Harvey Kuenn

Infobox MLB retired
name = Harvey Kuenn
position = Outfielder / Shortstop


bats = Right
throws = Right
birthdate = birth date|1930|12|4
city-state|West Allis|Wisconsin
deathdate = death date and age|1988|2|28|1930|12|4
city-state|Peoria|Arizona
debutdate = September 6
debutyear = by|1952
debutteam = Detroit Tigers
finaldate = October 2
finalyear = by|1966
finalteam = Philadelphia Phillies
stat1label = Batting average
stat1value = .303
stat2label = Hits
stat2value = 2,092
stat3label = Runs batted in
stat3value = 671
teams =
* Detroit Tigers (by|1952–by|1959)
* Cleveland Indians (by|1960)
* San Francisco Giants (by|1961–by|1965)
* Chicago Cubs (by|1965–by|1966)
* Philadelphia Phillies (by|1966)
highlights =
* 8x All-Star selection (1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960)
* 1953 AL Rookie of the Year

Harvey Edward Kuenn (December 4, 1930 – February 28, 1988) was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As a shortstop and outfielder, he played with the Detroit Tigers (1952-59), Cleveland Indians (1960), San Francisco Giants (1961-65), Chicago Cubs (1965-66) and Philadelphia Phillies (1966). He batted and threw right-handed. After retiring, Kuenn managed the Milwaukee Brewers (1975, 1982-83).

Early life and career

Kuenn (pronEng|ˈkiːn "keen") was born in West Allis, Wisconsin and played collegiate baseball at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While in college, he was a member of Delta Upsilon Fraternity. Signed by Detroit as an amateur free agent in by|1952, Kuenn was named the starting shortstop after joining the team late in the season. In his first full season in by|1953, he hit .308 with 94 runs and led the major leagues with 209 hits, setting a major league rookie record with 167 singles. He received the American League Rookie of the Year and "TSN" Rookie of the Year awards. Also in that season, he received the first of his eight consecutive selections to the All-Star Game.

A line drive hitter who hit to all fields, Kuenn showed consistency in the next two seasons, compiling almost identical numbers: .306 with 81 runs and 201 hits in by|1954; .306 with 101 runs and 190 hits in by|1955. He raised his average to .332 in 1956, being surpassed only by Mickey Mantle (.353) and Ted Williams (.345) in the batting race. A year later, he slumped badly to .277. But he rebounded in 1958 with .319, ending third in the league behind Williams (.328) and Pete Runnels (.322), and surpassing Al Kaline, Vic Power, Bob Cerv, Mantle, Rocky Colavito, Minnie Miñoso and Nellie Fox. In that season, he switched to the outfield, where he played all three positions over the remainder of his career.

Later playing career

After winning the American League batting crown in by|1959 with a .359 average, Kuenn was traded to Cleveland for Rocky Colavito, who had won the home run title with 42 homers (the trade that is often referred to by Cleveland fans as "the curse of Rocky Colavito"). With the Indians, Kuenn hit .308 in the by|1960 season. He finished his career in the National League playing for the Giants, Cubs and Phillies, retiring at the end of the 1966 season.

In a 15-season playing career, Kuenn was a .303 hitter with 87 home runs and 671 RBI in 1833 games. He led the AL in hits and doubles four times each, and finished with 2092 hits.

Kuenn had the dubious distinction of making the final out in two of Sandy Koufax's four career no-hitters—in by|1963 and by|1965. In the former, the final out was on a ground ball back to none other than Koufax. In the latter, he struck out for the final out in Koufax's perfect game, the last no-hitter pitched against the Chicago Cubs to date.

Kuenn was actually activated by the Brewers for the last two weeks of 1971, in order for him to qualify for pension purposes. He did not play in an actual game, however.

Milwaukee Brewers career

Kuenn became a Milwaukee Brewers coach in by|1972 and served as an interim manager in by|1975. He suffered a series of medical complications beginning in the mid-1970s, including heart and stomach surgeries, and in February 1980, he had his right leg amputated just below the knee after a blood clot cut circulation. He returned to coaching only six months after the operation.

In by|1982, Kuenn overcame the adversity when he managed the Milwaukee Brewers to their only World Series appearance to date after taking over the team in mid-season. He was selected by the Associated Press as the AL Manager of the Year, after taking the Brewers in June from a 23-24 start to the AL East title with a 95-67 record. Then, Milwaukee won the AL pennant after rallying from a 2-0 deficit and beating the California Angels in the best-of-five American League Championship Series. They ultimately lost the 1982 World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Kuenn was noted during that season for his constant use of chewing tobacco in the dugout, a practice that has since been banned by Major League Baseball and most other levels of the game.

Kuenn was fired as manager after the Brewers finished fifth in the AL East with an otherwise respectable 87-75 record in by|1983. He compiled an 160-118 managerial record. During his tenure, the hard-hitting Brewers were known as "Harvey's Wallbangers". At the time, their roster included Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, Ted Simmons, Gorman Thomas, and future Hall of Famers Paul Molitor and Robin Yount. After being replaced, he worked as a major league scouting consultant for the Brewers.

Death

Kuenn died at his home in Peoria, Arizona in 1988. The Brewers wore a patch with his initials during the 1988 season to commemorate him. In 2002, his name was added to the Brewers honorarium with a plaque in the concourse circling Miller Park.

ee also

* List of major league players with 2,000 hits
* List of Major League Baseball batting champions
* List of Major League Baseball doubles champions
* Major League Baseball titles leaders

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/k/kuennha01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - career playing statistics
* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/kuennha01.shtml Baseball-Reference.com] - career managerial record
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=kuennha01 Baseball Almanac]