the top center fielder in the National League. Montanez was traded away the next year.
Maddox's 1975 Gold Glove was his first of eight in a row. His sparkling defensive play led Phillies broadcaster Harry Kalas to remark, "Two-thirds of the Earth is covered by water, the other one-third is covered by Garry Maddox." (This quote has also been attributed to Ralph Kiner, the Hall-of-Fame slugger-turned-broadcaster for the New York Mets.) Kalas nicknamed Maddox the "Secretary of Defense."
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Gary Carter
Gary Edmund Carter (April 8, 1954 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional baseball catcher whose 21-year career was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. Nicknamed "Kid" for his youthful exuberance, Carter was named an All-Star 11 times, and was a member of one World Series championship team.
Known throughout his career for his hard hitting as well has his excellent defense behind the plate, Carter made a major contribution to the Mets' World Series championship in 1986, including a 12th-inning single against the Houston Astros that won Game 5 of the NLCS and a 10th-inning single against the Boston Red Sox to start the fabled comeback rally in Game 6 of the World Series. He is one of only three people ever to be named captain of the Mets, and he had his number retired by the Expos.
After retiring from baseball, Carter coached baseball at the college and minor-league level. He was inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
Carter was born in Culver City, California in 1954 to Jim Carter, an aircraft worker, and his wife, Inge. When Gary was 12, Inge died of leukemia. He attended high school at Sunny Hills High School, in Fullerton, CA, where he played football as a quarterback and baseball as an infielder. After receiving more than 100 scholarships for athletics, Carter signed a letter of intent to play football at University of California, Los Angeles, but instead signed with the Montreal Expos after they drafted him in the 1972 Major League Baseball Draft.
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Gary Sheffield
Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968) is an American retired professional baseball outfielder. He played with eight teams in Major League Baseball from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder. He currently works as an agent.
For most of his career, Sheffield has played right field, though he has also played left field, third base, shortstop, and a handful of games at first base. He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and the New York Mets. Sheffield was a first-round pick of the Brewers, who selected him sixth overall in the 1986 amateur draft after a standout prep career at Hillsborough High School in Tampa. He bats and throws right-handed.
At the start of the 2010 season, Sheffield ranked second among all active players in walks (1,475), third in runs (1,636), fourth in RBIs (1,676), fifth in hits (2,689) and home runs (509), and sixth in hit by pitches (135). Sheffield hit his 500th home run on April 17, 2009.
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George Gore
George F. Gore (May 3, 1857 – September 16, 1933), nicknamed "Piano Legs", was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for fourteen seasons, eight for the Chicago White Stockings, five for the New York Giants, one for the St. Louis Browns (1892) of the National League (NL), and the New York Giants of the Players League (1890). Born in Saccarappa, Maine, Gore led the NL in several seasonal offensive categories. He won his only batting title in 1880 while playing for Chicago, along with league leading totals in on-base percentage and slugging percentage. He also led the league twice in runs scored, bases on balls three times, and games played by a center fielder once.
Gore played for many successful teams throughout his career. During his eight seasons with the White Stockings, they won the league title five times, including appearances in two World Series. Chicago played the St. Louis Browns in both 1885, which ended in a series tie, and 1886, with St. Louis winning the championship. He was also a member of the New York Giants' two National League championship teams in 1888 and 1889. Both Giants teams went on to claim World Series victories, against the St. Louis Browns in 1888, and the Brooklyn Bridegrooms in 1889.
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Gerardo Parra
Gerardo Enrique Parra (born May 6, 1987 in Santa Barbara del Zulia, Venezuela) is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
On May 13, 2009 he was called up from AA (Double A) Mobile BayBears when left fielder Conor Jackson was placed on the disabled list. He was inserted into the starting lineup the same day, and in his first Major League at bat he became the 100th player in MLB history to hit a home run in his first at bat.
In his first five games he had at least one RBI, becoming the second player since Mike Lansing (1993) in the last 30 years to accomplish this feat. Parra was named NL Rookie of the Month for May and reached base in each of his first 17 games.
In 2011, Parra broke out batting .292 with 8 Home runs and 46 Runs Batted In. Not only did he do well offensively, he also established himself as a threat with his powerful throwing arm, throwing out runners on various occasions. He was a very underrated player in 2011 as he was a key ingredient in leading the Diamondbacks turnaround.
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Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges (April 4, 1924 – April 2, 1972) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the major leagues' outstanding first baseman in the 1950s, with teammate Duke Snider being the only player to have more home runs or runs batted in during the decade. For a time, his 370 career home runs were a National League (NL) record for right-handed hitters, and briefly ranked tenth in major league history; he held the NL record for career grand slams from 1957 to 1974. He anchored the infield on six pennant winners, and remains one of the most beloved and admired players in team history.[citation needed] A sterling defensive player, he won the first three Gold Glove Awards and led the NL in double plays four times and in putouts, assists and fielding percentage three times each. He ranked second in NL history with 1,281 assists and 1,614 double plays when his career ended, and was also among the league's career leaders in games (6th, 1,908) and total chances (10th, 16,751) at first base. He managed the New York Mets to the 1969 World Series title, one of the greatest upsets in Series history,[citation needed] before his death in 1972.
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Gil McDougald
Gilbert James McDougald (May 19, 1928 – November 28, 2010) was an American infielder who spent all ten seasons of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1960. He was a member of eight American League (AL) pennant winners and five World Series Champions. He was also the AL Rookie of the Year in 1951 and a five-time All-Star. He was most remembered for accidentally hitting a line drive that severely injured Herb Score's right eye in 1957.
He was born in San Francisco, California, and attended the University of San Francisco.
He played his first major league game on April 20,1951. On May 3 of that year, he tied a major league record, since broken, by batting in six runs in one inning. Later in the year, in the World Series, he became the first rookie to hit a grand slam home run in the Series. He narrowly beat out Minnie Miñoso in the voting for the 1951 American League Rookie of the Year. His entire major league career was spent on the New York Yankees, wearing uniform number 12. He was a versatile player, playing all the infield positions except first base: 599 games at second base, 508 games at third, and 284 at shortstop. He played in five All-Star Games: in 1952, 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959.
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Ginger Beaumont
Clarence Howeth "Ginger" Beaumont (July 23, 1876 – April 10, 1956) was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who spent most of his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1899–1906) and Boston Braves (1907–09). He was born in Rochester, Wisconsin, and attended Beloit College. During the years 1900-1904 – with the Pirates winning pennants from 1901-03 – Beaumont led the National League in hits three times, scored 100 runs four times, leading the league once, and also captured the 1902 batting championship with a .357 mark. As the Pirates' regular leadoff hitter, he was the first player ever to bat in a World Series game.
Nicknamed "Ginger" for his thick red hair, he used his excellent speed to great advantage; on the day before his 23rd birthday in his rookie season, he had six infield singles and became the first player to score six runs in a game. He was also the first player in major league history to lead his league in hits three consecutive years, which has been accomplished by only five others; he led the NL in hits a fourth time with the 1907 Braves. Often bothered by leg injuries, he joined the Chicago Cubs for the 1910 season, and made pinch-hitting appearances in the first three games of the 1910 World Series before leaving the major leagues with a .311 career batting average and on base average of .363. He played one more season in the minor leagues before retiring to his Honey Creek, Wisconsin farm. He was one of the first inductees to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1951. Beaumont suffered two strokes in his 70s, and died at age 79 in Burlington, Wisconsin.
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Goose Goslin
Leon Allen "Goose" Goslin (October 16, 1900 – May 15, 1971) was a left fielder in Major League Baseball known for his powerful left-handed swing and dependable clutch hitting. He played 18 seasons with the Washington Senators, St. Louis Browns, and Detroit Tigers, from 1921 until 1938. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968.
Born in Salem, New Jersey, Goslin was 16 when he left home to play on a touring semipro circuit of the Eastern seaboard, and by 19 had moved into the minors in South Carolina, where he was a pitcher. Goslin was discovered by famed scout, Joe Engel. After hearing from Engel, Senators owner Clark Griffith personally scouted Goslin and attended a Sally League game in which Goslin was playing for Columbia, South Carolina. A fly ball hit Goslin on the head, and another barely missed him. Goslin also hit three home runs in the game, and Griffith decided to take a chance on him.
Goslin’s difficulty in judging fly balls contributed to his nickname "Goose." Opposing players said Goslin resembled a bird flapping its wings when he ran after a ball with his arms waving. While not a great fielder, Goslin did have a good throwing arm, leading the American League in assists by an outfielder in 1924 and 1925. However, one year during spring training, Goslin wandered to an adjacent field where a track and field team was working out. Goslin tried the shot put, and his throwing arm was never the same afterward.
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Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles (born August 20, 1944), nicknamed "Puff", is an American former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins (1967–1969), Cleveland Indians (1970–1972), New York Yankees (1973–1983), San Diego Padres (1984–1986), Atlanta Braves (1987) and Montreal Expos (1988).
Nettles was one of the best defensive third basemen of all time, and despite his relatively low career batting average, he was an excellent offensive contributor, setting an American League record for career home runs by a third baseman. As a part of four pennant-winning Yankee teams, Nettles enjoyed his best season in 1977 when he won the Gold Glove Award and had career-highs in home runs (37) and runs batted in (107) in leading the Yankees to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nettles was born in San Diego, California. His unusual name derives from his mother's dislike of the names Greg and Craig - and her combining the two to produce "Graig". "My Dad was away at the war, so he didn't have any say". The name also led to confusion for baseball card companies; the error-prone inaugural 1981 Fleer baseball card set includes an error card where his name is spelled "Graig" on the front, and "Craig" on the back.
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Greg Luzinski
Gregory Michael "The Bull" Luzinski (born November 22, 1950) is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, he attended Notre Dame High School in Niles, Illinois. Luzinski spent the majority of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies (1970–1980), and retired as a member of the Chicago White Sox (1981–1984).
At 6'1' and 255 pounds, Luzinski was a well-liked member of the Phillies and a feared slugger who could also hit for average despite striking out frequently. While he was a mediocre defensive left fielder, he hit .300 or better for 3 consecutive seasons during the prime of his career, and was a career .276 hitter with 307 home runs and 1,128 RBIs. He was selected an All-Star between 1975 and 1978, hitting a home run off Jim Palmer in 1977 and being the top vote-getter for the National League in 1978. He was also MVP runner up in 1975 (when he led the National League in RBIs with 120) and 1977, when he posted career highs in batting average (.309), home runs (39) and RBIs (130).
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Hal Chase
Harold Homer Chase (February 13, 1883 in Los Gatos, California – May 18, 1947 in Colusa, California), nicknamed "Prince Hal", was a first baseman in Major League Baseball, widely viewed as the best fielder at his position. During his career, he played for the New York Highlanders (1905–1913), Chicago White Sox (1913–1914), Buffalo Blues (1914–1915), Cincinnati Reds (1916–1918), and New York Giants (1919).
No lesser figures than Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson named him the best first baseman ever, and contemporary reports describe his glovework as outstanding. He is sometimes considered the first true star of the franchise that would eventually become the New York Yankees. In 1981, 62 years after his last major league game, baseball historians Lawrence Ritter and Donald Honig included him in their book The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.
Despite being an excellent hitter and his reputation as a peerless defensive player, Chase's legacy was tainted by a litany of corruption. He allegedly gambled on baseball games, and also engaged in suspicious play in order to throw games in which he played.
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Hank Aaron
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron (born February 5, 1934), nicknamed "Hammer," or "Hammerin' Hank," is a retired American baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1954 through 1976. Aaron spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and Atlanta Braves in the National League (NL) before playing for the Milwaukee Brewers of the American League (AL) for the final two years of his career. Aaron is considered to be one of the greatest baseball players of all time. In 1999, The Sporting News ranked Aaron fifth on their "100 Greatest Baseball Players" list.
After playing with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League and in the minor leagues, Aaron started his major league career in 1954. In his final season, he was the last Negro League baseball player on a major league roster. His most notable achievement was breaking the career home run record set by Babe Ruth. During his career, Aaron performed at a consistently high level for an extended period of time. He hit 24 or more home runs every year from 1955 through 1973, and is the only player to hit 30 or more home runs in a season at least fifteen times.
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Hanley Ramírez
'Hanley Ramírez (born December 23, 1983 in Samaná, Dominican Republic) is a third baseman in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was the shortstop of the Florida Marlins prior to the signing of José Reyes. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter. Additionally, Ramirez finished runner-up in the 2010 Home Run Derby.
Ramírez signed with the Boston Red Sox as an International Free Agent in July 2000. He was discovered by scouts and was considered the top prospect in the Boston Red Sox organization.
He was traded to the Florida Marlins in 2005 together with Aníbal Sánchez for Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota.
During Spring Training in 2006, Ramírez was impressive enough to earn the starting shortstop job for the Marlins over another candidate, shortstop Robert Andino. Ramírez led all MLB rookies with 185 hits, 119 runs, 11 triples and 51 SBs. He hit 7 leadoff home runs, the most in team history for a season and career.
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Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Clayton Killebrew ( /ˈkɪlɨbruː/; June 29, 1936 – May 17, 2011), nicknamed "Killer" and "Hammerin' Harmon", was an American professional baseball first baseman, third baseman, and left fielder. During his 22-year career in Major League Baseball (MLB), he played for the Washington Senators, a team which later became the Minnesota Twins, and the Kansas City Royals. When he retired, he was second only to Babe Ruth in American League (AL) home runs and was the AL career leader in home runs by a right-handed batter (since broken by Alex Rodriguez). He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984.
Killebrew was a stocky 6-foot tall, 195-pound hitter with a compact swing that generated tremendous power. He became one of the AL's most feared power hitters of the 1960s, hitting 40 home runs in a season eight times. In 1965, he played in the World Series with the Minnesota Twins, who lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His finest season was 1969, when he hit 49 home runs, recorded 140 runs batted in (RBI), and won the AL Most Valuable Player Award. Killebrew led the league six times in home runs and three times in RBIs, and was named to eleven All-Star teams.
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Harold Reynolds
Harold Craig Reynolds (born November 26, 1960) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played from 1983–1994, primarily for the Seattle Mariners.
Reynolds was born in Eugene, Oregon and attended Corvallis High School in Corvallis, Oregon, starring in football, basketball and baseball. He was a member of the 3A State Championship football team in 1978. He graduated from Corvallis High in 1979, and was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1998.
Although Reynolds was drafted in the 4th round of the amateur draft on June 5, 1979, by the San Diego Padres, he elected not to sign and joined the Long Beach City College baseball team.
The following summer, on June 3, 1980, Reynolds was selected in the 1st round (2nd pick) of the amateur draft (Secondary Phase) by the Seattle Mariners. Reynolds signed with the Mariners after one season with Cal State Long Beach.
Reynolds spent several seasons in the minor leagues, playing in Lynn, Massachusetts for the Lynn Sailors(AA), before being called up by the Mariners and making his major league debut on September 2, 1983. The following season he played AAA ball before being called up again in September 1984. The season of 1985 was his official rookie season in Major League Baseball.
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Harry Heilmann
Harry Edwin Heilmann (August 3, 1894 – July 9, 1951), nicknamed “Slug,” was a Major League Baseball player who played 17 seasons with the Detroit Tigers (1914, 1916–1929) and Cincinnati Reds (1930, 1932). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.
Heilmann was a line drive hitter who won four American League batting crowns: in 1921, 1923, 1925 and 1927. He and Ted Williams are the last two American League players to hit .400, Heilmann having accomplished the feat in 1923 with a batting average of .403. Heilmann’s career batting average of .342 is the 12th-highest in major league history.
Heilmann was also an excellent slugger, ranking among the American League leaders in both slugging percentage and RBIs in 12 seasons. He is among the all-time Major League leaders in doubles with 542 (23rd all-time), triples with 151 (49th all-time) and RBIs with 1,539 (39th all-time). He played in 2,148 major league games, including 1,327 as a right fielder and 448 as a first baseman. Heilmann was also the first player to hit a home run in every major league ballpark in use during his career.
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Harry Hooper
Harry Bartholomew Hooper (August 24, 1887 – December 18, 1974) was a Major League Baseball player in the early 20th century.
Hooper batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Hooper was born in Bell Station, California. A graduate in engineering at Saint Mary's College of California, he broke into the majors with the Red Sox in 1909, and still holds many of the team's records. He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in the 1921 season and finished his career in 1925.
Hooper was known as a top-caliber defensive right fielder and a solid leadoff hitter. Between 1910 and 1915, he teamed with Tris Speaker (CF) and Duffy Lewis (LF) to form one of the finest outfield trios in baseball history. On May 30, 1913 Hooper became the first player to hit a home run to lead off both games of a doubleheader, a mark only matched by Rickey Henderson 80 years later. Beside this, Hooper is the only person to be a part of four Red Sox World Series championships: in 1912, 1915, 1916 and 1918. On October 13, 1915, he became the first player to hit two home runs in a single World Series game. Hooper was also the captain of the Red Sox in 1919.
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Haven Moses
Haven Christopher Moses (born July 27, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is a former American football wide receiver. Haven played collegiately for Los Angeles Harbor College and San Diego State University. He was drafted by the American Football League's Buffalo Bills in the first round (9th overall) of the 1968 Draft and played for the Bills from 1968 to 1972. During the 1972 season he was traded to the Denver Broncos for Wide Receiver Dwight Harrison. Haven made the AFL All-Star Game in 1969 and the NFL Pro Bowl in 1973. He is on the "Ring of Fame" in Invesco Field at Mile High.
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Heinie Manush
Henry Emmett Manush (July 20, 1901 – May 12, 1971), nicknamed "Heinie" due to his German heritage, was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.
Manush spent 17 seasons in the majors, playing for the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Manush was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama to German immigrant parents. Manush began his pro career in 1920 playing 6 games for the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League. Moving to the then-B League Edmonton Eskimos in the Western Canada League in 1921, Manush hit .321 in 83 games. In 1922, he had a big season for the Omaha Buffaloes in the Western League, batting .376 with 20 home runs. That performance got him called up to the majors.
He followed his older brother, Philadelphia Athletics third baseman Frank Manush, to the major leagues in 1923 and quickly became known as a skillful hitter.
During his rookie season with the Tigers, he batted .334 in 308 at-bats while sharing an outfield with Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Bobby Veach, and Bob Fothergill. In 1926, he led the American League with a batting average of .378 and finished second behind Babe Ruth in the statistical categories of slugging percentage (.564) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.985).
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Heinie Zimmerman
Henry Zimmerman (February 9, 1887 – March 14, 1969), known as "Heinie" or "The Great Zim," was a Major League Baseball player in the early 20th century. Zimmerman played for the Chicago Cubs and New York Giants. He was born and died in New York, New York.
In 1912, Zimmerman led the National League in batting and in home runs, but failed to win the triple crown, as Honus Wagner led the league in RBIs. He was also an important member of the 1908 Cubs, the last Cubs team to win the World Series. Zimmerman was #98 on the "Top 100 Cubs of All Time" list as compiled by the web site Bleed Cubbie Blue. [1]
Zimmerman was suspended from the New York Giants in 1919, along with his friend Hal Chase for allegedly attempting to convince other players to fix games. Based on testimony by Giants manager John McGraw during the Black Sox Scandal hearings, Zimmerman and Chase were both indicted for bribery. Zimmerman denied McGraw's accusations, and neither he nor Chase was ever proven to be directly connected to the Black Sox, but based on a long-term pattern of corruption both were permanently banned from baseball by Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Commissioner of Baseball. According to some historians, he had been informally banned after the Giants released him. Baseball statistician Bill James has suggested that the Giants' loss to the Chicago White Sox in the 1917 World Series may have been partial motivation for Zimmerman's suspension. Zimmerman batted .120 in the Series.
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Honus Wagner
Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner ( /ˈhɒnəs ˈwæɡnər/; February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955 ), nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman" due to his superb speed and German heritage ("Dutch" in this instance being an alteration of "Deutsch"), was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He played in the National League from 1897 to 1917, almost entirely for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wagner won eight batting titles, tied for the most in NL history with Tony Gwynn. He also led the league in slugging six times, and in stolen bases five times.
In 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Wagner as one of the first five members. He received the second-highest vote total, behind Ty Cobb and tied with Babe Ruth.
Although Cobb is frequently cited as the greatest player of the dead-ball era, some contemporaries regarded Wagner as the better all-around player, and most baseball historians consider Wagner to be the greatest shortstop ever. Cobb himself called Wagner "maybe the greatest star ever to take the diamond."
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Héctor Carrasco
Héctor Pacheco Pipo Carrasco (born October 22, 1969 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He bats and throws right handed.
In a twelve-season career, Carrasco has posted a 44–50 record with 19 saves and a 3.99 ERA in 637 relief appearances and ten starts.
Carrasco began his major league career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1994, and has also pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. On April 15, 2000, while pitching for the Twins, Hector gave up Cal Ripken's 3000th hit in a game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. His most productive season came in 2005 for the Nationals, when he was 5–4 with a 2.04 ERA in 64 appearances, allowing only 59 hits in 88 1⁄3 innings and limiting opponents to a .193 batting average. He was 4–3 with a 2.04 ERA in 62.2 innings as a reliever, and 1–1 with a 2.03 ERA in 27 2.3 innings while starting five games near the season's end.
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Ichiro Suzuki
Ichiro Suzuki (鈴木 一朗, Suzuki Ichirō?), usually known simply as Ichiro (イチロー, Ichirō?) (born October 22, 1973) is a Japanese Major League Baseball right fielder for the Seattle Mariners. Ichiro has established a number of batting records, including the sport's single-season record for hits with 262. He had ten consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player, surpassing Wee Willie Keeler's streak of eight.
Ichiro moved to the United States in 2001 after playing nine years for the Orix Blue Wave in Japan's Pacific League. Posted by Orix after the 2000 season, Ichiro became Seattle's right fielder. The first Japanese-born everyday position player in the major leagues, Ichiro led the AL in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named Rookie of the Year and MVP.
Ichiro is the first MLB player to enter the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame (The Golden Players Club). He has been voted onto ten All-Star teams by the fans, winning the 2007 All-Star MVP Award for a three-hit performance that included the event's first-ever inside-the-park home run. Ichiro won a Gold Glove award in each of his first ten years in the major leagues, and has had seven hitting streaks of 20 or more games, with a high of 27.
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Isaac Curtis
Isaac Fisher Curtis (born October 20, 1950 in Santa Ana, California) is a former professional American football wide receiver who played his entire National Football League career with the Cincinnati Bengals (1973–1984).
Curtis attended University of California, Berkeley for three years. He excelled as a member of Cal's track team, but was running back and kick returner for the football team. After he finished his junior season, Curtis transferred to San Diego State Universitybecause of the controversy surrounding the probation of Cal's football team. He excelled as a slot wide receiver during his senior season under the famed Aztecs coach Don Coryell, catching 44 passes for 832 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Entering the 1973 NFL Draft, the Cincinnati Bengals needed a wide receiver who had speed to spread the field and opposing defenses for their franchise quarterback Ken Anderson. Isaac Curtis had world-class speed, running a 9.30 seconds in the 100-yard dash as a member of Cal's track team, making him faster than Jesse Owens, who ran it in 9.40 seconds. Given all the variables, that would indicate his 40-yard dash time would be around a 4.17, which meant he would easily be one of the most athletic people to ever wear an NFL uniform. Although he had played only one year at wide receiver, Paul Brown decided to take a chance on Isaac Curtis and drafted him in the first round (15th overall selection). Later on in his career Paul Brown would say that what he liked the most about Isaac Curtis was not so much his athleticism but his always quietly confident personality, saying "He's a very gentle person...no jumping up and down, spiking it, or trash talking".
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Jack Glasscock
John Wesley "Jack" Glasscock (July 22, 1857 – February 24, 1947) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for several teams from 1879 to 1895 and was the top player at his position in the 1880s during the sport's bare-handed era. He led the National League in fielding percentage seven times and in assists six times, with both marks remaining league records until Ozzie Smith surpassed them in the 1980s; he also led the NL in double plays four times and in putouts twice. He won the 1890 batting title with a .336 average for the New York Giants and led the league in hits twice; in his final season he became the sixth major league player to make 2,000 hits. He was the first player to appear in over 600 games as a shortstop, and ended his career with major league records for games (1,628), putouts (2,821), assists (5,630), total chances (9,283), double plays (620) and fielding percentage (.910) at the position. When he retired he ranked fifth in major league history in games (1,736) and at bats (7,030), seventh in total bases (2,630) and eighth in doubles (313).
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Jackie Brandt
John George Brandt Jr. (born April 28, 1934 in Omaha, Nebraska) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent before the 1953 season, and played for the Cardinals (1956), New York Giants (1956), San Francisco Giants (1958–1959), Baltimore Orioles (1960–1965), Philadelphia Phillies (1966–1967), and Houston Astros (1967).
Brandt made his major league debut on April 21, 1956 against the Milwaukee Braves at Sportsman's Park, then was traded to the New York Giants almost two months later. He had a very good rookie season, batting .298 in 125 games with 12 home runs and 50 runs batted in. In 1959 he won a Gold Glove for his stellar play as the San Francisco Giants regular left fielder, then was traded to Baltimore, where he would have his most productive years.
His best season was 1961, when he was named to the American League All-Star team. Brandt finished ninth in the A.L. batting race with a .297 average, and he had career highs in hits (153), at bats (516), runs batted in (72), runs scored (93), and on base percentage (.371). The Orioles had a great year, winning 95 games and only losing 67.
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Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American baseball player who became the first black Major League Baseball (MLB) player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. As the first black man to play in the major leagues since the 1880s, he was instrumental in bringing an end to racial segregation in professional baseball, which had relegated black players to the Negro leagues for six decades. The example of his character and unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.
In addition to his cultural impact, Robinson had an exceptional baseball career. Over ten seasons, he played in six World Series and contributed to the Dodgers' 1955 World Championship. He was selected for six consecutive All-Star Games from 1949 to 1954, was the recipient of the inaugural MLB Rookie of the Year Award in 1947, and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1949—the first black player so honored. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962. In 1997, Major League Baseball retired his uniform number, 42, across all major league teams.
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Jake Daubert
Jacob Ellsworth Daubert (April 7, 1884 – October 9, 1924) was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Superbas and Cincinnati Reds. His career lasted from 1910 until his death in 1924.
Daubert was recognized throughout his career for his performances on the field. He won the 1913 and 1914 National League batting titles, as well as the 1913 Chalmers Award. Between 1911 and 1919, The Baseball Magazine named him to their All-American team seven times. Baseball historian William C. Kashatus observed that Daubert was "a steady .300 hitter for 10 years of the Deadball Era", who "never fielded below the .989 mark" during the same period. His exceptional fielding record distinguishes him as "the most outstanding first baseman not in the Hall of Fame".
Daubert was born in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, to Jacob and Sarah Daubert. The lack of child labor laws enabled Daubert to go to work early in his life. In 1895, at the age of eleven, the young Daubert joined his father and two brothers at work in the local coal mines.
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Jamie Moyer
Jamie Moyer (born November 18, 1962) is an American professional baseball pitcher currently in the Colorado Rockies organization, although he was designated for assignment by the Rockies on May 30, 2012.
At the time of his last game to date (in May 2012), he was the oldest player in the major leagues and had the most wins, losses, and strikeouts of any active Major League pitcher. He has been likened to Phil Niekro. On April 17, 2012, Moyer became the oldest pitcher in MLB history to win a game. On May 16, 2012, he broke his own winning-pitcher record and also set the record for the oldest major-league player to get a Run Batted In.
Moyer has also pitched for the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Philadelphia Phillies. He made the All-Star team in 2003, while with the Mariners. Moyer has won numerous awards for philanthropy and community service, including the 2003 Roberto Clemente Award, the 2003 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, the 2003 Hutch Award, and the 2004 Branch Rickey Award. Moyer is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League games in four decades.
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Jeff Brantley
Jeffrey Hoke (Jeff) Brantley, (born September 5, 1963 in Florence, Alabama), is a former relief pitcher and current Major League Baseball broadcaster. His 14-year playing career lasted from 1988 to 2001.
Brantley played college baseball at Mississippi State University, where he was a teammate of Will Clark, Rafael Palmeiro and Bobby Thigpen on a Bulldogs team that participated in the 1985 College World Series. He is the co-holder of the SEC record for career wins by a pitcher with 45, along with University of South Carolina and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Kip Bouknight.
He played for the San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, all of the National League, and the Texas Rangers of the American League. He was also a member of the 1989 San Francisco Giants team that defeated the Chicago Cubs to win the National League pennant and eventually lost to the Oakland A's in the World Series.
An All-Star in 1990, Brantley led the National League in 1996 with 44 saves.
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Jeff Francoeur
Jeffrey Braden Francoeur ( /fræŋˈkʊər/; born January 8, 1984 in Atlanta, Georgia), nicknamed "Frenchy", is a Major League Baseball right fielder who now plays for the Kansas City Royals. Francoeur is notable for his strong throwing arm in the outfield and his free-swinging tendencies in the batter's box.
Francoeur was selected by the Braves in the first round of the June 2002 amateur draft. After the draft, Francoeur was assigned to the team’s advanced Rookie League club in Danville, Virginia, where he played 38 games and hit .327 with eight homers and 31 RBIs. Francoeur advanced steadily through the Braves minor league system, playing for Rome (Low A) in 2003, Myrtle Beach (High A) and Greenville (former AA) in 2004, and Mississippi (AA) in 2005.
Francoeur was a member of the Rome Braves inaugural season team which went on to win the 2003 South Atlantic League Championship. He led that team in home runs with 14.
In 2004, Francoeur was named the top prospect in the Braves organization by Baseball America. He was a member of the Carolina League regular season and postseason All-Star team. In 2005, he was selected to play in the All-Star Futures Game before getting called up by Atlanta.
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Jeff Moorad
Jeff Moorad is a minority owner of the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB). He was previously a minority owner Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team, and is a former sports agent. He is an Assyrian American. He also owns the Hall of Fame Racing NASCAR team.
For many years, Moorad was a player agent partnered with Leigh Steinberg at 'Steinberg, Moorad & Dunn' ("SMD") and represented many baseball, football, and basketball players. They sold SMD in October 1999 to Assante Sports Management Group, a Canadian financial-management firm, for a reported $120 million. Assante acquired several other sports agencies. In February 2002, David Dunn left SMD to open Athletes First, taking about 50 N.F.L. players with him and opening offices about a mile from Steinberg's in Newport Beach, Calif. Extensive litigation ensued involving Dunn and Assante. Steinberg later reacquired some pieces of the agency he had sold to Assante.
When Steinberg left, Moorad renamed the firm as Moorad Sports Management. One of the most prominent players managed by Moorad during his tenure as an agent was left-fielder Manny Ramirez. In December 2000, Moorad and then-Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette famously brokered the $160 million deal which brought the enigmatic Ramirez to Boston. Ramirez subsequently switched to another agent, Scott Boras, who represented him in the deal where he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008.
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Jesse Burkett
Jesse Cail Burkett (December 4, 1868 – May 27, 1953), nicknamed "The Crab", was a Major League Baseball player at the turn of the 20th century. He also was a coach in the Major Leagues under John McGraw for the New York Giants, owned and managed the minor league Worcester club, and coached at Holy Cross College.[disambiguation needed
]
Burkett began his pro career as a pitcher, won 27 games at the age of 19 in 1888 in Scranton, Pa., and also compiled a 39–6 record for the Worcester Club of the New England League. He played in the Major Leagues from 1890 to 1905, primarily as an outfielder, and had an accomplished hitting career, smacking 200 hits in a season six times and batting over .400 twice (1895 and 1896), only the second hitter in Major League history to do so, the first being Ed Delahanty. On his Hall of Fame plaque, Burkett is credited for hitting over .400 three times; subsequent research and updated records have lowered his 1899 batting average to .396. In 1895 and 1896, Burkett's two best seasons, the Cleveland Spiders finished second twice and faced off against the Baltimore Orioles both seasons in the Temple Cup series, beating the Orioles in the 1895 series with Cy Young pitching three victories. Also, in game one of the series, Burkett scored the game winning run in the bottom of the ninth to set the tone for the series.. Burkett holds the record for the most inside-the-park home runs in Major League Baseball, with 55.
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Jim Acker
James Justin Acker (born September 24, 1958 in Freer, Texas) is a former Major League Baseball pitcher from 1983 to 1992. He played college baseball at the University of Texas.
Acker was drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Braves in the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft and was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays teams that won the 1985, 1989, and 1991 American League East division. He also played for the Seattle Mariners.
He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the first round, 21st pick, of the 1980 Major League Baseball Draft. But on December 6, 1982 he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays from the Atlanta Braves in the 1982 Rule 5 Draft. He played for the Jays for four years performing mainly as a relief pitcher.
On July 6, 1986 Acker was traded by the Blue Jays to the Atlanta Braves for pitcher Joe Johnson. He spent for years with the Braves, the team who originally drafted him, compiling a record of 7-27 with 16 saves a 3.71 in 169 games.
On August 24, 1989 Acker was traded by the Braves back to the Toronto Blue Jays for Francisco Cabrera and Tony Castillo.
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Jim Edmonds
James Patrick "Jim" Edmonds (born June 27, 1970) is a former American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played for the California/Anaheim Angels, the St. Louis Cardinals, the San Diego Padres, the Milwaukee Brewers, the Chicago Cubs, and the Cincinnati Reds. He is affectionately known by Cardinal fans as "Jimmy Baseball","Jimmy Ballgame", "Lassie", and "Hollywood".
Edmonds was born on June 27, 1970, in Fullerton, California. He attended Diamond Bar High School in Diamond Bar, in eastern Los Angeles County.
Edmonds is married to Allison Jayne Raski. They were married on July 16, 2008, at the St. Louis County, Missouri Courthouse in Clayton, MO. The couple have a son (Landon) and a daughter (Sutton) together. Edmonds also has two teenaged daughters (Lauren and Hayley) from his previous marriage to Lee Ann Horton.
