Frank Verdi
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Frank Michael Verdi (June 2, 1926 – July 9, 2010) was an American
Early life and amateur career
Verdi graduated from
Verdi joined the United States Navy after high school and spent most of his time in the Navy boxing and playing baseball in Virginia. After being discharged from the Navy, he enrolled at New York University (NYU) but signed a contract with the Yankees during his first semester at NYU.[1]
Playing career
Verdi played in the minor league for a total of 18 seasons (1946–1963) mainly with Yankees' farm teams. He spent all or part of 12 seasons at the Triple-A level, where he batted .269 with 21 home runs and 284 RBIs in 996 games.
Verdi was famous for his ability to execute the
Verdi only appeared in a single MLB game, as a one-inning defensive replacement on May 10, 1953.[3] In a Yankees game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park, Verdi entered the game at shortstop in the bottom of the sixth inning, after Joe Collins had pinch hit for starter Phil Rizzuto. Verdi did not handle any chance in the field. In the top of the seventh inning, Bill Renna pinch hit for Verdi.
Verdi survived a potentially tragic accident on July 25, 1959, when, as a player for the
Managing career
Verdi made a much larger mark as a minor league manager for 21 seasons (1961–70; 1972; 1974; 1977–85) at the affiliated level. He spent much of that period in the Yankees' farm system, winning Triple-A
After his managerial career with affiliated minor league teams, Verdi managed in
Personal life
A son, Mike Verdi, was also a minor league manager.[citation needed]
Verdi died in New Port Richey, Florida, at the age of 84 in 2010.[5]
Sources
- Johnson, Lloyd, ed., The Minor League Register. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 1994.
References
- ^ Press and Sun-Bulletin. p. 54. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ a b Montague, John, Baltimore Orioles 1983 Organization Book. St. Petersburg, Florida: The Baseball Library, 1983
- ^ "New York Yankees 7, Boston Red Sox 4". Retrosheet. May 10, 1953. Retrieved July 14, 2018.
- ^ Brosnan, Jim, The Long Season. New York: Harper & Row, 1960
- ^ "Frank Verdi, former Chiefs manager, dies at 84". Syracuse.com. 18 July 2010. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
Further reading
- Verdi, Frank (July 27, 1959). "2 Inches To Left—And Flower Fund". The Arizona Republic. UPI. p. 28. Retrieved July 14, 2018 – via newspapers.com.
- "Pheasants Mourn the Passing of Manager Frank Verdi". oursportscentral.com. July 14, 2010.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Frank Verdi Archived 2016-03-24 at the Wayback Machine at the International League Hall of Fame
- Frank Verdi at Find a Grave