Matt Nokes

Matt Nokes
Catcher
Born: October 31, 1963 (1963-10-31) (age 48) San Diego, California
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 3, 1985 for the San Francisco Giants
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1995 for the Colorado Rockies
Career statistics
Batting average	.254
Home runs	136
Runs batted in	422
Teams
San Francisco Giants (1985) Detroit Tigers (1986–1990) New York Yankees (1990–1994) Baltimore Orioles (1995) Colorado Rockies (1995)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star selection (1987) Silver Slugger Award winner (1987)

Matthew Dodge Nokes (born October 31, 1963, in San Diego, California) is a retired American professional baseball catcher and designated hitter. He played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants (1985), the Detroit Tigers (1986–1990), New York Yankees (1990–1994), the Baltimore Orioles, and the Colorado Rockies (1995). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He also had experience at first base, third base, and left and right fields.

Nokes was drafted by the Giants in the 20th round of the 1981 amateur draft. He debuted in the major leagues on September 3, 1985 against the visiting Philadelphia Phillies, collecting two hits in four at bats. In 1987, his rookie year, he had his finest statistical season, batting .289, hitting 32 home runs, (at the time a record for a rookie Catcher) and driving in 87 runs. In that year, he was elected to the American League All-Star Game roster, won the Silver Slugger Award, selected to the Topps Rookie All-Star team, and finished third in voting for the American League Rookie of the Year award.

Following his major league career, Matt Nokes played for the St. Paul Saints of the Northern League in 1998 and 1999, with a brief two-game stint with the now-defunct Cafeteros de Córdoba team of the Mexican League. He spent 2001 as a player/coach for the Schaumburg Flyers and managed the Joliet Jackhammers of the Northern League in 2002 and 2003.

After retirement from professional baseball, Nokes returned to his hometown San Diego area where he set up his own coaching clinic. [1]

Plane incident

On February 19, 2000, Matt Nokes, who had just signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, was forced to land a plane he was piloting on Interstate 15 in northern San Diego County. Nokes said that the plane lost oil pressure and that he couldn't reach an airport.

"I went south, hovered over some cars, and waited until they cleared", he said.[2]

External links

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

Preceded by Andy Allanson

Topps Rookie All-Star Catcher 1987

Succeeded by Damon Berryhill

Persondata
Name	Nokes, Matt
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	October 31, 1963
Place of birth	San Diego, California
Date of death
Place of death