Jerry Willard

Jerry Willard
Jerry Willard
Runs batted in	114
Teams
	Cleveland Indians (1984–1985); Oakland Athletics (1986–1987); Chicago White Sox (1990); Atlanta Braves (1991–1992); Montreal Expos (1992); Seattle Mariners (1994);

Gerald Duane Willard (born March 14, 1960) is an American former

Cleveland Indians, Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and Seattle Mariners

. He currently works as a Campus Supervisor for the Oxnard Union High School District and coaches baseball at Adolfo Camarillo High School.

Career

A 1978 graduate of Hueneme High School in Oxnard, California,^[1] Willard was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1979. He was one of five Phillies along with Manny Trillo, George Vukovich, Julio Franco and Jay Baller who were traded to the Cleveland Indians for Von Hayes at the Winter Meetings on December 9, 1982.^[2] Willard would make his Major League Baseball debut with the Indians on April 11, 1984, and appeared in his final game on May 19, 1994.

Willard's career was spent mostly in obscurity. However, he did experience one significant moment of fame. On October 23, 1991, playing for the

Shane Mack that proved to be deep enough to score Lemke with the winning run.^[3]

Willard's catching career came to an abrupt end on May 10, 1994, when a foul tip off the bat of Julio Franco struck his right shoulder, causing a fracture and damaged cartilage. He was catching for the Seattle Mariners versus the Chicago White Sox. Unable to complete a throw, he spent the rest of the season between the DL, the minors, and pinch hitting. He was forced to retire at the end of the 1994 season. Today, the piece of padding attached to a catcher's chest protector for extra coverage of his throwing-side's shoulder is called a 'Willard' due to this incident.

References

^ 1987 Topps baseball card # 137
^ "Phillies Trade Trillo for Hayes," The New York Times, Friday, December 10, 1982. Retrieved July 9, 2023.
^ Craig Davis (1992-02-26). "Sac-fly Jerry Willard: Forgotten But Not Gone". articles.sunsentinal.com.com. Retrieved 2017-06-16.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet

[1] 1987 Topps baseball card # 137

[2] "Phillies Trade Trillo for Hayes," The New York Times, Friday, December 10, 1982. Retrieved July 9, 2023.

[3] Craig Davis (1992-02-26). "Sac-fly Jerry Willard: Forgotten But Not Gone". articles.sunsentinal.com.com. Retrieved 2017-06-16.

[1]

[2]

[3]

Career

See also

References

External links