In September 2007, Jim Edmonds 15 Steakhouse opened in St. Louis, of which he is a 50 percent owner and is named for his jersey number.
Edmonds was selected in the seventh round of the 1988 draft by the California Angels. Following the draft, he was assigned to the Bend Bucks (in Bend, Oregon), the Angels' Short-Season A affiliate in the Northwest League. In 1988, he played in 35 games for the Bucks and hit .221. The following year, he was promoted to the Quad Cities Angels, the team's Class A affiliate in the Midwest League. He played in 31 games and hit .261.
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Jim Rice
James Edward "Jim" Rice (born March 8, 1953), nicknamed "Jim Ed", is a former Major League Baseball left fielder.
Jim Rice played his entire career for the Boston Red Sox from 1974 to 1989. An 8-time American League (AL) All-Star, he was named the AL's Most Valuable Player in 1978 after becoming the first major league player in 19 years to hit for 400 total bases, and went on to become the ninth player to lead the major leagues in total bases in consecutive seasons, and join Ty Cobb as one of two players to lead the AL in total bases three years in a row. He batted .300 seven times, collected 100 runs batted in (RBI) eight times and 200 hits four times, and had eleven seasons with 20 home runs, also leading the league in home runs three times, RBIs and slugging average twice each.
In the late 1970s he was part of one of the sport's great outfields along with Fred Lynn and Dwight Evans, who was his teammate for his entire career; Rice continued the tradition of his predecessors Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski as a power-hitting left fielder who played his entire career for the Red Sox. He ended his career with a .502 slugging average, and then ranked tenth in AL history with 382 home runs; his career marks in homers, hits (2,452), RBI (1,451) and total bases (4,129) remain Red Sox records for a right-handed hitter, with Evans eventually surpassing his Boston records for career runs scored, at bats and extra base hits by a right-handed hitter. When Rice retired, his 1,503 career games in left field ranked seventh in AL history. Rice was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on July 26, 2009, as the 103rd member voted in by the BBWAA.
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Jim Rosenthal
Jim Rosenthal (born 6 November 1947) is a sports presenter on British television.
Rosenthal was born in Oxfordshire, the son of Maud Ruth (née Levy) and Albrecht Gabriel "Albi" Rosenthal, a music scholar and book seller. His father was born in Munich, Germany, to a Jewish family. His paternal great-grandfather, Leo Olschki, founded the Leo S. Olschki Editore publishing house, and his maternal grandfather was German Jewish physician and writer Oscar Levy. Rosenthal grew up in Oxford and attended Josca's Preparatory School before going to Magdalen College School. He then joined the staff of the Oxford Mail went on to BBC local and national radio.[citation needed]
In his radio career Rosenthal presented Sports Report on the then Radio 2 for several years. He was also the journalist on duty at BBC Radio Birmingham on the night of the Birmingham Pub Bombings.[citation needed]
In his television career, which began when he joined ITV in August 1980, he has presented football, boxing and athletics, plus other minor sports. He has also been part of the teams covering the FIFA World Cup since 1982 and the Olympic Games.[citation needed] He worked on three Rugby World cup campaigns for ITV, including presenting the victorious 2003 final. In 2011 he presented the Rugby World Cup for the OSN network based in Dubai and watched throughout the Middle East and Africa.
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Jim Thome
James Howard "Jim" Thome ( /ˈtoʊmeɪ/; born August 27, 1970 in Peoria, Illinois) is a Major League Baseball player for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is the eighth MLB player to hit 600 home runs.
Thome was originally drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 13th round of the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft. While in the minors, he got into a fight with future Major League star Chipper Jones. Thome and Jones would later become good friends. Thome made his Major League debut on September 4, 1991 as a third baseman against the Minnesota Twins. He was 2 for 4 in that game, with his first hit coming off pitcher Tom Edens in the fourth inning. He hit his first career home run on October 4 against New York Yankees pitcher Steve Farr.
Originally a third baseman, he was shifted to first base when the Indians traded for Matt Williams in 1997.
At the plate, Thome hit 25 home runs and 73 runs batted in with a .314 batting average in 1995. Thome then hit 38 home runs in 1996 and 40 in 1997. Thome soon became a prolific home run hitter, once hitting a 511-foot (156 m) shot at Cleveland's Jacobs Field. It is the longest home run ever recorded at a Cleveland ballpark. He hit 49 home runs with the Indians in 2001, followed by a career-high 52 homers in 2002.
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Joe D'Ambrosio
Joe D'Ambrosio (born July 19, 1953, in Hartford, Connecticut) is an American sports broadcaster and play-by-play announcer.
Known as “the Voice of the Huskies,” D'Ambrosio has been the play-by-play announcer for the University of Connecticut’s football and men's basketball games on WTIC (AM) NewsTalk 1080 (www.wtic.com) since 1992. He also broadcasts select UConn baseball, soccer, and women's basketball games. In April 2011, D'Ambrosio called his third NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship with the University of Connecticut. He has been the play-by-play voice for a total of seven NCAA basketball national championships, including his years as the voice of the UConn women's basketball team.
He and colleague Kevin Nathan alternate hosting duties for the long-running weeknight sports call-in show “Sports Talk,” also on WTIC. Additionally, he is seen on WVIT-TV where he provides weekly “Husky Insider” updates during football and basketball seasons, and where he also fills in as sports anchor.
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Joe DiMaggio
Giuseppe Paulo "Joe" DiMaggio (/dɨˈmɑːʒioʊ/ or /dɨˈmædʒioʊ/; November 25, 1914 – March 8, 1999), nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper", was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak (May 15 – July 16, 1941), a record that still stands. DiMaggio was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.
A three-time MVP winner and 13-time All-Star, DiMaggio is the only player to be selected for the All-Star Game in every season he played. During his thirteen years with the Yankees, the club won ten American League pennants and nine World Series championships.
At the time of his retirement, he ranked fifth in career home runs (361) and sixth in career slugging percentage (.579). He was voted the sport's greatest living player in a poll taken in the baseball centennial year of 1969.
His brothers Vince and Dom also became major league center fielders.
DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California, the eighth of nine children born to immigrants from Italy, Giuseppe (1872–1949) and Rosalia (Mercurio) DiMaggio (1878–1951). He was delivered by a midwife identified on his birth certificate as Mrs. J. Pico. He was named after his father; "Paolo" was in honor of Giuseppe's favorite saint, Saint Paul. The family moved to San Francisco, California, when Joe was a year old.
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Joe Gibbs
Joe Jackson Gibbs (November 25, 1940) is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins (1981–1992, 2004–2007). Well known for his long hours and work ethic, Gibbs constructed what Steve Sabol has called, "The most diverse dynasty in NFL history,"[citation needed] building championship teams with many players who have had mediocre to average careers while playing for other NFL teams. During his first stint in the National Football League, he coached the Redskins for 12 seasons and led them to eight playoff appearances, four NFC Championship titles, and three Super Bowl titles.
After retiring at the end of the 1992 season, he switched focus to his NASCAR team, Joe Gibbs Racing, which has won three championships under his ownership, one with former driver Bobby Labonte and two with Tony Stewart. On January 7, 2004, Gibbs came out of retirement to rejoin the Redskins as head coach and team president, signing a 5-year, $28.5 million contract. On January 8, 2008, Gibbs resigned as Redskins' head coach and team president. Overall, during his 16 years with the team, Gibbs had only three losing seasons and led the team to 10 playoff appearances. He remains with the organization as "Special Advisor" to the team owner Daniel Snyder.
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Joe Kelley
Joseph James Kelley (December 9, 1871 – August 14, 1943) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) who starred in the outfield of the Baltimore Orioles teams of the 1890s. Making up the nucleus of the Orioles along with John McGraw, Willie Keeler, and Hughie Jennings, Kelley received the nickname "Kingpin of the Orioles". He was elected a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1971.
In his MLB career, Kelley played in the National League (NL) for the Boston Beaneaters (1891), Pittsburgh Pirates (1892), Baltimore Orioles (1892–1898), and Brooklyn Superbas (1899–1901), before he jumped to the upstart American League to play for the Baltimore Orioles (1902). He returned to the NL with Cincinnati Reds (1902–1906) and Boston Doves (1908). He managed the Cincinnati Reds (1902–1905) and Boston Doves (1908), coached the Brooklyn Robins (1926), and scouted for the New York Yankees (1915–1916).
Kelley was born to Patrick Kelly and Ann Kelly (née Carney) in Cambridge, Massachusetts on December 9, 1871. Kelley's parents emigrated to the United States from Ireland, and he had five siblings. According to the 1880 United States Census, Patrick worked as a marble cutter.
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Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan (born September 19, 1943) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the National League Most Valuable Player in those years. Considered one of the greatest second basemen of all-time, Morgan was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. He became a baseball broadcaster for ESPN after his retirement, and now hosts a weekly nationally syndicated radio show for Sports USA. Joe Morgan is also a special adviser to the Cincinnati Reds.
Raised in Oakland, California, and nicknamed "Little Joe" for his diminutive 5'7" stature, Morgan was a standout at Castlemont High School before being signed by the Houston Colt .45's as an amateur free agent in 1962. Early in his career, he had trouble with his swing because he kept his back elbow down too low. Teammate Nellie Fox suggested to Joe that while at the plate he should flap his back arm like a chicken to keep his elbow up. Morgan followed the advice, and his flapping arm became a familiar sight to baseball fans.
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John Franco
John Anthony Franco (born September 17, 1960 in Brooklyn, New York) is a former Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher. During a 21-year baseball career, He pitched from 1984-2005 for three different National League teams, the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and Houston Astros. His 1,119 career games pitched is an NL record, and is ranked third in major league history; his 424 career saves ranked second in major league history when he retired, and remain the most by a left-hander. For 14 of his 20 seasons, he played for the New York Mets, serving as team captain in his final years with the team.
Franco grew up in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn. His father, the late Jim Franco, was a New York City Department of Sanitation worker who encouraged his son's baseball aspirations; Franco honored his father by wearing an orange Sanitation Department work-shirt under his jersey. John graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn and St. John's University in Queens, where he pitched two no-hitters in his freshman year.
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John Smoltz
John Andrew Smoltz (born May 15, 1967) is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996. Though predominantly known as a starting pitcher, Smoltz was converted to a reliever in 2001, following his recovery from Tommy John surgery, and spent four years as the team's closer before returning to a starting role. In 2002 he became only the second pitcher in history to have had both a 20-win season and a 50-save season (the other being Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley). He is the only pitcher in major league history to top both 200 wins and 150 saves. He became the 16th member of the 3,000 strikeout club on April 22, 2008 when he fanned Felipe Lopez of the Washington Nationals in the third inning in Atlanta.
Smoltz threw a four-seam fastball that was clocked as high as 98 miles per hour, a strong, effective slider, and an 88–91 mph split-finger fastball that he used as a strikeout pitch. He also mixed in a curveball and change-up on occasion, and in 1999, he began experimenting with both a knuckleball and a screwball, though he rarely used either in game situations.
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Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bench, a 14-time All-Star selection and a two-time National League Most Valuable Player, was a key member of The Big Red Machine, which won six division titles, four National League pennants, and two World Series championships. ESPN has called him the greatest catcher in baseball history.
Bench played baseball and basketball and was class valedictorian at Binger High School in Binger, Oklahoma. He is one-eighth Native American (Choctaw). His father told him that the fastest route to becoming a major leaguer was as a catcher. Bench was drafted 36th overall by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1965 amateur draft, playing for the minor-league Buffalo Bisons in the 1966 and 1967 seasons before being called up to the Reds in August 1967. He hit only .163, but impressed many with his defense and strong throwing arm. Among them: Hall of Famer Ted Williams. Williams signed a baseball for him which predicted that the young catcher would be "A Hall of Famer for sure!" Williams' prediction eventually became fact with Johnny Bench's election to the Hall of Fame in 1989.
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Johnny Mize
John Robert "Johnny" Mize (January 7, 1913 – June 2, 1993) was a baseball player who was a first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and New York Yankees. He played in the Major Leagues for 15 seasons between 1936 and 1953, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981.
Mize was born in Demorest, Georgia, where he later played baseball for Piedmont College. Mize was known as both "Big Jawn" and "The Big Cat" for his smooth fielding at first base. He had a fine batting eye, and in his early career hit for high averages, leading the National League with a .349 batting average in 1939. In 1938 he batted .363, but Cardinals teammate Joe Medwick took the title with a .374 average. Mize then changed targets and went for power instead of batting average. He led the National League in home runs in 1939 with 28, and in 1940 with 43, also leading the league in runs batted in twice, in 1940 and 1942. At the end of the 1941 season, however, he was traded to the New York Giants by Cardinals general manager Branch Rickey, who famously believed in trading players before their skills began to decline.
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Jon Miller
Jon Wallace Miller (born October 11, 1951) is an American sportscaster, known primarily for his broadcasts of Major League Baseball. He is currently employed as a play-by-play announcer for the San Francisco Giants. He was also a baseball announcer on ESPN from 1990 to 2010. Miller received the Ford C. Frick Award from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Jon Miller grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. After graduating from Hayward High School in 1969, Miller commuted across the bay to take broadcasting classes at the College of San Mateo. He began his broadcasting career at the college's FM radio station (KCSM-FM) and UHF/PBS TV station (KCSM-TV), which reached much of the Bay Area. His first over the air baseball broadcasts were from CSM games.
Miller later worked as sports director for KFTY television in Santa Rosa. In 1974, he landed his first baseball play-by play job, calling that year's World Series champion Oakland Athletics.
For a brief period in the 1970s, Miller broadcast for the California Golden Seals of the National Hockey League. He also spent the early part of his career announcing San Francisco Dons and Pacific Tigers men's college basketball (1976–1980), the Golden State Warriors of the NBA (part-time, 1979–1982), and the original San Jose Earthquakes of the North American Soccer League.
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Jon Sciambi
Jon "Boog" Sciambi (born April 11, 1970 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American sportscaster for ESPN. He has worked extensively as a baseball play-by-play announcer, calling games for ESPN television in 2005 and 2006 and currently on ESPN Radio. Sciambi's nickname, "Boog," was given to him owing to his physical resemblance to former major league player Boog Powell. He is a graduate of Boston College and Regis High School in New York City.
In 2009, Sciambi worked his third season with the Atlanta Braves on SportSouth and FSN South. He was paired with Joe Simpson [1]. Late in the 2009 season, it was announced that Sciambi would be leaving the Braves and joining ESPN's Major League Baseball and college basketball coverage full time.
Sciambi was an announcer with the Florida Marlins from 1997 to 2004.
He formerly worked in South Florida sports radio on 790 The Ticket, where he was a staunch opponent of discussing high school football, including the recruiting of high school players to college programs. Sciambi left the radio show on April 4, 2008 to focus on broadcasting for the Atlanta Braves. Prior to being on 790, Sciambi was a talk show host on WQAM for several years.
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Josh Byrnes
Josh "Organizational Advocacy" Byrnes is the general manager of the San Diego Padres. Previously, he served as General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball from November 2005 to July 2010.
Byrnes grew up in Washington, D.C., where he attended and played second base for St. Albans School. He graduated in 1992 from Haverford College with a BA in English. He played on the collegiate baseball team while attending Haverford. He began his professional career with a health-care consulting company after school. He began his baseball career for the Cleveland Indians in 1994, quickly working his way up the organizational ladder, first as an intern, then as a video scout, and, eventually, to the position of scouting director in 1998. In 1999, he was hired by colleague Dan O'Dowd to fill the assistant GM position for the Colorado Rockies, a job he held for two years. He then took the same job under Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox until October 2005, when he was hired by the Diamondbacks to replace the departing interim General Manager Bob Gebhard.
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José Cruz
José Cruz Dilan (born August 8, 1947 in Arroyo, Puerto Rico) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is also the former first base coach for the Houston Astros. During his 19-year baseball career, he played from 1970 to 1988 for three different teams, playing primarily for the Astros. He is a member of one of Puerto Rico's most famous major league families and is the brother of former major leaguers Héctor and Tommy Cruz.
Nicknamed "Cheo", many baseball fans refer to him as Cheo Cruz. He and his wife, Zoraida, make their home in Houston. They have four children: José Javier, Shakira, José Jr., also a former Major League outfielder, and José Enrique Cruz, an infielder in the New York Mets minor league system.
In 1997 he resided in the Northfield subdivision in Fondren Southwest, Houston.
Cruz debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1970. It was as a member of the Houston Astros, however, that he became a household name across Puerto Rico and the United States. During his playing days, he was arguably the most famous baseball player (not counting the late Roberto Clemente) in Puerto Rico.
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José Cruz, Jr.
José Luis Cruz, Jr. (born April 19, 1974 in Arroyo, Puerto Rico) is a retired Major League Baseball outfielder. Over his nine year playing career, Cruz played for eight different teams. Standing 6'0" tall and weighing 210 pounds, Cruz was a right-handed switch hitter. He is the son of former major league outfielder and Houston Astros first base coach José Cruz, and the nephew of former big leaguers Héctor and Tommy Cruz.
Cruz lived in Bellaire, Texas and attended Bellaire High School, where he played baseball.
Cruz attended Rice University from 1992 to 1995 and was a member of Team USA in 1994, and was also a three time All-American while at Rice, setting virtually all possible offensive records.
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Justin Upton
Justin Irvin Upton (born August 25, 1987, in Norfolk, Virginia) is a National Major League Baseball right fielder for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He was selected first overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2005 Major League Baseball Draft. Justin is considered a 5-tool player, acknowledged for having hitting prowess as well as solid fielding capabilities. Justin and his brother B.J. Upton of the Tampa Bay Rays are the only brothers in Major League Baseball to ever be selected in the number one and two slots of a first round draft.
He was previously an all-district shortstop for Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, and was awarded the AFLAC National High School Player of the Year Award. He is also the brother of Tampa Bay Rays center fielder B.J. Upton, who was taken at the number two pick in the 2002 draft.
In his first professional season he played for Class-A South Bend Silver Hawks. He began 2007 with the Class-A Advanced Visalia Oaks, but was promoted to the AA Mobile BayBears after hitting .341 with 5 home runs for the Oaks in April.
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Keith Hernandez
Keith Barlow Hernandez (born October 20, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) player who was the starting first baseman on World Series championship teams with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1982 and the New York Mets in 1986. He began his career in the majors with the Cardinals in 1974, winning the National League (NL) batting title and sharing the circuit's Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors with Willie Stargell in 1979. After a midseason trade sent him to the Mets in 1983, he became the undisputed leader amongst the players of the brash ballclub that also fell a victory short of capturing the 1988 NL Championship Series.
Hernandez appeared in five MLB All-Star Games and hit better than .300 six times between 1979 and 1987. Generally considered one of the best defensive players at his position, he was awarded the Gold Glove in eleven consecutive seasons from 1978 to 1988, the most by any first baseman in baseball history. He retired as an active player after spending one year with the Cleveland Indians in 1990.
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Ken Boyer
Kenton Lloyd Boyer (May 20, 1931 – September 7, 1982) was an American Major League Baseball third baseman and manager. During a 15-year baseball career, he played for 1955–1969 for four different teams, playing primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals. Winner of the 1964 National League MVP Award, he became the second player at his position to hit 250 career home runs, and retired with the third highest slugging average by a third baseman (.462). His 255 homers as a Cardinal rank second for right-handed hitters to Albert Pujols, and rank third in club history to teammate Stan Musial's 475. A five-time Gold Glove Award winner, he also led the NL in double plays five times and retired among the all-time leaders in games (6th, 1,785), assists (6th, 3,652) and double plays (3rd, 355) at third base.
A native of Alba, Missouri, Boyer was one of fourteen children, and two of his brothers also played in the major leagues: older brother Cloyd was a pitcher for the Cardinals in the early 1950s, and younger brother Clete (1937–2007) became a third baseman for the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. Three other brothers played in the minor leagues.
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Ken Singleton
Kenneth Wayne Singleton (born June 10, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player and current television sports commentator. He played as an outfielder and designated hitter in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, and Baltimore Orioles.
Born in Manhattan, New York City, and raised in nearby Mount Vernon, Singleton played both baseball and basketball in high school. He also played baseball in the Bronx Federation League at Macombs Dam Park, across the street from Yankee Stadium. Singleton was drafted out of Hofstra University by the New York Mets as the third overall pick in the 1st round of the 1967 Major League Baseball Draft. He made his major league debut with the Mets on June 24, 1970 at the age of 23. In April 1972, he was part of a package traded to the Montreal Expos for Rusty Staub.
Singleton's best year of the three in Montreal was 1973, when he led the league in on-base percentage (one of nine top-ten finishes in that category over the course of his career) and collected 23 home runs, 103 RBIs and a .302 batting average (first .300 season). Following the 1974 season, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Dave McNally.
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Kent Hrbek
Kent Allen Hrbek ( /ˈhɜrbɛk/; born May 21, 1960 in Minneapolis, Minnesota), nicknamed Herbie, is a former American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the Minnesota Twins (1981–1994). Hrbek batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He hit the first home run in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on April 3, 1982 in an exhibition game against the Phillies. Fans knew Hrbek as an outstanding defensive player, perennial slugger, and charismatic hometown favorite. He attended Kennedy High School in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Kent Hrbek was drafted by the hometown Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft and spent the next three seasons working his way up the Twins' organizational ladder where he would hit 47 home runs and 111 runs batted in while hitting .318 in 253 minor league games. In 1979, Hrbek played 24 games for the rookie league Elizabethton Twins in the Appalachian Rookie League before spending the next two seasons playing A ball, first for the Wisconsin Rapids Twins in the Midwest League and then the Visalia Oaks in the California League. Hrbek made his major league debut on August 24, 1981 at Yankee Stadium, hitting a game-winning home run in the 12th inning off New York reliever, and future Twin, George Frazier .
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King Kelly
Michael Joseph "King" Kelly (December 31, 1857 – November 8, 1894) was an American right fielder, catcher, and manager in various professional American baseball leagues including the National League, International Association, Players' League, and the American Association. He spent the majority of his 16-season playing career with the Chicago White Stockings and the Boston Beaneaters. Kelly was a player-manager three times in his career – in 1887 for the Beaneaters, in 1890 leading the Boston Reds to the pennant in the only season of the Players' League's existence, and in 1891 for the Cincinnati Kelly's Killers - before his retirement in 1893. He is also often credited with helping to popularize various strategies as a player such as the hit and run, the hook slide, and the catcher's practice of backing up first base.
In only the second vote since its creation in 1939 the Old Timers Committee elected Kelly to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
In concluding where to truly give Kelly credit as an innovator, a 2004 book devoted to 19th-century rule bending in baseball—and which came close to exhaustively accounting for all contemporary reporting on various subjects—placed stress on the following: "Kelly's hook slide does sound special, and players probably tried to copy it. Also, he seems to have been the first big leaguer to successfully cut a base (when the usually lone umpire wasn't looking), at least according to the newspaper record." And, "Kelly could have been the first to foul off lots of pitches on purpose. Doing so was a top trick of some Baltimore players of the 1890s. At the turn of the century, that trick was defused when all foul balls began counting as strikes."
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Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett (March 14, 1960 – March 6, 2006) was an American Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins (1984–1995) and is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases. At the time of his retirement, his .318 career batting average was the highest by any right-handed American League batter since Joe DiMaggio.
Puckett was the fourth baseball player during the 20th century to record 1,000 hits in his first five full calendar years in Major League Baseball, and was the second to record 2,000 hits during his first ten full calendar years. After being forced to retire at age 35 due to loss of vision in one eye from a central retinal vein occlusion, Puckett was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 in his first year of eligibility.
Puckett was born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Robert Taylor Homes, a housing project on Chicago's South Side (the escape from which he frequently referred back to during his career). He attended and played baseball for Calumet High School. After receiving no scholarship offers following graduation, Puckett at first went to work on an assembly line for Ford Motor Company. However he was given a chance to attend Bradley University and was a star on the baseball team, despite his under-sized 5' 8" frame, before the Minnesota Twins selected him in the 1st round (3rd pick) of the 1982 MLB Draft.
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Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby (December 13, 1923 – June 18, 2003) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball.
A native of Camden, South Carolina, he was the second black player to play in the modern major leagues and the first to do so in the American League. A center fielder, Doby appeared in seven All-Star games and finished second in the 1954 American League MVP voting. Appointed manager of the Chicago White Sox in 1978, Doby was the second African-American to lead a Major League club. He was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 by the Hall's Veterans Committee.
A local star athlete from Paterson, New Jersey, Doby joined the Newark Eagles in the Negro National League at the age of 17, in 1942, starring as a second baseman. Doby tried out for the Newark Eagles at historic Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. A Negro league umpire by the name of Henry Moore advised Eagles owner Abe Manley to give Doby a try out. Doby worked out with the Eagles prior to a game between the Newark Eagles and the New York Black Yankees (Hinchliffe Stadium was the Black Yankees home ballpark). At his Hall of Fame induction press conference in 1998, Doby said his most memorable moment at Hinchliffe Stadium was trying out for the Eagles, this after having a stellar career as a football and baseball player at Eastside High School. At that time he played under the name Larry Walker to protect his amateur status. His career in Newark was interrupted for two years for service in the Navy. He then rejoined the Eagles in 1946. Along with his partner, fellow Hall of Famer Monte Irvin, Doby led the team to the Negro League Championship.
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Larry Herndon
Larry Darnell Herndon (born November 3, 1953) is a former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals (1974), San Francisco Giants (1976–1981), and Detroit Tigers (1982–1988). Currently, Herndon serves as a coach for the Lakeland Flying Tigers.
He won the 1981 Willie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership.
Herndon was particularly known for his time with the Tigers. He hit a two-out, two-run home run in Game 1 of the 1984 World Series against the San Diego Padres that proved to be the game winner, and also caught the final out of the Series—a fly ball to left field off the bat of Padres star Tony Gwynn. Three years later, Herndon hit a solo home run on the final day of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays. It was the only run in a 1–0 Detroit victory over the Blue Jays that clinched the American League East division title by two games. Herndon retired with the Tigers and served as the team's major league hitting coach.[citation needed]
By hitting a home run in his final at bat on May 17, 1982 and his first three at bats on May 18, 1982, Herndon shares the major-league record for home runs hit in consecutive at bats (four).[citation needed]
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Larry Walker
Larry Kenneth Robert Walker (born December 1, 1966) is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1989 through 2005, Walker played for the Montreal Expos (1989–1994), Colorado Rockies (1995–2004), and St. Louis Cardinals (2004–2005). He announced his retirement after Game 6 of the 2005 National League Championship Series.
Walker grew up playing ice hockey and dreamed of a career in the NHL as a goaltender, only playing baseball for fun during the summer. At the age of 16, he was offered tryouts with Junior A teams in Regina, SK and Kelowna, BC, but after getting cut from both teams, Walker decided to focus his athletic aspirations on baseball.
Walker was selected to join the Canadian team at the 1984 World Youth Championships in Saskatchewan. At that tournament, he caught the eye of Montreal Expos scouting director Jim Fanning, who signed Walker for $1500, despite Walker's relative lack of experience playing organized baseball.
Although he could hit fastballs well, Walker was unprepared for the more sophisticated pitches he encountered during his first season as a professional with the Utica Blue Sox and struggled at the plate, finishing with a .223 average and only 2 home runs. Walker feared he would be released, but Expos hitting coach Ralph Rowe successfully argued that Walker should be sent to the Florida Instructional League. With further tutelage, Walker soon developed into one of the Expos' best young prospects, overcoming a serious knee injury along the way.
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Lennie Clements
Lennie Clements (born January 20, 1957) is an American professional golfer.
Clements was born in Cherry Point, North Carolina. He played college golf at San Diego State University where he was a three-time All-American. He was inducted into the San Diego State Aztec Hall of Fame in 1999.
Clements turned professional in 1980. He played on the PGA Tour from 1981 to 1998. His best finish was a T-2 at the 1994 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. His best finish in a major was a T-9 at the 1987 U.S.Open. He also played a few events on the Ben Hogan Tour in 1991 and 1992, winning at the 1992 Ben Hogan Greater Ozarks Open.
DNP = Did not play
WD = withdrew from tournament
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Yellow background for top-10.
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Lenny Dykstra
Leonard Kyle "Lenny" Dykstra ( /ˈdaɪkstrə/; born February 10, 1963 in Santa Ana, California), nicknamed "Nails" and "Dude", is a former Major League Baseball center fielder. Dykstra played for the New York Mets during the late 1980s before playing for the Philadelphia Phillies during the early 1990s.
Dykstra was signed by the Mets as a 13th round draft pick in 1981. A star in the minors, in 1983 he led the Carolina League in at-bats, runs, hits, triples, batting average, and stolen bases with 105, which was a league record for 17 years. That season, he batted .358 with 8 HR, 81 RBI, and 105 stolen bases while recording 107 walks against just 35 strikeouts. He was consequently named the Carolina League's MVP. Dykstra soon emerged as one of the Mets' prized prospects, and while playing in AA in 1984, he befriended fellow outfielder and teammate Billy Beane. Beane would later say that Dykstra was "perfectly designed, emotionally" to play baseball and that he had "no concept of failure." According to Beane, his first comments upon seeing Steve Carlton warming up on the mound were, "Shit, I'll stick him."
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Lloyd Waner
Lloyd James Waner (March 16, 1906 – July 22, 1982), nicknamed "Little Poison", was a Major League Baseball center fielder. His small stature at 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) and 132 lb (68 kg) made him one of the smallest players of his era. Along with his brother, Paul Waner, he anchored the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield throughout the 1920s and 1930s. He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.
Lloyd Waner was born on March 16, 1906 in Harrah, Oklahoma, and grew up on a farm with his older brother, Paul. The two worked from dawn to dusk every day, and baseball was their only form of entertainment. Influenced by their father, who was a minor league player in Oklahoma City, Paul and Lloyd's love and natural talent for the game developed over the years. The Waners learned to hit against corncobs and cut down saplings in the woods to use as bats.
Lloyd graduated from McLoud High School and attended three semesters at East Central State University in Ada before going into professional baseball.
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Lou Brock
Louis Clark "Lou" Brock (born June 18, 1939) is an American former professional baseball player. He began his Major League Baseball career with the Chicago Cubs but, spent the majority of his career as the left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was best known for breaking Ty Cobb's all-time major league stolen base record. He is currently a special instructor coach for the St. Louis Cardinals. Brock was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Brock was born in El Dorado, Arkansas to a family of sharecroppers. His family moved to Collinston, Louisiana when he was two years old. While his family didn't have much money, he said that he never felt poor because,"If you don't have something, you don't miss it." Brock grew up as a fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers, the team that included Jackie Robinson, Don Newcombe and Roy Campanella. Although he didn't play in organized baseball until he reached the 11th grade, he learned much about the sport from listening to Cardinals radio broadcaster Harry Caray describe the way major league hitters stood at the plate. After attending high school in Mer Rouge, Louisiana, he received academic assistance to attend Southern University in Baton Rouge but, when a low grade in his first semester meant the possibility of losing his scholarship, he decided to try out for the school's baseball team in order to secure an athletic scholarship.
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Marc Fein
Marc Fein (born Marc Alan Fein October 21, 1967 in Miami, Florida) is a sports journalist,sports news anchor, and television sports studio host, formerly one of the main studio hosts for the NBA TV show, NBA Gametime Live. He is also the host of its show, The Beat, and has been the substitute host for Ernie Johnson on the NBA on TNT. * He currently covers NASCAR racing with Turner Sports on the TBS network.
Prior to his present work at NBA TV, Fein was at one time the exclusive studio host for and NASCAR on TNT Live!. He formerly hosted TBS College Football and TBS Baseball. He has also hosted Atlanta Thrashers broadcasts on Turner South before the station was sold to NewsCorp.
Prior to joining Turner Sports, Fein worked as a sports anchor, host and reporter for KDFW-TV in Dallas, Texas. He also hosted a pre-game show for the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars. Before joining KDFW, Fein worked at CNN and CNNSI; and contributed a weekly column for CNNSI.com. In 2009, he filled in for Chip Caray on selected Braves games on Peachtree TV. In 2011, he moved back to Dallas and is one of the current news anchors at KXAS.
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Mark McGwire
Mark David McGwire (born October 1, 1963), nicknamed "Big Mac", is an American former professional baseball player who played his major league career with the Oakland Athletics and the St. Louis Cardinals. He is currently the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals.
For his career, McGwire averaged a home run once every 10.61 at bats, the lowest at bats per home run ratio in baseball history (Babe Ruth is second at 11.76). In 1987, he broke the single-season home run record for rookies, with 49. In 1998, McGwire and Sammy Sosa achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' single season home run record; McGwire broke the record and hit 70 home runs that year.Barry Bonds now holds the record, after hitting 73 home runs during the 2001 season.
After three years at Southern California and a stint on the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, McGwire was drafted 10th overall by the Oakland Athletics in the 1984 Major League Baseball Draft.
McGwire made the major leagues in August. As a rookie in 1987 he hit 33 homers before the All-Star break and was a unanimous choice for AL Rookie of the Year after finishing with 49 homers, 118 RBI and a .289 average. His 49 longballs smashed the old rookie record of 38, jointly held by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger. He sat out the season's final two games and gave up a chance at 50 home runs to be present at the birth of his first child.
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Marquis Grissom
Marquis Deon Grissom ( /mɑrˈkiːs/; born April 17, 1967) is a former American Major League Baseball player. In 2009, Grissom served as the first base coach for the Washington Nationals.
Grissom was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Lakeshore High School in Atlanta, and excelled in high school baseball.
Grissom played baseball at Florida A&M University, and in 1988, the Montreal Expos selected him with the 76th overall pick in the June draft, as part of that draft's third round. He had been considered a prospect as both a pitcher and an outfielder, but the Expos decided to have him abandon the mound and work solely as a position player. He made his professional debut with the Jamestown Expos of the New York-Penn League that fall and advanced quickly through the system, first appearing in the majors on August 22, 1989. He showed steady improvement for the next few seasons, gradually developing into a star as Montreal's leadoff hitter and center fielder. He led the National League in stolen bases in 1991 and 1992, was a member of the NL All-Star team in 1993 and 1994, and won four consecutive Gold Gloves, the first coming in 1993.
