Billy Klaus

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=#0d2b56
bgcolor2=#ba313c
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Billy Klaus
position=Shortstop - Third Baseman
bats=Left
throws=Right
birthdate=December 9, 1928
deathdate=death date and age|2006|12|3|1928|12|9
debutdate=April 16
debutyear=by|1952
debutteam=Boston Braves
finaldate=May 12
finalyear=by|1963
finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
stat1label=AVG
stat1value=.249
stat2label=Hits
stat2value=626
stat3label=Runs
stat3value=357
teams=
*Boston Braves (1952)
*Milwakuee Braves (1953)
*Boston Red Sox (1955-1958)
*Baltimore Orioles (1959-1960)
*Washington Senators (1961)
*Philadelphia Phillies (1962-1963)
highlights=
*2nd in AL Rookie of the Year Award voting in by|1954
*Hammered the Detroit Tigers with a two home run, five RBI performance on June 28, by|1957.

William Joseph Klaus (December 9, 1928 in Fox Lake, Illinois – December 3, 2006) was a shortstop and third baseman in Major League Baseball who played with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves (1952-53), Boston Red Sox (1955-58), Baltimore Orioles (1959-60), Washington Senators (1961) and Philadelphia Phillies (1962-63). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.

A master defensively, Klaus had good range, a strong and secure arm, and an ability to throw across his body quickly. A modest hitter, his greatest offensive contribution came via the bunt and the hit-and-run, but his defense was good enough by itself to keep him in the majors a while.

In his 1955 rookie season with the Red Sox, Klaus had a career-high .283 batting average with seven home runs and 60 RBI (also a career-high), and finished second in American League Rookie of the Year voting behind Herb Score. A year later, he put almost identical numbers (.271, 7, 59), and in 1957 he belted a high-career 10 home runs.

In an 11-season career, Klaus was a .249 hitter with 40 home runs and 250 RBI in 821 games. He had 626 hits in 2513 at bats.

External links

*baseball-reference|id=k/klausbi01
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/K/Klaus_Billy.stm Baseball Library]
* [http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061206/NEWS/612060715/-1/xml Herald-Tribune: Sarasota retiree was Boston Red Sox 'backbone' in 1955]
* [http://heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/dclassifieds?Dato=20061205&Kategori=NEWS11&Class=30&Type=CATUNKNOWN&Lopenr=61240106&Selected=2 Obituary at Herald-Tribune]