Tony Fernández
Tony Fernández | |
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Shortstop | |
Born: San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic | June 30, 1962|
Died: February 16, 2020 Weston, Florida, U.S. | (aged 57)|
Batted: Switch Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 2, 1983, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 7, 2001, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .288 |
Hits | 2,276 |
Home runs | 94 |
Runs batted in | 844 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Member of the Canadian | |
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Induction | 2008 |
Octavio Antonio Fernández Castro (June 30, 1962 – February 16, 2020), better known as Tony Fernández, was a Dominican baseball player who played as a
Early life
Fernández was born in
Career
Promoted to the Blue Jays in 1983,[3] Fernández became the team's full-time shortstop in 1985,[4] and contributed significantly to the team winning its first division title that year. Fernández continued to star for the Jays for several years afterwards. His 213 hits in 1986 were, at the time, a major league single-season record for a shortstop.[2]
Before the 1991 season, Fernández was traded to the San Diego Padres in a deal that also sent Jays star Fred McGriff to San Diego in exchange for Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter.[4] Fernández played for San Diego for two years. After the 1992 season, the Padres traded him to the New York Mets for D. J. Dozier, Wally Whitehurst, and a player to be named later.[5] After a disappointing start to the 1993 season, the Mets traded him back to the Blue Jays for Darrin Jackson.[4][6] He played well for the remainder of the season and was instrumental in helping the Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. In that World Series, Fernández drove in nine runs,[4] a record for a shortstop.[7]
Before the 1995 season, Fernández signed a two-year contract with the New York Yankees.[8] It was because of an injury early in the season to Fernández that Derek Jeter was called up to the major leagues for the first time.[9] Fernández injured his elbow during spring training in 1996,[10] and missed the entire season.[11] When Fernández left the Yankees, he would end up becoming the last Yankees player to wear #6, as it would be worn by manager Joe Torre in 1996 and end up being retired for him in 2014.
Fernández signed with the
In 1998, he rejoined the Blue Jays, and revitalized his hitting, batting over .300 in two seasons there.
A very thin man, Fernández had a tilted, wavering batting stance[19] that made it appear as if he might not be strong enough to hold his bat. From early in his career he carried a scar on his right cheek from a pitched ball. Fernández was a noted fitness fanatic.[20]
Early in his career, Fernández was well known for his exceptional defensive skills at shortstop, and was described by Ivan Maisel in a Sports Illustrated article as having "the range of a Texas cattleman".[21] He was especially famous for leaping into the air while simultaneously making an underhanded throw to first base, on balls hit far to his right.[22]
Fernández was awarded four consecutive
On October 17, 2016, Fernandez was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, where he thanked the fans in Toronto, Ontario and in Canada for embracing him.[26]
Illness and death
Fernández announced in 2017 he had been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease.[27] On February 16, 2020, he died at a hospital in Weston, Florida following complications with a stroke, pneumonia, and an induced coma.[28][29][30][31] His remains were returned home to San Pedro de Macorís and buried in the Municipal Cemetery.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
References
Citations
- ISSN 0005-609X. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ a b "Blue Jays legend Tony Fernandez reportedly dies at age 57". Yahoo Sports. February 16, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Tan 2005, p. 184.
- ^ a b c d e f Porter & Naiman 2002, p. 235.
- ^ Miller, Scott (October 27, 1992). "Padres Ship Fernandez to Mets : Baseball: Wally Whitehurst, D.J. Dozier are the players received in exchange for the All-Star shortstop". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Sexton, Joe (June 12, 1993). "BASEBALL; Mets Make a Deal, Sending Fernandez Back North". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Westcott & Kravetz 1994, p. 136.
- ^ Curry, Jack (February 28, 1995). "Baseball; Top Prospect's Bottom Line Is No Replacement Games". The New York Times. Retrieved March 15, 2010.
- ^ Bradley, Jeff (May 29, 1995). "With Tony Down, Jeter's Looking Up". New York Daily News. Retrieved April 7, 2014.
- ^ Jack Curry (February 16, 2020). "BASEBALL;Fernandez Hurts Elbow; May Be Lost for Season". The New York Times. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ a b "Tony Fernandez Joins Indians". The New York Times. The Associated Press. December 27, 1996. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ Curry, Jack (October 27, 1997). "'97 WORLD SERIES; A Bitter Ending Frustrates Fernandez". The New York Times. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "1997 World Series Game 7, Indians at Marlins, October 26". Baseball Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ McKelvey 2001, p. 218.
- ^ Porter 2000, p. 466.
- ^ "Fernandez Signs With Seibu Lions". The New York Times. February 8, 2008. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
- ^ "Jays sign Tony Fernandez". CBC Sports. June 8, 2001. Archived from the original on November 5, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
- ^ Bastian, Jordan (December 26, 2006). "Slick-fielding Fernandez seeks Hall call". MLB.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2008. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
- ^ Zaiontz, Dan. "Sportsnet's baseball panel discuss the greatest Jays to ever play the game" (PDF). Urban Male Magazine. p. 65. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2009. Retrieved February 21, 2009.
- ^ Picken, Brock (August 21, 2013). "Sports Strength Training: Tony Fernandez Toronto Blue Jays". YouTube. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ Maisel, Ivan (June 3, 1985). "The Blue Jays Are Ruling The Roost". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
- ^ Sanchez, Jesse (September 25, 2005). "Who tops list of Latino shortstops?". MLB.com. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2009.
- ^ Shofner 2007, p. 15.
- ISSN 0005-609X. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- ^ "Single-Season Leaders & Records for Fielding % as 3B". Retrieved April 24, 2019.
- ^ "Fernandez put Cleveland in its last WS, now Ontario HOFer". Canadian Baseball Network. October 24, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2017.
- ^ Pickman, Ben (February 16, 2020). "Blue Jays Star SS Tony Fernandez Dies at 57". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ "Tony Fernandez, Stylish All-Star Shortstop, Is Dead at 57". The New York Times. February 16, 2020.
- ^ "Blue Jays legend Tony Fernandez is said to have been in critical condition". Archyde. February 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
- ^ "Former Blue Jays all-star Tony Fernandez in critical condition with kidney disease". CBC Sports.
- ^ "Blue Jays legend Tony Fernandez dies at 57". Toronto Sun. Retrieved February 16, 2020.
Sources
- McKelvey, G. Richard (2001). The Bounce: Baseball Teams' Great Falls and Comebacks. New York: McFarland & Company. p. 218. ISBN 978-0786409556. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- Porter, David; Naiman, Joe (2002). The San Diego Padres Encyclopedia. New York: Sports Publishing. p. 235. ISBN 978-1582610580. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- Porter, David L. (2000). Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, A-F. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 466. ISBN 978-0313311741. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- Shofner, Shawndra (2007). The Story of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mankato, MN: The Creative Company. p. 15. ISBN 978-1583415030. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- Tan, Cecilia (2005). The 50 Greatest Yankee Games. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. p. 184. ISBN 978-0471659389. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
- Westcott, Rich; Kravetz, Alan (1994). Phillies '93: An Incredible Season. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. p. 136. ISBN 978-1566392310. Retrieved February 20, 2009.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet