- Billy Hunter (baseball)
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Billy Hunter Shortstop Born: June 4, 1928
Punxsutawney, PennsylvaniaBatted: Right Threw: Right MLB debut April 14, 1953 for the St. Louis Browns Last MLB appearance September 27, 1958 for the Cleveland Indians Career statistics Batting average .219 Hits 410 Runs batted in 144 Teams As Player
- St. Louis Browns (1953)
- Baltimore Orioles (1954)
- New York Yankees (1955-1956)
- Kansas City Athletics (1957-1958)
- Cleveland Indians (1958)
As Manager
- Texas Rangers (1977-1978)
Career highlights and awards - All-Star selection (1953)
Gordon William Hunter (born June 4, 1928) is a retired American shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.
A slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the right-handed-batting Hunter was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. With his path to the majors blocked by Pee Wee Reese, he was sold to the St. Louis Browns of the American League on October 14, 1952, for $150,000 after leading the Texas League in fielding and stolen bases. Hunter was the starting shortstop for the last Browns club in 1953 and the first modern MLB Orioles team when the Brownies transferred to Baltimore in 1954. For the remainder of his career, however, he was a second-string infielder for the New York Yankees, Kansas City A's and Cleveland Indians. Hunter batted .219 in 630 games over his six-year (1953–58) AL career.
When Hunter's playing career ended, he managed in the Baltimore farm system and became the Orioles' third-base coach in 1964. He performed that role for almost 14 seasons for four AL champions and two World Series winners. He left the Orioles on June 28, 1977, to take the helm of the Texas Rangers - the club's fourth skipper that season, although the list includes Eddie Stanky, who signed to succeed Frank Lucchesi but returned to retirement after one game, and Connie Ryan, who managed three games in the interim between Stanky and Hunter.[1] Under Hunter, the Rangers won 60 of their final 93 games and climbed from fourth to second place in the AL West. Hopes were high for 1978, but the Rangers finished tied for second, five games behind the division-leading Kansas City Royals. During the season, Hunter had a confrontation with Dock Ellis on a team bus. Ellis was later quoted saying "Hunter "may be Hitler, but he ain't making no lampshade out of me."[2] After turning down a five-year contract extension in midseason[3], offered by Rangers' young owner, Brad Corbett, Hunter was fired with one day left in the campaign due to his poor relationship with his team. Hunter when asked if he was sorry he took the Manager's job, replied "yes".[4]
Hunter's record over his one-and-a-half seasons was a stellar 146-108 (.575), but he never returned to the major leagues as a coach or manager though he claimed to have gotten a half dozen job offers in the winter of 1978.[5] He became head baseball coach and athletic director at Maryland's Towson State University, retiring in 1995.
He was a 1996 honoree into the Orioles Hall of Fame, inducted with Jerry Hoffberger and Cal Ripken, Sr. These three men were so well thought of in Baltimore that a crowd of 400 showed up at the luncheon at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel.[6]
References
- ^ "Hunter takes over Texas". The Gadsden Times (AP): p. 13. 28 June 1977. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Mg0pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=E9YEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6018,4182660&dq=billy-hunter+baseball&hl=en. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
- ^ Dock Ellis ready to break rules
- ^ Rangers Corbett not very happy
- ^ Once Texas hero, Hunter fired for poor relationship with team
- ^ Hunter shuns majors
- ^ Badger, Sylvia. Hunter, Hoffberger, Ripken Sr. enter Orioles Hall of Fame, The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore, 1 September 1996. Retrieved on 2010-6-26
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
Preceded by
Luke ApplingBaltimore Orioles third-base coach
1964–1977Succeeded by
Cal Ripken, Sr.Preceded by
Connie RyanTexas Rangers Managers
1977–1978Succeeded by
Pat CorralesBaltimore Orioles 1966 World Series Champions 2 Bob Johnson | 3 Curt Blefary | 5 Brooks Robinson | 6 Paul Blair | 8 Andy Etchebarren | 9 Russ Snyder | 11 Luis Aparicio | 15 Davey Johnson | 16 Sam Bowens | 17 John Miller | 19 Dave McNally | 20 Frank Robinson (World Series MVP) | 22 Jim Palmer | 23 Vic Roznovsky | 24 Frank Bertaina | 25 Moe Drabowsky | 26 Boog Powell | 27 Wally Bunker | 28 Eddie Fisher | 29 Dick Hall
Manager 42 Hank Bauer
Coaches: 14 Gene Woodling | 31 Harry Brecheen | 41 Sherm Lollar | 55 Billy HunterBaltimore Orioles 1970 World Series Champions 5 Brooks Robinson (World Series MVP) | 6 Paul Blair | 7 Mark Belanger | 8 Andy Etchebarren | 9 Don Buford | 10 Elrod Hendricks | 14 Merv Rettenmund | 15 Davey Johnson | 16 Bobby Grich | 19 Dave McNally | 20 Frank Robinson | 22 Jim Palmer | 24 Pete Richert | 25 Moe Drabowsky | 26 Boog Powell | 29 Dick Hall | 30 Chico Salmon | 31 Curt Motton | 32 Marcelino López | 35 Mike Cuellar | 36 Tom Phoebus | 37 Terry Crowley | 39 Eddie Watt | 40 Dave Leonhard | 44 Jim Hardin
Manager 4 Earl Weaver
Coaches: 31 George Bamberger | 41 Jim Frey | 48 George Staller | 55 Billy HunterTexas Rangers managers Washington Senators (1961–1971) Texas Rangers (1972–present) Herb Armstrong Award
Richie Bancells • Rex Barney • Rob Brown • Frank Cashen • Harry Dalton • Jerry Hoffberger • Phil Itzoe • Lenny Johnston • Lee MacPhail • Bill O'Donnell • Hank Peters • Ralph Salvon • Chuck Thompson • Ernie Tyler • Julie Wagner • Eddie Weidner
"Wild Bill" Hagy Award
Categories:- 1928 births
- Living people
- Baltimore Orioles coaches
- Baltimore Orioles players
- Cleveland Indians players
- Kansas City Athletics players
- Major League Baseball infielders
- Baseball players from Pennsylvania
- Major League Baseball third base coaches
- St. Louis Browns players
- New York Yankees players
- Trois-Rivieres Royals players
- Newport News Dodgers players
- Denver Bears players
- San Diego Padres (minor league) players
- Fort Worth Cats players
- Nashua Dodgers players
- Pueblo Dodgers players
- Texas Rangers managers
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