Bob Bailey (baseball)
| Bob Bailey | |
|---|---|
 Bailey in 1963 | |
| Third baseman | |
| Born: October 13, 1942 Long Beach, California, U.S. | |
| Died: January 9, 2018 (aged 75) Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 14, 1962, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1978, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .257 |
| Home runs | 189 |
| Runs batted in | 773 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Robert Sherwood Bailey (October 13, 1942 – January 9, 2018) was an American professional baseball player. He played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1962 and 1978 for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Red Sox, primarily as a third baseman but he also played games in the outfield and first base.
Early life
[edit]Bailey attended Wilson Classical High School, where he was the 1961 CIF Baseball Player of the Year. He quarterbacked the football team for two years, one of which was undefeated.
Career
[edit]He was signed out of high school by the Pittsburgh Pirates as a bonus baby and made his debut with the Pirates at age 19.[1] After the 1966 season, the Pirates traded Bailey and Gene Michael to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Maury Wills.[2] The Dodgers sold Bailey to the expansion Montreal Expos following the 1968 season and he became a fixture in the Montreal lineup. He batted fifth in the inaugural game of the Expos versus the New York Mets on April 8, 1969, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one walk in the 11-10 win.[3] The Cincinnati Reds acquired Bailey from the Expos for Clay Kirby on December 12, 1975, and he was a member of the Reds team that swept the New York Yankees in the 1976 World Series.[4]
In a 17-season career, Bailey posted a .257 batting average with 189 home runs and 773 Runs batted in in 1931 games played. He led the National League in Double Plays turned by a Third baseman in 1963, Double Plays turned by a Left fielder in 1974 and Fielding percentage by a Third baseman in 1971.
Later life
[edit]After his playing days were over, Bailey was a minor league manager and hitting instructor, most notably in the Montreal Expos organization. In 1987, he was the final manager of the Hawaii Islanders.
Bailey died on January 9, 2018, at the age of 75.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ "Bob Bailey Statistics and History". "baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
- ^ "Dodgers trade Maury Wills to Pittsburgh". December 2, 1966. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
- ^ "Montreal Expos at New York Mets Box Score, April 8, 1969".
- ^ Durso Joseph. "Mets Trade Staub to Tigers for Lolich," The New York Times, Saturday, December 13, 1975. Retrieved May 1, 2020
- ^ Bob Bailey, ‘the Babe Ruth of Long Beach’ who played for the Dodgers in 17 MLB seasons, dies at 75
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
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- 1942 births
- 2018 deaths
- American expatriate baseball players in Canada
- Asheville Tourists players
- Baseball coaches from California
- Baseball players from Long Beach, California
- Birmingham Barons managers
- Boston Red Sox players
- Cincinnati Reds players
- Columbus Jets players
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- Hawaii Islanders managers
- Los Angeles Dodgers players
- Major League Baseball third basemen
- Montreal Expos players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Wilson Classical High School alumni
- American baseball third baseman stubs