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Matt Holliday
Matthew Thomas Holliday (born January 15, 1980), is an American Major League Baseball left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. Holliday was originally drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the seventh round of the 1998 Major League Baseball Draft.
Holliday is a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner. He was the runner-up in the National League MVP voting for the 2007 Major League Baseball season. He won the 2007 National League Championship Series MVP as he helped guide the Rockies to their first-ever National League pennant and World Series appearance.
Holliday was recruited out of Stillwater High School, in Oklahoma to play quarterback at Oklahoma State, but he chose to sign with the Colorado Rockies and was signed by scout Pat Daugherty. As a senior, Holiday earned All-American honors in football and baseball and also earned his region's Gatorade Player of the Year award in both sports. He also competed for the 1997 USA Junior National Team.
On December 14, 2007, Holliday had his #24 high school jersey retired in a ceremony at Stillwater High School. Businesses in Stillwater were also asked to honor Holliday that day by posting a "Welcome Home Matt Holliday" message on a marquee or window.
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Matt Vasgersian
Matt Vasgersian (born September 28, 1967) is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a host for the MLB Network and has served as an announcer for NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympics, and on Fox Sports' MLB coverage. He formerly called play-by-play for the Milwaukee Brewers and the San Diego Padres.
Vasgersian started his media career as a child actor. A member of the Screen Actors Guild at age seven, he appeared in an episode of The Streets of San Francisco and the movie The Candidate. A native Californian of Armenian descent, Vasgersian graduated from the University of Southern California where he was a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity. While a student at USC, he appeared on The New Dating Game, winning a trip to Telluride, CO.
Vasgersian has worked in baseball since 1991, starting with a six-year stint in the Minor Leagues as a play-by-play announcer. He began his career as a sportscaster with the Chicago Cubs Rookie league affiliate in Huntington, West Virginia on radio station WKEE-AM 800 and was the voice of the High Desert Mavericks (Seattle Mariners affiliate) on radio station KAPL. He moved up the minor league baseball ranks over the next several years, working for various clubs in a number of different organizations, ending with the AAA Tucson Toros in 1996.
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Matt Winer
Matthew Ward Winer (born January 10, 1969) is an American television personality for Turner Sports and formerly with ESPN.
Turner Sports signed Winer in 2010 to contribute to coverage of sports across its networks. He became the primary studio host for Major League Baseball on TBS, replacing Ernie Johnson Jr., who moved into a play-by-play role. He is also a studio host on NBA TV, and contributes to TNT's coverage of NASCAR and the PGA Tour.
Winer worked for ESPN from 2001 through 2009 He was often seen as an anchor on ESPNEWS and the 6:00pm ET edition of SportsCenter, or as a host of NBA Fastbreak and College Football Scoreboard. He also hosted the SportsCenter 30 at 30 Update during Saturday Night Football and game updates during ABC's coverage of college football.
Prior to ESPN, Winer worked at four different television stations: KSDK-TV in St. Louis, Missouri, WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, WJTV-TV in Jackson, Mississippi, and KTVQ-TV in Billings, Montana.
Winer is a graduate of the University of Missouri and was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He has been nominated for four regional sports Emmys.
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Matty Alou
Mateo Rojas "Matty" Alou (December 22, 1938 – November 3, 2011) was a Dominican outfielder who spent fifteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the San Francisco Giants (1960–1965), Pittsburgh Pirates (1966–1970), St. Louis Cardinals (1971–1972, 1973), Oakland Athletics (1972), New York Yankees (1973) and San Diego Padres (1974). He also played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) with the Taiheiyo Club Lions from 1974 through 1976.
He was the middle of a trio of baseball-playing brothers that included the older Felipe and Jesús. They were the first set of three siblings to play together in the same outfield (on September 15). and all bat in the same half-inning in the majors (September 10) , accomplishing both with the Giants in 1963. Matty had been teammates with Felipe during the prior three campaigns, and would do likewise with Jesús for the following two. Matty and Felipe later reunited with the Yankees in 1973.
Alou's best years as a player were spent with the Pirates, where he won the National League (NL) batting title in 1966 and was a two-time All-Star in 1968 and 1969. He was a member of a World Series Champion with the Athletics in 1972 and a NL pennant winner with the Giants in 1962.
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Max Carey
Max George Carey (January 11, 1890 – May 30, 1976) was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball who starred for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961. During his 20-year career, he led the league in stolen bases ten times and finished with 738 swipes, a National League record until 1974 and still the 9th-highest total in major league history.
Max Carey was born as Maximillian George Carnarius in Terre Haute, Indiana. He first adopted the name Max Carey when he played his first professional baseball game in order to retain his amateur status at Concordia College; the name would stick with him for his entire career.
Carey played for the Pirates from his arrival in the league in 1910 until 1926, winning a World Series championship in 1925. He was known as a skilled fielder and excellent base stealer. He regularly stole 40 or more bases and maintained a favorable steal percentage; in 1922 he stole 51 bases and was caught only twice. He also stole home 33 times in his career, second best only to Ty Cobb's 50 on the all-time list.
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Michael Bourn
Michael Ray Bourn (born December 27, 1982) is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball. He serves as the Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter. He has also been a member of the United States national baseball team.
Bourn was raised in Houston, where he attended Nimitz High School, graduating in 2000. He later played college baseball at Houston as a scholarship player, before being drafted into the Major League. In 2009 and in 2010, Bourn won consecutive Gold Glove Awards.
Bourn earned an NCAA Division I baseball scholarship at the University of Houston, where he played for three seasons. While he displayed little power, collecting only two home runs and 23 extra-base hits in 644 at-bats, he won attention from professional scouts by posting a .431 on-base percentage and stealing 90 bases in 119 attempts. He is well known for his ability to steal bases and hit for average.
In June of 2003, immediately following his junior year season, Bourn was drafted in the 4th round (115th overall) of baseball's first-year player draft by the Philadelphia Phillies, who were attempting that season to stockpile players with speed. Bourn signed shortly after the draft and was assigned to play for the Batavia Muckdogs of the short-season New York - Penn League.
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Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995) was an American baseball center fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974 and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team in 1999.
Mantle was noted for his hitting ability, both for average and for power.[citation needed] He won the Triple Crown in 1956, leading MLB in batting average, home runs, and runs batted in (RBI). He received three American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Awards and played in twenty All-Star games. Mantle appeared in 12 World Series, winning 7 of them. He holds the records for most World Series home runs (18), RBIs (40), runs (42), walks (43), extra-base hits (26), and total bases (123). He is also the career leader in walk-off home runs, with a combined thirteen, twelve in the regular season and one in the postseason.
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Miguel Cabrera
José Miguel Cabrera Torres (born April 18, 1983) commonly known as Miguel Cabrera, and nicknamed "Miggy", or "Cabby", is a Venezuelan professional baseball third baseman with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed.
He is a six-time All-Star, having been selected to the National League All-Star Team in 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, and also the American League All-Star Team in 2010 and 2011. Cabrera has started at least 100 games at first base, third base, left field and right field. He progressed through the Florida Marlins minor-league system, before being called up from the Double-A Carolina Mudcats in June 2003. Cabrera went on to provide boost needed to help the Florida Marlins win the World Series that year as their clean-up hitter.
Cabrera is widely considered to be one of the best pure hitters in baseball, hitting at a high average with power to all fields. He has posted at least 30 home runs in seven of his previous eight seasons while batting .320 during that period. Cabrera has also driven in over 100 runs every season aside from his rookie campaign when he played in only 87 games. He has been an MVP caliber player since entering the majors at just 20 years old, having received MVP votes in each of his nine major league seasons, and placing in the top five in the previous three. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim starting pitcher Dan Haren is quoted saying, "You're going to make good pitches, and [Cabrera] is going to hit them."
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Mike Cameron
Michael Terrance Cameron (born January 8, 1973, in LaGrange, Georgia) is a American former professional Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox, and Florida Marlins.
In 2002, Cameron became the 13th player to hit four home runs in one game. He was also a All-Star in 2001 and won Gold Gloves in 2001, 2003, and 2006.
Cameron attended LaGrange High School in LaGrange, Georgia.
Cameron was drafted out of high school by the Chicago White Sox in 1991. His major league debut took place on August 27, 1995, with the White Sox. In 1997 he won a starting job as the team's regular center fielder.
He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for Paul Konerko in 1998.
Along with three other players he was traded to the Seattle Mariners for Ken Griffey, Jr. before the 2000 season.
Cameron tied a major league record on May 2, 2002 when he hit four home runs in one game becoming only the 15th player in MLB history to do this. In his fifth at bat, he hit one to the warning track, just missing what would have been a record setting fifth home run. He played in the All-Star Game in 2001 and has reached the postseason twice and won the Gold Glove Award in 2001, 2003, and 2006 for his defensive play in the outfield. He led all major league center fielders in range factor (3.42) in 2003.
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Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt (born September 27, 1949) is a Hall of Fame third baseman, widely considered as the greatest at the position in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Schmidt had an unusual batting stance, turning his back somewhat to the pitcher and shaking his derrière while waiting for the pitch. By standing far back in the batter's box, he made it impossible to jam him by pitching inside. Schmidt was one of the best athletes of his time; teammate Pete Rose once said, "To have his body, I'd trade him mine and my wife's, and I'd throw in some cash."
Upon graduation from Fairview High School in Dayton, Ohio in 1967, Schmidt attended Ohio University in Athens, where he joined Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Schmidt led the Ohio Bobcats baseball team to the College World Series in 1970, and was drafted by the Phillies in the second round of the 1971 Major League Baseball Draft with the 30th overall pick.
On June 11, 1971, he was signed by scout Tony Lucadello, who had followed him since Little League Baseball. Six days later, Schmidt made his professional debut in an exhibition game between the Phillies and the Reading Phillies in Reading. Schmidt played the whole game at shortstop for the Phillies and hit a game-winning home run against Reading. Along with shortstop and third base, Schmidt also played some second base in the minors.
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Mike Timlin
Michael August Timlin ( /ˈtɪmlɪn/; born March 10, 1966, in Midland, Texas) is a former relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.
Timlin was born in Midland, Texas to Jerome Francis Timlin Sr. and Nancy Sharon Beyer. Timlin graduated from Midland High School in Midland, Texas. He then attended and pitched at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta.
Timlin was known for his 93 MPH fastball.[citation needed] His sliders and sinkers had a downward break, inducing a significant number of ground balls. Timlin assisted on the final out of 1992 World Series in Game 6 by fielding a bunt by Atlanta Braves outfielder Otis Nixon and throwing to Joe Carter at first base. Timlin also recorded a save for the game. Joe Carter gave Timlin the game ball shortly after the play was made.
Timlin did not allow a run during the 2003 postseason.
In 2004, Timlin made 76 pitching appearances, the third-most in Red Sox history and tied for fourth in American League history. On September 3, he made his 800th major league appearance, becoming only the 29th pitcher in major league history to reach that mark. Timlin made his 1,000th career appearance on August 31, 2007, against the Baltimore Orioles.
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Moisés Alou
Moisés Rojas Alou (English /ˈmɔɪzɨs əˈluː/; Spanish: [moiˈses aˈlo.u]; born July 3, 1966 in Atlanta, Georgia) is a former Dominican-American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for 17 seasons in the National League. In 1,942 career games, Alou had a batting average of .303 with 2,134 hits, 421 doubles, 332 home runs, and 1,287 runs batted in. Because of his status as a five-tool player and his excellent career numbers, Alou is considered by many to be one of the best outfielders of the 1990s and 2000s.
His father Felipe, who managed Moises with the Expos from 1992 to 1996 and the Giants from 2005 to 2006, as well as uncles Matty and Jesús, and cousin Mel Rojas, all had long careers in Major League Baseball. As of 2008, he was one of four active major leaguers (along with Prince Fielder, Ken Griffey, Jr., and Daryle Ward) to hit 20 home runs in a season whose fathers had also hit 20 home runs in an MLB season. Alou is married to Austria Alou; they have three sons: Percio, Kirby and Moisés Jr.
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Nate Colbert
Nathan Colbert Jr. (born April 9, 1946 in St. Louis, Missouri), is a former American Major League Baseball player who was a first baseman with the Houston Astros (1966, 1968), San Diego Padres (1969–74), Detroit Tigers (1975), Montreal Expos (1975–76) and Oakland Athletics (1976).
Signed by his hometown St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1964, Colbert saw some action with the Houston Astros in 1966 and 1968 before being selected by the Padres in the December 1968 expansion draft. In 1969, the Padres' inaugural season, and his first full season in the big leagues, Colbert hit 24 homers, which led the club in home runs, and drove in 66 runs while batting .255. He was a National League All-Star from 1971 to 1973. Colbert's best day in the majors was August 1, 1972, when he slammed 5 home runs - one of two players to have done so - and drove in 13 runs in a doubleheader, breaking Stan Musial's record of 11 runs batted in. Coincidentally, a young Nate had attended the game where Stan originally set the record. This helped the Padres sweep the Atlanta Braves, 9-0 and 11-7.
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Nate McLouth
Nathan Richard McLouth (born October 28, 1981 in Muskegon, Michigan) is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has also played for the Atlanta Braves. Primarily a center fielder, McLouth bats from the left side and throws from the right. He is 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighs 185 pounds. His last name is commonly mispronounced; the correct pronunciation rhymes with the word "mouth", rather than the word "youth".
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Nate Wright
Nate Wright played professional American football in the NFL from 1969-1980.
Wright earned All-Pro honors at defensive back in 1974 and 1976. His career consisted mostly of time as a defensive back with the great Minnesota Vikings teams of the 1970s. He totaled 34 interceptions and three fumble recoveries in 156 professional games.
He was an All-Conference player from two years at San Diego State University after transferring from Monterey Peninsula College before turning pro.
He attended high school in Monterey, California.
He was the defensive player who was covering Drew Pearson during the 1975 NFC Playoffs on the infamous Hail Mary pass in the 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff Game between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, played on December 28, 1975. Some observers[who?] and Viking players believed that Pearson pushed off on Wright, causing him to fall down and thus allowing Pearson to catch the pass from Roger Staubach and score the winning touchdown. However no penalty was called on Pearson.
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Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. (born on January 31, 1947), nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers.
During a major league record 27-year baseball career, he pitched in 1966 and from 1968 to 1993 for four different teams: the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ryan, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, threw pitches that were regularly recorded above 100 miles per hour (160.93 km/h). The high velocity remained throughout his career, even into his 40s. Ryan was also known to throw a devastating 12–6 curveball at exceptional velocity for a breaking ball.
While his lifetime winning percentage was a relatively pedestrian .526, Ryan was an eight-time MLB All-Star, and his 5,714 career strikeouts rank first in baseball history by a significant margin. He leads the runner-up, Randy Johnson, by 839 strikeouts. Similarly, Ryan's 2,795 bases on balls lead second-place Steve Carlton by 962—walking over 50% more hitters than any other pitcher in Major League history. Other than Jackie Robinson (whose number was retired by the entire MLB), Ryan is currently the only major league baseball player to have his number retired by at least 3 different teams: the Angels, Astros, and Rangers.
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Nomar Garciaparra
Anthony Nomar Garciaparra ( /ˈnoʊmɑr ɡɑrˌsiːəˈpɑrə/; born July 23, 1973, in Whittier, California) is a former Major League Baseball player and current ESPN analyst. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and shortstop and third base for the Chicago Cubs. He is one of 13 players in Major League history to hit two grand slams during a single game, and the only player to achieve the feat at his home stadium.
Garciaparra attended St. Mary's of the Assumption School in Whittier, California for elementary school; for high school he attended St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California, where he excelled in football, soccer, and baseball, and had a 3.9 GPA. His teams won high school league championships in 1990–91, and he won the league MVP honors in 1991, his last year of high school. St. John Bosco High School retired Garciaparra's baseball jersey. St. John Bosco High School's Activities Office window is home to an area dedicated to Garciaparra's baseball career both at the school and with the Dodgers.
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Omar Minaya
Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya y Sánchez (born November 10, 1958) is the current Sr. VP of Baseball Operations for the San Diego Padres. He previously served as General Manager for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.
Born in the Dominican Republic, he moved to Elmhurst, in Queens, New York City at the age of eight and grew up in Corona. Minaya starred as a baseball player at Newtown High School in Elmhurst.
Minaya was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th Round (342nd overall) of the 1978 Major League Baseball Draft. He had a short-lived career in the minor leagues as well as stints in leagues in both the Dominican Republic and Italy.
After injuries ended his playing career, Minaya joined the Texas Rangers' scouting team in 1985, where he helped in the signing of players such as Sammy Sosa and Juan González.
In the mid-1990s, Minaya left Texas and returned home to join the staff of the New York Mets, working his way to Assistant General Manager behind Steve Phillips and being partly responsible for that team's late-1990s success. Minaya became the first Hispanic to hold a general manager position in Major League Baseball when he left the Mets in early 2002 to accept the General Manager position with the Montréal Expos. He returned to the Mets as General Manager following the 2004 season.
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Orel Hershiser
Orel Leonard Hershiser IV (born September 16, 1958) is an American former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. He is currently an analyst for Baseball Tonight and Sunday Night Baseball on ESPN and a professional poker player for PokerStars. In 1988, he won the Gold Glove, Cy Young Award, the NLCS MVP and the World Series MVP with the Dodgers.
Known for his slight frame and fierce competitive spirit, Hershiser was nicknamed "Bulldog" by team manager Tommy Lasorda.
Hershiser was born in Buffalo, New York to Mildred I. Gillman and Orel Leonard Hershiser III. From 1973 to 1975, he participated in ice hockey with the Don Mills Flyers of the Greater Toronto Hockey League. He attended Cherry Hill High School East in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where he was the star pitcher on the school's baseball team. He first caught the attention of pro scouts as a pitcher at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.
Hershiser was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 17th round of the 1979 amateur draft and was assigned to their Class A farm team, Clinton Dodgers. He spent four more seasons in the minor leagues with AA San Antonio Dodgers and AAA Albuquerque Dukes before being called up to the major leagues.
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Oscar Charleston
Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder and manager in baseball's Negro leagues from 1915 to 1945.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Charleston joined the Army at 15 and served in the Philippines. After returning to the United States, he immediately began his baseball career with the Indianapolis ABC's in 1915. He served as a player and/or manager for the ABCs, Chicago American Giants, Lincoln Stars, St. Louis Giants, Harrisburg Giants, Philadelphia Hilldales, Homestead Grays, and Pittsburgh Crawfords.
An intense, focused, and intelligent man, Charleston was among the most renowned players of his time, a tremendous power and contact hitter and one of the finest defensive center fielders of all-time. His career batting average was .348, and he regularly finished among league leaders in both home runs and stolen bases. He was also known for his combative nature, getting into many brawls, including at least one memorable fight with an array of Cuban soldiers.
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Ozzie Smith
Osborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith (born December 26, 1954) is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996. Nicknamed "The Wizard" for his defensive brilliance, Smith set major league records for career assists (8,375) and double plays (1,590) by a shortstop (the latter since broken by Omar Vizquel), as well as the National League (NL) record with 2,511 career games at the position; Smith won the NL Gold Glove Award for play at shortstop for 13 consecutive seasons (1980–1992). A 15-time All-Star, he accumulated 2,460 hits and 580 stolen bases during his career, and won the NL Silver Slugger Award as the best-hitting shortstop in 1987. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 2002.
Smith was born in Mobile, Alabama, but his family moved to Watts, Los Angeles when he was six years old. While participating in childhood athletic activities, Smith developed quick reflexes; he went on to play baseball in high school and college, at Los Angeles' Locke High School and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo respectively. Drafted as an amateur player by the Padres, Smith made his major league debut in 1978. He quickly established himself as an outstanding fielder, and later became known for performing backflips on special occasions while taking his position at the beginning of a game. Smith won his first Gold Glove Award in 1980, and made his first All-Star Game appearance in 1981. When conflict with Padres' ownership developed, he was traded to the Cardinals for shortstop Garry Templeton in 1982.
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Paul Hines
Paul Aloysius Hines (March 1, 1855 – July 10, 1935) was an American center fielder in professional baseball who played in the National Association and Major League Baseball from 1872 to 1891. Born in Virginia, he is credited with winning baseball's first triple crown in 1878; the accomplishment was not noted at the time, as runs batted in would not be counted until years later, home runs were rare and home run leadership obscure, and Abner Dalrymple was then erroneously recognized as the batting champion. There is some controversy over whether Hines was also the first player to turn an unassisted triple play.
Hines probably practiced with the original Washington Nationals or played on its junior team before joining the National Association with that club in 1872. When the original Chicago White Stockings resumed play in 1874, the teenage Hines played every game, usually in center field. He remained with the club four seasons, including the inaugural National League championship season of 1876, and then played eight seasons for the Providence Grays from 1878 to 1885, that club's entire major league association including two more pennants. He remained an every day major league center fielder through two seasons for a new Washington Nationals club and one for the Indianapolis Hoosiers, shifting to first base for a second Indianapolis season in 1889. He returned to center field with gradually declining playing time for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, Boston Beaneaters and Washington Statesmen in 1890 and 1891. As of 2006 he is commonly listed as the oldest player in the major leagues during those seasons, ages 38 and 39, but recent research has shown that he was three years younger. He finished his professional career splitting 1896 between Burlington, Iowa and Mobile, Alabama at age 41.
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Paul Molitor
Paul Leo Molitor (born August 22, 1956), nicknamed "Molly" and "The Ignitor", is an American former Major League Baseball designated hitter and infielder. During his 21-year baseball career, he played for the Milwaukee Brewers (1978–1992), Toronto Blue Jays (1993–1995), and Minnesota Twins (1996–1998). In 2004, he was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, becoming one of the first players who spent a significant portion of his career as a designated hitter to be enshrined. He was known for his exceptional hitting and speed.
Molitor was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. After graduating from Cretin-Derham Hall High School, he was selected in the 28th round of the 1974 free agent draft as a pitcher by the St. Louis Cardinals, but opted instead to attend college at the University of Minnesota. He was a three year starter for the Golden Gophers, earning All American honors as a shortstop for his sophomore and junior years. After his junior year in college, he was selected third overall in the 1978 free agent draft by the Milwaukee Brewers. He signed with the Brewers and began his professional career in Iowa, playing for the Class A Burlington Bees of the Midwest League.
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Pee Wee Reese
Harold Peter Henry "Pee Wee" Reese (July 23, 1918 – August 14, 1999) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1940 to 1958. A ten-time All Star, Reese contributed to seven National League championships for the Dodgers and, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984. Reese is also famous for his support of his teammate Jackie Robinson, the first modern African American player in the major leagues, especially in Robinson's difficult first years.
Reese's nickname originated in his childhood, as he was a champion marbles player (a little "pee wee" is a small marble). Reese was born in Ekron, Meade County, Kentucky, and raised there until he was nearly eight years old, when his family moved to racially segregated Louisville. In high school, Reese was so small that he did not play baseball until senior year, at which time he weighed only 120 pounds and played just six games as a second baseman. He graduated from duPont Manual High School in 1937.[citation needed] He worked as a cable splicer for the Louisville phone company, only playing amateur baseball in a church league. When his team reached the league championship, the minor league Louisville Colonels allowed them to play the championship game on their field. Reese impressed Colonels owner Cap Neal who signed him to a contract for a $200 bonus.
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Pete Hill
John Preston "Pete" Hill (October 12, 1882 – December 19, 1951) was an American outfielder and manager in baseball's Negro Leagues from 1899 to 1925. (Although older histories and Hill's former Hall of Fame plaque listed his full name as Joseph Preston Hill, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 12, 1880, recent research has shown that his first name was "John," and that he was probably born in Culpeper County, Virginia on October 12, 1882, though some sources indicate a birth year of 1883 or 1884.) He played for the Philadelphia Giants, Leland Giants, Chicago American Giants, Detroit Stars, Milwaukee Bears, and Baltimore Black Sox. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
Hill was born in Virginia and was living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania at the time of the 1900 Census. The 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m), 215 pound Hill was considered the most important member of three of the most talented Negro League teams to ever play. From 1904 through 1907, he was the star left fielder for Sol White's great-hitting Philadelphia Giants. While with the Leland Giants, Rube Foster considered Hill his "field general" and it was his job to be almost a "second manager."
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Pete Reiser
Harold Patrick "Pete" Reiser (March 17, 1919 – October 25, 1981), nicknamed "Pistol Pete," was an outfielder in Major League Baseball during the 1940s and early 1950s. He played primarily for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and later for the Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Indians.
A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Reiser originally signed with his hometown Cardinals, but at age 19 he was among a group of minor league players declared free agents by Commissioner of Baseball Kenesaw Mountain Landis. Reportedly, Cardinal general manager Branch Rickey — mortified at losing a player of Reiser's caliber — arranged for the Dodgers to sign Reiser, hide him in the minors, then trade him back to St. Louis at a later date. But Reiser's stellar performances in spring training in both 1939 and 1940 forced the Dodgers to keep him. (Rickey would become GM of the Dodgers after the 1942 season, and witness Reiser's injury-caused decline as a great talent.)
As a rookie in 1941, Reiser helped the Dodgers take home the pennant. He was a sensation that year, winning the National League batting title and also leading the league in doubles, triples, runs scored, and slugging percentage. The following season, he was hitting .383 in August until he ran into a concrete outfield wall while running at full speed. That incident robbed him of any more effective play that year, and caused Brooklyn's drop in the NL standings.
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Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose (born April 14, 1941), nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989.
Rose, a switch hitter, is the all-time Major League leader in hits (4,256), games played (3,562), at-bats (14,053) and outs (10,328). He won three World Series rings, three batting titles, one Most Valuable Player Award, two Gold Gloves, the Rookie of the Year Award, and made 17 All-Star appearances at an unequaled five different positions (2B, LF, RF, 3B & 1B).
In August 1989, three years after he retired as an active player, Rose agreed to permanent ineligibility from baseball amidst accusations that he gambled on baseball games while playing for and managing the Reds, including claims that he bet on his own team. In 1991, the Baseball Hall of Fame formally voted to ban those on the "permanently ineligible" list from induction, after previously excluding such players by informal agreement among voters. In 2004, after years of public denial, Rose admitted to betting on baseball and on, but not against, the Reds. The issue of Rose's possible re-instatement, and election, to the Hall of Fame remains a contentious one throughout baseball.
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Peter Gammons
Peter Gammons (born April 9, 1945) is an American sportswriter, media personality, and a recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA.
Gammons went to Groton School, an elite prep school in his hometown, Groton, MA. After graduating from Groton in 1965, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he was a member of St. Anthony Hall. He worked for the university's student-run newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel. After graduating in 1969, he began his journalism career at The Boston Globe.
Gammons was a featured writer at The Boston Globe for many years as the main journalist covering the Boston Red Sox. (1969–1975, 1978–1986), or as a national baseball columnist. Between his two stints as a baseball columnist with the Globe, he was lead baseball columnist for Sports Illustrated (1976–78, 1986–90), where he covered baseball, hockey, and college basketball. Gammons also wrote a column for The Sporting News in the 1980s.
Gammons has also authored numerous baseball books, including Beyond the Sixth Game.
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Phil Niekro
Philip Henry Niekro (born April 1, 1939), nicknamed "Knucksie" because of his usage and skill level with the knuckleball, is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.
A native of Blaine, Ohio, Niekro attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, Ohio, and was a boyhood friend of NBA Hall-of-Famer John Havlicek. Phil and his younger brother, fellow major league pitcher Joe Niekro, learned to throw a knuckleball from their father Joe Niekro, Sr. in their backyard as kids.
Niekro's 318 career victories are the most by a knuckleball pitcher, and he currently ranks 16th on the overall all-time wins list. He also won the National League Gold Glove Award five times. Phil and Joe Niekro amassed 539 wins between them, the most combined wins by brothers in baseball history. Phil Niekro's 121 career victories after the age of 40 is a major league record, and his longevity is attributed to the knuckleball, which, while a difficult pitch for pitchers to master, is easy on the arm and often baffles hitters due to its fluttering trajectory. He is also the uncle of former first baseman and pitcher Lance Niekro. The baseball field in Phil's hometown of Bridgeport, Ohio has been named Niekro Diamond in honor of Phil and Joe Niekro.
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Rachel Robinson
Rachel Robinson (born Rachel Annetta Isum on July 19, 1922) is a former nurse and the widow of baseball player Jackie Robinson. She was born in Los Angeles, and attended the University of California, Los Angeles. There, she met Jackie in 1941, and they married in 1946. A baby, Jackie Robinson, Jr., was born to her in November 1946. The Robinsons would later have a daughter, Sharon, and another son, David.
After Jackie Robinson's retirement from baseball, Rachel Robinson pursued her nursing career, eventually becoming an Assistant Professor at Yale School of Nursing and later, the Director of Nursing at the Connecticut Mental Health Center.
In 1973, after Jackie died, Rachel founded the Jackie Robinson Foundation. In 2009, she received the UCLA Medal from Chancellor Gene Block for her lifetime achievements. The UCLA Medal is the university’s highest honor and was created to "honor those individuals who have made extraordinary and distinguished contributions to their professions, to higher education, to our society, and to the people of UCLA."
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Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964 in Havana, Cuba) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. He played for the Cubs (1986–1988), Texas Rangers (1989–1993, 1999–2003), and the Baltimore Orioles (1994–1998, 2004–2005). He was named to the MLB All-Star Team four times, and won the Gold Glove three times. He is a member of the exclusive 500 home run club and the 3,000 hit club and is only the fourth player in history to be a member of both.
Days after recording his 3,000th hit, Palmeiro was suspended for testing positive for an anabolic steroid.
Palmeiro was born in Havana, Cuba and graduated from Miami Jackson High School. He played college baseball at Mississippi State University. Although he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 8th round of the 1982 draft, he did not sign. On June 11, 1985, Palmeiro signed with the Chicago Cubs as the 22nd pick in the 1st round of the 1985 draft. Rafael Palmeiro played baseball during early years in Miami, together with Jose Canseco and many other players. The coach that they play under was Osvaldo Morales who used to coach Jose Canseco in Miami Coral Park Hight School at the Junior Varsity team.
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Ralph Garr
Ralph Allen Garr (born December 12, 1945 in Monroe, Louisiana) is a former Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox and California Angels. He batted left-handed and threw right. Garr attended Grambling State University.
Garr led the National League in hitting in 1974, compiling a .353 average and being named to the National League All-Star team. He had 149 hits heading into the All-Star break that year, a record that stands to this day. However, the year before he had the ninth-lowest average (.299) and the lowest on-base percentage (.323) for a player with at least 200 hits. Garr batted .300 or better five times during his career.
In a 13-year career, he batted .306 with 75 home runs and 408 RBIs in 1317 games. He had 1562 career hits in 5108 at bats. Garr had 717 career runs scored.
Garr had a remarkable talent for hitting to all fields, a very valuable skill because fielders could never predict how to set up their defense when Garr came to the plate.
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Ray Kroc
Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman who joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime. He owned the San Diego Padres baseball team from 1974 until his death in 1984.Similar to another fast-food giant, KFC founder Harlan Sanders, Kroc's success came late in life when he was past his 50th birthday.
Kroc was born to parents of Czech origin in Oak Park, near Chicago, on October 5, 1902. His father originated from the village Břasy near Plzeň, Bohemia (now the Czech Republic). He grew up and spent most of his life in Oak Park, Illinois. During the First World War he lied about his age and became a Red Cross ambulance driver at 15. During the war, Kroc served in the same regiment as Walt Disney. Between the end of the war and the early 1950s he tried his hand at a number of trades including paper cup salesman, pianist, jazz musician, band member and radio DJ at Oak Park radio station WGES. At one time, Ray worked for room and board at one of Ray Dambaugh's restaurants in the midwest to learn the restaurant business. Years later, he returned the favor by coming to Ray Dambaugh's funeral in Evans City, Pennsylvania to pay his respects. He eventually became a multi-mixer milkshake machine salesman, traveling across the country
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Raúl Mondesí
Raúl Ramón Mondesí Avelino (born March 12, 1971, in San Cristóbal, Dominican Republic) is a former Major League Baseball player and the current mayor of San Cristóbal Province in the Dominican Republic. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 as a right fielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won Gold Glove Awards in 1995 and 1997 as an outfielder.
Mondesí was originally signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1988 out of the Dominican Republic. With the Great Falls Dodgers in 1990 he hit .303 with 30 stolen bases and was selected to the Pioneer League All-Star team. In 1991 he played in 21 games with the Bakersfield Dodgers, 53 games with the San Antonio Missions and 2 with the Albuquerque Dukes hitting .277 with 8 home runs and 18 stolen bases. In 1992 he played 18 games with San Antonio and 35 with Albuquerque, hitting .296. He spent all of 1993 with the Dukes, hitting .280 with 12 homers and 13 steals.
He made his Major League debut for the Dodgers on July 19, 1993 against the Philadelphia Phillies, hitting a single to center field as a pinch hitter in seventh inning against David West for his first major league hit. He hit his first home run, a two run shot off Bob Scanlan in the 13th inning of a game against the Chicago Cubs on July 31. He returned to the minors after the August 6 games, but was back with the Dodgers for good in September. He appeared in 42 games that season for the Dodgers, hitting .291 with only 4 home runs.
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Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson (born May 18, 1946) is an American former baseball right fielder who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four different teams (1967–1987). He was nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees. Jackson won five consecutive American League West divisional pennants, three consecutive American League pennants and two consecutive World Series titles as a member of the Oakland Athletics (he did not play in the 1972 World Series due to injury) from 1971 to 1975; four American League East divisional pennants, three American League pennants and two consecutive World Series titles with the Yankees from 1977 to 1981; and two American League West divisional pennants with the California Angels in 1982 and 1986. He is perhaps best remembered for hitting three consecutive home runs in the clinching game of the 1977 World Series.
