Roy Hartsfield
| Roy Hartsfield | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Second baseman / Manager | |
| Born: October 25, 1925 Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, U.S. | |
| Died: January 15, 2011 (aged 85) Ball Ground, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 28, 1950, for the Boston Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 14, 1952, for the Boston Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .273 |
| Home runs | 13 |
| Runs batted in | 138 |
| Managerial record | 166–318 |
| Winning % | .343 |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager | |
Roy Thomas Hartsfield (October 25, 1925 – January 15, 2011) was an American
Hartsfield spent the next 19 years in the Dodgers organization as a
He later left the Dodgers organization, and worked with the San Diego Padres organization.
In 1977, he became the first manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, helming the club for its first three seasons.
Playing career
Hartsfield played with the
Managerial career
Early career
Hartsfield was a successful manager at top levels of minor league baseball, with the Spokane Indians, then the top farm team of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Hawaii Islanders, the San Diego Padres' top affiliate, where he won Pacific Coast League championships in 1975 and 1976. He also coached in the Majors with the Dodgers (1969–72) and Atlanta Braves (briefly in 1973).
Toronto Blue Jays
In 1977, Peter Bavasi, general manager of the expansion Toronto Blue Jays, hired Hartsfield, whom he had worked with in the Dodgers and Padres organizations, as the Blue Jays' first-ever manager. Hartsfield was quoted two decades later as saying that "the guys I managed the year before in Hawaii (in the triple-A Pacific Coast League) were probably a better team."[1] Hartsfield led the Blue Jays to a 54–107 record in the 1977 season, 45.5 games behind the eventual World Series champion New York Yankees.[1] Notable games from the season include a 9–5 win against the Chicago White Sox on Opening Day and a 19–3 victory over the Yankees on September 10.[1]
The Blue Jays improved slightly in 1978, compiling a 59–103 record,[1] although they still finished the season in last place.[1] The Blue Jays finished second to last in runs scored and earned run average.[1] In 1979, however, the Blue Jays regressed to 53–109, their worst showing yet and the worst showing of any American League team since 1966. Hartsfield was unpopular with the Blue Jays players, and by August the team was in open revolt against him, with players airing their grievances in the media on a near-daily basis.[3]
Having lost over 100 games in each of his three years as manager, and having been very publicly criticized by the Toronto sports media for apparently having lost control of the team, Hartsfield was let go at the conclusion of the 1979 season and replaced by Bobby Mattick. "This year, we should win 10 more games on attitude alone", enthused pitcher Mark Lemongello about the managerial change.[4] In fact, the team improved by 14 games that year.
This would be Hartsfield's only managerial job in Major League Baseball.
Later career
Hartsfield managed in the Chicago Cubs organization in 1981, starting the season with the Triple-A
Managerial record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games | Won | Lost | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| TOR | 1977 | 161 | 54 | 107 | .335 | 7th in AL East | — | — | — | — |
| TOR | 1978 | 161 | 59 | 102 | .366 | 7th in AL East | — | — | — | — |
| TOR | 1979 | 162 | 53 | 109 | .327 | 7th in AL East | — | — | — | — |
| Total[1][5] | 484 | 166 | 318 | .343 | — | 0 | 0 | – | — | |
Death
Hartsfield died of liver cancer at his daughter's home in Ball Ground, Georgia, on January 15, 2011, at 85.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Campbell, Morgan (January 19, 2011). "Remembering Roy Hartsfield". Toronto Star. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ a b "Roy Hartsfield". Baseball Reference. Retrieved December 20, 2014.
- ^ Gordon, Alison, Foul Balls: Five Years In The American League, General Paperbacks, Toronto, 1986, pp 56-58.
- ^ Abel, Alan (March 12, 1980). "'Messed up' Mark finds peace of mind". The Globe and Mail. p. 39.
- ^ a b "Roy Hartsfield". Baseball Reference. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved December 21, 2014.
- ^ "MLB Managers". Baseball-Reference.com.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)