Earl Battey
Earl Battey | |
---|---|
Catcher | |
Born: Los Angeles, California, U.S. | January 5, 1935|
Died: November 15, 2003 Ocala, Florida, U.S. | (aged 68)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 10, 1955, for the Chicago White Sox | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 27, 1967, for the Minnesota Twins | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .270 |
Home runs | 104 |
Runs batted in | 449 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Earl Jesse Battey, Jr. (January 5, 1935 – November 15, 2003) was an American professional baseball player.[1] He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1955 to 1967, most prominently for the Minnesota Twins where he was a five-time All-Star player and was an integral member of the 1965 American League pennant-winning team.
Battey began his career with the
Major League career
White Sox
Born in Los Angeles, Battey attended
Battey returned to the minor leagues in 1956, playing in 36 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs.[4] Despite hitting only .178, he played well defensively. The White Sox called him back to the major leagues to back up starting catcher Sherm Lollar, for the remainder of the season although, he spent the time on the bench and played in only four games.[1][4] Battey continued to learn from the perennial All-Star Lollar during the 1957 season but struggled offensively.[3] He was sent back to the minor leagues in August where he hit 9 home runs and 20 runs batted in for the Triple-A Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League.[4][5] The White Sox recalled Battey to the major leagues in September – this time to stay.[6]
Battey hit .226 along with 8 home runs in 1958, as the White Sox battled back from being in last place on June 14 to finish the season in second place behind the New York Yankees.[1][7] In 1959 he was overtaken by rookie Johnny Romano as the second string catcher, ending the year hitting .219 in 26 games.[1] Although the White Sox won the American League pennant, Battey did not appear in the post-season as the White Sox lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1959 World Series.[8]
Realizing they had a logjam at catcher with the veteran, and still productive, Lollar, the impressive rookie Romano, and the still-valuable-as-a-defensive-backup Battey, White Sox owner and general manager
Senators/Twins
Battey became the starting catcher for the Senators and immediately showed his defensive abilities, leading the American League in assists and putouts for four consecutive years (1960 to 1963). For the first time in the majors Battey shined offensively, hitting as he had in the minor leagues.[14] In 1960 Battey played in a then-career-high 137 games and hit .270, with 15 home runs and 60 RBIs.[1] He also earned his first Gold Glove Award and placed eighth in voting for the 1960 American League Most Valuable Player Award.[15][16] In October, Battey was named to the United Press International's American League All-Star team.[17]
Prior to the
Battey was recognized as one of the top catchers in the major leagues when he was selected to be the starting catcher for the American League in the
Battey had his finest season at the plate in 1963, hitting .285 while setting career highs in home runs (26), RBIs (84), and slugging percentage (.476).[1] He was voted to his second straight All-Star team and collected his only all-star game hit, a third-inning single that scored Boston Red Sox third baseman Frank Malzone from second base to tie the game at 3-3). He placed seventh in American League Most Valuable Player Award balloting (behind Killebrew and winner and fellow catcher Elston Howard).[27] The Twins again finished with 91 wins, which this time was only good enough for third place, 15½ games behind the World Series runner-up Yankees. Both Battey and the Twins took a step backward in 1964; the team struggled to a 79-win, sixth-place finish in the American League, with Battey hitting .272 with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs in 131 games.[1]
Battey rebounded in 1965 and was hitting nearly .300 at mid-season, when he received the most All-Star votes among American League players. The 1965 All-Star Game was played in his home ball park, Metropolitan Stadium.[28][29] He was one of six Twins to appear in the 1965 mid-season classic (with Versalles, Killebrew, Jimmie Hall, Mudcat Grant, and Tony Oliva).[30] Battey was an integral member of the Twins team that went on to clinch the American League pennant, hitting for a .297 batting average and placing tenth in voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award (with teammate Versalles winning and six Twins finishing in the top 15).[1][31] He started every game in the 1965 World Series but only hit for a .120 average, with 2 RBIs and one extra base hit, as the Twins lost the series to the Los Angeles Dodgers in seven games.[32]
In 1966, Battey hit .255 with 4 home runs and 31 RBIs while playing in 115 games, his lowest totals since his backup days in Chicago.[1] He was nevertheless selected for his fourth and final All-Star team, and replaced the starting catcher, Tiger Bill Freehan, in the bottom of the game's sixth inning.[33]
The 1967 season was Battey's last, as he battled a thyroid condition that caused him to gain weight.[34] He appeared in only 48 games and hit for just a .165 average.[1] The Twins' three catchers that season - Battey, Jerry Zimmerman, and Russ Nixon - combined to hit just .176, and the Twins went 2-5 in late September and lost the pennant to the Red Sox in the last game of the season.[35]
Career statistics
In a 13-year major league career, Battey played in 1,141
Richard Kendall of the Society for American Baseball Research devised an unscientific study that ranked Battey as the seventh most dominating fielding catcher in major league history.[39] Battey played more games at catcher than any other player in Twins history (831).[40] He was named to the Twins' 40th anniversary team in 2000.[41] In 1961, Battey became one of the first Major League players to wear an earflap on his batting helmet, after twice suffering broken cheekbones when hit by pitches.[14][42]
Post-retirement
After his playing career, Battey lived in
Battey was also part of a charity program sponsored by Consolidated Edison whereby children were given free bleacher tickets to New York Yankee games.[41] He talked baseball and was a "big brother" to all the kids who were lucky enough to benefit from the program.