Jackson played for the Kansas City / Oakland Athletics (1967–1975, 1987), Baltimore Orioles (1976), New York Yankees (1977–1981), and California Angels (1982–1986). A 14-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jackson won two Silver Slugger Awards, the 1973 American League (AL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, two World Series MVP Awards, and the 1977 Babe Ruth Award.
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Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn (March 19, 1927 – September 9, 1997), also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska (some sources give his full middle name as "Richie"). From his youth on a farm, he grew up to become a professional outfielder and veteran broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies and one of the most beloved sports figures in Philadelphia history. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995.
One of the famous "Whiz Kids" of the National League champion 1950 Phillies, Ashburn spent 12 of his 15 major-league seasons as the Phillies' center fielder (from 1948 through 1959). He sported a .308 lifetime batting average, leading the National League twice, and routinely led the league in fielding percentage. In 1950, in the last game of the regular season, he threw Dodgers' runner Cal Abrams out at home plate to preserve a 1–1 tie and set the stage for Dick Sisler's pennant-clinching home run.
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Rick Hummel
Rick Hummel is a St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist. He received the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for baseball writing in 2007. He was formerly married to Connie Karr, who was subsequently killed in the Kirkwood City Council shooting. They have a daughter, Lauren.
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Rick Sutcliffe
Richard Lee "Rick" Sutcliffe (born June 21, 1956 in Independence, Missouri), nicknamed "The Red Baron" for his red hair and beard, is a former Major League Baseball starting pitcher and current television sportscaster.
A right-hander, Sutcliffe was a three-time All-Star. He won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1979 and the National League Cy Young Award in 1984.
Sutcliffe broke into the majors in 1979. He won 17 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was the first of four consecutive Rookies of the Year for the Dodgers from 1979–1982 (Steve Howe, Fernando Valenzuela, and Steve Sax were the others). The Dodgers traded Sutcliffe to the Cleveland Indians for Jorge Orta, a journeyman outfielder.
Sutcliffe won 31 games over the course of the next two seasons for Cleveland and led the American League in earned run average in 1982. In mid-1984, Cleveland traded a struggling Sutcliffe to the Chicago Cubs for Mel Hall and Joe Carter. Sutcliffe rebounded and won 16 games for the Cubs while losing only one, helping them to the division championship. On October 2, 1984, he started the first game of the NLCS against the San Diego Padres, giving up two hits and no runs, not only gaining the victory, but also hitting a home run in the third inning. Five days later, Sutcliffe pitched the final game of the series at Jack Murphy Stadium, but posted the loss after giving up four runs in the seventh inning.
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Rickey Henderson
Richard Nelson Henley "Rickey" Henderson (born December 25, 1958) is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder who played for nine teams from 1979 to 2003, including four stints with his original team, the Oakland Athletics. Nicknamed The Man of Steal, he is widely regarded as the sport's greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. He holds the major league records for career stolen bases, runs scored, unintentional walks and leadoff home runs. At the time of his last major league game in 2003, the ten-time American League (AL) All-Star ranked among the sport's top 100 all-time home run hitters and was its all-time leader in bases on balls. In 2009, he was inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot appearance.
In addition to the career steals record, Henderson also holds the single-season record for stolen bases (130 in 1982) and is the only player in AL history to steal 100 bases in a season, having done so three times. His 1,406 career steals is 50% higher than the previous record of 938 by Lou Brock. Henderson is the all-time stolen base leader for the Oakland A's and previously held the New York Yankees' franchise record from 1988-2011. He was among the league's top ten base stealers in 21 different seasons.
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Rico Carty
Ricardo Adolfo Jacobo Carty (born September 1, 1939 San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic) is a former professional baseball player. Nicknamed Beeg Boy, he played mostly as an outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1979. Carty played for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs of the National League and the Oakland A's, Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers of the American League. A charismatic, gifted hitter, Carty's career was marked by battles with injuries, illnesses and with team mates.
Carty signed a contract with the Milwaukee Braves as a free agent in 1959. While he was an excellent hitter, he had poor defensive skills. Originally a catcher, Carty was converted into an outfielder in order to lessen his defensive liabilities and to get his bat into the everday lineup. After four years in the minor leagues, Carty made an impressive major league debut in 1964, finishing second to Roberto Clemente in the National League Batting Championship with a .330 batting average and, finishing the season as runner-up to Dick Allen in the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award ballot.
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Roberto Alomar
Roberto "Robbie" Alomar Velázquez (/ˈæləmɑr/; Spanish pronunciation: [aloˈmar]; born February 5, 1968) is a former Major League Baseball player (1988–2004), regarded by many as one of the best second basemen in MLB history. During his career he won more Gold Gloves (10) than any other second baseman in history, and also won the second-most Silver Slugger Awards (4) for a second baseman. On January 5, 2011, Alomar was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, in his second year of eligibility.
Alomar was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He is the son of Sandy Alomar, Sr., a former All-Star second baseman with a 15-year MLB career. His older brother, Sandy Alomar, Jr., was a Major League All-Star catcher and currently serves as bench coach for the Cleveland Indians.
Alomar was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico and was raised in Salinas, Puerto Rico.
In 1985, Alomar signed with the San Diego Padres at age 17, and joined the team's Class-A affiliate in Charleston. The following year, playing in Reno, he won the California League batting championship with a .346 average.
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Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente Walker (August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1955 through 1972. Clemente was awarded the National League (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 1966. He was on the NL All-Star team 15 times, received 12 Gold Glove Awards, and led the NL in batting average four times. In 1972, Clemente got his 3,000th major league hit.
Off the field, Clemente was involved in charity work in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries, often delivering baseball equipment and food to those in need. He died in an aviation accident on December 31, 1972, while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Clemente was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously in 1973, becoming the first Latin American to be selected and the only current Hall of Fame member for whom the mandatory five-year waiting period had been waived. Clemente is also the first Hispanic player to win a World Series as a starter (1960), receive an MVP Award (1966), and receive a World Series MVP Award (1971).
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Robin Yount
Robin R. Yount ( /ˈjɒnt/; nicknamed,"The Kid", and "Rockin' Robin", born September 16, 1955) is an American former Major League Baseball shortstop and center fielder. He spent his entire 20-year baseball career with the Milwaukee Brewers (1974–1993). In 1999, Yount was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
Yount was born in Danville, Illinois. During his youth, his family moved to southern California, where he attended William Howard Taft High School in Woodland Hills.
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Rod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew (born October 1, 1945) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. While Carew was never a home run threat (hitting fewer than 100 career home runs), he made a career out of being a consistent contact hitter. He threw right-handed and batted left-handed.
Carew is a Zonian and was born to a Panamanian mother on a train in the town of Gatún, which, at that time, was in the Panama Canal Zone. The train was racially segregated; white passengers were given the better forward cars, while non-whites, like Carew's mother, were forced to ride in the rearward cars. When she went into labor, a physician traveling on the train, Dr. Rodney Cline, delivered the baby. In appreciation for this, Mrs. Carew named the boy Rodney Cline Carew.
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Rod Dowhower
Rodney Douglas Dowhower (born April 15, 1943) is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Stanford University in 1979 and at Vanderbilt University from 1995 to 1996, compiling a career college football record of 9–23–1. Dowhower was also the coach of the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts in 1985 and 1986, where he tallied a record of 5–24. He was fired after losing 13 straight games to begin the 1986 season.
Dowhower attended San Diego State University where he played football. He served as an assistant coach at San Diego State, the University of California, Los Angeles, and Boise State University. Dowhower was also an assistant coach for a number of NFL teams: the St. Louis Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons, Washington Redskins, and Philadelphia Eagles.
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Roger Clemens
William Roger Clemens (born August 4, 1962), nicknamed "The Rocket", is an American former baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Clemens was one of the most dominant pitchers in major league history, tallying 354 wins, a 3.12 earned run average (ERA), and 4,672 strikeouts, the third-most all time. An 11-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, he won seven Cy Young Awards during his career, the most of any pitcher. Clemens was known for his fierce competitive nature and for his hard-throwing pitching style that he used to intimidate batters.
Clemens debuted in the major leagues in 1984 with the Boston Red Sox, whose pitching staff he anchored for 12 years. In 1986, he won the American League (AL) Cy Young Award, the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, and the All-Star Game MVP Award, and he struck out an MLB-record 20 batters in a single game. After the 1996 season, Clemens left Boston via free agency and joined the Toronto Blue Jays. In each of his two seasons with Toronto, Clemens won a Cy Young Award, as well as the pitching triple crown by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Prior to the 1999 season, Clemens was traded to the New York Yankees where he won his only two World Series titles. In 2003, he reached his 300th win and 4,000th strikeout in the same game. Clemens left for the Houston Astros in 2004, where he spent three seasons and won his seventh Cy Young Award. He rejoined the Yankees in 2007 for one last season.
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Roger Vaughan
Roger William Bede Vaughan (9 January 1834 – 18 August 1883) was an English Benedictine monk of Downside Abbey, and the second Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney from 1877 to 1883.
Vaughan was born near Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire in England in 1834, one of 14 children. His father, lieutenant John Francis Vaughan, belonged to one of the oldest recusant families in England, his mother was Elizabeth Louise Rolls, a convert. His brother was Cardinal Herbert Vaughan. All his siblings, save three, entered Holy Orders.
Vaughan was probably afflicted with congenital heart disease. At 7 he was sent briefly to a local school, but his mother worried over his health and he was educated at home in a religious atmosphere. In 1850 he was sent to St. Gregory's College at Downside, near Bath. His mother's death in 1853 prompted serious thoughts of a religious vocation and on 12 September 1853 he took the Benedictine habit as Brother Bede.
In 1855 at his father's request and expense, he was sent to Rome for further study under the guidance of the Italian scholar and reformer, Angelo Zelli-Jacobuzzi. He was ordained priest by Cardinal Patrizi in the basilica of St John Lateran on 9 April 1859.
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Rogers Hornsby
Rogers Hornsby, Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 1933), New York Giants (1927), Boston Braves (1928), Chicago Cubs (1929–1932), and St. Louis Browns (1933–1937). Hornsby had 2,930 hits, 301 home runs, and a .358 batting average during his career; he was named the National League (NL)'s Most Valuable Player (MVP) twice, and was a member of one World Series championship team.
Born and raised in Texas, Hornsby played for several semi-professional and minor league teams. In 1915, he began his major league career with the St. Louis Cardinals and remained with the team for 12 seasons; during this period, Hornsby won his first MVP Award and the Cardinals won the 1926 World Series. After that season, he spent one season at the New York Giants and another with the Boston Braves before being traded to the Chicago Cubs. He played with the Cubs for four years and won his second MVP Award before the team released him in 1932. Hornsby re-signed with the Cardinals in 1933, but was released partway through the season and was picked up by the St. Louis Browns. He remained there until his final season in 1937. From 1925 to 1937, Hornsby was intermittently his own manager. After retiring as a player, he managed the Browns in 1952 and the Cincinnati Reds from 1952 to 1953.
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Roland Hemond
Roland Hemond (born October 26, 1929 in Central Falls, Rhode Island) is a longtime executive in Major League Baseball who in 2007 returned to the Arizona Diamondbacks as Special Assistant to the President, Derrick Hall. His previous positions include: Scouting Director of the California Angels (1961–1970), General Manager of the Chicago White Sox (1970–85), Baltimore Orioles (1988–95), Senior Executive Vice President of the Arizona Diamondbacks (1996–2000), and Executive Advisor to the General Manager of the White Sox (2001–2007).
Hemond is a three-time winner of Major League Baseball's "Executive of the Year" award (1972, 1983, 1989). He is also credited with the original idea for the Arizona Fall League, an off-season developmental league owned and operated by Major League Baseball, featuring the top prospects from each of the MLB teams, with all games played in the spring training stadiums in and around Phoenix, Arizona. He is also the President of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America (APBPA). This non-profit based in Southern California provides anonymous financial assistance and college scholarships to current and former players, scouts, and others connected with any level of professional organized baseball.
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Ron Cey
Ronald Charles Cey (born February 15, 1948) is an American former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1971–1982), Chicago Cubs (1983–1986) and Oakland Athletics (1987). Cey batted and threw right-handed. A popular player, he was nicknamed "The Penguin" for his slow waddling running gait by his then-minor league manager Tommy Lasorda.
Cey was born in Tacoma, Washington. A graduate of Mount Tahoma High School, he attended Washington State University and was a member of Phi Delta Theta.
With the Dodgers, third baseman Cey was part of an All-Star infield that included Steve Garvey (first baseman), Davey Lopes (second baseman) and Bill Russell (shortstop). This quartet was the most enduring infield in baseball history[citation needed]. The four infielders stayed together as the Dodgers' starters for eight and a half years. Cey was one of the most productive and adept-fielding National League third basemen in the 1970's, but was overshadowed by Pete Rose and Mike Schmidt. In 1977, he helped the Dodgers to a fast start by batting .429 in April with a record-tying 11 home runs for the month and 29 RBI's. The Dodgers won the Western Division title that season on their way to the National League pennant.
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Ron Darling
Ronald Maurice Darling, Jr. (born August 19, 1960) is an American former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Oakland Athletics and Montreal Expos. Darling currently works as a color commentator for national baseball coverage on TBS as well as for the Mets on both SNY and WPIX.
During his 13-year career, Darling amassed a 136–116 won-loss record, with 13 shutouts. He threw 1,590 strikeouts and had a 3.87 ERA. In 1985, he was picked for the All-Star team.
Darling's weak point was control; he finished seasons in the top four in base on balls three times. He was considered one of the better fielding pitchers of the time, and won a Gold Glove Award in 1989. Darling had one of the best pickoff moves among right-handers. An above-average athlete, he was sometimes used as a pinch runner. In 1989, he hit home runs in two consecutive starts.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii to a Hawaiian-Chinese mother and French-Canadian father, Darling speaks fluent Chinese and French. After growing up in Millbury, Massachusetts, he attended St. John's High School in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts.
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Ron Guidry
Ronald Ames Guidry ( /ˈɡɪdri/; born August 28, 1950), nicknamed "Louisiana Lightning" and "Gator", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 14-year baseball career for the New York Yankees (1975–1988). Guidry was also the pitching coach of the New York Yankees from 2006 to 2007.
Guidry was born in Lafayette, Louisiana, and began his career pitching briefly in the 1975 and 1976 seasons. In 1977, he began as a relief pitcher but was moved into the starting rotation. He helped lead the New York Yankees to a World Series championship in 1977 and 1978. In those two years combined, Guidry went 4-0 in the postseason with 3 complete games in 5 starts, allowing only nine earned runs in 371⁄3 innings pitched.
In 1978, Guidry posted a career year, one of the best in the modern era. Against the California Angels on June 17, he struck out a Yankee-record 18 batters. Guidry's 18-strikeout performance is usually cited as the launching pad of the Yankee Stadium tradition of fans standing and clapping for a strikeout with two strikes on the opposing batter.
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Ron Santo
Ronald Edward Santo (February 25, 1940 – December 3, 2010) was an American professional baseball player, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and long-time radio sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball from 1960 to 1974, most notably as the third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. A nine-time All-Star, he was a powerful hitter who was also a good defensive player, winning five Gold Glove Awards. Despite suffering from diabetes, he carefully concealed the condition for most of his career. The disease eventually necessitated the amputation of the lower half of both legs.
While Santo initially received little support for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, his standing among baseball enthusiasts and sabermetricians has gradually increased over time. On December 5, 2011, he was posthumously elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Golden Era Committee.
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Ross Youngs
Ross Middlebrook Youngs (April 10, 1897 – October 22, 1927) was a Major League Baseball outfielder best known for his superb defense and consistent hitting.
Born in Shiner, Texas and educated at Texas Military Institute, Youngs made his major league debut in 1917 with the New York Giants and played his first full season in 1918, placing 6th in the league with a .302 batting average. Youngs batted .300 or higher in every season until 1925, and higher than .350 twice, scored 100 or more runs three times, and posted a career high 102 RBI in 1921 and 10 home runs in 1924. The Giants went to the World Series four consecutive years (1921–1924) and won twice (1921, 1922).
Youngs's career was abruptly cut short in 1926 when he was diagnosed with the kidney disorder which at the time was called Bright's disease. He played in 95 games that season and died the following year, on October 22, 1927, at the age of 30. Nevertheless, Youngs posted impressive numbers over his abbreviated ten-year career, including 812 runs, 42 home runs, 592 RBI, 153 stolen bases and a .322 career batting average and .399 career on base percentage.
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Roy Halladay
Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III (born May 14, 1977), nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies. His nickname, coined by the late Toronto Blue Jays announcer Tom Cheek, is a reference to Wild West gunslinger "Doc" Holliday.
He was the Blue Jays' first draft selection in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft, the 17th pick overall, and played for the team from 1998 through 2009, after which he was traded to Philadelphia. Halladay is known for his ability to pitch deep into games effectively, and he is currently the active major league leader in complete games with 66, including 20 shutouts.
On May 29, 2010, Halladay pitched the 20th perfect game in MLB history, beating the Florida Marlins by a score of 1–0. On October 6, 2010, in his first post-season start, Halladay threw the second no-hitter in MLB postseason history (Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series being the first) against the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of the 2010 NLDS. It was his second no-hitter of the year (following the May 29 perfect game), making Halladay the fifth pitcher in major league history (and the first since Nolan Ryan in 1973) to throw multiple no-hitters in the same season. Halladay has won two Cy Young Awards, in 2003 and 2010.
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Ryan Braun
Ryan Joseph Braun (born November 17, 1983, in Mission Hills, California) is an American right-handed Major League Baseball left fielder for the Milwaukee Brewers. A perennial standout, he was ranked No. 7 by the Sporting News in its 2012 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball and is the reigning National League MVP.
Braun was a two-time All American baseball player at the University of Miami, where he was named "National Freshman of the Year" by Baseball America in 2003. The Brewers drafted him in the first round (fifth overall) in the 2005 major league draft. He was the team's Minor League Player of the Year in 2006.
Braun has led the National League (NL) twice in slugging percentage (in 2007, while setting the major league rookie record, and 2011), twice in extra-base hits (2008 and 2011), and once in hits (2009). On defense, he led all major league outfielders in fielding percentage in 2008, led NL left fielders in fielding percentage twice (2009 and 2011), and led NL left fielders in range factor in 2009. His 128 home runs through 2010 were the 8th-most by any major leaguer ever through their first four seasons. Through 2011, he was third among all active ballplayers in career slugging percentage, and first among active left fielders in career fielding percentage.
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Ryan Ludwick
Ryan Andrew Ludwick (born July 13, 1978) is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds. His brother Eric played four seasons in Major League Baseball as a pitcher.
Ludwick attended Durango High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Ludwick played for the UNLV Rebels for three seasons. He was named to the Baseball America all-Freshman team in 1997 after batting .354 with 16 home runs and 68 RBI and was All-WAC in 1999, hitting .381 with 13 home runs and 69 RBI. Ludwick had a .363 career batting average at UNLV.
Ludwick was chosen in the second-round (60th overall) of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft by the Oakland Athletics. He was traded to the Texas Rangers before the 2002 season, along with Gerald Laird, Jason Hart, and Mario Ramos, for first baseman Carlos Peña and pitcher Mike Venafro.
Ryan Ludwick belongs to a very tiny group of Major League Baseball players: he bats right-handed and throws with his left. In the entire history of Major League Baseball through the 2008 season, and including the National Association of 1871-75 (not currently counted as a major league by MLB), only 57 players who played at least half their games at a position other than pitcher batted right and threw left. The most famous individual in this exclusive group is Hall-of-Fame outfielder Rickey Henderson.
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Sam Crawford
Samuel Earl Crawford (April 18, 1880 – June 15, 1968), nicknamed "Wahoo Sam", was a Major League Baseball player who played outfield for the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1957.
Crawford batted and threw left-handed, stood 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds. He was one of the greatest sluggers of the dead-ball era and still holds the Major League's records for triples in a career (309) and inside-the-park home runs in a season (12). He has the second best all-time record for most inside-the-park home runs in a career (51). He finished his career with 2,961 hits and a .309 batting average, and became first player to lead both American League and the National League in home runs (1901 and 1908).
Baseball legend, Ed Barrow, who managed Crawford in his first two years with Detroit, and went on to convert Babe Ruth to an outfielder as general manager of the Yankees, once said that “there never was a better hitter” than Crawford.” One of his contemporaries, Fielder Jones, said of Crawford: “None of them can hit quite as hard as Crawford. He stands up at the plate like a brick house and he hits all the pitchers, without playing favorites.”
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Sam Rice
Edgar Charles "Sam" Rice (February 20, 1890 – October 13, 1974) was an American pitcher and right fielder in Major League Baseball. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1963.
Although Rice made his debut as a relief pitcher, he is best known as an outfielder. Playing for the Washington Senators from 1915 until 1933, he was regularly among the American League leaders in runs scored, hits, stolen bases and batting average. He led the Senators to three postseasons and a World Series championship in 1924. He batted left-handed, but threw right-handed.
Rice stood erect at the plate and used quick wrists to slash pitches to all fields. He never swung at the first pitch and seldom fanned, once completing a 616-at-bat season with nine strikeouts. As the ultimate contact man with the picture-perfect swing, Rice was never a home run threat, but blazing speed often turned singles into doubles, and his 1920 stolen base total of 63 earned him the timely nickname "Man o' War".
With 2,987 hits, Rice has the most of any player not to reach 3,000. He was 44 years old at the time of his last game. Rice later said, "The truth of the matter is I did not even know how many hits I had. A couple of years after I quit, [Senators owner] Clark Griffith told me about it, and asked me if I'd care to have a comeback with the Senators and pick up those 13 hits. But I was out of shape, and didn't want to go through all that would have been necessary to make the effort. Nowadays, with radio and television announcers spouting records every time a player comes to bat, I would have known about my hits and probably would have stayed to make 3,000 of them."
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Sam Ryan
Samantha "Sam" Ryan (born February 5) is an American sports anchor and reporter for MLB Network since September 2011.
Ryan was born in Port Jefferson, New York. She is a graduate of the New York Institute of Technology.
Ryan worked for WVIT Hartford, WFAN, ABC Radio Network in 1996, Fox Sports N.Y. in 2000, WABC-TV, ABC in September 2002,ESPN in 2003, and CBS Sports and WCBS-TV in June 2006.
She won a local Emmy award for "Outstanding Series Feature-soft" in 1999 and a local AP award in 2000.
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Sam Thompson
Samuel Luther Thompson (March 5, 1860 – November 7, 1922) was a 19th-century Major League Baseball player. "Big Sam" (6 feet 2 inches, and 200 pounds) was known for his offensive production and was second on the career home runs list at the time of his retirement. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Thompson's 1887 total of 166 RBIs stood as a Major League record for 34 years until Babe Ruth broke the record in 1921. He was the only 19th-century player to drive in 150 or more runs and he did it twice. His .923 RBIs/Game is still a major league record, and he has the still-standing record of 61 RBIs in 1 month, which he accomplished for the Philadelphia Phillies in August 1895.
Born in Danville, Indiana, Thompson entered the National League in 1885 with the Detroit Wolverines and played his first full season in 1886. An outfielder, Thompson had his breakout season in 1887 when he batted .372 with 118 runs, 203 hits, 11 home runs and 166 RBIs en route to leading the Wolverines to the National League pennant as well as a World Series victory over the St. Louis Browns of the American Association - the other major league at the time. The Wolverines finished the 1888 season in fifth place, losing so much money that the team folded and the players were sold off. Thompson was purchased by the Philadelphia Quakers (known as the Philadelphia Phillies beginning in 1890), for $5,000 cash (equal to $129,333 today). He would play for them until 1898.
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Sammy Sosa
Samuel Peralta "Sammy" Sosa (born November 12, 1968) is a Dominican former professional baseball right fielder. Sosa played with four Major League Baseball teams over his career which spanned from 1989-2007.
Sosa's Major League career began with the Texas Rangers in 1989. After three seasons with the Chicago White Sox, Sosa became a member of the Chicago Cubs in 1992 and subsequently became one of the league's best hitters. In 1998, Sosa and Mark McGwire achieved national fame for their home run-hitting prowess in pursuit of Roger Maris' home run record. Sosa finished his career with brief stints with the Baltimore Orioles and the Texas Rangers. With the Rangers, Sosa hit his 600th career home run to become the fifth player in MLB history to reach the milestone. He is also the all-time home run leader among foreign-born MLB players. Furthermore, Sosa is one of only two National League Players to ever reach 160 RBI in a season, a milestone he reached in 2001. The other was Cubs player and RBI Champion Hack Wilson during his record setting 1930 season in which he recorded 191 RBI. Sosa is the only player to have hit 60 or more home runs in a single season three times.
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Sean McDonough
Sean McDonough (born May 13, 1962) is an American sportscaster, currently employed by ESPN.
The son of Boston Globe sportswriter Will McDonough, Sean graduated from Syracuse University in 1984. It was in Syracuse where McDonough began his broadcasting career in 1982 as the play-by-play announcer for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League. Four years after graduating from Syracuse, he began broadcasting Boston Red Sox games on WSBK-TV (Channel 38) in Boston with former Red Sox catcher Bob Montgomery. McDonough was an Ivy League football announcer for PBS. He was a sideline reporter from 1984–85, and a play-by-play announcer from 1986–87.
He began work for CBS Sports in 1990, where he broadcasted college basketball (including 10 NCAA tournaments), college football (including the prestigious Orange Bowl game), the College World Series, the NFL, US Open tennis, 3 Winter Olympics (bobsled and luge in 1992 and 1994 and ice hockey in 1998), and golf (including 4 Masters and PGA Championships).
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Shane Victorino
Shane Patrick Victorino (born November 30, 1980 in Wailuku, Hawaii) is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.
Victorino is a former Hawaii state high school track and field champ (Spring, 1999) for St. Anthony High School in the 100 m, 200 m, and 400 m dashes. His 100 m time (10.80) was a state meet record. He has been consistently clocked at 3.7–3.8 sec. from home to first right-handed. He also has a strong arm, with 24 career outfield assists.
Victorino was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1999 in the sixth round of the 1999 amateur draft out of St. Anthony High School in Wailuku, Hawaii. He spent most of the 1999 through 2005 seasons in the minor leagues.
Victorino was selected as a Rule 5 draft pick in 2002 by the San Diego Padres, played 36 games for the Padres, but was eventually returned to the Dodgers. Victorino was again selected in the 2005 Rule 5 Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies. He again failed to stay with the major league club, and was offered back to the Dodgers. The Dodgers declined, so the Phillies retained his contract and assigned him to their minor league club in Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
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Sherry Magee
Sherwood Robert "Sherry" Magee (August 6, 1884 – March 13, 1929) was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1904 through 1919, Magee played for the Philadelphia Phillies (1904–14), Boston Braves (1915–1917) and Cincinnati Reds (1917–1919). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a 16-season career, Magee posted a .291 batting average with 83 home runs and 1,176 runs batted in in 2,087 games played.
A native of Clarendon, Pennsylvania, Magee was one of the premier hitters of the dead-ball era. He could hit, run and field, and played with intelligence and aggressively. Nevertheless, he has been one of the most underrated ballplayers in major league history.[citation needed]
From 1905 through 1914, Magee finished in the National League Top 10 in home runs and RBIs seven times, including leading the NL in RBIs four times. He led the league for a fourth time in the 1918 campaign, which was shortened by World War I and the Spanish flu pandemic. Magee also hit over .300 five times, including a batting title to his credit as well, while also being known as one of the finest defensive outfielders of his day. To top it all off, he collected 2,169 hits and 441 stolen bases, including 23 steals of home.
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Sid Monge
Isidro "Sid" Monge Pedroza (born April 11, 1951, in Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico) is a retired Major League Baseball relief pitcher with a ten-year career from 1975 to 1984. He played for the California Angels, Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers, all of the American League and Philadelphia Phillies and San Diego Padres, both of the National League.
Monge was called up to the Angels after going 14–9 with a 4.63 ERA for the Salt Lake City Gulls of the Pacific Coast League, and made his major league debut on September 12, 1975.
He went 49–40 in his 10-year career with a 3.53 ERA. He pitched 764 innings, striking out 471. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres got his first hit off Monge on July 19, 1982 while he was pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies.
He was elected to the American League All-Star team in 1979, after a great year where he went 12–10 with a 2.40 ERA. On June 14, 2004 he was inducted into the Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Profesional de México, or the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial ( /ˈmjuːziəl/ or /ˈmjuːʒəl/; born November 21, 1920) is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1941–1963). Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection (tied with Willie Mays), and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. He compiled 3,630 hits (ranking fourth all-time and most in a career spent with only one team). With 1,815 hits at home and 1,815 on the road, he is also considered to be the most consistent hitter of his era. He also compiled 475 home runs during his career, was named the National League's (NL) Most Valuable Player (MVP) three times, and won three World Series championship titles. Musial was a first-ballot inductee to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969 and is currently the longest tenured living Hall of Famer.
Musial was born in Donora, Pennsylvania, where he frequently played baseball in both informal and organized settings, eventually playing on the baseball team at Donora High School. Signed to a professional contract by the St. Louis Cardinals as a pitcher in 1938, Musial was converted into an outfielder prior to his major league debut in 1941. Noted for his unique batting stance, he quickly established himself as a consistent and productive hitter. In his first full season, 1942, the Cardinals won the World Series. The following year, he led the National League in six different offensive categories and earned his first MVP award. He was also named an All-Star for the first time; he would be selected to every All-Star Game in every subsequent season he played. Musial won his second World Series ring in 1944, then missed the entire 1945 season while serving with the United States Navy.
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Steve Finley
Steven Allen Finley (born March 12, 1965, in Union City, Tennessee) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder.
Finley, who grew up in Paducah, Kentucky, attended Paducah Tilghman High School and Southern Illinois University, where he earned a degree in physiology and played for the baseball team from 1984–87.
In 1986, Finley was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 11th round of the draft, but did not sign, instead choosing to remain at SIU, where he was 2-time All-Missouri Valley Conference performer, a third-team All-American in 1986, and named the team's Most Valuable Player in 1987. He is a member of the Saluki Baseball Hall of Fame.
He was a member of the 1986 Team USA squad that won a bronze medal during international competition in the Netherlands.
In 1987, he was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 13th round of the draft, and did sign.
In 919 at bats in the minor leagues, Finley batted .309 and stole 68 bases.
On August 29, 2009, Finley was inducted into the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame.
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Steve Frey
Steven Francis Frey (born July 29, 1963, in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He attended William Tennent High School in Warminster, Pennsylvania, and played three seasons of college ball at Bucks County Community College before being drafted by the New York Yankees in the fifteenth round of the 1983 Major League Baseball Draft.
Frey spent five seasons in the Yankees' farm system, getting as high as triple A Columbus. On December 11, 1987, he was traded with catcher Phil Lombardi and Darren Reed to the New York Mets for Rafael Santana and Victor Garcia. After one season with the Tidewater Tides, he was traded to the Montreal Expos for Mark Bailey and Tom O'Malley. He made his major league debut with the Expos on May 10, 1989, pitching the final inning of the Expos' 10-1 victory over the Houston Astros in the Astrodome.
After three seasons in Montreal, Frey was purchased by the California Angels in Spring training 1992. It was with the Angels that Frey enjoyed his greatest success. In 1993, Frey went 2-3 with a 2.98 earned run average and a team leading thirteen saves. Unable to agree on a contract for 1994 with General Manager Whitey Herzog, Frey signed with the San Francisco Giants.
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Steve Garvey
Steven Patrick Garvey (born December 22, 1948), nicknamed "Mr. Clean" because of the squeaky clean image he held throughout his career in baseball, is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman and current Southern California businessman. Garvey was the 1974 NL MVP, 10-time All-Star, and holds the National League record for consecutive games played (1,207).
Born in Tampa, FL to parents who had recently relocated from Long Island, New York, from 1956 to 1961, Garvey was a bat boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. Garvey played football and baseball at Michigan State University after graduating from Chamberlain High School. Garvey played his entire career in the National League West for two teams; the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969–82) and the San Diego Padres (1983–87). He batted right and threw right. In a 19-year career, Garvey was a .294 hitter with 272 home runs and 1308 RBI in 2332 games played.
Garvey was part of the most enduring infield in baseball history along with third baseman Ron Cey, shortstop Bill Russell and second baseman Davey Lopes. The four infielders stayed together as the Dodgers' starters for eight and a half years.
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Steve Phillips
Stephen Phillips (born on May 18, 1963) is a former American baseball analyst for ESPN and baseball executive. He served as the general manager of the New York Mets from 1997–2003. He worked as a baseball analyst for ESPN from 2005 until his dismissal on October 25, 2009 after admitting to having sex multiple times with a production assistant at the network.
Phillips was offered a football scholarship to Northwestern University after high school - he even signed a letter of intent - but opted instead to sign a professional baseball contract after being drafted by the Metropolitans. Phillips attended De La Salle Collegiate High School in Detroit, Michigan, and later earned a psychology degree from the University of Michigan during baseball's offseasons.
Phillips was drafted by the New York Mets in the 1981 amateur draft. From 1981 to 1987, he played for six different minor league teams in the Mets and Detroit Tigers organizations. Playing mostly as a second baseman and shortstop, Phillips batted .250 with 22 home runs and 215 RBI in 618 games.
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Steve Physioc
Steve Physioc (born December 28, 1954 in Summit, New Jersey) is an American sportscaster who has called play-by-play for various baseball, basketball, and football teams.
Physioc graduated from Kansas State University in 1977, and began his announcing career as Sports Director for KHAS radio in Hastings, Nebraska, covering local high school and Hastings College athletics. After that he went on to become the radio voice of Kansas State Wildcats football and basketball (1979-1982). Mitch Holthus took over after he left K-State. Physioc was also a Sports Anchor on WIBW-TV in Topeka during the late 1970s and early '80s.
Physioc began his major league play-by-play announcing career in 1983, broadcasting Cincinnati Bengals football and Cincinnati Reds baseball games, a position he held until 1987 while sports anchor at WLWT.
He then served as the San Francisco Giants announcer for KTVU-TV from 1987-1988, followed by work for ESPN (1989-1995), announcing Major League Baseball, college basketball, baseball and Big Ten football.
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Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams (August 30, 1918 – July 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox (1939–1942 and 1946–1960). Williams was a two-time American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) winner, led the league in batting six times, and won the Triple Crown twice. A nineteen-time All-Star, he had a career batting average of .344, with 521 home runs, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1966. Williams recorded a hit 34 percent of the time; he reached base an astounding 48 percent of the time.
Williams was the last player in Major League Baseball to bat over .400 in a single season (.406 in 1941). Williams holds the highest career batting average of anyone with 500 or more home runs. His career year was 1941, when he hit .406 with 37 HR, 120 RBI, and 135 runs scored. His .551 on base percentage set a record that stood for 61 years. Nicknamed "The Kid", "The Splendid Splinter", "Teddy Ballgame", "The Thumper" and, because of his hitting prowess, "The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived", Williams's career was twice interrupted by service as a U.S. Marine Corps fighter-bomber pilot. An avid sport fisherman, he hosted a television program about fishing, and he was inducted into the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame.
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Terry Francona
Terry Jon Francona (born April 22, 1959), nicknamed "Tito," is a former Major League Baseball manager and a former player. He was a first baseman and outfielder in the majors from 1981 to 1990. After retiring as a player, he managed several minor league teams in the 1990s before managing the Philadelphia Phillies for four seasons. In 2004, Francona was hired to manage the Boston Red Sox, and that year he led the team to its first World Series championship since 1918. He won another World Series with Boston in 2007 and continued to manage the team until the end of the 2011 season. He is currently employed by ESPN as a Sunday Night Baseball analyst.
Francona grew up in suburban Pittsburgh, and got his start in baseball at New Brighton, Pennsylvania High School. His father is John (Tito) Francona, who played in the majors from 1956 to 1970.
Terry was the winner of the 1980 Golden Spikes Award. He was drafted out of the University of Arizona in the first round of the 1980 amateur draft by the Montreal Expos, using the 22nd overall selection. That season, his team won the College World Series and Francona was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. The left-hander wasted no time rising through the minor leagues, first appearing in a Montreal uniform August 19, 1981, a week after the end of that summer's player strike. He appeared mainly as an outfielder that first year, and he went 4-for-12 in the National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, an extra playoff round utilized that year because the season was conducted in two halves as the result of the strike. The Expos won that series, three games to two.
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Terry Pendleton
Terry Lee Pendleton (born July 16, 1960 in Los Angeles, California) is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball, and a former hitting coach and current first base coach of the Atlanta Braves. He played primarily for the St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves, but he also spent time with the Florida Marlins, Cincinnati Reds, and Kansas City Royals. During his fifteen year career, he went to the World Series five times, yet his team never won a championship.
Terry Pendleton started his baseball career as an Eastside Little League player, then moved on to play [second baseman] at Channel Islands High, then moved on to a collegiate baseball career at Fresno State. He played the 1981 and 1982 seasons with the Bulldogs, and was a key contributor to the team's fourth consecutive conference title in the 1982 season when he set a school record with 98 hits. That feat led to his recognition as an All-American. As a result, Pendleton had his jersey retired in 2007, alongside the jerseys of Tex Clevenger and Jimy Williams. He was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh round of the 1982 amateur draft, and subsequently signed with the team on June 12, 1982.
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Tim Raines
Timothy Raines (born September 16, 1959 in Sanford, Florida), nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos. He is regarded as one of the best leadoff hitters and baserunners in baseball history.
The Montreal Expos selected Raines in the fifth round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft. After debuting with six games as a pinch runner in 1979, he played briefly as a second baseman for the Expos in 1980 but soon switched to playing the outfield, and rapidly became a fan favorite due to his aggressiveness on the basepaths. In his strike-interrupted 1981 rookie season, he batted .304 and stole 71 bases – then the second most ever by a rookie, behind only Benny Kauff's 75 for the 1914 Indianapolis Hoosiers in the Federal League. Raines was caught stealing for the first time in 1981, after having begun his career with a major league record 27 consecutive successful stolen bases. Raines was the runner-up for the National League's Rookie of the Year Award in 1981, which was won by Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela.
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Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield (born August 2, 1966) is a retired American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began his pitching career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, but is most remembered for his 17-year tenure with the Boston Red Sox, starting in 1995 and ending with his retirement in 2012 as the longest-serving player on the team. Wakefield, at the time of his retirement, was the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of the last knuckleballers; the other being R. A. Dickey.
Wakefield won his 200th career game on September 13, 2011 against the Toronto Blue Jays, and is third on the Boston Red Sox with 186 team victories, behind both Cy Young and Roger Clemens, who have 192 each. He is second in all-time wins at Fenway Park with 97, behind Roger Clemens' 100, and is first all-time in innings pitched by a Red Sox pitcher, with 2,944 (through July 24, 2011), having surpassed Roger Clemens' total of 2,777 on June 8, 2010.
Wakefield was nominated eight times for the Roberto Clemente Award, winning the award in 2010.
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Todd Helton
Todd Lynn Helton (born August 20, 1973) is a Major League Baseball first baseman for the Colorado Rockies. He is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, four-time National League Player of the Month, and three-time Gold Glove winner.
As of the end of the 2011 season, among all active players, Helton was first in on-base percentage (.421), tied for second in doubles (554), third in intentional walks (183), and eighth in slugging percentage (.550).
Helton holds the Colorado Rockies club records for hits (2,380), home runs (351), doubles (560), walks (1,264), runs scored (1,338), RBIs (1,324), on-base percentage (.421), games played (2,073), total bases (4,065) and other categories. Helton hit his 2,000th career hit against the Atlanta Braves on May 19, 2009.
As of the 2012 season, Helton was the fourth-most senior active MLB player to have spent his entire career with one club, behind Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, and Mariano Rivera.
Helton attended Central High School in Knoxville, Tennessee and was a letterman in football and baseball. In football, he posted 2,772 total yards as quarterback. In baseball, as a senior, Helton posted a .655 batting average and 12 home runs and was named the Regional Player of the Year. Baseball America also bestowed him with All-American honors for his senior season.
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Todd Stottlemyre
Todd Vernon Stottlemyre (born May 20, 1965 in Yakima, Washington) is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 15 seasons for the Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. He is the son of Mel Stottlemyre, former New York Yankees pitcher. His brother Mel Stottlemyre, Jr. also pitched in the major leagues for the Kansas City Royals in 1990.
He was selected by the Blue Jays out of UNLV as the third overall pick in the 1985 MLB draft.
His fastball, average (high) velocity, clocked at around 92-93 mph. Stottlemyre possessed above average control of his pitches. His style of pitching was direct; using an inside fastball to challenge opposing hitters. Furthermore, he possessed an above average slider, curveball, and later on, a splitter (adopted from teammate Dave Stewart). As an above average pitcher, Stottlemyre made a direct contribution to the Blue Jays' 1992 & 1993 World Series victories. His weaknesses as a pitcher, although subject to debate, were his predictability of confronting opposing hitters; pitches over the 'heart' of home plate; hittable fastballs, and flat curveballs. Changing speeds was not a part of his repertoire; Stottlemyre did not possess an effective 'changeup.'
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Tom Verducci
Tom Verducci is an American sportswriter who is currently writing for Sports Illustrated and its online magazine SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. He is also a field reporter for the MLB postseason on TBS. He also appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight on MLB Network as a baseball insider.
He was born in East Orange, New Jersey and was raised in Glen Ridge. He attended Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, New Jersey and then went onto Penn State and graduated with a B.A. in Journalism.
After a one-year stint at Florida Today, he moved to New York Newsday in 1983 and became a columnist there in 1990. He began writing for Sports Illustrated in 1993.
His most recent work includes a co-authored book with Joe Torre titled The Yankee Years. The book chronicles various stories from the New York Yankees' dugout and the Yankees' baseball organization.
He currently lives in Belle Mead, New Jersey with his wife and two sons, Adam and Ben. His brother Frank Verducci is the offensive line coach at the University of Florida.
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Tommie Agee
Tommie Lee Agee (August 9, 1942 – January 22, 2001) was a Major League Baseball center fielder most noted for making two of the greatest catches in World Series history, both of which occurred in game three of the 1969 World Series.
Agee was born in Magnolia, Alabama, and played baseball and football at Mobile County Training School with future New York Mets teammate Cleon Jones. After one season at Grambling State University (1961), Agee signed with the Cleveland Indians for a $60,000 bonus.
After two seasons in the Indians' farm system, Agee received a September call-up to Cleveland in 1962. With the Indians already behind 11-1 to the Minnesota Twins, Agee made his major league debut on September 14 at Metropolitan Stadium pinch-hitting for pitcher Bill Dailey in the ninth inning. He received September call-ups to the majors the following two seasons as well, playing a total of 31 games with the Indians in which he batted .170 with one home run and five runs batted in. Following the 1964 season, he was dealt to the Chicago White Sox with Tommy John as part of a three team blockbuster trade between the Indians, ChiSox and Kansas City Athletics that returned All-Star Rocky Colavito to the Indians.
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Tommy Davis
Herman Thomas Davis, Jr. (born March 21, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York) is an American former Major League Baseball left fielder and third baseman. He played from 1959-1976 for ten different teams, but he is best known for his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers. During an 18-year baseball career, Davis batted .294 with 153 home runs, 2,121 hits and 1,052 runs batted in. He was also one of the most proficient pinch-hitters in baseball history with a .320 batting average (63-for-197) – the highest in major league history upon his retirement, breaking the .312 mark of Frenchy Bordagaray. In 1962, he finished third in the MVP voting after leading the major leagues in batting average, hits and runs batted in. Davis' 153 RBIs in that season broke Roy Campanella's team record of 142 in 1953 and remain the franchise record; his 230 hits are the team record for a right-handed batter (second most in franchise history behind only Babe Herman's 241 in 1930), and his .346 average was the highest by a Dodger right-handed hitter in the 20th century until it was broken by Mike Piazza in 1997.
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Tommy Hutton
Thomas George Hutton (born April 20, 1946 in Los Angeles, California) is a former Major League Baseball player and is currently the color analyst for Miami Marlins baseball broadcasts on FSN Florida and Sun Sports - a position he has held since the 1997 season. Since 2005, he has been paired with play-by-play man Rich Waltz, but he also worked with current Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper from 2002 to 2004, current ESPN personality Dave O'Brien in 2001, and broadcaster Joe Angel from 1997 to 2000. He also appeared on MLB on Fox in 2005 with Kenny Albert when Florida Marlins played on Fox Sports. Previously, Hutton worked as a baseball broadcaster with ESPN, the New York Yankees, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Montreal Expos. Hutton was also a player in the major leagues with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1966 and 1969, Philadelphia Phillies from 1972 to 1977, Toronto Blue Jays in 1978, and the Montreal Expos from the latter part of the 1978 season to his final game on September 3, 1981. He moved from the dugout to the broadcast booth after being released by the Montreal Expos.
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Tommy John
Thomas Edward John Jr. (born May 22, 1943) is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball whose 288 career victories rank as the seventh highest total among left-handers in major league history. He is also known for the revolutionary surgery, now named after him, which was performed on a damaged ligament in his pitching arm.
John was an outstanding basketball player at Gerstmeyer High School in Terre Haute, Indiana, where he held the city single game scoring record. Choosing baseball when he realized he would not go on to play professional basketball, John signed with the Cleveland Indians and made his major league debut at twenty years-old in 1963. Following two partial seasons with the Indians, John showed occasional excellence during seven respectable years as a starting pitcher with the Chicago White Sox. However, it was a trade before the 1972 season to the Los Angeles Dodgers for mercurial slugger Dick Allen that began a skein of John's most famous years, first with the Dodgers and subsequently with the New York Yankees, where he posted a pair of 20-win seasons and was twice an All-Star. John was also named an All-Star in 1968 with the White Sox and 1978 with LA. He played in all three Yankees vs. Dodgers World Series of his era (1977, 1978 and 1981), having switched over to the Yankees by the time the Dodgers won the Series in 1981.
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Tommy Lasorda
Thomas Charles Lasorda (born September 22, 1927 in Norristown, Pennsylvania) is a former Major League baseball player and manager. 2009 marked his sixth decade in one capacity or another with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers organization, the longest non-continuous (he played one season with the Kansas City Athletics) tenure anyone has had with the team, edging Dodger broadcaster Vin Scully by a single season. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a manager in 1997.
He was played by actor Arthur J. Nascarella in the ESPN mini-series The Bronx is Burning.
Tommy Lasorda signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an undrafted free agent in 1945 and began his professional career with the Concord Weavers in 1945. He then missed the 1946 & 1947 seasons because of a stint in the United States Army. He served on active duty from October 1945 until spring 1947.
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Tommy McCarthy
Thomas Francis Michael "Tommy" McCarthy (July 24, 1863 – August 5, 1922) was a 19th-century Major League Baseball player. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.
McCarthy was born on July 24, 1863 in Boston, Massachusetts, the eldest son of Daniel and Sarah McCarthy. McCarthy joined the Boston Reds in the Union Association in 1884 as a starting pitcher and outfielder. In limited innings and at-bats, he played poorly, batting at a paltry .215 average, and lost all seven of his pitching appearances. McCarthy moved to the National League and played with the Boston Beaneaters the following season and the Philadelphia Quakers the following two years but failed to bat higher than .200 in any season, although in limited at-bats.
Setting aside aspirations of being a star pitcher, McCarthy finally settled into an everyday position in a lineup in 1888 with the St. Louis Browns in the American Association. With the Browns until 1891, McCarthy scored over 100 runs each season and grew increasingly productive at the plate. He batted .350 in 1890 and drove in 95 runs in 1891. Although the shoddy record-keeping of the time prevents an accurate tally, he also asserted himself as a daring presence on the base-paths, by some accounts stealing over 100 bases in 1888 and approaching the mark in 1890.
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Tony Gwynn
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. (born May 9, 1960), nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a retired American Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres (1982–2001). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 9, 2007 and was inducted on July 29. He is the first National League player born during the 1960s to earn the honor (Kirby Puckett was the first American Leaguer). He batted and threw left-handed.
Despite playing much of his career at a "power position" (right field is known for producing sluggers) during a time when home runs were at an all-time high, he was not a home run threat, never hitting more than 17 in any one season during his major league career. Instead, Gwynn made a name for himself by being one of the most consistent contact hitters in the game's history. Gwynn hit .338 for his career and won eight National League batting titles. He struck out only 434 times in 9,288 career at-bats, and never batted below .309 in any full season.
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Tony Gwynn Jr.
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Jr. (born October 4, 1982, in Long Beach, California) is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player, who is currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the son of baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
Gwynn graduated from Poway High School in California. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 33rd round of the 2000 MLB Draft but did not sign. He played college baseball at his father's alma mater, San Diego State University. He was a Mountain West Conference All-Star with his junior year in 2003, when he hit .359 and stole 25 bases.
Gwynn was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2nd round of the 2003 MLB Draft. After a couple of years in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut on July 15, 2006, as a pinch hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His first major league hit on July 19 (against San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson) came exactly 24 years to the day of his father's first major league hit — both doubles. Towards the end of the 2006 campaign, Gwynn received more playing time, replacing Brady Clark in the lineup. He appeared in 32 games for the Brewers in 2006, hitting .260 and made the Brewers' opening day roster for 2007.
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Tony Gwynn, Jr.
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Jr. (born October 4, 1982, in Long Beach, California) is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player, who is currently with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is the son of baseball Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
Gwynn graduated from Poway High School in California. He was drafted out of high school by the Atlanta Braves in the 33rd round of the 2000 MLB Draft but did not sign. He played college baseball at his father's alma mater, San Diego State University. He was a Mountain West Conference All-Star with his junior year in 2003, when he hit .359 and stole 25 bases.
Gwynn was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2nd round of the 2003 MLB Draft. After a couple of years in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut on July 15, 2006, as a pinch hitter against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His first major league hit on July 19 (against San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson) came exactly 24 years to the day of his father's first major league hit — both doubles. Towards the end of the 2006 campaign, Gwynn received more playing time, replacing Brady Clark in the lineup. He appeared in 32 games for the Brewers in 2006, hitting .260 and made the Brewers' opening day roster for 2007.
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Torii Hunter
Victorii 'Torii' Kedar Hunter ( /ˈtɔriː/; born July 18, 1975) is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.
Hunter was selected as the Twins' first-round pick in 1993 out of high school, and made his first appearance with the Twins as a pinch runner in Baltimore on August 22, 1997. It was not until 1999 that Hunter began starting regularly, playing in 135 games for the Twins. He finished with only one error in 292 chances in the outfield.
Hunter exploded onto the scene in the beginning of April in 2000, but his batting average dropped to .207 by the end of May. He was subsequently sent down to Triple-A to work on his mechanics at the plate; however with Hunter's new approach at the plate, he caught fire in the month of June, capping it with a two-home run, seven-RBI game and being named the Twins' Minor League Player of the Week and Player of the Month. After a 16-game hitting streak, four consecutive games with home runs and three grand slams, Hunter was recalled by the Twins on July 28. Hunter was named both Best Defensive Outfielder and Most Exciting Player in Pacific Coast League by Baseball America for 2000.
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Trevor Hoffman
Trevor William Hoffman (born October 13, 1967) is an American former baseball relief pitcher who played 18 years in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1993 to 2010. A long-time closer, Hoffman pitched for the Florida Marlins, San Diego Padres, and the Milwaukee Brewers, including more than 15 years for the Padres. He was the major leagues' first player to reach the 500- and 600-save milestones, and was the all-time saves leader from 2006 until 2011.
Hoffman played shortstop collegiately at the University of Arizona and was drafted in the 11th round by the Cincinnati Reds. After not having much success batting, Hoffman was converted to a pitcher, throwing up to 95 miles per hour (mph). The Marlins acquired him in the 1992 expansion draft, and he pitched in Florida until he was traded to the Padres mid-season in 1993 in a deal that sent star Gary Sheffield to the Marlins. Hoffman recorded 20 saves in 1994 in his first season as Padres closer, and in the following years, he became the face of the franchise after Tony Gwynn retired. He collected at least 30 saves each year for the next 14 years, except for 2003 when he missed most of the year recovering from shoulder surgery. After San Diego did not re-sign him, Hoffman pitched two years with the Brewers before retiring in 2010.
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Tris Speaker
Tristram E. Speaker (April 4, 1888 – December 8, 1958), nicknamed "Spoke" and "The Grey Eagle", was an American baseball player. Considered one of the best offensive and defensive center fielders in the history of Major League Baseball, he compiled a career batting average of .345 (sixth all-time), and still holds the record of 792 career doubles. Defensively, his career records for assists, double plays, and unassisted double plays by an outfielder still stand. His fielding glove was known as the place "where triples go to die."
Speaker led the Boston Red Sox to two World Series championships, and then carried the Cleveland Indians, as player-manager, to that team's first-ever World Series title. His innovations, most notably the platoon system and the infield rotation play, revolutionized the game. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in its second year of voting, 1937.
Tris Speaker was born on April 4, 1888 in Hubbard, Texas, to Archie and Nancy Poer Speaker. As a youth, he suffered a fractured right arm in a fall from a horse, forcing him to throw left-handed, which he continued to do throughout his baseball career. In 1905, Speaker played his only year of college baseball, for Fort Worth Polytechnic Institute. His left arm was severely injured in a football accident, to the extent that surgeons advised amputation. Tris refused, and fully recovered.
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Turkey Stearnes
Norman Thomas "Turkey" Stearnes (May 8, 1901 – September 4, 1979) was an African American center fielder in the Negro leagues. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2000.
Born in Nashville, Tennessee, Stearnes acquired his nickname at an early age from his unusual running style. He began his career in professional baseball in 1921 with the Montgomery Grey Sox, then played for the Detroit Stars, beginning in 1923. In 1931, the Stars failed to pay Stearnes his salary because of the Great Depression, so he moved from team to team for the remainder of his career, retiring in 1942 as a member of the Kansas City Monarchs.
Stearnes is considered by some as one of the great all-around players in the history of baseball, but because of his race and his quiet personality, he never received the recognition that many believe he deserved. He batted over .400 three times and led the Negro leagues in home runs seven times. He is credited with 183 home runs in his Negro league career, the all-time Negro league record, and fifty more than second-place Mule Suttles. Since Negro league seasons were very short, sometimes lasting fewer than thirty games, it is unclear how many home runs Stearnes might have hit in a 154-game major league season. The 165-pound Stearnes was a fast baserunner despite his awkward-looking running form, and was one of the best outfielders of his generation.
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Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the last six as the team's player-manager, and finished his career with the Philadelphia Athletics. In 1936, Cobb received the most votes of any player on the inaugural Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, receiving 222 out of a possible 226 votes.
Cobb is widely credited with setting 90 Major League Baseball records during his career. He still holds several records as of 2012, including the highest career batting average (.366 or .367, depending on source) and most career batting titles with 11 (or 12, depending on source). He retained many other records for almost a half century or more, including most career hits until 1985 (4,189 or 4,191, depending on source), most career runs (2,245 or 2,246 depending on source) until 2001, most career games played (3,035) and at bats (11,429 or 11,434 depending on source) until 1974, and the modern record for most career stolen bases (892) until 1977. He committed 271 errors in his career, the most by any American League outfielder.
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Vada Pinson
Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs/Reds, for whom he played from 1958 to 1968.
Pinson combined power, speed and defensive ability. As a Red, Pinson twice led the National League in hits (1961, 1963), doubles (1959, 1960), and triples (1963, 1967). He batted .343 in 1961, when the Reds won the NL pennant, but mustered only a .091 (2 for 22) average in the 1961 World Series, which Cincinnati lost to the New York Yankees in five games.
Pinson—who batted and threw left-handed—was primarily a center fielder. He appeared in 2,469 games for the Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals, notching 2,757 hits and finishing with a career batting average of .286, with 256 home runs and 305 stolen bases. Highly respected throughout the game, he was a coach for the Seattle Mariners (1977–80; 1982–83), Chicago White Sox (1981), Detroit Tigers (1985–91), and Florida Marlins (1993–94) after his playing days ended. He coached on the first-ever editions of both the Mariners and the Marlins.
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Vern Law
Vernon Sanders Law (born March 12, 1930 in Meridian, Idaho) is a retired Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for 16 seasons (1950-1951 and 1954-1967) for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Law was a member of the National League All Star Team in 1960. He won the Cy Young Award, and led the National League in complete games that year.
The interruption in his baseball career between the 1951 and 1954 seasons were due a stint in U.S. military service.
He is the pitching coach for Provo High School (PHS) varsity baseball team (PHS is located across the street from BYU where his son is the head coach), and is an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During his playing career, Law was tagged with the nickname "Deacon" by Pirate broadcaster Bob Prince. According to Law, it was given to him by former Pirate teammate Wally Westlake because he is a member of the ordained priesthood of the LDS Church.
Law has been credited with saying, "A winner never quits and a quitter never wins." and "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards."
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Vernon Wells
Vernon M. Wells III (born December 8, 1978) is a Major League Baseball player for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Wells has appeared on three All-Star teams in his career, been awarded three Gold Glove Awards, and one Silver Slugger Award. He is second all time for the Toronto Blue Jays in career hits, home runs, doubles, runs, RBI and total bases.
Wells was born in Shreveport, Louisiana to a father who played CFL football, and grew up in Arlington, Texas, where his family moved in 1988. In 1993, Wells entered Arlington's Bowie High School where he played quarterback on the football team and was an outfielder on the baseball team. In his senior year, he batted .565 with 7 home runs and 20 RBI. Before entering the Major League Baseball Draft, Wells signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Texas at Austin to play baseball and football (as a wide receiver).
The Toronto Blue Jays made Wells round one's fifth pick in the 1997 amateur draft. He spent several years as a top prospect in the Blue Jays organization, starting with the St. Catharines Stompers, Toronto’s Class-A team in the short-season New York – Penn League. In 1999 he played in the Australian Baseball League with the Sydney Storm. From 1999 through 2001, Wells was a regular September call-up and played in 57 games.
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Victor Rojas
Victor Rojas is an American baseball broadcaster, currently the TV voice of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Rojas is the son of former major-league player and manager Cookie Rojas. Born in Miami, Florida and raised in Overland Park, Kansas, Rojas played college baseball as a pitcher and catcher at the College of the Desert in Palm Desert, California, and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He pitched in the California Angels minor league system in the early 1990s.
He worked at Upper Deck Company and on the Florida Marlins baseball staff in 1993. He was the pitching coach for the Rio Grande Valley White Wings of the independent Texas-Louisiana League in 1994.
Rojas was a radio and television announcer for the Newark Bears of the independent Atlantic League for two years, and also served as the franchise's general manager. He worked as a broadcaster for MLB Radio in 2002 and 2003 on the All-Star Game and the Arizona Fall League.
He moved up to the radio booth for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003.
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Vladimir Guerrero
Vladimir Alvino Guerrero (born February 9, 1975, in Don Gregorio, Nizao, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball right fielder and designated hitter. He is currently with the Toronto Blue Jays, having been offered a minor league contract and an "extended spring training" opportunity to get into game shape at the team's Dunedin, Florida facility before an expected summer call up.
In 2004, he was voted the American League MVP. He helped lead the Angels to five American League West championships (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009), and was voted as one of the most feared hitters in baseball in a 2008 poll of all 30 major league managers.
A nine-time All Star, he is widely recognized as one of the best all-around players in the game because of his impressive offensive production, regularly hitting for power and average, and -- prior to injuries that robbed him of range -- stellar defense highlighted by one of the strongest throwing arms in baseball. He is also regarded as the game's premier "bad ball hitter," for his ability to consistently hit balls thrown well outside of his strike zone, a skill made evident on August 14, 2009, when Guerrero hit a pitch which bounced in front of home plate.
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Wade Boggs
Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15, 1958) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees, with whom he won his only World Series, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, with whom he recorded his 3,000th hit. His hitting in the 1980s and 1990s made him a perennial contender for American League batting titles. Boggs was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
With 12 straight All-Star appearances, Boggs is third only to Brooks Robinson and George Brett in number of consecutive appearances as a third baseman. In 1999, he ranked number 95 on the Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Boggs, a 1976 graduate of Plant High School in Tampa, Florida, currently resides in the Tampa Palms neighborhood of Tampa.
Boggs played in the longest game in professional baseball history as a member of the Pawtucket Red Sox in 1981 against Cal Ripken, Jr. and the Rochester Red Wings.
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Wally Moon
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, (born April 3, 1930, in Bay, Arkansas) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League for the St. Louis Cardinals (1954–1958) and Los Angeles Dodgers (1959–1965). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Moon was named after Wallace Wade, the former college football coach of the Alabama and Duke. From a family of educators, he earned a master's degree in administrative education from Texas A&M University in College Station while he was still in the minor leagues. He coached from 1953-1954 at Lake City, also in Craighead County. In the spring of 1954 the Cardinals told Moon to report to their minor league spring training camp. He ignored the order and reported instead to St. Petersburg with the Cardinals. He said that he would make the team or quit baseball. They let him stay, and by the end of the spring training he replaced Enos Slaughter in the outfield.
Moon made his majors debut on April 13, 1954. To make room for him in the roster, St. Louis sent the veteran Enos Slaughter to the Yankees. Moon responded for good. In his first at-bat, despite chants of "We want Slaughter", he belted a home run against the Cubs; in the same game Tom Alston became the first African American to play for the Cardinals. Moon finished with a .304 batting average, 12 home runs, 76 RBI, and career-high numbers in runs (106), hits (193), doubles (29), and stolen bases (18) in 151 games. He earned both the MLB Rookie of the Year and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year honors. Almost a unanimous vote, Moon won easily over rookies Ernie Banks, Gene Conley and Hank Aaron.
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Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn (April 23, 1921 – November 24, 2003) was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42. Spahn was the 1957 Cy Young Award winner, and was the runner-up three times, all during the period when just one award was given. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, with 83% of the total vote. (His eligibility was delayed, under the rules of the time, by 2 years of token minor league play.)
Spahn won 363 games, more than any other left-handed pitcher in history, and more than any other pitcher who played his entire career in the post-1920 live-ball era. He is acknowledged as one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball history. The Warren Spahn Award, given to the major leagues' best left-handed pitcher, is named after him.
Regarded as a "thinking man's" pitcher who liked to outwit batters, Spahn once described his approach on the mound: "Hitting is timing. Pitching is upsetting timing."
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Wes Parker
Maurice Wesley Parker III (born November 13, 1939 in Evanston, Illinois) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1964 to 1972. He also played one season in Japan for the Nankai Hawks in 1974.
As of 2009, Parker is a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization serving as a representative of the Dodgers Legend Bureau.
Parker batted a career high of .319 in 1970, joining a small group of players to drive in over 100 runs while hitting 10 homers or less. Known as one of the slickest fielding first basemen of all time, he won the National League Gold Glove Award award for first base every year from 1967 to 1972. He was also part of the 1965 Dodgers World Series team. Parker was a Cincinnati Reds broadcaster in 1973.
In a game against the New York Mets in May, 1970, Parker hit for the cycle (single, double, triple, and home run in the same game). He was the last Los Angeles Dodger to accomplish that feat until Orlando Hudson did it against the San Francisco Giants on April 13, 2009.
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Will Clark
William Nuschler Clark, Jr. (born March 13, 1964) is a former first baseman in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the San Francisco Giants from 1986 to 1993. Will was known by the nickname of "Will the Thrill." One story states that he earned the nicknames by his classmates at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, where he played both varsity baseball and varsity basketball. The more common story states that former teammate Bob Brenly gave Clark the moniker after Clark reportedly stated, "I'm just thrilled to be here," when asked about his recent call-up to the big leagues. The nickname has often been truncated to simply, "The Thrill." Another more generic nickname shared by Will, as well as other players past and present, is "The Natural" because of his natural gifts as a baseball player. Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Francoeur, Rick Ankiel, and most recently, Josh Hamilton have also donned the epic nickname.
Clark was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. He was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame on August 1, 2008. [2]
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Willard Brown
Willard Jessie Brown (26 June 1915 – 4 August 1996), nicknamed "Home Run" Brown, was an American baseball player who played outfielder in the Negro Leagues, and Major League Baseball, and is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, he began his professional baseball career in 1934 with the Monroe Monarchs, a minor Negro League team. In 1936, he signed with the Kansas City Monarchs, for which he played continuously until seeing action in World War II in 1944-45. During his pre-war baseball years, he established himself as having the most raw power in Negro League history, and possibly in the history of baseball. He hit home runs more often than the better known Josh Gibson, causing Gibson to give Brown his nickname. He also hit for a batting average of .374 in 1948 and regularly hitting over .350. Brown was one of the fastest players in baseball in the late 1930s and 1940s, as well as a solid outfielder. From 1937 to 1946 Brown helped lead the Monarchs to six pennants in ten seasons.
wn.com/Willard_Brown -
Willie Buchanon
Willie James Buchanon (born November 4, 1950) is a former cornerback for the National Football League's Green Bay Packers and San Diego Chargers; he was defensive rookie of the year in 1972 and a three-time Pro Bowl player. He finished his career with his hometown San Diego Chargers, retiring with 28 career interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries.
Buchanon was born and raised in Oceanside, California, where he was a graduate of Oceanside High School. He attended Mira Costa College, where he was a Junior College All-American in 1969. Buchanon later played football and graduated from San Diego State University. He was voted the Most Valuable Player in the East-West Shrine Game of 1971. Sporting News named the San Diego State All-American to its All-Time collegiate team.
Willie Buchanon was selected by Green Bay in the first-round of the 1972 draft, the 7th overall pick. He was the 1972 NFL AP Defensive Rookie of the Year and a three time All-Pro. In 1978, the Packers defensive back led the NFC with 9 interceptions, including four on September 24, 1978 against the San Diego Chargers that tied him for the still-standing NFL record for most interceptions in a game, first set by Sammy Baugh in 1943. Buchanon spent his last four pro years with the San Diego Chargers, where he tied the NFL all-time record for most recoveries in a game in 1981.
wn.com/Willie_Buchanon -
Willie Keeler
William Henry Keeler (March 3, 1872 – January 1, 1923) in Brooklyn, New York, nicknamed "Wee Willie", was a right fielder in professional baseball who played from 1892 to 1910, primarily for the Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Superbas in the National League, and the New York Highlanders in the American League.
Keeler's advice to hitters was "Keep your eye clear, and hit 'em where they ain't"—"they" being the opposing fielders. His .385 career batting average after the 1898 season is the highest average in history at season's end for a player with more than 1,000 hits (1,147 hits). He compiled a .341 batting average over his career, currently 14th all time behind Pete Browning. He hit over .300 16 times in 19 seasons, and hit over .400 once. He twice led his league in batting average and three times in hits. Keeler had an amazing 206 singles during the 1898 season, a record that stood for more than 100 years until broken by Ichiro Suzuki. Additionally, Keeler had an on-base percentage of greater than .400 for seven straight seasons. When Keeler retired in 1910, he was second all-time in hits with 2,932, behind only Cap Anson.
wn.com/Willie_Keeler -
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. (born May 6, 1931) is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his first year of eligibility. Most baseball fans and historians agree that Mays was the greatest all-around baseball player to have played in the Major Leagues.
Mays won two MVP awards and tied Stan Musial's record with 24 appearances in the All-Star Game. Mays ended his career with 660 home runs, third at the time of his retirement, and currently fourth all-time. An outstanding center fielder, he won a record-tying twelve Gold Gloves starting the year the award was introduced six seasons into his career.
In 1999, Mays placed second on The Sporting News' List of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, making him the highest-ranking living player. Later that year, he was also elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Mays is one of five NL players to have eight consecutive 100-RBI seasons, along with Mel Ott, Sammy Sosa, Chipper Jones and Albert Pujols. Mays hit 50 or more home runs in both 1955 and 1965. This time span represents the longest stretch between 50 plus home run seasons for any player in Major League Baseball history.
wn.com/Willie_Mays -
Willie Stargell
Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell (March 6, 1940 – April 9, 2001), nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was an American professional baseball player. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder and first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1962-1982). Over his 21-year career with the Pirates, he batted .282, with 2,232 hits, 423 doubles, 475 home runs and 1540 runs batted in, helping his team capture six National League East division titles, two National League pennants and two World Series (1971, 1979). Stargell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, but later moved to Alameda, California where he attended Encinal High School. He was signed by the Pirates at age 22, and made his Major League debut at the end of the 1962 season. He soon became a standout player, making his first of 7 trips to the All-Star Game in 1964.
Beloved in Pittsburgh for his style of play and affable manner, Stargell was known for hitting monstrous home runs, including 7 of the 16 balls ever hit completely out of Forbes Field and several of the upper-tier home runs at its successor, Three Rivers Stadium. At one time, Stargell held the record for the longest homer in nearly half of the National League parks. Standing 6 feet 2 inches, Stargell seemed larger, with his long arms and unique bat-handling practice of holding only the knob of the bat with his lower hand combining to provide extra bat extension, Stargell's swings seemed designed to hit home runs of the Ruthian variety. When most batters would use a simple lead-weighted bat in the on-deck circle, Stargell took to warming up with a sledgehammer, adding another layer of intimidation. While standing in the batter's box, he would windmill his bat until the pitcher started his windup.
wn.com/Willie_Stargell -
Zack Wheat
Zachariah Davis "Zack" Wheat (May 23, 1888 – March 11, 1972), nicknamed "Buck", was a Major League Baseball left fielder for Brooklyn in the National League. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1959.
A consistent hitter throughout his 19-year career, he still holds many Dodger franchise records. His brother McKinley "Mack" Wheat also played in the major leagues, and the two were teammates in Brooklyn for five seasons.
Born in Hamilton, Missouri, the son of Basil and Julia Wheat. His father was of English descent and his mother was full-blooded Cherokee. Wheat began his professional baseball career in 1906 for Enterprise in the Kansas League, followed by Wichita in 1907, Shreveport Pirates of the Texas League in 1908, and finally, to round out his minor league career, he played for the Mobile Seas Gulls of the Southern Association in 1909. It was during that 1909 season that the Brooklyn Superbas of the National League purchased Wheat for $1200, and he made his Major League debut in September. He batted with a corkscrew type of swing, and held his hands down near the end of the bat, unlike most hitters during his time, a time noted as the "Dead Ball Era". Even with his consistent high levels of hitting, he was also noted for his graceful and stylish defense.
wn.com/Zack_Wheat
Famous quotes by Tony Gwynn:
"Sure, I always thought that, in this game, the objective is to be the best player you can be. He knows he can get singles. See if you can do that and be like Edgar, ... If you're worth your salt as a player, that's what you want -- to be the best you can be."
"It's tough, because you're messing with how you make a living, ... But I needed that upgrade. Just to show I could do it."
"He might just be very comfortable doing what he's doing. If he is, he's at the top of the list, then. He's a master of his craft."
"He walks in my office and he's ready to hit the grind,'' Watson said."
"When you play on the road in this conference, especially (in Las Vegas), you have to score runs. You have to put runs on the board, plain and simple, especially here with the wind blowing like it was."
"Lots of guys took them. They were everywhere."
"It makes Spring Training so much better. You get fed good food, you get first-class treatment. As an athlete, what more can you ask for?"
"I think left field is the tougher of the two [corner positions]. Right-handed hitters tend to hook balls more often than left-handers do."
"Remember these two things: play hard and have fun."
"When you faced the Cardinals, it was a seven-inning game. You better have the lead after seven. If not, here comes Sutter and that was it."
"Sure, I always thought that, in this game, the objective is to be the best player you can be. He knows he can get singles. See if you can do that and be like Edgar, ... If you're worth your salt as a player, that's what you want -- to be the best you can be."
"It's tough, because you're messing with how you make a living, ... But I needed that upgrade. Just to show I could do it."
"He might just be very comfortable doing what he's doing. If he is, he's at the top of the list, then. He's a master of his craft."
"He walks in my office and he's ready to hit the grind,'' Watson said."
"When you play on the road in this conference, especially (in Las Vegas), you have to score runs. You have to put runs on the board, plain and simple, especially here with the wind blowing like it was."
"Lots of guys took them. They were everywhere."
"It makes Spring Training so much better. You get fed good food, you get first-class treatment. As an athlete, what more can you ask for?"
"I think left field is the tougher of the two [corner positions]. Right-handed hitters tend to hook balls more often than left-handers do."
"Remember these two things: play hard and have fun."
"When you faced the Cardinals, it was a seven-inning game. You better have the lead after seven. If not, here comes Sutter and that was it."
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Tony Gwynn featured on ESPN 03/28/11
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 7:28
- Updated: 12 Dec 2012
Baseball
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_featured_on_ESPN_03_28_11
Hitting 101 By Tony Gwynn December 2009
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:17
- Updated: 12 Dec 2012
I had the chance to work the SDSU xmas baseball camp and listen to Tony Gwynn talk about hitting! Wow what a great experience this was!
http://wn.com/Hitting_101_By_Tony_Gwynn_December_2009
I had the chance to work the SDSU xmas baseball camp and listen to Tony Gwynn talk about hitting! Wow what a great experience this was!
- published: 30 Dec 2009
- views: 46929
- author: VegasScout
Baseball Hall of Fame - Biographies: Tony Gwynn
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:59
- Updated: 28 Nov 2012
Tony Gwynn Hall of Fame Video Bio
http://wn.com/Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_Biographies_Tony_Gwynn
Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn busts the balls of a rude autograph seeker!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:18
- Updated: 30 Nov 2012
An unruly autograph seeker cuts in front of a long line and tells Tony he "Owes" him an autograph! Tony was signing in the El Cajon Ford showroom and sets the rude guy straight! And rightly so! This is vintage Tony Gwynn, who just recently ended radical chemotherapy and back problem issues, respond to this guy just like his old self!
http://wn.com/Hall_of_Famer_Tony_Gwynn_busts_the_balls_of_a_rude_autograph_seeker!
An unruly autograph seeker cuts in front of a long line and tells Tony he "Owes" him an autograph! Tony was signing in the El Cajon Ford showroom and sets the rude guy straight! And rightly so! This is vintage Tony Gwynn, who just recently ended radical chemotherapy and back problem issues, respond to this guy just like his old self!
- published: 06 Jul 2011
- views: 3944
- author: sandiegosportscene
Ted Leitner & Tony Gwynn Share their Fav Jerry Coleman stories
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 11:17
- Updated: 11 Nov 2012
Longtime Padres broadcaster Ted Leitner and HOF'er Tony Gwynn share their favorite stories of the great Jerry Coleman
http://wn.com/Ted_Leitner_Tony_Gwynn_Share_their_Fav_Jerry_Coleman_stories
Longtime Padres broadcaster Ted Leitner and HOF'er Tony Gwynn share their favorite stories of the great Jerry Coleman
- published: 16 Sep 2012
- views: 261
- author: MartyTimeTV
Tony Gwynn 2001 Montage.wmv
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:43
- Updated: 12 Dec 2012
A scoreboard segment of 2001 highlights of the final year Tony Gwynn played with the San Diego Padres. The fastest 90 seconds in baseball. Edited by Waky Jack Valentine of Action Video in San Diego.
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_2001_Montagewmv
A scoreboard segment of 2001 highlights of the final year Tony Gwynn played with the San Diego Padres. The fastest 90 seconds in baseball. Edited by Waky Jack Valentine of Action Video in San Diego.
- published: 24 Nov 2011
- views: 4917
- author: jack4vid
Get in the Game with Tony Gwynn
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:37
- Updated: 20 Nov 2012
Download the entire set at www.getinthegame.com
http://wn.com/Get_in_the_Game_with_Tony_Gwynn
Download the entire set at www.getinthegame.com
- published: 30 Nov 2011
- views: 10489
- author: GetinTheGameTV
Tony Gwynn Interview 04/11/12
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:55
- Updated: 11 Oct 2012
Baseball
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_Interview_04_11_12
Tony Gwynn Career Milestones and Moments Highlights
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:02
- Updated: 06 Dec 2012
i Know its short but these are the only clips i could find
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_Career_Milestones_and_Moments_Highlights
i Know its short but these are the only clips i could find
- published: 10 Jul 2012
- views: 4853
- author: TrueYankeeforever
Tony Gwynn - Wiki Article
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 53:54
- Updated: 10 Nov 2012
This article is about the former MLB player and Baseball Hall of Famer. For his son, who is also an MLB player, see Tony Gwynn, Jr.. Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. (born May 9, 1960), nicknamed Mr.... Tony Gwynn - Wiki Article - wikiplays.org Original @ http All Information Derived from Wikipedia using Creative Commons License: en.wikipedia.org Author: ewen and donabel Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 ) Author: jspatchwork Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 ) Author: ewen and donabel Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 )
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_Wiki_Article
This article is about the former MLB player and Baseball Hall of Famer. For his son, who is also an MLB player, see Tony Gwynn, Jr.. Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. (born May 9, 1960), nicknamed Mr.... Tony Gwynn - Wiki Article - wikiplays.org Original @ http All Information Derived from Wikipedia using Creative Commons License: en.wikipedia.org Author: ewen and donabel Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 ) Author: jspatchwork Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 ) Author: ewen and donabel Image URL: en.wikipedia.org ( Creative Commons ASA 3.0 )
- published: 10 Nov 2012
- views: 80
- author: WikiPlays
TONY GWYNN INTERVIEW ON XX 1090 RADIO - Nov. 29, 2012
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 23:53
- Updated: 12 Dec 2012
SDUS head baseball coach Tony Gwynn joins XX 1090 Radio to talk about the Aztecs' upcoming season.
http://wn.com/TONY_GWYNN_INTERVIEW_ON_XX_1090_RADIO_Nov_29,_2012
SDUS head baseball coach Tony Gwynn joins XX 1090 Radio to talk about the Aztecs' upcoming season.
- published: 29 Nov 2012
- views: 95
- author: goaztecscom
Tony Gwynn interview (1997, Heart of San Diego)
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 27:11
- Updated: 10 Aug 2012
Tony Gwynn interviewed on "The Heart of San Diego" by host Fred Lewis, 1997. More info: library.sdsu.edu
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_interview_1997,_Heart_of_San_Diego
Tony Gwynn interviewed on "The Heart of San Diego" by host Fred Lewis, 1997. More info: library.sdsu.edu
- published: 13 Feb 2012
- views: 450
- author: SDSUspeccoll
Mr. Padre Tony Gwynn comes close to hitting .400!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 1:16
- Updated: 07 Nov 2012
www.courtsidetweets.com Mr. Padre Tony Gwynn came the closest out of any player at hitting .400 in the past seventy years, and had there not been the 1994 Strike, he probably would have done it because he was just heating up at .394!
http://wn.com/Mr_Padre_Tony_Gwynn_comes_close_to_hitting_400!
www.courtsidetweets.com Mr. Padre Tony Gwynn came the closest out of any player at hitting .400 in the past seventy years, and had there not been the 1994 Strike, he probably would have done it because he was just heating up at .394!
- published: 15 Aug 2012
- views: 330
- author: CourtsideTweets
Tony Gwynn 1994 DR-11 Diamond Kings error baseball card.MP4
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 4:26
- Updated: 28 Aug 2012
The error card is Tony Gwynn on the back side and Rick Wilkins on the front side. I keep saying williams in the video but it is actually Wilkins.
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_1994_DR-11_Diamond_Kings_error_baseball_cardMP4
The error card is Tony Gwynn on the back side and Rick Wilkins on the front side. I keep saying williams in the video but it is actually Wilkins.
- published: 28 Aug 2012
- views: 30
- author: ApostleRon
Retro Break - 1983 Donruss Baseball Packs - Searching for Tony Gwynn Ryne Sandberg Wade Boggs
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:44
- Updated: 09 Nov 2012
www.blowoutcards.com http @cheapfunbreaks Join our break club: www.baseballcardcollectors.net Join my crowd on ustream for an email when I go live: www.ustream.tv
http://wn.com/Retro_Break_1983_Donruss_Baseball_Packs_Searching_for_Tony_Gwynn_Ryne_Sandberg_Wade_Boggs
www.blowoutcards.com http @cheapfunbreaks Join our break club: www.baseballcardcollectors.net Join my crowd on ustream for an email when I go live: www.ustream.tv
- published: 06 Nov 2012
- views: 338
- author: HoudiniCollector
Tony Gwynn Jr. on wearing Dodger blue & an update on his father's health.
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:08
- Updated: 09 Oct 2012
Tony Gwynn Jr. discusses wearing the Dodger blue, what his father thinks of his new look, health update & new teammates.
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn_Jr_on_wearing_Dodger_blue_an_update_on_his_father's_health
Tony Gwynn Jr. discusses wearing the Dodger blue, what his father thinks of his new look, health update & new teammates.
- published: 20 Mar 2011
- views: 1079
- author: MartyTimeTV
San Diego Padres' Tony Gwynn Has His 3000 Hit!
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:28
- Updated: 16 Oct 2012
www.courtsidetweets.com San Diego Padres' Tony Gwynn achieves baseball immortality with his 3000 hit in Montreal in 1999!
http://wn.com/San_Diego_Padres'_Tony_Gwynn_Has_His_3000_Hit!
www.courtsidetweets.com San Diego Padres' Tony Gwynn achieves baseball immortality with his 3000 hit in Montreal in 1999!
- published: 15 Aug 2012
- views: 192
- author: CourtsideTweets
1983 Donruss Baseball Group Box Break Tony Gwynn Ryne Sandberg Nolan Ryan
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 26:42
- Updated: 09 Dec 2012
www.baseballcardcollectors.net http www.pulledsuperfractorslist.com @cheapfunbreaks pm me to learn about joining future breaks http or pm houdini at blowoutcards.com forum. Click here to join the club: www.baseballcardcollectors.net Click here to join Pack Wars: www.packwars.org
http://wn.com/1983_Donruss_Baseball_Group_Box_Break_Tony_Gwynn_Ryne_Sandberg_Nolan_Ryan
www.baseballcardcollectors.net http www.pulledsuperfractorslist.com @cheapfunbreaks pm me to learn about joining future breaks http or pm houdini at blowoutcards.com forum. Click here to join the club: www.baseballcardcollectors.net Click here to join Pack Wars: www.packwars.org
- published: 18 Apr 2012
- views: 191
- author: HoudiniCollector
Postgame Interview: Tony Gwynn 04/21/09
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 3:55
- Updated: 15 Oct 2012
Baseball vs. Long Beach State
http://wn.com/Postgame_Interview_Tony_Gwynn_04_21_09
Baseball Learn to Hit with Tony Gwynn
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 15:18
- Updated: 13 Nov 2012
Baseball Learn to Hit with Tony Gwynn. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn shares some of his hitting tips to help you improve your batting average. Check out more awesome baseball videos at www.TheWhistle.com WHO ARE WE? WHO ARE WE?! THIS IS WHO WE ARE The Whistle is a sports media destination for kids and teens. Forget the boring stuff on the other sports networks and catch the world's best sports videos on The Whistle! SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com FOLLOW us on TWITTER: twitter.com Want to see other sports videos? -Tell us in the COMMENTS (politely please) -EMAIL us help@thewhistle.com -TWEET us @TheWhistle ...and most importantly, check out www.TheWhistle.com
http://wn.com/Baseball_Learn_to_Hit_with_Tony_Gwynn
Baseball Learn to Hit with Tony Gwynn. Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn shares some of his hitting tips to help you improve your batting average. Check out more awesome baseball videos at www.TheWhistle.com WHO ARE WE? WHO ARE WE?! THIS IS WHO WE ARE The Whistle is a sports media destination for kids and teens. Forget the boring stuff on the other sports networks and catch the world's best sports videos on The Whistle! SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com FOLLOW us on TWITTER: twitter.com Want to see other sports videos? -Tell us in the COMMENTS (politely please) -EMAIL us help@thewhistle.com -TWEET us @TheWhistle ...and most importantly, check out www.TheWhistle.com
- published: 09 Oct 2012
- views: 108
- author: thewhistle
The Nick and Artie Show - Tony Gwynn (Part #1) - On The Phone
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 9:12
- Updated: 04 Oct 2012
The Nick and Artie Show - Tony Gwynn (Part #1) - On The Phone
http://wn.com/The_Nick_and_Artie_Show_Tony_Gwynn_Part_1_On_The_Phone
The Nick and Artie Show - Tony Gwynn (Part #1) - On The Phone
- published: 04 Oct 2012
- views: 246
- author: TheNickandArtieShow
Andrew and Tony Gwynn
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 2:01
- Updated: 05 Aug 2012
Andrew gets bunting lessons from Tony Gwynn
http://wn.com/Andrew_and_Tony_Gwynn
TONY GWYNN NEPHEW EMONI BO JACK WINKFIELD GOES YARD LIKE BABE RUTH
- Order: Reorder
- Duration: 0:27
- Updated: 11 Dec 2012
JUST LIKE RUTH! EMONI POINTS TO WERE HE'S GOING TO HIT HIS HOME RUN! HE PLAYS TRAVEL BASEBALL WTH THE SO CAL CAVS IN LOSANGELES HE PLAYS FOOTBALL WITH CARSON COLTS IN CARSON CEEEEE HOUSE OCJAAF LEAGUE! 7TH GRADER YOU KNOOOOOOO!
http://wn.com/TONY_GWYNN_NEPHEW_EMONI_BO_JACK_WINKFIELD_GOES_YARD_LIKE_BABE_RUTH
JUST LIKE RUTH! EMONI POINTS TO WERE HE'S GOING TO HIT HIS HOME RUN! HE PLAYS TRAVEL BASEBALL WTH THE SO CAL CAVS IN LOSANGELES HE PLAYS FOOTBALL WITH CARSON COLTS IN CARSON CEEEEE HOUSE OCJAAF LEAGUE! 7TH GRADER YOU KNOOOOOOO!
- published: 12 Jun 2012
- views: 120
- author: HOTSPORTSREELZ
photo: AP / Manu Brabo
13 Dec 2012
MOSCOW, December 13 (RIA Novosti) – Syrian rebels behind the kidnapping of Ukrainian journalist Ankhar Kochneva have released a video threatening more attacks on Russians and Ukrainians, as a deadline for her execution approaches on Thursday. Kochneva, a 40-year-old Ukrainian citizen, was abducted in October by Syrian rebels as she traveled to the city of Homs, and has been held there by them since, they claim ... ....(size: 2.1Kb)
photo: AP / Lee Jin-man
13 Dec 2012
The head of the internet giant Google has defiantly defended his company’s tax avoidance strategy claiming he was “proud” of the steps it had taken to cut its tax bill which were just “capitalism”. In an interview in New York Eric Schmidt, Google’s Chairman, confirmed the company had no intention of paying more to the UK exchequer ... “I am very proud of the structure that we set up ... ” ....(size: 3.7Kb)
photo: UN / Eric Kanalstein
11 Dec 2012
Afghan women victims of violence are still being failed by the justice system, according to a new UN report. Although there had been some progress in implementing a 2009 anti-violence law, overall use of the law "remained low", the report says. Cultural pressures and inconsistent police practices are hampering implementation of the law, it added ... 'Tip of the iceberg' ... Afghan victims of sexual abuse rarely speak out ... ....(size: 2.5Kb)
photo: AP / Bullit Marquez
11 Dec 2012
The death toll brought about by typhoon “Pablo” continued to rise with 714 persons confirmed dead by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday while those missing ballooned to 890 as massive search, retrieval and relief operations continue in the typhoon-ravaged areas in Mindanao ... 4 ... They were subsequently brought to Caraga Regional Hospital ... (NHMFC) (P100,000) ... With AFP ....(size: 5.4Kb)
photo: AP / Francois Mori
13 Dec 2012
Sami al-Saadi, wife and four children were secretly flown from Hong Kong to Tripoli where he was tortured by Gaddafi police ... Photograph. Marco Longari/AFP ... The operation was arranged in 2004 at the time of Tony Blair's "deal in the desert" with Gaddafi, after which UK intelligence services helped track down and hand over his opponents ... He said ... "We now know that Tony Blair's 'deal in the desert' was bought with ugly compromises ... ....(size: 5.9Kb)
The Los Angeles Times
14 Dec 2012
Who would have thought the baseball off-season would be so interesting? The Dodgers spent a lot of money and added the top pitching free agent Zack Greinke, getting him from the Angels ... Here's an attempt at some answers ... Probably not ... Dickey ... Tony Gwynn Jr., a Gold Glove-caliber defender, isn't on the 40-man roster but is under contract. If Crawford has to miss significant time, look for Gwynn to be promoted from the minor leagues ... 0 ... ... . ....(size: 42.0Kb)
Yahoo Daily News
09 Dec 2012
Zack Greinke is the latest big money Dodgers catch. (U.S. Presswire) ... Factor in that, and the money owed Andruw Jones and Tony Gwynn Jr., and the rest of the players needed to fill out their roster, and the Dodgers will spend at least $225 million next year, a record that will grow even steeper when adding in a 17.5 percent luxury tax on every dollar over Major League Baseball's $178 million threshold ... [Related ... [Related ... • Y! News ... Author....(size: 10.0Kb)
noodls
04 Dec 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Ned Colletti is on the hunt for a top starting pitcher at the Winter Meetings and dodgers.com will be there covering it ... He also has until Dec ... Ideally, Colletti said, he could sign more than one player ... Negotiations continue with Choate ... The Dodgers are not expected to take any players, but could lose one or two, including outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., left unprotected with a $1.15 million guaranteed salary ... (noodl....(size: 2.8Kb)
noodls
04 Dec 2012
First-base coach cancer-free after battling Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2010. By Corey Brock / MLB.com . 12/03/12 3.00 PM ET. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- When the Padres approached first-base coach Dave Roberts about taking part in a Stand Up To Cancer fund-raising initiative, he didn't hesitate ... Hall of Fame outfielder and part-time television analyst Tony Gwynn underwent surgery for cancer of the parotid gland....(size: 4.1Kb)
noodls
02 Dec 2012
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Ned Colletti is on the hunt for a top starting pitcher at the Winter Meetings and dodgers.com will be there covering it ... He also has until Dec ... Ideally, Colletti said, he could sign more than one player ... Negotiations continue with Choate ... The Dodgers are not expected to take any players, but could lose one or two, including outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., left unprotected with a $1.15 million guaranteed salary ... (noodl....(size: 2.8Kb)
The Washington Times
30 Nov 2012
ANALYSIS/OPINION.. Baseball’s latest Hall of Fame ballot, a referendum dreaded for several years, was released this week ... And those fine folks receive a lone instruction for making their determination. ... That doesn’t help much ... Even Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, first-ballot Hall of Famers in 2007, disagreed on what was known and what was believed. “We knew,” Gwynn said at a news conference after his election ... ....(size: 3.9Kb)
Signon San Diego
29 Nov 2012
Folks in upstate New York really hadn’t seen anything like it since, well, Woodstock. Indeed, it was three days of peace and baseball. The highlight of that late-July weekend in Cooperstown was the sun-splashed induction ceremony for the Class of 2007, two stainless-steel ballplayers with impeccable credentials. Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken ... Thus, they started their Hall of Fame clock. Their five years are up. Yes. No ... 9 ... More. Comments () ... Call ... ....(size: 4.0Kb)
MLB
29 Nov 2012
LOS ANGELES -- To those convinced the Dodgers will sign Zack Greinke because they can outspend every other team, why hasn't it happened already?. Most likely because Ned Colletti is aiming higher ... At the November General Managers Meetings, Colletti said much of his winter shopping was done during the summer ... 10 ... The Dodgers need a fourth outfielder with center-field skills that they feel is an upgrade from Tony Gwynn ... Club needs ... Bench ... ....(size: 5.7Kb)
The Wichita Eagle
28 Nov 2012
Wichita State setter Chelsey Feekin leads the nation in attack percentage, an accomplishment akin to a point guard leading the nation in scoring. Her job is to get teammates kills and make the offense diversified and unpredictable. Her job, more than most setters, is also to score, a balancing act she pulls off admirably this season ... All day.âââ. Lamb says a baseball manager would want Tony Gwynn hitting every inning, if possible ... ....(size: 3.0Kb)
Houston Chronicle
28 Nov 2012
Posted on November 28, 2012 at 11.04 am by Brian T. Smith in General. E-mail. .. Print. Craig Biggio and Roger Clemens are on the ballot for the first time, while this is Jeff Bagwell's third go-around. (Chronicle file photos). Lifetime Astro Craig Biggio is just one step away from being enshrined in the Hall of Fame during his first year of eligibility ... Official voting results will be unveiled Jan. 9 ... Twitter ... 2007 – Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken ... ... ....(size: 3.9Kb)
Signon San Diego
27 Nov 2012
Naturally, Tony Gwynn was right where I knew he'd be, taking hacks by the hundreds in the batting cage ... "Man, I was just talking to my father (Charles, since deceased) about this very thing," said Gwynn, again coming to the rescue ... Forbes contributor Tony Nitti, an Aspen-based certified public accountant (and Phillies fanatic) whose specialty is ......(size: 4.1Kb)
Signon San Diego
23 Nov 2012
SAN DIEGO – The chant from San Diego State's football players for No. 19 sounds, and what's Tony Gwynn got to do with it?. “I've been shouting that since my freshman year,'' junior fullback Chad Young said. “And it's getting old.''. What's fresh is the Aztecs flipping that digit, as well as their image ... With apologies to Gwynn, what a hit that would be. “I would be happy for them,'' coach Rocky Long said of his charges ... More. Comments () ... ....(size: 3.7Kb)
Signon San Diego
21 Nov 2012
On this day of giving thanks, here are things and people for which I’m thankful.. Thank you Dean Spanos for your patience. Yeah, you read that right. Of course Dean should of have planted his wing-tip upside A.J. Smith and Norv Turner’s backsides last January. But reflect for a moment ... So Dean, sincerely, thank you for your patience. And make sure you don’t blow these next two hires ... You rock. Thank you for Tony Gwynn’s cackle ... Gwynn ... Call ... ....(size: 3.8Kb)
This article is about the former MLB player and Baseball Hall of Famer. For his son, who is also an MLB player, see Tony Gwynn, Jr..
| Tony Gwynn | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Right fielder | |
| Born: (1960-05-09) May 9, 1960 (age 52) Los Angeles, California |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Left |
| MLB debut | |
| July 19, 1982 for the San Diego Padres | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 7, 2001 for the San Diego Padres | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .338 |
| Hits | 3,141 |
| Home runs | 135 |
| Runs batted in | 1,138 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame |
|
| Induction | 2007 |
| Vote | 97.6% (first ballot) |
Anthony Keith "Tony" Gwynn, Sr. (born May 9, 1960), nicknamed Mr. Padre and Captain Video, is a retired American Major League Baseball right fielder. He is statistically one of the best and most consistent hitters in baseball history. He played his entire 20-year baseball career for the San Diego Padres (1982–2001). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 9, 2007 and was inducted on July 29. He is the first National League player born during the 1960s to earn the honor (Kirby Puckett was the first American Leaguer). He batted and threw left-handed.[1]
Despite playing much of his career at a "power position" (right field is known for producing sluggers) during a time when home runs were at an all-time high, he was not a home run threat, never hitting more than 17 in any one season during his major league career. Instead, Gwynn made a name for himself by being one of the most consistent contact hitters in the game's history. Gwynn hit .338 for his career and won eight National League batting titles. He struck out only 434 times in 9,288 career at-bats, and never batted below .309 in any full season.
Gwynn was selected by the Padres in the third round of the 1981 Major League Baseball Draft (the 58th player chosen overall). His uniform number was #19, which the Padres retired in 2004.
Contents |
Career[link]
Born in Los Angeles, California and a native of Long Beach, California, Gwynn was a star baseball player at Long Beach Polytechnic High School, graduating in 1978[2] before moving on to San Diego State University.
At SDSU, Gwynn was not only an acclaimed baseball player, but also a standout point guard on the San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball team, setting a school record for assists in a season and a career.[3] Gwynn was well known for his excellent court vision and playmaking abilities. The same day the Padres drafted him, Gwynn was also selected by the San Diego Clippers in the 10th round of the National Basketball Association draft, but he elected to play baseball instead.[3]
Gwynn was noted for constantly studying his swing, always looking for ways to improve his hitting. He used a relatively small Louisville Slugger bat (model #B276C) measuring 33 inches and weighing just 30½ ounces, far smaller than those of his contemporaries, such as five-time American League batting champion Wade Boggs, who used Louisville Slugger's #B439 model. Gwynn began using the smaller bats while playing his first season of professional ball for San Diego's A-level Walla Walla Padres minor league club in 1981 because he was having trouble adapting to wood bats and wanted something of a similar weight to the aluminum bats he used in college.
Even though Gwynn was batting .360 at the time, he felt that the larger bats were hampering him because he had to choke up so far — and his first major league hit, on July 19 against Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Sid Monge, was a double. In the aftermath, Phillies first baseman Pete Rose, at the time second in career hits and aware of how well Gwynn hit in the minors, came up to the new Padre and told him, "Don't try to catch me in one night." The 1982 season would be the only one of Gwynn's career in which he would hit below .309. He would go on to play in two World Series, one in 1984 and again in 1998.
After a winter ball wrist injury, Gwynn struggled in the second half of 1983, sinking as low as .229 by July 29. It was then that he began using video recording to review his at-bats. He heated up to a .309 average for his shortened season; he would only hit that low again once, in 1990. Gwynn's breakthrough season was 1984, when he hit .351 and won the first batting title of his illustrious career. That season, the Padres won the first National League pennant in team history, defeating the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series before losing the World Series to the Detroit Tigers. Gwynn batted .368 in the NLCS, but was less effective in the World Series, in which he made the final out by flying out to Tigers left fielder Larry Herndon.
Gwynn was also a good baserunner in his early years. In 1987, he tied an NL record with five stolen bases in a game, and he had 319 steals in his career. He became proficient with a glove for most of his career, winning five Gold Glove Awards from 1986 to 1991 despite playing much of his career with knee problems. Over time, his left knee became the more troublesome, and Gwynn has had several operations on both to halt the deterioration of the joints.
Gwynn got his 1000th hit on April 22, 1988, in San Diego, against Houston Astros pitcher Nolan Ryan.
Primarily a center fielder as of 1984, in 1989 Gwynn split time between right field and center fields, while winning his third Gold Glove.
In 1994 Gwynn batted .394, the highest batting average in the National League since Bill Terry hit .401 in 1930 and the highest in the majors since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. Had the season not been shortened by a strike, Gwynn would have had the chance to become the first batter to eclipse the magical .400 mark in more than 50 years; of course, several players have hit .400 for four months, only to fade. In the end, Gwynn fell three hits short of the .400 mark in the shortened season.
In 1997, Gwynn reached career highs with 17 home runs and 119 runs batted in. The next season, Gwynn batted .321 and helped the Padres win their second pennant, as they defeated the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves in the playoffs. However, the Padres lost the World Series to the New York Yankees in a four-game sweep, despite Gwynn's home run in the opening game against New York Yankees pitcher David Wells, and his overall batting average of .500 in the Series.
Gwynn had 135 career home runs: 74 solo home runs, 39 two-run home runs, 19 three-run home runs, and 3 grand slams (one of which was of the inside-the-park variety). 99 of his home runs came when the game was tied or the Padres were behind.
Gwynn got his 3,000th hit on August 6, 1999, with a single in the first inning off Montreal Expos pitcher Dan Smith. Coincidentally, he got his 2,000th hit, also a single, on August 6, 1993, against Colorado Rockies pitcher Bruce Ruffin. August 6 is also the birthday of Gwynn's mother.
Achievements and honors[link]
| 95px | |
| Tony Gwynn's number 19 was retired by the San Diego Padres in 2004. |
Gwynn is an eight-time National League batting champion, leading the league in 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997, which ties him with the Pittsburgh Pirates' Honus Wagner for the league record — the all-time Major League batting titles leader is Ty Cobb, who won 12 American League batting titles. He is also a 15-time All-Star, and was voted as a starter by the fans in 11 of the games.
Although he had 135 career home runs, Gwynn described himself as a contact hitter who could hit to all fields. He rarely struck out (just 434 times, once every 21 at-bats) and his goal was to put the ball in play and move baserunners over. He was also an outstanding bunter.
In 1999, while still active as one of baseball's best hitters, he ranked Number 49 on The Sporting News'' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Despite adding to his career statistics for two more seasons until his retirement, when TSN updated their list for 2005, Gwynn had fallen to Number 57.
Gwynn retired in 2001 with 3,141 hits and a lifetime batting average of .338. His career average is the highest among players whose careers began after World War II, and fourth-highest among players whose career was entirely within the live-ball era (only Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, and Bill Terry have higher averages in that time).[4] He played his entire career with one team, a rarity in any era, and is considered by many to be the best player to ever wear a Padres jersey. In his last game at home, the Padres honored him by stenciling "5.5" on the third-base side of the infield dirt, referencing what he called the "5.5 hole" (so named because it was in between third base, marked as the number 5 on a scorecard, and shortstop, which is position number 6) where he placed many of his hits.
Since his retirement, Gwynn has worked as a color commentator for ESPN and is the head baseball coach at his alma mater, San Diego State University. In 1997, Smith Stadium, the school's baseball facility, was extensively renovated. Padres owner John Moores financed the estimated $4 million project, and at Moores's request, it was renamed Tony Gwynn Stadium.
In 2007, a bronze statue of Gwynn was unveiled in the park just beyond Petco Park's outfield. The address of PETCO Park is 19 Tony Gwynn Drive.[5]
Hall of Fame[link]
On January 9, 2007, Gwynn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, being selected on 532 out of 545 ballots (97.61%), seventh highest percentage in Hall of Fame voting history, and just thirteen votes short of a unanimous selection. At the time of his induction, Gwynn was the only member of the Baseball Hall of Fame who was never a teammate of another Baseball Hall-of-Famer. Since then, former teammates Goose Gossage, Rickey Henderson and Roberto Alomar have been elected.
