Gil McDougald
Gil McDougald | ||
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Runs batted in | 576 | |
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Gilbert James McDougald (May 19, 1928 – November 28, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder who spent ten major league seasons playing for the New York Yankees from 1951 through 1960.
McDougald was the 1951
Early life
McDougald was born in San Francisco, the younger of two sons born to William James McDougald and his wife, the former Ella McGuire. He attended Commerce High School, where he was an All-City basketball player. He did not make the varsity baseball team until his senior year.
After graduation in 1946, he attended
MLB career
The Yankees signed him to a contract in the spring of 1948. He played for various minor league teams before being promoted to the big leagues in 1951.
McDougald 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
McDougald led all American League infielders in double plays at three different positions – at third base (1952), at second base (1955) and shortstop (1957). He was the double play leader at shortstop despite sharing time at the position with rookie Tony Kubek.
On May 7,
In 1958, McDougald was given the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award, which is awarded annually by the Phi Delta Theta fraternity (to which Gehrig belonged) at Columbia University.
His last appearance was in Game Seven of the 1960 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates; as a pinch runner in the top of the ninth, he scored on Yogi Berra's ground ball to tie the game at 9–9. The Pirates, however, won the Series on Bill Mazeroski's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.
On December 9, 1960, McDougald announced his retirement. McDougald said he made up his mind to retire during the World Series and that his inclusion by the Yankees on a list of players eligible to be selected in the 1960 Expansion Draft had nothing to do with his decision.[4]
While with the Yankees, McDougald was a resident of Tenafly, New Jersey.[5]
In 1336 games over 10 seasons, McDougald posted a .276
Personal life
McDougald was the head baseball coach at Fordham University from 1970 to 1976. He resigned this position due to his worsening hearing loss, a result of being hit in the head by a line drive during batting practice in 1955.
His hearing was somewhat restored by a
McDougald died of prostate cancer at his home in Wall Township, New Jersey, at the age of 82. He was survived by his wife of 62 years, the former Lucille Tochilin (1928–2014), seven children, and 14 grandchildren.[7][8]
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
References
- ^ Clifton, Merritt. "The Ballplayers – Gil McDougald". baseballbiography.com. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard. "Gil McDougald, Ex-Yankee, Dies at 82," The New York Times, Tuesday, November 30, 2010.
- ^ a b Reisler, Jim (September 16, 1996). "Sounds Great to Him". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
- ^ Gil McDougald will retire
- ^ Drebinger, John. "Will Gil Move His Bag or Baggage?; McDougald May Go to 2d, 3d or Short or to New Team", The New York Times, March 3, 1960. Accessed October 11, 2015. "The former Californian, who now lives in Tenafly, N. J., has helped the Yankees win pennants as a star second baseman, third baseman and shortstop."
- ^ Berkow, Ira. BASEBALL: The Sweetest Sound of All; McDougald, Yankee Star of 50's, Can Hear Again After Operation, The New York Times, January 4, 1995. Accessed July 14, 2011. "The McDougalds had taken the nearly two-hour train ride from their home in Spring Lake, N.J., and would be going across the street to Bellevue Hospital."
- ^ Bollinger, Rhett (29 November 2010). "Yankees' McDougald, '51 ROY, dies at 82". MLB.com. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
- ^ Goldstein, Richard. "Gil McDougald, Ex-Yankee, Dies at 82", The New York Times, November 29, 2010. Accessed October 20, 2015. "Gil McDougald, the Yankees’ versatile All-Star infielder who played on five World Series championship teams but was remembered as well for a single at-bat resulting in one of baseball's most frightening moments, died Sunday at his home in Wall Township, N.J."
External links
- Career statistics and player information from ESPN, or Baseball Reference
- Baseball Almanac
- Gil McDougald
- Gil McDougald at Find a Grave