Willie Horton | |
---|---|
Left fielder / Designated hitter | |
Born: Arno, Virginia, U.S. | October 18, 1942|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 10, 1963, for the Detroit Tigers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
October 5, 1980, for the Seattle Mariners | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .273 |
Home runs | 325 |
Runs batted in | 1,163 |
Stats at Baseball Reference | |
Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
Career highlights and awards | |
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Willie Horton (born William Wattison Horton;October 18,1942),nicknamed "Willie the Wonder",is an American former baseball left fielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball from 1963 to 1980,primarily for the Detroit Tigers.
Over an eighteen-year career spanning six American League teams,he was a four-time All-Star and won a World Championship with the 1968 Tigers. He hit 20 or more home runs seven times,and his 325 career home runs ranked sixth among AL right-handed hitters when he retired. He enjoyed his best season in 1968,finishing second in the AL with 36 homers,a .543 slugging average and 278 total bases. In the later years of his career,he was twice named the AL's top designated hitter.
Horton is the youngest of 14 children of James Horton and his wife Lillian (Wattison) Horton. He was born in Arno,Virginia,a small community in the corporate limits of Appalachia,Virginia. He hit a home run at Tiger Stadium at 16 years old during an all-city high school game. After winning a city championship with Detroit Northwestern High School in 1959 he signed with the Tigers in 1961,playing for the Tigers' farm team,the Duluth Dukes,on the shores of Lake Superior. [1]
Horton posted double-digit home run totals in 12 regular seasons from 1965 to 1976,and hit two home runs in a game on 30 occasions. He had a career-high 36 home runs in 1968,a pitcher's year in which Detroit won the World Series;he finished second in the AL to Frank Howard in homers,slugging and total bases. In a year in which the league batting average was .230 and Carl Yastrzemski won the batting title with a .301 mark,Horton's .285 average was good for fourth in the AL. He finished fourth in the MVP voting. [2]
He also batted .304 in the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals that year. In order to combine Horton's offensive power with a good defense,manager Mayo Smith moved regular center fielder Mickey Stanley to shortstop as a replacement for Ray Oyler,who was benched because of his paltry .135 batting average. He kept Al Kaline,a routine Gold Glove Award winner,in right field and put Jim Northrup in center field;the two had platooned in right field for much of the year. When the Tigers were safely ahead in the game,Oyler would replace Stanley at shortstop,batting in Horton's lineup spot;Stanley returned to center field,and Northrup would move over to replace Horton in left field. In Game 2,Horton had a solo home run to give the Tigers an early 1–0 lead,and they won 8–1. While not considered a great defensive outfielder,he made a pivotal play in the fifth inning of Game 5. With the Cardinals leading the Series 3–1 and the game 3–2,Lou Brock doubled with one out. He tried to score on Julián Javier's single,but chose not to slide;Horton's throw reached catcher Bill Freehan on one bounce to beat Brock on a close play. Horton still lists the throw as the most memorable moment of his career. Detroit scored three runs in the seventh inning to win 5–3,and went on to win Games 6 and 7 as well;Horton had two runs and two RBI in the 13–1 blowout in Game 6,and two hits and a run in the final 4–1 victory. [3]
Horton was a four-time member of the AL All-Star team (1965,1968,1970 and 1973). On July 18,1969,playing against the Cleveland Indians,he tied Boston Braves outfielder Earl Clark's record for most put outs in a nine inning game by a left fielder,nine,a record that has since been tied by Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox. He hit three home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 9,1970. On April 14,1974,he hit a popup which struck and killed a pigeon at Fenway Park. He was named the AL's Outstanding Designated Hitter in 1975 after hitting 25 home runs with 92 RBI. [2]
In 1970,in a game in Milwaukee against the Brewers,Horton saved fellow Tiger Al Kaline's life. While chasing a fly ball,Kaline collided with outfielder Jim Northrup and fell onto the warning track. Immediately he began to suffocate as,on impact,his jaw had gotten locked and his tongue obstructed his breathing. Realizing what happened,Horton rushed over and pried opened Kaline's mouth,clearing his airway and likely saving his life. [4]
After being supplanted as left fielder by Steve Kemp and designated hitter by Rusty Staub,Horton was traded from the Tigers to the Texas Rangers for Steve Foucault on April 12,1977. [5] He again hit three home runs in a 7–3 win over the Kansas City Royals at Royals Stadium one month later on May 15. [6] He spent 1978 playing for the Cleveland Indians,Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays,traded there along with Phil Huffman from the Athletics to the Toronto Blue Jays for former batting champion and top DH Rico Carty on August 15,1978. [7] He played with the Seattle Mariners from 1979 to 1980.
In 1978,he joined the Venezuelan team Navegantes del Magallanes as a designated hitter and manager. [8] In his first season with Magallanes,Horton earned the nickname "El Brujo" ("The Wizard"),taking the team from last place the previous season to first,winning the 1979 Caribbean Series championship with a 5–1 record. [9] [10]
In 1979 with the Mariners,he was again named the AL's Outstanding Designated Hitter after hitting .279 with 29 HR and a career-high 106 RBI,and he received The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award as well. On June 5,against the Tigers against John Hiller,he hit what seemed to be his 300th career home run,but it struck a speaker hanging from the roof of the Kingdome and bounced onto the field for a single;he would collect number 300 the next day against Jack Morris. His Mariners record of 106 RBI was broken by Alvin Davis in 1984,his marks of 180 hits and 296 total bases were broken by Phil Bradley in 1985,and his record of 29 home runs was broken by Gorman Thomas in 1985. His record of 646 at bats was broken by Alex Rodriguez in 1998;Horton remains one of only four Mariners to have played the full 162 games in a season. He played his final major league game on October 5,1980. He was traded back to the Rangers from the Mariners along with Rick Honeycutt,Leon Roberts,Mario Mendoza and Larry Cox for Richie Zisk,Jerry Don Gleaton,Rick Auerbach,Ken Clay,Brian Allard and minor-league right-handed pitcher Steve Finch in an 11-player blockbuster deal on December 18,1980. [11] Horton played two more years in the Pacific Coast League and another season in Mexican baseball.
In an 18-season career,Horton posted a .273 batting average and .457 slugging average with 1993 hits,284 doubles,1,163 RBIs,873 runs and 20 stolen bases in 2028 games. His 325 home runs in the AL placed him sixth behind only Harmon Killebrew (573),Jimmie Foxx (524),teammate Al Kaline (399),Rocky Colavito (371) and Joe DiMaggio (361) among right-handed hitters. [2]
Among his baseball superstitions was his use of the same batting helmet throughout his career;he repainted it when he changed teams. [12] [13]
On July 15,2000 Horton became just the sixth former player given the ultimate honor by the Detroit Tigers;a statue of Horton was placed in Comerica Park and his number 23 was retired,joining a select group that includes former Tigers players Ty Cobb (who played before uniforms had numbers),Charlie Gehringer (number 2),Hank Greenberg (number 5),Al Kaline (number 6),and Hal Newhouser (number 16). [14]
In 2004,the state of Michigan proclaimed October 18 to be "Willie Horton Day",which has been held annually since,in honor of Horton who had been involved with charities in the city since his playing days. [15] Then-Governor Jennifer Granholm said of the proclamation:
Willie Horton is one of those rare baseball players who doesn't need a diamond to truly sparkle and shine—he's a star on and off the field. This fitting recognition will continue to inform future generations of his accomplishments." [1]
In 2019, the city of Detroit unveiled "Willie Horton Drive", named in honor of the slugger. It is situated at the intersection of Canfield Street and the John C. Lodge service drive. [16]
Horton was inducted into the Michigan Baseball Hall of Fame on August 17, 2019. [17]
After retiring, Horton coached for the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox. [18]
Since 2003, Horton has served as a Special Assistant to Tigers President/CEO/General Manager, originally Dave Dombrowski, followed by Al Avila, and currently Scott Harris. