Leo Ernest Whitt is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB),including twelve for the Toronto Blue Jays,and was the last player from the franchise's inaugural season of 1977 to remain through 1989. Whitt was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Henry Ramón Blanco is a Venezuelan professional baseball coach and former player. He is currently the catching and strategy coach for the Washington Nationals. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1997 to 2013,appearing for the Los Angeles Dodgers,Colorado Rockies,Milwaukee Brewers,Atlanta Braves,Minnesota Twins,Chicago Cubs,San Diego Padres,New York Mets,Arizona Diamondbacks,Toronto Blue Jays,and Seattle Mariners. He later served as quality assurance coach for the Cubs. Although a light-hitting player,he was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.
The following are the baseball events of the year 2004 throughout the world.
Fury Gene Tenace,better known as Gene Tenace,is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He played as a catcher and first baseman in Major League Baseball from 1969 through 1983,most notably as a member of the Oakland Athletics dynasty that won three consecutive World Series championships between 1972 and 1974.
Salvatore Frank Fasano is an American former professional baseball catcher,who played for nine different Major League Baseball (MLB) teams over his 11-year big league career. Upon retiring as a player,he became a coach within the Toronto Blue Jays organization between 2010 and 2016. After coaching for a single season within the Los Angeles Angels minor league system,Fasano joined the major league coaching staff of the Atlanta Braves.
Kevin Lee Brown is a former Major League Baseball catcher who spent parts of seven seasons with four MLB teams but who never got into more than a handful of MLB games each season except for 1998 with the Toronto Blue Jays,for whom he played 52 games that season. He finished his career with a .254 batting average with a .311 on base average and .450 slugging percentage in 85 games.
Donald Ray Mincher was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and longtime minor league executive. He played in the majors from 1960 to 1972 for the "original" Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins,California Angels,Seattle Pilots,Oakland Athletics,and the expansion Washington Senators and Texas Rangers,all of the American League. The native of Huntsville,Alabama,batted left-handed,threw right-handed,and was listed as 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 205 pounds (93 kg). He was a member of the last editions of each of Washington's two 20th Century American League teams and their first-year squads in their new locales,Minneapolis–Saint Paul (1961) and Dallas–Fort Worth (1972).
Russell Eugene Nixon was an American professional baseball player,coach and manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1957 to 1968. A veteran of 55 years in professional baseball,Nixon managed at virtually every level of the sport,from the lowest minor league to MLB assignments with the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed,and stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg) in his playing days.
Harry Dominic Chiti Jr. was an American catcher in Major League Baseball. He appeared in 502 games over all or parts of ten seasons between 1950 and 1962 for the Chicago Cubs,Kansas City Athletics,Detroit Tigers and New York Mets. Chiti batted and threw right-handed,and was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 221 pounds (100 kg). Born in Kincaid,Illinois,he was the father of major league coach Dom Chiti.
Larry Eugene Hisle is an American former professional baseball player and hitting coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies (1968–71),Minnesota Twins (1973–77),and Milwaukee Brewers (1978–82). A two-time All-Star,he was the 1977 American League (AL) RBI champion. As a coach,Hisle was a member of two World Series-winning teams for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Brian David Harper is an American former catcher in Major League Baseball who played for teams in both the American and National Leagues during his 16-year career (1979-1995). He most recently served as the hitting coach of the Double-A Erie SeaWolves.
James Wren "Zack" Taylor was an American professional baseball player,coach,scout,and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher with the Brooklyn Robins,Boston Braves,New York Giants,Chicago Cubs,New York Yankees,and again with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although Taylor was not a powerful hitter,he sustained a lengthy career in the major leagues due to his valuable defensive abilities as a catcher. After his playing career,he became better known as the manager for the St. Louis Browns owned by Bill Veeck. His baseball career spanned 58 years.
Richard Aldo Cerone is an American former professional baseball player,television sports color commentator and minor league baseball team owner. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1975 to 1992 with the Cleveland Indians,Toronto Blue Jays,New York Yankees,Atlanta Braves,Milwaukee Brewers,Boston Red Sox,New York Mets,and Montreal Expos.
JoséJoaquín Azcue López is a Cuban former professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher,most prominently as a member of the Cleveland Indians where he played the bulk of his career and was named to the 1968 American League All-Star team. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds,Kansas City Athletics,Boston Red Sox,California Angels and Milwaukee Brewers. Nicknamed "The Immortal Azcue",he was known for his strong throwing arm.
John Edwin Blanchard was an American professional baseball outfielder and catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees,Kansas City Athletics,and Milwaukee Braves.
David Lawrence McKay is a Canadian professional baseball coach and former second baseman and third baseman who is the first base coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Minnesota Twins,Toronto Blue Jays,and Oakland Athletics,and has previously coached for the Athletics,St. Louis Cardinals,and Chicago Cubs. He is the father of former catcher Cody McKay.
Manuel Emilio Jiménez Rivera was a Dominican professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Athletics (1962–1966),Pittsburgh Pirates (1967–1968),and Chicago Cubs (1969). Born in San Pedro de Macorís,he batted left-handed,threw right-handed,and was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg).
The 1961 Minnesota Twins season was the 61st in franchise history and its first in Minneapolis–Saint Paul after it transferred from Washington following a six-decade tenure in late October 1960. The maiden edition of the Twins finished 1961 with a record of 70–90,good for seventh place in the American League,which had expanded from eight to ten teams during the 1960–61 offseason. The Twins played their home games at Metropolitan Stadium,where they set a franchise record for home attendance.
Andrew Edward Butera is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently on the coaching staff of the Chicago White Sox. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Minnesota Twins,Los Angeles Dodgers,Los Angeles Angels,Kansas City Royals,and Colorado Rockies.
Joshua Adam Donaldson is an American former professional baseball third baseman. In his 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career,he played for the Oakland Athletics,Toronto Blue Jays,Cleveland Indians,Atlanta Braves,Minnesota Twins,New York Yankees,and Milwaukee Brewers.
