Tony Solaita

Tony Solaita

Tolia "Tony" Solaita (January 15, 1947 - February 10, 1990) was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, and Montreal Expos from 1968 to 1979. He also played for a minor league team in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization.

As of 2008, Solaita is the only Major League Baseball player to have hailed from American Samoa. [cite web | title=The Baseball Cube | work=Baseball Players born in Samoa | url=http://www.thebaseballcube.com/cities/SM.shtml | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=July 7] Pitcher Mike Fetters [cite web | url=http://starbulletin.com/2002/12/03/sports/index1.html | title= Fetters: Mulling his options: Arizona leaves Mike Fetters free to deal | author=Al Chase | work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin | date=3 December 2003 | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=July 7] and outfielder Benny Agbayani [cite web | title=IMDb | work=Benny Agbayani - Biography | url=http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1154553/bio | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=July 7] are Hawaiian-born players of half-Samoan ancestry, while outfielder Chris Aguila is also partially Samoan [cite web | url=http://web.sny.tv/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080609&content_id=1463130&oid=36018&vkey=9 | title=SNY.tv | work=Aguila works hard, waits for his chance | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=July 7] and was born in California.

Solaita had been a prodigious home run hitter in the minor leagues, hitting 49 home runs in 1968 for High Point-Thomasville, but was mostly relegated to a backup position during his Major League playing days. In 1975, while playing for the Royals, he hit 16 home runs in just 231 at-bats, second to only Dave Kingman in home run to at-bat ratio.

After becoming a free agent following the 1979 season, Solaita, opted for a four-year contract in the Japanese League, where he was Designated Hitter for the Nippon Ham Fighters and produced impressive home run numbers, averaging nearly 40 home runs a year. Solaita retired after the 1983 season.

He was murdered in Tafuna, American Samoa on February 10, 1990. He was shot in a dispute over a land transaction. [cite web | title=O Aiga Pesipolo | work=The Tony Solaita Story: Part VI | url=http://members.aol.com/toliasolaita/part6.html | accessyear=2008 | accessdate=July 7]

References

ee also

* Major League Baseball hitters with three home runs in one game
* Montreal Expos all-time roster

External links

*Baseballstats |mlb= |espn= |br=s/solaito01 |fangraphs=1012265 |cube=S/tony-solaita
* [http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Solaita.Tony.Obit.html The Deadball Era]


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