Battey died of cancer at the age of 68 in Ocala, Florida.[41] In 2004, he was posthumously elected to the Twins Hall of Fame.[2] In 2010, the Twins celebrated their 50th season in Minnesota and Battey was voted one of the 50 Greatest Twins Players.
Earl's grandson Evan Battey played basketball for the University of Colorado, and as of 2024 was a member of Rilski Sportist in Bulgaria's National Basketball League (NBL).
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Earl Battey at Baseball Reference". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ a b "Minnesota Twins induct Battey into Hall of Fame". Ocala Star-Banner. Associated Press. June 8, 2004. p. 1. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
- ^ a b c Dexter, Charles (June 1961). "Battey Up!". Baseball Digest. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "Earl Battey minor league statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1957 Earl Battey batting log". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "White Sox Recall Seven From Minors". The Montreal Gazette. United Press International. September 6, 1957. p. 23. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1958 Chicago White Sox Schedule, Box Scores and Splits". Baseball Reference. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
- ^ a b Schultz, Randy (June 1989). "Where Are They Now?". Baseball Digest. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Baseball Trade Deadlock Ends, Romano Dealt To Cleveland". The Telegraph-Herald. United Press International. December 7, 1959. p. 23. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Norm Cash Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "John Romano Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "Don Mincher Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ "Ed Herrmann Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
- ^ a b "Earl Battey". cooloftheevening.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1960 American League Gold Glove Award winners". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1960 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Yanks, Orioles Land 3 On AL All-Star Team". Middlesboro Daily News. United Press International. October 22, 1960. p. 8. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Twin Cities In Delirium". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Associated Press. October 27, 1960. p. 32. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1961 American League Batting Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1961 American League Gold Glove Award winners". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1962 All-Star Game". baseball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "August 26, 1962 Athletics-Twins box score". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Earl Battey". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Pick-Off Leaders". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1962 American League Gold Glove Award winners". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1962 American League standings". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1963 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1965 Earl Battey batting log". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "AL Picks Bats In All-Star Vote". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. July 1, 1965. p. 34. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1965 All-Star Game". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1965 American League Most Valuable Player Award ballot". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1965 World Series". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1966 All-Star Game". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Minnesota Twins". sportsillustrated.cnn.com. April 18, 1966. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "1967 Minnesota Twins Schedule, Box Scores and Splits". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ American League Gold Glove Award winners at Baseball Reference
- ^ "Catching Base stealers" (PDF). The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Luis Aparicio Shoots For Seventh Straight Base-Stealing Honors". Times Daily. Associated Press. March 6, 1962. p. 8. Retrieved January 4, 2011.
- ^ "Dominating Fielding Catchers". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Most Games Caught for Team". The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Earl Battey Obituary". The New York Times. November 19, 2003. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
- ^ Paul Lukas (February 2, 2010). "There's No Service Like Wire Service, Vol. 3". Uni Watch Blog. Archived from the original on February 5, 2010. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^ "Stan Jefferson – Society for American Baseball Research".
- ^ "Remembering Catcher Earl Battey". blackathlete.com. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Earl Battey at the SABR Baseball Biography Project
- Earl Battey Biography
- The African American Registry
- TheDeadBallEra.com – Battey's obituary
- Earl Battey at Find a Grave
- Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics