Gail Harris (baseball)

Infobox MLB retired
name=Gail Harris
position=First baseman


bgcolor1=#c41e3a
bgcolor2=#c41e3a
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=October 15, 1931
city-state|Abingdon|Virginia
deathdate=
debutdate= June 3
debutyear= 1955
debutteam= New York Giants
finaldate=May 30
finalyear=1960
finalteam= Detroit Tigers
stat1label=Home runs
stat1value=51
stat2label=RBIs
stat2value=190
stat3label=Batting Average
stat3value=.240
teams=
* New York Giants (1955-1957)
* Detroit Tigers (1958-1960)
highlights=

Boyd Gail Harris (born October 15, 1931 in Abingdon, Virginia) is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played with the New York Giants and Detroit Tigers from 1955 to 1960. In 1958, Harris hit a career high 20 home runs with the Giants.

Early years

Harris was an athletic standout at now-defunct William King High School in Abingdon. His exploits are legendary and he was good enough to get scouted by big league teams. He went to a tryout camp along with 400 other men and six of them made it. He then went to a Class D club and had to beat out 10 guys just to make the team. He was drafted as an amateur free agent in 1950. Life in the minor leagues was far from glamorous. Air conditioners were few and far between in hotels and on road trips. Harris made about $150 per month and meal money was a dollar per day.

During the offseason he worked at Burlington Mills in Bristol.

But in every stop in the bush leagues, Harris blasted opposing pitchers. After continuing his hitting heroics at Class AAA Minneapolis, Harris got called up to the majors in the summer of 1955.

Major leagues

Harris hit .232 in 79 games as a rookie, connecting for 12 home runs and driving in 36 runs. His manager was the ferocious Leo Durocher.

Harris struggled in 1956, but rebounded with a solid season in 1957. It was during the waning days of the ’57 season that Harris had his best day as a pro and became a footnote in history.The homer off O’Brien would have historical implications. The smash was the last home run by a New York Giant player.

The team relocated to San Francisco the following year. Meanwhile, Harris also had a new destination as he was traded to the Detroit Tigers in the offseason.

Harris enjoyed some success in the Motor City. Getting the chance to play on a regular basis, Harris flourished in the summer of 1958 for the Tigers. He smashed 20 home runs, collected 83 RBIs and finished with a .273 batting average.

Harris’ batting average dipped in 1959, as he hit .221 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs.

Harris played his last game in the majors on May 3, 1960.

Retirement

Harris currently lives in Manassas, Virginia, and his son, Mark, played in the minors briefly and is currently a minor league instructor for the Kansas City Royals organization.

References

[http://www.tricities.com/tri/sports/professional/professional_baseball/article/local_legends_in_the_pros_harris_big_league_career_was_a_hit/11129/ Article on Gail Harris at Tricities.com]

External links

*baseball-reference|id=h/harriga01