On July 21, 2007, the Padres unveiled a statue of Gwynn at the "Park in the Park" area of Petco. This statue features an engraving which reads "Mr. Padre", and includes a quote from Gwynn's father on the back. Gwynn was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame alongside Cal Ripken, Jr. on July 29, 2007. Ripken and Gwynn are 2 of the 46 players in the Hall of Fame who played their entire major league career for only one team. Both were elected in their first year of eligibility.
The Gwynn-Ripken induction weekend was notable for a number of attendance records, which were announced during the ceremony. 14,000 people visited the Hall of Fame Museum on July 28, a record number for a single-day. Baseball attendance for all games played on July 28 also set a single-day record. The induction ceremony also had the greatest collection of living Hall-of-Famers, 53, present for a ceremony. A record crowd estimated at 75,000 attended the induction ceremony, shattering the previous record of 25,000 in 1999. In 2002, Gwynn was also inducted by the San Diego Hall of Champions into the Breitbard Hall of Fame honoring San Diego's finest athletes both on and off the playing surface.[6] Prior to his induction into the Hall of Fame on July 20, 2007, Gwynn appeared on a Wheaties box.
Career totals[link]
- Bold indicates Padres all-time leader
| AVG | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB | CS | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| .338 | 2,440 | 9,288 | 1,383 | 3,141 | 543 | 85 | 135 | 1,138 | 790 | 434 | 319 | 118 | .388 | .459 |
Milestone Hits[link]
| Hit # | Date & Opponent | Pitcher | Type of Hit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | July 19, 1982 vs. Philadelphia[7] | Sid Monge | Double |
| 500 | August 18, 1985 vs. Atlanta[7] | Craig McMurtry | Single |
| 1,000 | April 22, 1988 vs. Houston[7] | Nolan Ryan | Single |
| 1,135^ | September 17, 1988 @ Atlanta[7] | Jim Acker | Single |
| 1,500 | August 15, 1990 vs. Montreal[7] | Steve Frey | Single |
| 2,000 | August 6, 1993 vs. Colorado[7] | Bruce Ruffin | Single |
| 2,500 | August 14, 1996 @ Cincinnati[7] | Héctor Carrasco | Single |
| 3,000 | August 6, 1999 @ Montreal[7] | Dan Smith | Single |
| 3,141* | October 6, 2001 vs. Colorado[7] | Gabe White | Single |
- ^ Became the Padres all-time leader surpassing Dave Winfield (1973–80).[8]
- * Final of career
Post-playing career[link]
Gwynn is currently the head baseball coach at San Diego State University,[3] his alma mater. Gwynn also worked as a part-time analyst for ESPN. He has recently been recruited as a Yahoo! Sports expert analyst. He often sits in for play-by-play during Padres games on San Diego's Channel 4. Gwynn has also been hired to help broadcast postseason games on TBS. In May 2012, Gwynn's joined a group led by movie producer Thomas Tull to bid on purchasing the Padres from Moores.[5]
Personal life[link]
Gwynn is married to Alicia Gwynn, PhD, and is the father of R&B artist Anisha Nicole and major league outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., whose major league debut (with the Milwaukee Brewers) and first major league hit on July 19, 2006 came 24 years to the day of his father's first major league hit — both Gwynns hit doubles.[9] Gwynn also has three granddaughters. His brother, Chris, was also a major league outfielder.[10] Both Chris and Tony Jr. played with the Padres during their careers. Gwynn currently splits his time between his homes in Poway, California (San Diego) and Fishers, Indiana (Indianapolis).
Gwynn has had three procedures to remove noncancerous growths from his parotid gland since 1997. In 2010, Gwynn was diagnosed with cancer of a salivary gland[11] and had both lymph nodes removed.[12] Gwynn attributed his cancer to his dipping tobacco habit that he had since playing rookie ball in Walla Walla in 1981.[13]
Bibliography[link]
- Tony!, Contemporary Books, 1986. ISBN 0-8092-5034-9. (With Jim Geschke.)
- Tony Gwynn's Total Baseball Player, St. Martin's Press, 1992. ISBN 0-312-07097-7. (With Jim Rosenthal, photos by Russ Gilbert.)
- The Art of Hitting, GT Pub., 1998. ISBN 1-57719-347-4. (With Roger Vaughan, foreword by Ted Williams.)
- "One on One: My Journey With Hall of Famers, Fan Favorites, And Rising Stars", Sweet Dreams Publishing, 2010, ISBN 978-0-9824461-7-1. (With Jane Mitchell, foreword by Dick Enberg)
See also[link]
.jpg){kind=small}
- List of Major League Baseball hit records
- List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with a .325 batting average
- List of Gold Glove Award winners at outfield
- List of Silver Slugger Award winners at outfield
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
- Major League Baseball titles streaks
- DHL Hometown Heroes
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- 3,000 hit club
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of current NCAA Division I baseball coaches
References[link]
- ^ Tony Gwynn stats @mlb.com; accessed 16 September 2008
- ^ Long Beach Poly High School...counting Tony Gwynn and Chris Gwynn among its alumni.
- ^ a b c "19 Tony Gwynn". goaztecs.cstv.com. http://goaztecs.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/gwynn_tony00.html. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
- ^ [1]
- ^ a b "Tony Gwynn joins group in bid to purchase Pads". ESPN.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 22, 2012. http://www.webcitation.org/67qJ2C4Th.
- ^ [2]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Adande, J.A. (August 7, 1999). "A Tony Neighborhood". Los Angeles Times. http://articles.latimes.com/1999/aug/07/sports/sp-63512?pg=3. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
- ^ "Tony Gwynn: The Greatest Padre". The San Diego Union-Tribune. http://legacy.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070110/news_lz1x10gwynn.html. Retrieved 2010-01-12.
- ^ The San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2006/07/19/sports/s155638D83.DTL. [dead link]
- ^ [3]
- ^ "Report: Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn Has Cancer". The New York Times. 9 October 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/10/09/sports/baseball/AP-BBO-Gwynn-Cancer.html. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
- ^ "Report: Tony Gwynn Fighting Cancer". SanDiego.com. 9 October 2010. http://www.sandiego.com/sports/1-man-s-opinion-tony-gwynn-fighting-cancer. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
- ^ Friend, Tom (March 25, 2011). "Tony Gwynn returns after facing cancer". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 27, 2011. http://www.webcitation.org/5xUKQIP1c.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Tony Gwynn |
- Tony Gwynn at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Gwynn, Tony |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American baseball player and coach |
| Date of birth | May 9, 1960 |
| Place of birth | Los Angeles, California |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Tony_Gwynn
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Tony Gwynn
http://es.wn.com/Tony Gwynn
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Gwynn
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
Ted Leitner is a former KFMB News 8 sportscaster and current radio play-by-play announcer for San Diego Padres baseball and San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball and football. He is also a former host on KFMB radio in San Diego. Due to a hectic schedule, he left KFMB just three days shy of his 25th anniversary at that station. He kept his play-by-play job with the San Diego Padres (who left that station around the same time for cross-town rival KOGO) and later XX Sports Radio (he also for a short time tried an afternoon show on XX Sports Radio as well).[1] His association with the Padres dates back to 1980.[1] Although he makes it a point to take a back seat to legendary sidekick Jerry Coleman, Ted has become a San Diego institution in his own right and his name appears on the ballot for the Ford Frick Award with the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents |
Background[link]
Leitner graduated from Oklahoma State University in the mid 1960s, and attended graduate school in Norman, Oklahoma. Before starting his long tenure in San Diego, Leitner worked for the Philadelphia Eagles, the San Diego Clippers and Chargers, and with university sports in Oklahoma and Hartford markets. He has six sons and one daughter. He has been divorced four times.[1]
Sports commentary[link]
Leitner is currently the commentator for San Diego Padres baseball, San Diego State Aztecs football, and San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball. He is known for his outspoken style, and for referring to the team as "My Padres" when they are winning and/or playing well. When the team is losing or in a bad stretch, he refers to the team as "Your Padres." For years, Leitner did television on the Padres' cable TV network, as well as doing the 5 and 11 pm sportscasts for KFMB-TV.
Leitner has a history of mocking those who like NHL hockey, and those who complain to the station that he does not show highlights. To "appease" hockey fans, Ted would occasionally show a highlight clip of an NHL game, which was most often two enforcers squared off in a fight. Or if only one NHL game was being played on a given night, Leitner would claim that he was about to show every goal scored in the NHL that night. The 3 or 4 goals would then be shown, rapidly edited, in the space of a few seconds.
Political commentary[link]
Leitner has also dabbled in news and political commentary during his career and once did a news-oriented talk show for KFMB radio. One of his most notable programs was when the guest was entertainer and outspoken Bush administration critic Harry Belafonte. On the 20-minute segment, Belafonte would condemn the entire Bush administration, especially then Secretary of State Colin Powell as well as Attorney General John Ashcroft.[2]
Just before Christmas of 2005, Leitner did his daily radio show for XX Radio from a U.S. military base in the Baghdad, Iraq region. During another Christmas season Leitner and other XX personalities did their shows from Camp Pendleton.[citation needed]
References[link]
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Leitner, Ted |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Ted_Leitner
Related pages:
http://ru.wn.com/Лейтнер, Тэд
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Leitner
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
 |
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2009) |
| Ryne Sandberg | |
|---|---|
 Sandberg, as manager of the Peoria Chiefs. |
|
| Second baseman | |
| Born: (1959-09-18) September 18, 1959 (age 52) Spokane, Washington |
|
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 2, 1981 for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 28, 1997 for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .285 |
| Hits | 2,386 |
| Home runs | 282 |
| Runs batted in | 1,061 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame |
|
| Induction | 2005 |
| Vote | 76.2% |
Ryne Dee Sandberg (born September 18, 1959), nicknamed "Ryno," is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played major-league baseball for sixteen years (1981–1994 and 1996–97) and spent nearly his entire career with the Chicago Cubs. He was named for relief pitcher Ryne Duren, and is recognized as one of the best second basemen in baseball history. Sandberg was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2005; he was formally inducted in ceremonies on July 31, 2005.
Sandberg is currently the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the AAA affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies.[1]
Sandberg established himself as a perennial All-Star and Gold Glove candidate, making 10 consecutive All-Star appearances and winning nine consecutive Gold Gloves from 1983 to 1991. His career .989 fielding percentage is a major-league record at second base.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Sandberg was a star high-school quarterback in Spokane, Washington, where he graduated from North Central High School. In 1977, he was named to Parade Magazine's High School All-American football team, identifying him as one of the top two football players in the state of Washington. After his high school graduation, the school's baseball field was named in his honor as "Ryne Sandberg Field".[2][3]
He was recruited to play quarterback at NCAA Division I colleges, and eventually signed a letter of intent with Washington State University. He rescinded the letter after being drafted in the 20th round of the 1978 baseball amateur draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.[4][5]
Philadelphia Phillies[link]
Sandberg made his major-league debut as a shortstop for the Phillies in 1981.
However, the Phillies didn't have much room in the lineup for him at the time. The Phillies didn't think he could play shortstop, though he would have probably had trouble dislodging Larry Bowa from that spot in any event. While he'd seen time in the minors at second base and third base, he was blocked from those positions by Manny Trillo and Mike Schmidt respectively. Accordingly, he was traded along with Bowa to the Cubs for shortstop Ivan DeJesus prior to the 1982 season. The trade, now reckoned as one of the most lopsided deals in baseball history, came about after negotiations between Bowa and the Phillies broke down for a new contract.[6]
However, Cubs general manager Dallas Green, a former Phillies manager, wanted a young prospect to go along with the aging Bowa (as it turned out, Bowa would be out of baseball by 1985). Green had largely been responsible for the Phillies drafting Sandberg in 1978, when Green worked in the Phillies front office. The two have remained very close over the years.[4] Years later, Phillies general manager Paul Owens said that he didn't want to trade Sandberg, but Green and the Cubs weren't interested in any of the other prospects he offered. Owens then went back to his scouts, who told him Sandberg wouldn't be any more than a utility infielder. However, Sandberg had hit over .290 in the minors two years in a row.[7] The trade is now considered one of the best (if not the best) in recent Cubs history. At the same time, it is considered one of the worst trades in Phillies history; DeJesus would only last three years in Philadelphia, and was out of baseball by 1988.
Sandberg is one of two Hall of Famers who came up through the Phillies farm system and earned their Hall of Fame credentials primarily as Cubs, the other being Ferguson Jenkins. Similarly, Jenkins was traded to the Cubs in another lopsided trade (a multi-player trade for pitchers Larry Jackson and Bob Buhl).
Chicago Cubs[link]
The Cubs, who initially wanted Sandberg to play center field, installed him as their third baseman, and he went on to be one of the top-rated rookies of 1982. However, Sandberg was displaced by Chicago's trade for veteran Ron Cey following the 1982 season, so Sandberg moved to second base, where he became a star.
1984[link]
After winning a Gold Glove Award in his first season at the new position, Sandberg emerged with a breakout season in 1984, in which he batted .314 with 200 hits, 114 runs, 36 doubles, 19 homers and triples, and 84 RBI. He nearly became only the third player to collect 20 doubles, triples, home runs, and stolen bases in the same season, led the Cubs to the National League's Eastern Division title (their first championship of any kind since 1945), and won the National League Most Valuable Player Award, the first by a Cub since Ernie Banks' back-to-back honors in 1958 and 1959.
After his great season in which he garnered national attention, he wrote an autobiography Ryno with Fred Mitchell.
"The Sandberg Game"[link]
One game in particular was cited for putting Sandberg (as well as the 1984 Cubs in general) "on the map", an NBC national telecast of a Cardinals–Cubs game on June 23, 1984.[8] The Cubs had been playing well throughout the season's first few months, but as a team unaccustomed to winning, they had not yet become a serious contender in the eyes of most baseball fans.
As for Sandberg, he had played two full seasons in the major leagues, and while he had shown himself to be a top-fielding second baseman and fast on the basepaths (over 30 stolen bases both seasons), his .260-ish batting average and single-digit home run production were respectable for his position but not especially noteworthy, and Sandberg was not talked about outside Chicago. The Game of the Week, however, put the sleeper Cubs on the national stage against their regional rival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Both teams were well-established franchises with a strong fan base outside the Chicago and St. Louis area.
In the ninth inning, the Cubs trailed 9-8, and faced the premier relief pitcher of the time, Bruce Sutter. Sutter was at the forefront of the emergence of the closer in the late 1970s and early 1980s: a hard-throwing pitcher who typically came in just for the ninth inning and saved around 30 games a season. (Sutter was especially dominant in 1984, saving 45 games.) However, in the ninth inning, Sandberg, not yet known for his power, slugged a home run to left field against the Cardinals' ace closer. Despite this dramatic act, the Cardinals scored two runs in the top of the tenth. Sandberg came up again in the tenth inning, facing a determined Sutter with one man on base. As Cubs' radio announcer Harry Caray described it:
| “ | There's a drive, way back! Might be outta here! It is! It is! He did it again! He did it again! The game is tied! The game is tied! Holy Cow! Listen to this crowd, everybody's gone bananas! | ” |
The Cubs went on to win in the 11th inning. The Cardinals' Willie McGee had already been named NBC's player of the game before Sandberg's first home run. As NBC play-by-play man Bob Costas (who called the game with Tony Kubek) said when Sandberg hit that second home run, "Do you believe it?!" The game is sometimes called "The Sandberg Game". The winning run for the Cubs was driven in by a single off the bat of Dave Owen.
1990[link]
In 1990, Sandberg led the National League in home runs–a rarity for a second baseman–with 40. Sandberg was only the third second baseman to hit 40 home runs; Rogers Hornsby and Davey Johnson hit 42, and no American League second baseman has yet reached forty. Sandberg also batted in 100 runs, despite batting second in the order. His batting average did not suffer from his new level of power, as he finished at .306 for the season. Sandberg, Brady Anderson and Barry Bonds are the only players to have both a 40-homer (1990) and 50-steal (1985) season during their careers. Sandberg played a then major league-record 123 straight games at second base without an error. This record was later broken by Plácido Polanco, then of the Detroit Tigers.
1992[link]
On March 2, 1992, Sandberg became the highest paid player in baseball at the time, signing a $28.4 million ($47,034,764 today) four-year extension worth $7.1 million ($11,758,691 today) a season.[9] He earned a spot on the NL All-Star roster and an NL Silver Slugger Award at second base with a .304 batting average, 26 home runs, 100 runs, and 87 runs batted in.
1994[link]
After struggling early in the season, Sandberg retired in 1994. While he had been a historically slow starter throughout his entire career, his 1994 start was slower than normal. In his book, Second to Home, Sandberg said,
| “ | The reason I retired is simple: I lost the desire that got me ready to play on an everyday basis for so many years. Without it, I didn't think I could perform at the same level I had in the past, and I didn't want to play at a level less than what was expected of me by my teammates, coaches, ownership, and most of all, myself. | ” |
1996–1997[link]
Sandberg returned to the Chicago Cubs for the 1996 and 1997 seasons, retiring again with a career batting average of .285, and a record 277 home runs as a second baseman; this record was surpassed in 2004 by Jeff Kent.
Post-playing career[link]
Initially, Sandberg kept a low profile after retiring. However, in 2005, Sandberg accepted his first marketing deal since his retirement, agreeing to be spokesman for National City Bank. He also appeared on ESPN Radio 1000 as an analyst during the 2004 baseball season. He is also a former baseball columnist for Yahoo! Sports.
Hall of Fame induction[link]
Sandberg delivered what many traditionalist fans considered a stirring speech at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2005.[10] He thanked the writers who voted for him because it meant that he played the game the way he had been taught it should be played. He spoke several times of respect for the game, and chided a subset of current players who, in his opinion, lack that respect. Specifically, he spoke of how the game needs more than home run hitters, citing that turning a double-play and laying down a sacrifice bunt are weapons many of today's greats don't value. He also made a strong pitch for induction of his former teammate, Andre Dawson, who was ultimately elected to join the Hall in 2010.
Sandberg's number is retired[link]
| 95px | |
| Ryne Sandberg's number 23 was retired by the Chicago Cubs in 2005. |
Following his Hall of Fame induction, Sandberg had his number 23 retired in a ceremony at Wrigley Field on August 28, 2005, before a Cubs game against the Florida Marlins. He became only the fourth Chicago Cub to have his number retired, following Ernie Banks (#14), Billy Williams (#26), and Ron Santo (#10). Since then, #31 (Ferguson Jenkins and Greg Maddux) has been retired. Since his retirement, no other Cub had been assigned #23. Sandberg has worn his uniform number 23 in past jobs as a Cubs spring training instructor and Peoria Chiefs manager. He also wore that number during his time with the Iowa Cubs as their manager and as the manager of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.
Managerial career[link]
Sandberg formerly served as a spring training instructor for the Cubs in Mesa, Arizona.
2007–2010[link]
On December 5, 2006, Sandberg was named manager of the Cubs' Class-A Peoria Chiefs in the Midwest League. In his first season as a manager, he took his team to the Midwest League championship game. In December 2008, Sandberg was promoted to manager of the Class Double-A Team Tennessee Smokies in the Southern League.[11] In December 2009, he was again promoted, to manager of the Triple-A Iowa Cubs. Upon leading Iowa to an 82-62 record, the Pacific Coast League named him its 2010 Manager of the Year.[12][13]
Sandberg has said that his ideal job would be to manage the Chicago Cubs.[14] Former manager Lou Piniella suggested that Sandberg, as manager of the Cubs' top minor-league affiliate, would be in the mix to replace him when he retires after the 2010 season.[15] However the position was given to interim manager Mike Quade.
2011–present[link]
On November 15, 2010, Sandberg left the Cubs organization and returned to his original organization as manager of the Phillies' top minor-league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[1] He led the IronPigs to their first-ever playoff appearance and the International League championship series. Baseball America named him its 2011 Minor League Manager of the Year.[13]
Personal life[link]
Charity foundations[link]
Sandberg and his wife, Margaret, founded Ryno Kid Care to assist in the lives of children with serious illnesses. The organization provides anything from big brothers to a home-cooked meal. Ryno Kid Care also provides massage therapists and clowns dressed up as doctors and nurses to brighten the children's day. He has one son and one daughter, Justin and Lindsey.
Ryno Kid Care's mission is "dedicated to enhancing the lives of children with serious medical conditions and their families, by providing supportive, compassionate and meaningful programming."
Ryno Kid Care is no longer in operations.
Other information[link]
His last game at Wrigley Field on September 21, 1997 was also the last game during which Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray would perform "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the seventh-inning stretch, as Caray died the following offseason.
On August 8, 1988, during the first scheduled night game at Wrigley Field, Morganna the Kissing Bandit almost kissed him, but was intercepted by park security; he knocked the next pitch out of the park, to thunderous applause. All events of that night were voided however, as the game was called in the fourth inning and wiped out.
His nephew, Jared Sandberg, was a third baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays.
See also[link]
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
References[link]
 |
This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (November 2011) |
- ^ a b http://www.nctimes.com/sports/baseball/article_33d9168a-b4c5-5405-824b-dea8923c0324.html
- ^ "City Of Stars". CNN. July 27, 1992. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1004045/4/index.htm.
- ^ Blanchette, John. At his alma mater, Sandberg had a field day, Spokesman-Review, page 36, January 31, 1995.
- ^ a b Kepner, Tyler. Hall of Famer’s Slow Road to a Major League Bench. New York Times, 2010-08-09.
- ^ Blanchette, John. "An Early Star Quality," The Spokesman-Review.com. Available at http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sections/sandberg/story.asp?ID=early_years
- ^ http://zozone.mlblogs.com/archives/2010/11/a_look_back_at_the_sandberg_tr.html
- ^ Neyer, Rob (2006). Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders. New York City: Fireside. ISBN 0-7432-8491-7.
- ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN198406230.shtml
- ^ "Ryne Sandberg from the Chronology". BaseballLibrary.com. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Ryne_Sandberg_1959&page=chronology. Retrieved 2009-03-02.
- ^ Ryne Sandberg's Hall of Fame induction speech, 31 July 2005, transcript available at http://www.cubsnet.com/node/526
- ^ http://www.smokiesbaseball.com/news/news.asp?newsId=1291
- ^ "Sandberg Named PCL Manager of Year". Iowa Cubs. http://iowa.cubs.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20100903&content_id=14234820&vkey=pr_t451&fext=.jsp&sid=t451. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
- ^ a b Schuler, Jeff (December 5, 2011). "2011 Minor League Manager Of The Year: Ryne Sandberg: Sandberg forges new path as top manager". Baseball America. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/awards/manager-of-the-year/2011/2612685.html. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
- ^ De Luca, Chris (October 2, 2009). "Ryno could be next, best choice". Chicago Sun Times. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/deluca/1802229,CST-SPT-deluca02.article. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
- ^ Simon, Andrew (October 4, 2009). "Piniella: Sandberg would be 'in mix'". MLB.com (Major League Baseball). http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091004&content_id=7320892&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc&partnerId=rss_chc. Retrieved October 6, 2009.
External links[link]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
- Ryne Sandberg at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- BaseballLibrary.com
- Baseball-Almanac.com
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sandberg, Ryne |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American baseball player |
| Date of birth | September 18, 1959 |
| Place of birth | Spokane, Washington |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Ryne_Sandberg
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Ryne Sandberg
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryne_Sandberg
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
| Wade Boggs | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Third baseman | |
| Born: (1958-06-15) June 15, 1958 (age 54) Omaha, Nebraska |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 10, 1982 for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 27, 1999 for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .328 |
| Hits | 3,010 |
| Home runs | 118 |
| Runs batted in | 1,014 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame |
|
| Induction | 2005 |
| Vote | 91.9% (first ballot) |
Wade Anthony Boggs (born June 15, 1958) is an American former professional baseball third baseman. He spent his 18-year baseball career primarily with the Boston Red Sox, but also played for the New York Yankees, with whom he won his only World Series, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, with whom he recorded his 3,000th hit. His hitting in the 1980s and 1990s made him a perennial contender for American League batting titles. Boggs was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005.
With 12 straight All-Star appearances, Boggs is third only to Brooks Robinson and George Brett in number of consecutive appearances as a third baseman. In 1999, he ranked number 95 on the Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Boggs, a 1976 graduate of Plant High School in Tampa, Florida,[1] currently resides in the Tampa Palms neighborhood of Tampa.
Contents |
Minor league career[link]
Boggs played in the longest game in professional baseball history as a member of the Pawtucket Red Sox in 1981 against Cal Ripken, Jr. and the Rochester Red Wings.
"The Pawtucket Red Sox and Rochester Red Wings, two teams from the Triple-A International League, played the longest game in professional baseball history. It lasted for 33 innings over eight hours and 25 minutes. 32 innings were played from 18 to 19 April 1981 at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island."[citation needed]
Major league career[link]
Boston Red Sox[link]
A left-handed hitter, Boggs won five batting titles starting in 1983. He also batted .349 in his rookie year which would have won the batting title, but was 121 plate appearances short of the required minimum of 502. From 1982 to 1988, Boggs hit below .349 only once, hitting .325 in 1984. From 1983 to 1989, Boggs rattled off seven consecutive seasons in which he collected 200 or more hits, an American League record for consecutive 200-hit seasons that was later matched and surpassed by Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki. Boggs also had six seasons with 200 or more hits, 100+ runs and 40+ doubles. Although he would not win another batting title after 1988 (his batting title that year broke Bill Madlock's Major League record of four by a third baseman), he regularly appeared among the league leaders in hitting.
In 1986, Boggs made it to the World Series with the Red Sox, but they lost to the New York Mets in seven games. The photo of him fighting back tears, taken by George Kalinsky, photographer for the Mets, emblemized the emotions of many Red Sox fans after their team's loss at Shea Stadium.
New York Yankees[link]
In 1992, Boggs slumped to .259 – one of only three times in his career that he failed to reach .300 – and at the end of the season he left the Red Sox, with whom he had spent his entire career to that point. He was heavily pursued by two teams: the Los Angeles Dodgers and the arch-rival of the Red Sox, the New York Yankees - he chose the Yankees when they added the third year to the contract that the Dodgers would not offer. Boggs went on to be awarded three straight all-star appearances, had four straight .300-plus seasons, and even collected two Gold Glove Awards for his defense.
In 1996, Boggs helped the Yankees to their first World Series title in 18 years. In the series' fourth game, which saw the Yankees rally from six runs down to win, Boggs was called on to pinch hit in the tenth inning and using the batting eye he was known for throughout his career, he coaxed a bases loaded walk out of Steve Avery which gave the Yankees the lead in a game they went on to win 8-6.[2] After the Yankees won the series in game 6, Boggs memorably celebrated by jumping on the back of an NYPD horse, touring the field with his index finger in the air - despite his self-professed fear of horses.
Tampa Bay Devil Rays[link]
Boggs signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the final two seasons of his career, in 1999 collecting his 3,000th hit. Despite his reputation as a singles hitter with limited power, he is one of only two players whose 3,000th hit was a home run,[3] and was the only one until Derek Jeter hit his on July 9, 2011. The historic ball was caught in the right field stands of Tropicana Field by Mike Hogan, a sports information director at the University of South Florida, who gave it back to Boggs at the conclusion of the game. Boggs retired in 1999 after sustaining a knee injury, leaving with a career batting average of .328 and 3,010 hits. A yellow seat among the rest of the Tropicana's blue seats marks where the ball landed in right field, with a small metal plate noting it as the area that the ball landed.
Baseball legacy[link]
| 95px | |
| Wade Boggs's number 12 was retired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2000. |
While not unique among non-pitchers, Boggs also recorded a few innings pitching at the Major League level. His main pitch was a knuckleball, which he used 16 times (along with one fastball) in one shutout inning for the Yankees against the Anaheim Angels in a 1997 game.[4]
His own style included mental preparedness techniques, which consisted in visualizing four at-bats each evening before a game and imagining himself successfully getting four hits.
As of June 8, 1986, over the course of the previous 162 games (equivalent to a full season, though across two seasons) Boggs was hitting .400, with 254 hits in 635 at-bats.[5]
In 1987, Boggs – who was up for a new contract following the season – hit 24 home runs, the most in any year of his career.
On April 7, 2000 his #12 was retired by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.[6] Although he has not had his number retired by the Boston Red Sox, he was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2005.[7]
Boggs was known for his superstitions. He ate chicken before every game (Jim Rice once called Boggs "chicken man"), woke up at the same time every day, took exactly 100 ground balls in practice, took batting practice at 5:17, and ran sprints at 7:17.[3] His route to and from his position in the field beat a path to the home dugout. He drew the Hebrew word "Chai", meaning "life", in the batter's box before each at-bat, though he is not Jewish.[8] He asked Fenway Park public address announcer Sherm Feller not to say his uniform number when he introduced him because Boggs once broke out of a slump on a day when Feller forgot to announce his number.[9]
Boggs is rumored to have once drunk 60-70 beers during a cross country flight, a story which originally received national attention via a sign in the background of an episode of ESPN's College Gameday before a Pittsburgh vs Virginia Tech football game. Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon questioned Boggs on an episode of ESPN's Pardon the Interruption. According to Boggs "it was nothing to be proud of" and "let's just say it was a few Miller Lites." [10]
Life outside baseball[link]
The Margo Adams affair and palimony lawsuit[link]
Boggs garnered non-baseball related media attention in 1989 for his four-year extramarital affair with Margo Adams, a California mortgage broker. After Boggs ended the relationship in 1988, Adams filed a $12 million lawsuit for emotional distress and breach of oral contract. She argued that Boggs had verbally agreed to compensate her for lost income and services performed while accompanying Boggs on road trips.[11] Boggs' reputation was further sullied when Adams agreed to an interview with Penthouse magazine in which she discussed intimate details of her time with Boggs.[12] While acknowledging the affair, Boggs went on the offensive in order to combat the wave of negative press, denying many of the claims made by Adams. Boggs' rebuttal included an appearance on the ABC program 20/20 in which he presented his side of the story to Barbara Walters.[13] In February 1989, an appeals court threw out $11.5 million of the initial lawsuit, ruling that Adams could not seek compensation for emotional distress.[14] The remaining demand for $500,000 was settled out of court later that year for an undisclosed amount.[15]
Hall of Fame plaque cap logo controversy[link]
Before his retirement, Boggs was plagued by newspaper reports that the expansion Devil Rays gave him financial compensation in return for selecting a Devil Rays cap for his plaque at the Baseball Hall of Fame, though he has denied that any such condition was part of his contract.[16] In light of those reports (and other rumors that teams were offering number retirement, money, or organizational jobs in exchange for the cap designation) the Hall decided in 2001 to change its practice of deferring to players' wishes regarding cap logo selection, and reinforced the Hall's authority to determine with which cap the player would be depicted. Boggs is wearing a Boston cap on his plaque.
Family[link]
Boggs's mother died in June 1986 due to a car accident in Tampa while he was with the Red Sox.[17] Shortly after her death, Boggs and his father bought a fish camp on U.S. 301 just south of Hawthorne, Florida they named Finway, which his father operated until shortly before he died.[18] Wade and his wife Debbie have two children, Brett and Meagann.[19]
Wade Boggs was named one of the Top 10 Most Superstitious Athletes by Men's Fitness.[20]
Wrestling[link]
As a baseball player, Boggs made an appearance for the professional wrestling promotion World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1988. He appeared in a vignette with wrestler Mr. Perfect in which Perfect played baseball. 19 years later in 2007, Boggs inducted the late Perfect into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Television[link]
Boggs appeared as himself in the episode Bar Wars of Cheers, in which he was sent to the bar as an apology by a rival bar. He was accosted by the regulars who thought he was a fake. David Levine revealed in 2009 that Boggs had promised to trade Adams' panties for Kirstie Alley's. In 2011, He also appeared in the Psych episode Dead Man's Curveball.
Accusations of Racism[link]
Former Red Sox pitcher Oil Can Boyd was on a book tour to promote his new autobiography and was on the Dennis and Callahan show on WEEI, when he claimed that Wade Boggs was a bigot and would call him the n-word everyday to his face in the club house. Days later Boggs called into the program to dispute the claims, stating that he was not racist, always considered Oil Can a friend, and was even asked by Oil Can to be his son's godfather.
Bibliography[link]
- Boggs!, Contemporary Books, 1986. ISBN 0-8092-5063-2.
- The Techniques of Modern Hitting, Perigee Books, 1990. ISBN 0-399-51595-X. (with David Brisson).
- Fowl Tips: My Favorite Chicken Recipes, 1984. (with Debbie Boggs)
See also[link]
- Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame
- List of Major League Baseball hit records
- List of Major League Baseball doubles records
- DHL Hometown Heroes
- List of Major League Baseball players with 2000 hits
- List of Major League Baseball players with 400 doubles
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 runs
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBIs
- 3000 hit club
- List of Major League Baseball batting champions
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
References[link]
- ^ "Famous Faces". St. Petersburg Times: p. 4E. May 30, 2010.
- ^ http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Wade_Boggs_1958
- ^ a b "The Ballplayers - Wade Boggs Biography". BaseballLibrary.com. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Wade_Boggs_1958. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ Curry, Jack (1997-08-21). "Boggs and His Knuckler Are the Stars of the Show". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1997/08/21/sports/boggs-and-his-knuckler-are-the-stars-of-the-show.html. Retrieved 2010-05-24.
- ^ Boston Globe, June 9, 1986. p. 37.
- ^ "Retired Uniform Numbers in the American League". Baseball Almanac.com. http://www.baseball-almanac.com/feats/feats10.shtml. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ "Red Sox Hall of Fame". RedSox.com. http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/bos/history/feature_hall_of_fame.jsp. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ The Rundown. >"Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me". http://www.npr.org/programs/waitwait/archrndwn/2005/aug/050806.waitwait.html. Retrieved 2008-07-25. NPR. August 6, 2005
- ^ Callahan, Gerry (May 21, 1993). "Cheers Wade's World back in town". Boston Herald. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/bostonherald/access/68110727.html?dids=68110727:68110727&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ "Wade Boggs likes beer". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75Gx8OmO9Rk.
- ^ Margolick, David (1989-03-03). "THE LAW; At the Bar". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE1D6133EF930A35750C0A96F948260. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ Chass, Murray (1989-02-23). "BASEBALL; Gossip Checks In At Red Sox Camp". New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE0D7123FF930A15751C0A96F948260. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASEBALL; Boggs Speaks Out". New York Times. 1989-03-25. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE2D81F3EF936A15750C0A96F948260. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ "Big Hit for Boggs in Court". New York Times. 1989-02-27. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE7D7103FF934A15751C0A96F948260. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ "SPORTS PEOPLE: BASEBALL; Boggs Settlement". New York Times. 1989-12-13. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE4D9103CF930A25751C1A96F948260. Retrieved 2008-07-25.
- ^ Muder, Craig (2005-01-06). "Boggs, Sandberg field queries as new Hall of Famers". www.usatoday.com (USA Today). http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/hallfame/2005-01-06-boggs-sandberg-questions_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ^ Shaughnessy, Dan (July 31, 2005). "Boston Red Sox - Wade Boggs: 2005 Hall of Fame inductee". Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2005/07/31/wade_boggs_2005_hall_of_fame_inductee. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
- ^ "Old Florida Heritage Highway CMC Meeting". March 4, 2009. http://www.scenicus441.com/Agenda%20and%20Minutes/March_2009_minutes.pdf. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
- ^ Nipps, Emily (28 July 2005). "She's been his closest fan for 30 years". St. Petersburg Times. http://www.sptimes.com/2005/07/28/Sports/She_s_been_his_closes.shtml.
- ^ Top 10 Most Superstitious Athletes
External links[link]
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Boggs, Wade |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | American baseball player |
| Date of birth | 1958-06-15 |
| Place of birth | Omaha, Nebraska |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
http://wn.com/Wade_Boggs
Related pages:
http://fr.wn.com/Wade Boggs
http://pt.wn.com/Wade Boggs
http://de.wn.com/Wade Boggs
http://es.wn.com/Wade Boggs
This page contains text from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wade_Boggs
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
|
|
This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (February 2010) |
| Nolan Ryan | |
|---|---|
 Ryan in 1990 |
|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1947-01-31) January 31, 1947 (age 65) Refugio, Texas |
|
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| September 11, 1966 for the New York Mets | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 22, 1993 for the Texas Rangers | |
| Career statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 324–292 |
| Strikeouts | 5,714 |
| Earned run average | 3.19 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
MLB Records
|
|
| Member of the National | |
| Baseball Hall of Fame |
|
| Induction | 1999 |
| Vote | 98.79% (first ballot) |
Lynn Nolan Ryan, Jr. (born on January 31, 1947), nicknamed "The Ryan Express", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He is currently principal owner, president and CEO of the Texas Rangers.
During a major league record 27-year baseball career, he pitched in 1966 and from 1968 to 1993 for four different teams: the New York Mets, California Angels, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999.[1]
Ryan, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, threw pitches that were regularly recorded above 100 miles per hour (160.93 km/h). The high velocity remained throughout his career, even into his 40s. Ryan was also known to throw a devastating 12–6 curveball at exceptional velocity for a breaking ball.[2]
While his lifetime winning percentage was a relatively pedestrian .526, Ryan was an eight-time MLB All-Star, and his 5,714 career strikeouts rank first in baseball history by a significant margin.[1] He leads the runner-up, Randy Johnson, by 839 strikeouts. Similarly, Ryan's 2,795 bases on balls lead second-place Steve Carlton by 962—walking over 50% more hitters than any other pitcher in Major League history. Other than Jackie Robinson (whose number was retired by the entire MLB), Ryan is currently the only major league baseball player to have his number retired by at least 3 different teams: the Angels, Astros, and Rangers.
Ryan is the all-time leader in no-hitters with seven, three more than any other pitcher. He is tied with Bob Feller for most one-hitters, with 12. Ryan also pitched 18 two-hitters. Despite the seven no-hitters, he never threw a perfect game, nor did he ever win a Cy Young Award. Ryan is one of only 29 players in baseball history to date to have appeared in Major League baseball games in four decades.
Contents |
Early life[link]
Ryan was born in Refugio, Texas, the youngest of six children,[3] to Lynn Nolan Ryan, Sr. and Martha Lee Hancock Ryan. His family lived in nearby Woodsboro, Texas until they moved to Alvin, Texas when he was 6 weeks old. As a young boy, he enjoyed throwing objects at any target. His father thought that baseball was a better usage for his arm, therefore he encouraged Nolan to play the game.
Ryan joined Alvin Little League Baseball when he was nine, and pitched the first no-hitter of his life a few years later. Ryan also played various positions besides pitcher.[4]
Ryan played baseball for Coach Jim Watson at Alvin High School for all of his high school career.[5][6] Ryan held the senior year strikeout record for 44 years, retiring 21 hitters in a game[7]. The record was tied by Alvin High School pitchers Aaron Stewart[8] and Josh Land in the same week in 2009[9]
Playing career[link]
New York Mets (1966–1971)[link]
In 1965, after graduating from Alvin High School, Ryan was drafted by the New York Mets in the 12th round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft.[1] He was assigned to a minor league team in the Appalachian League called the Marion Mets in Marion, Virginia.[10] When Ryan was called up to the New York club the following year, he was the second-youngest player in the league. His first strikeout victim was Pat Jarvis, and he gave up his first major league home run to Joe Torre, a future big-league manager.[1]
Ryan missed much of the 1967 season due to illness, an arm injury, and service with the Army Reserve, pitching only 7 innings for the Mets' minor league affiliate in Jacksonville.[10] Ryan did not stick in the majors for good until the 1968 season.[1] Despite his fastball, he was unable to crack the Mets outstanding pitching rotation, led by Tom Seaver and Jerry Koosman. Ryan was used more as a reliever and spot starter by the 1969 Mets. To deal with frequent blisters on his throwing hand he often soaked his fingers in pickle brine,[11] although the technique's effectiveness was questioned both by Ryan's teammates and coaches.
Ryan pitched well in the 1969 postseason for the Mets. Against the Braves in the NLCS, Ryan completed a Mets sweep by throwing seven innings of relief in Game 3, getting his first playoff win (it would take him 12 years to get another). Then in the 1969 World Series, Ryan saved Game 3, pitching 2⅓ shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles. The Game 3 victory gave the Mets a 2–1 lead in the Series, which they went on to win in five games. It would be Ryan's only World Series appearance in his career.[1]
On April 18, 1970, Ryan tied a Mets record by striking out 15 batters in one game.[1] Four days later, Ryan's teammate, Tom Seaver, topped it with 19 against the San Diego Padres.[12] Ryan has credited his time with Seaver and the Mets with turning him from just a flamethrower to a pitcher. However, by 1971 Ryan had become increasingly frustrated and was considering retiring from baseball. His record for the season was 10–14.[1] He told Mets management that he was not happy in New York and requested a trade.
California Angels (1972–1979)[link]
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| Nolan Ryan's number 30 was retired by the California Angels in 1992. |
On December 10, 1971, Ryan was traded to the California Angels along with pitcher Don Rose, catcher Francisco Estrada and outfielder Leroy Stanton for shortstop Jim Fregosi (who would later manage Ryan in Anaheim). Fregosi had been an All-Star in six of seven seasons between 1964 and 1970, and was only 29 years old. But Fregosi who is rated by Bill James as the 15th best shortstop in MLB history, played fewer than 150 games for the Mets, and never had a good season again. The deal remains controversial, and has been cited as one of the worst in Mets history. It has been argued that in light of his ineffectiveness and unhappiness as a Met, had Ryan not been sent to another organization, he would have continued to struggle with his control. The move was not viewed as unreasonable at the time. However, the transaction quickly turned sour for New York.
In his first season with the Angels, Ryan, given a chance to pitch regularly as a starter for the first time in his career, had a league-leading 329 strikeouts—nearly a third more than the AL runner-up, and to that point, the fourth-highest total of the 20th century. Within five seasons, the season would only be Ryan's fourth-highest strikeout total.[1] He also set a still-standing Major League record by allowing only 5.26 hits per nine innings, breaking Luis Tiant's 5.30 in 1968, as well as posting a 2.28 earned run average that year,[1] to date the second lowest in franchise history, trailing only Dean Chance's 1.65 in 1964. Though Ryan's actual winning percentage hovered only slightly over .500, his strikeouts and no-hitters brought him media attention. Meanwhile, Fregosi failed to produce as a Met, making no significant contribution to the Mets' 1973 pennant-winning campaign; he was sold to the Texas Rangers mid-season.
Although the Angels were a sub-.500 team and remained one for much of his time there, Ryan managed to post some winning records, notably 19–16 in 1972, 21–16 in 1973 and 22–16 in 1974 (the 22 wins tied what remains the Angels franchise record, set by Clyde Wright in 1970). Ryan also led the league in losses in 1976 with a 17–18 record (one short of the franchise record for losses).[1] In the early 1970s, many teams used a four-man rotation and expected the starter to complete the game; thus most games Ryan started ended in a decision.
On July 9, 1972, Ryan struck out three batters on nine pitches in the second inning of a 3–0 win over the Boston Red Sox; he became the seventh American League pitcher to accomplish the nine-pitch/three-strikeout half-inning, and the first (and currently only) pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the feat in both leagues. (On April 19, 1968, he had struck out three batters on nine pitches in the second inning of a 2–1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals; becoming the eighth National League pitcher and the 14th pitcher in Major League history to accomplish the feat.)
In 1973, Ryan set his first major record when he struck out 383 batters in one season, beating Sandy Koufax's old mark by one. Remarking on this feat, Koufax joked, "Yeah, and he also surpassed my total for bases on balls in a single season by 91. I suspect half of those guys he struck out swung rather than get hit."
Ryan threw two no-hitters in 1973. In the second one, on July 15 against the Detroit Tigers, he struck out 17 batters - most in a recorded no-hitter. Ryan was so dominant in this game, it led to one of baseball's best-remembered pranks. Tigers first baseman Norm Cash came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, having already struck out three times, and was carrying a clubhouse table leg instead of a bat. Plate umpire Ron Luciano ordered Cash to go back and get a regulation bat, to which Cash replied, "Why, I won't hit him anyway!"[13] With a regulation bat in hand, Cash did finally make contact, but popped out to end the game.
Ryan added a third no-hitter in 1974 and a fourth in 1975, tying another of Koufax's records. In 1974 he twice struck out 19 batters, tying Tom Seaver and Steve Carlton for the single-game record for a nine-inning game. Roger Clemens would become the first pitcher with a 20-strikeout game in 1986.
The California Angels finally made the playoffs in Ryan's eighth and final year there in 1979. He started Game 1 of the ALCS and threw seven innings against the Orioles' Jim Palmer, but neither man was involved in the decision as Baltimore won in the 10th inning. Ryan was scheduled to pitch Game 5, but the Angels were eliminated in four. The season complete, Ryan became a free agent.
Ryan led the American League in strikeouts seven times during his eight seasons with the Angels. However, he also led the league in walks in six of those years, and finished second the other two seasons: 1975 and 1979.[1] Aside from Bob Feller in 1938, Ryan is the only man since 1900 to walk 200 batters in a season, which he did twice: in 1974 and 1977.
Though Ryan's strikeouts and no-hitters got him considerable media attention, he did not win over Angels general manager Buzzie Bavasi, who dismissed him as a flashy .500 pitcher (Ryan was 26–27 in the two years both were with the Angels). When Bavasi let Ryan leave after a 16–14 record in the 1979 season, Bavasi remarked he only needed to replace Ryan with two 8–7 pitchers, adding, "I think my plumber could do that."[citation needed]
Houston Astros (1980–1988)[link]
| 95px | |
| Nolan Ryan's number 34 was retired by the Houston Astros in 1996. |
Ryan signed a lucrative free-agent contract with the Houston Astros after the 1979 season. The normally light-hitting Ryan got his Houston years started with a bang in a nationally televised game against the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 12, 1980, when he hit a three-run home run off Don Sutton. It was the first of two homers in Ryan's career and produced half of the six RBI he would get that year.[1] On July 4 of that season, at Riverfront Stadium, Ryan recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, the victim being César Gerónimo of the Cincinnati Reds (Gerónimo had also been Bob Gibson's 3,000th strikeout victim, in 1974). Ryan got his third taste of postseason play in 1980, but the Astros were stopped one game short of the World Series.
In the 1980 NLCS versus the Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan pitched well in Game 2, leaving the game tied 2–2 in the seventh (having contributed to both Astros runs with a run scored following a walk, and a sacrifice bunt leading to a run) but again got a no decision in a game that went extra innings. In the fifth and final game of the series, Ryan and the Astros held a 5–2 lead entering the 8th inning. But Ryan allowed three consecutive singles before walking in the third run. The Houston bullpen allowed the Phillies to take a 7–5 lead, and only a game-tying Astro rally permitted Ryan to escape the loss.
File:Nolan Ryan 1983.jpg
Ryan delivering a pitch against the Atlanta Braves at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium in 1983
On September 26, 1981, Ryan threw his fifth no-hitter, breaking Koufax's mark while becoming the third pitcher to throw a no-hitter in each league. That season, his 1.69 ERA won the National League ERA title.[1]
Facing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1981 NLDS, Ryan threw a complete game 2-hitter in the opener, outlasting the Dodgers' rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela. It was Ryan's second and last career postseason win. In the fifth and final game of the series, Ryan left trailing 3–0 and took the loss.
By the end of the 1982 season, both Ryan and Steve Carlton were approaching Walter Johnson's all-time strikeout record, sometimes passing one another's career totals in successive starts. On April 27, 1983, Ryan won the race with his 3,509th whiff, against Brad Mills of the Montreal Expos (Steve Carlton would reach the same mark two weeks after Ryan).
In 1986, Ryan's Astros faced the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series. Ryan had a shaky start in Game 2, taking the loss. He returned in Game 5, throwing 9 innings of 2-hit, 1-run, 12-strikeout ball. However, one of those hits was a Darryl Strawberry home run which tied the game at 1–1, as Dwight Gooden matched Ryan pitch for pitch. Ryan got a no-decision as his Astros lost in 12 innings.
In 1987, Ryan led the major leagues in both ERA (2.76) and strikeouts (270) at the age of 40—but finished 8–16 as the result of extremely poor run support. Despite his .333 winning percentage, Ryan tied for 5th place in the 1987 Cy Young voting.[1]
Texas Rangers (1989–1993)[link]
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| Nolan Ryan's number 34 was retired by the Texas Rangers (baseball) in 1996. |
Ryan left Houston in a contract dispute following the 1988 season and joined the Texas Rangers. He became the first player to play for all four MLB original expansion teams: the Mets, Angels, Houston Colt .45s/ Astros and Washington Senators/Texas Rangers. (Ryan would be joined in this category by Darren Oliver, who made his Major League debut as Ryan's teammate in September 1993. Oliver's father Bob had also been a teammate of Ryan's, with the Angels from 1972 to 1974.) In 1989, he went 16–10 and led the league with 301 strikeouts.[1] Against the Oakland Athletics on August 22, Ryan struck out Rickey Henderson to become the only pitcher to record 5,000 career strikeouts. (Following the game, Henderson was quoted as saying, "If he ain't struck you out, then you ain't nobody.") Two years later, at 44, Ryan finished fifth in the league in ERA (2.91) and third in strikeouts (203).[1]
In 1990, Ryan threw his sixth no-hitter on June 11 against the Athletics, and earned his 300th win on July 31 against the Milwaukee Brewers.[14] On May 1, 1991, set a record by throwing the seventh no-hitter of his career, striking out Roberto Alomar of the Toronto Blue Jays for the final out. On August 6, 1992, Ryan had the first and only ejection of his career when he was ejected after engaging in a shouting match with Oakland Athletics outfielder Willie Wilson with 2 outs in the 9th inning.
Before the 1993 season, Ryan announced his retirement, effective at the end of that season. On August 4, just before the end, Ryan had yet another high profile moment – this time an on-the-mound fight. After Ryan hit Robin Ventura of the Chicago White Sox, Ventura charged the mound in order to fight Ryan, who was 20 years his senior. Ryan secured the 26-year-old Ventura in a headlock with his left arm, while pummeling Ventura's head with his right fist six times before catcher Iván Rodríguez was able to pull Ventura away from Ryan. Ryan stated afterwards it was the same maneuver he used on steers he had to brand on his Texas ranch. Videos of the incident were played that evening throughout the country. While Ventura was ejected, Ryan–who had barely moved from his spot on the mound in the fracas–was allowed to remain in the game. White Sox manager Gene Lamont vehemently argued this, leading to his own ejection. Ryan pitched hitless ball the rest of the way. He had determined to be more aggressive after coming out on the wrong side of an altercation with Dave Winfield in 1980.[15]
Ryan's very durable arm finally gave out in Seattle on September 22, 1993, when he tore a ligament, ending his career two starts earlier than planned. Briefly attempting to pitch past the injury, Ryan threw one further pitch after tearing his ligament; with his injured arm, his final pitch was measured at 98 miles per hour. Ryan's last start was his career worst; he allowed a single, four walks, and a grand slam in the top of the first without recording an out. It was his record setting 10th grand slam given up of his career. (Ryan left trailing 5–0, and the fourth walk was completed by a reliever after Ryan's injury, but credited to Ryan.) On September 17, 1993, Greg Myers of the California Angels became the last strikeout victim of Nolan Ryan’s career.[16]
Ryan finished his career having played in a major league record 27 seasons. He was the final active player from the 1960s to retire from Major League Baseball, outlasting Carlton Fisk (the final active position player) by three months.
No-hitters[link]
Ryan threw a record seven no-hitters during his Major League career, three more than any other pitcher. The no-hitters spanned three decades of pitching.
| Date | Result | Venue | Attendance | Time | Catcher | Home plate umpire |
Box score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01973-05-15May 15, 1973 | California Angels 3 at Kansas City Royals 0 |
Royals Stadium | 12,205 | 2:20 | Torborg, JeffJeff Torborg | Evans, JimJim Evans | [1] |
| 01973-07-15July 15, 1973 | California Angels 6 at Detroit Tigers 0 |
Tiger Stadium | 41,411 | 2:21 | Kusnyer, ArtArt Kusnyer | Luciano, RonRon Luciano | [2] |
| 01974-09-28September 28, 1974 | Minnesota Twins 0 at California Angels 4 |
Anaheim Stadium | 10,872 | 2:22 | Egan, TomTom Egan | Frantz, ArtArt Frantz | [3] |
| 01975-06-01June 1, 1975 | Baltimore Orioles 0 at California Angels 1 |
Anaheim Stadium | 18,492 | 2:01 | Rodríguez, EllieEllie Rodríguez | Morgenweck, HankHank Morgenweck | [4] |
| 01981-09-26September 26, 1981 | Los Angeles Dodgers 0 at Houston Astros 5 |
Astrodome | 32,115 | 2:46 | Ashby, AlanAlan Ashby | Froemming, BruceBruce Froemming | [5] |
| 01990-06-11June 11, 1990 | Texas Rangers 5 at Oakland Athletics 0 |
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | 33,436 | 2:49 | Russell, JohnJohn Russell | Denkinger, DonDon Denkinger | [6] |
| 01991-05-01May 1, 1991 | Toronto Blue Jays 0 at Texas Rangers 3 |
Arlington Stadium | 33,439 | 2:25 | Stanley, MikeMike Stanley | Tschida, TimTim Tschida | [7] |
Later activity[link]
Nolan Ryan's post-retirement business interests include ownership of two minor league teams: the Corpus Christi Hooks, which play in the Class AA Texas League, and the Round Rock Express, a Class AAA team in the Pacific Coast League. Both teams were affiliates of the Houston Astros, for whom Ryan also served as a special assistant to the general manager until he became the president of the Texas Rangers in 2008. The Express became the Rangers' AAA affiliate beginning in 2011; the Hooks are still the Astros' AA affiliate.
File:Nolanryan 15.gif
Ryan playing catch with some dogs at his Alvin ranch
Ryan threw out the ceremonial "first pitch" before Game 3 of the 2005 World Series between the Astros and the White Sox, the first World Series game ever played in Texas. That game went 14 innings, equaling the longest in innings in World Series history (at 5:41, it was the longest in time). ESPN wryly suggested the Astros might have needed to pull the 58-year-old Ryan out of retirement if the game had gone much longer.
Ryan has co-written six books: autobiographies Miracle Man (with Jerry Jenkins, 1992), Throwing Heat (with Harvey Frommer, 1988) and The Road to Cooperstown (with Mickey Herskowitz and T.R. Sullivan, 1999); Kings of the Hill (with Mickey Herskowitz, 1992), about contemporary pitchers; and instructional books Pitching and Hitting (with Joe Torre and Joel Cohen, 1977), and Nolan Ryan's Pitcher's Bible (with Tom House, 1991).
In addition to his baseball activities, Ryan was majority owner and chairman of Express Bank of Alvin but sold his interest in 2005.[17] He also owns a restaurant in Three Rivers, Texas. He served on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission from 1995 to 2001. He appeared as a TV spokesman for Advil for several years, promoting the pain medication he recommended for his own arm. He also has appeared in various television commercials shown in the Texas market.
During election years in the late 90s, Ryan's name would frequently come up in the news as a potential candidate for some statewide office. Although Ryan is an ardent Republican, he has never run in any race, and these rumors have quieted. He appeared in print ads for the National Rifle Association's "I'm the NRA" campaign. While not running for office himself, in 1996 Ryan campaigned on behalf of Ron Paul in the Texas's 14th congressional district election.[18]
After retiring from baseball, Ryan would team up with the Federal Government to promote physical fitness. His likeness was used in the "Nolan Ryan Fitness Guide", published by The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports in 1994.[19] In fact, on October 30, 2010, Ryan threw a 68 mph ceremonial first pitch for the start of game three of the 2010 Rangers-Giants World Series. However, in spite of his focus on physical fitness, Ryan suffered a heart attack on April 25, 2000, and had to receive a double coronary bypass.[20]
Nolan Ryan is a Beefmaster Cattleman and runs his own beef company, producing quality organic beef meat.[21]
Texas Rangers president and owner[link]
In February 2008, Nolan Ryan was hired as president of the Rangers.[22] After the 2009 season, Ryan and Chuck Greenberg partnered to place the winning bid to purchase the Texas Rangers from owner Tom Hicks. The deal was completed shortly after the start of the 2010 baseball season. At midnight on August 5, 2010, the Ryan/Greenberg group was announced as the winners of the final auction to purchase the Rangers, after final approval from Major League Baseball.
Greenberg sold his stake in the Rangers in 2011, and Ryan is now the team's principal owner.[citation needed]
Legacy[link]
Nolan Ryan is often compared to the Dodgers' Sandy Koufax: they are linked by the fact that Ryan broke two of Koufax's records, for most no-hitters and the single-season strikeout mark. There are further similarities: both Ryan and Koufax started in the majors at a very young age and struggled early in their careers, and both were very reserved and private. Both had tenacious contract disputes with their owners. Ryan readily admitted the money was a large part of the reason he played as long as he did.
But there are key differences, too: Koufax pitched left-handed and Ryan right-handed; despite his early troubles, Koufax played his entire career with one team, whereas Ryan played for four. Koufax played on four championship Dodgers teams, whereas Ryan found himself on mostly mediocre teams. Ryan had an unremarkable win-loss percentage; Koufax had a stellar one, especially in his final four years. Ryan had a won-loss record only slightly better than the teams for which he played; Koufax had a significantly better percentage than his Dodger teams. Ryan, however, had one of the longest careers of any player, whereas Koufax's sterling career was cut short in its prime by arthritis and arm trouble. Nonetheless, both stand out as the best-known "power pitchers" of their times.
Comparisons to Bob Feller are probably more to the point: like Ryan, Feller was a burly, durable power pitcher, who was likely to strike out or walk any given batter, and pitched large numbers of low-hit games. Feller, however, was able to correct his wildness over time (the two are the only post-1900 pitchers to walk over 200 batters in a season) whereas Ryan had limited late success in that area. Feller, however, had a considerably better won/loss percentage than the Indian teams for whom he pitched. Feller has stated that Ryan's former Mets teammate, Tom Seaver, was a much better pitcher than Ryan, whom he says was just a thrower who had a hard time getting the ball over the plate.[citation needed]
Ryan played in more seasons (27) than any other player in modern major league history. Ryan ranks first all-time in strikeouts (5,714), fewest hits allowed per nine innings (6.56), and no-hitters (7). He is also fifth in innings pitched (5,386), second in games started (773), seventh in shutouts (61) and is tied for 14th in wins (324). Opposing hitters hit only .204 against Ryan during his career, though they had a .309 on base percentage against him. He also limited hitters to a .298 slugging percentage.[1] Ryan had 15 or more strikeouts in a game 26 times, second only to Randy Johnson, who had 28. His lengthy career spanned generations, as he struck out seven pairs of fathers and sons during his career.[23] Ryan also played during the administrations of seven U.S. Presidents - Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Gerald R. Ford, Jr., Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton - equaling a 20th Century record that had been set by Jim Kaat.
Ryan also ranks high on the list for four "negative" records; he ranks first all-time in walks allowed (2,795), first in wild pitches (277), third in losses (292—most in the post-1920 live-ball era), and ninth in hit batters (158).[1] Ryan is also one of two pitchers in MLB history to give up ten grand slam home runs, including one to Dann Howitt, the next-to-last batter Ryan faced in his career.
File:Nolan ryan signature.jpg
Nolan Ryan's signature
Bill James focuses on this dichotomy between Ryan's positive and negative statistics. While ranking him as the 24th best pitcher of all time, he notes, "Ryan has been retired almost ten years [in 2001], in another ten perhaps we will begin to get a little bit of perspective on him. Ryan's log of spectacular accomplishments is as thick as Bill Clinton's little black book; his list of flaws and failures is lengthy but dry, and will never make for good reading."[24]
Other writers have delved more into the specifics of James' general concerns. ESPN writer Rob Neyer stated in a 2003 column that while Ryan was among the 20 best pitchers since World War II, he "often had trouble throwing strikes, [and] he wasn't any good at fielding his position."[25] In another column, Neyer, while stating that Ryan belonged in the Hall of Fame, pointed to Ryan's record-breaking walks total and noted that his .309 on base percentage against "wasn't even close to being in the top 100."[26]
Ryan is the only major league player to have his number retired by three different teams on which he played[27] (excluding Jackie Robinson, whose number 42 was retired by Major League Baseball for all teams after playing his entire major league career with one team, the Brooklyn Dodgers). The California Angels (now the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) retired the number 30 on June 16, 1992; the Texas Rangers retired his number 34 on September 15, 1996; and the Houston Astros retired number 34 on September 29, 1996. His number was the first retired by the Rangers. He is also one of only eight players to have different numbers retired by two MLB teams, with Carlton Fisk (Red Sox and White Sox), Reggie Jackson (Athletics and Yankees), Rollie Fingers (Brewers and Athletics), Hank Aaron (Brewers and Braves), Greg Maddux (Braves and Cubs), Frank Robinson (Reds and Orioles), and Jackie Robinson (All MLB) being the others.
Ryan was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999, in his first year of eligibility with 98.8% of the vote (491 out of 497 possible), six votes short of a unanimous election and the second highest percentage in history, behind Tom Seaver.[28] He chose to wear a Rangers cap for his HOF plaque to reflect his Texas heritage, as well as the fact that his 300th win, 5000th strikeout, and last two no-hitters came as a Ranger. He was the first Hall of Famer inducted as a Ranger. That year, he ranked 41st on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players and was elected to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. He was inducted into the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame in 2003, and named the Rangers', and Astros' Hometown Hero in 2006—the only player to be so named by two franchises.
In 1992 the United States Mint produced a $1 commemorative coin often referred to as the "Nolan Ryan dollar"[29] and widely believed to depict him.[30]
In 1995, the Texas State Legislature declared State Highway 288, which passes near Alvin, as the Nolan Ryan Expressway.
The Alvin Independent School District opened Nolan Ryan Junior High School, located at 11500 Shadow Creek Parkway (FM 2234) in Pearland, Texas, just a few hundred yards away from the Nolan Ryan Expressway.
Personal life[link]
Ryan married his Alvin High School sweetheart, the former Ruth Holdorff, on June 25, 1967. They had three children, Reid, Reese and Wendy. Reid and Reese were both pitchers for the TCU Horned Frogs (Reid also pitched briefly in the minor leagues),[31] have more recently become involved in baseball at the executive level, as part owners (along with Nolan) of the Round Rock Express entry in the Pacific Coast League, the top farm club of the Texas Rangers and the Corpus Christi Hooks, the Astros' AA affiliate.[citation needed]
Nolan Ryan currently resides in the Cimarron Hills community in Georgetown, Texas.
See also[link]
- 300 win club
- DHL Hometown Heroes
- List of Major League Baseball ERA champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
- List of Major League Baseball no-hitters
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game
- List of Texas Rangers Opening Day starting pitchers
- List of top 100 Major League Baseball hit batsmen leaders
- Nolan Ryan's Baseball
- Pitchers who have struck out three batters on nine pitches
- List of top 100 Major League Baseball strikeout pitchers
- List of top 100 Major League Baseball leaders in bases on balls allowed
References[link]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Pitching Splits and Daily Pitching Logs at Retrosheet and Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Bill James; Rob Neyer (2004). The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers. New York: Fireside. pp. 382-383. ISBN 0-7432-6158-5.
- ^ Ryan, Nolan; Frommer, Harvey (1988). Throwing Heat: The Autobiography of Nolan Ryan. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-24438-X.
- ^ Sanna, Ellyn (2003). Nolan Ryan. The Rosen Publishing Group. ISBN 0-8239-3601-5.
- ^ http://www.nolanryanfoundation.org/museum.htm
- ^ http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Nolan_Ryan.aspx
- ^ http://insidecorner.dmagazine.com/2009/04/08/reporters-notebook-rangers-replace-metcalf-with-german/
- ^ http://www.uhcougars.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/stewart_aaron00
- ^ http://www.alvinbaseball.org/teams/varsity/nolan-ryan-strikeout-record-broken/
- ^ a b Minor League Career Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ "The Ballplayers - Nolan Ryan". BaseballLibrary.com. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Nolan_Ryan_1947. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ Associated Press (23 April 1970). "What a Day For Tom Seaver". Meriden Journal. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=EC9IAAAAIBAJ&sjid=awANAAAAIBAJ&pg=800,6410735. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
- ^ ""Tiger first baseman Norm Cash." ''Baseball Digest'', 2001". Findarticles.com. 1973-07-15. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCI/is_9_60/ai_76928886/. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ Moran, Malcolm (August 2, 1990). "Ryan Savors His Milestone With a Feeling of Relief". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1990/08/02/sports/ryan-savors-his-milestone-with-a-feeling-of-relief.html.
- ^ Freeman, Denne H (August 5, 1993). "Raging Ryan strikes Ventura.". Austin American-Statesman. p. C1.
- ^ Baseball’s Top 100: The Game’s Greatest Records, p.32, Kerry Banks, 2010, Greystone Books, Vancouver, BC, ISBN 978-1-55365-507-7
- ^ "Texas United Bancshares agrees to buy Nolan Ryan family's bank". San Antonio Business Journal. October 27, 2005. http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2005/10/24/daily25.html?t=printable.
- ^ Caldwell, Christopher (July 22, 2007). "The Antiwar, Anti-Abortion, Anti-Drug-Enforcement-Administration, Anti-Medicare Candidacy of Dr. Ron Paul". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/22/magazine/22Paul-t.html?ei=5124&en=22ee37525a9fc4f5&ex=1343016000&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink&pagewanted=all. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
- ^ "The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports - Publications". Fitness.gov. http://www.fitness.gov/nolanryan.htm. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LvcjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7O0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=4913,4996901
- ^ www.nolanryanbeef.com
- ^ Grant, Evan (February 6, 2008). "Nolan Ryan hired as Texas Rangers' president". Dallas Morning News. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/baseball/rangers/stories/020708dnsporangerslede.967f3c8c.html. Retrieved 2010-04-03.
- ^ "The Nolan Ryan Express | The Strikeout King | smackbomb.com/nolanryan". Smackbomb.com. http://www.smackbomb.com/nolanryan/strikeouts.html. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ James. p. 862.
- ^ By Rob NeyerESPN.com (2003-05-27). "No mention of Ryan brings plenty of disbelief". Sports.espn.go.com. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=1559625&type=columnist. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ "Nolan Ryan: why he's overrated". Static.espn.go.com. http://static.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/neyer_rob/1383697.html. Retrieved 2011-03-12.
- ^ Texas Rangers Retired Number History on mlb.com Retrieved May 18, 2006
- ^ Nolan Ryan Baseball Hall of Fame bio Retrieved April 26, 2006[dead link]
- ^ John R. Deecken's Commemorative Silver Dollar
- ^ Did the United States produce a Nolan Ryan Dollar coin?
- ^ Smith, Claire (April 3, 1991). "BASEBALL; As Texas Watches, Ryan Hurls Against Ryan". nytimes.com (New York Times). http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/03/sports/baseball-as-texas-watches-ryan-hurls-against-ryan.html. Retrieved 2009-09-03.
General references[link]
- James, Bill (2001). The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. New York: Free Press.
- Pietrusza, David; Silverman, Matthew; Michael Gershman (2000). Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia. Total/Sports Illustrated.
External links[link]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Nolan Ryan |
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
- Nolan Ryan at the Baseball Hall of Fame
- Works by or about Nolan Ryan in libraries (WorldCat catalog)
- The Nolan Ryan Foundation
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ryan, Nolan |
| Alternative names | Ryan, Lynn Nolan, Jr. |
| Short description | Baseball pitcher |
| Date of birth | January 31, 1947 |
| Place of birth | Refugio, Texas |
| Date of death | |
| Place of death | |
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This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means that you can copy and modify it as long as the entire work (including additions) remains under this license.
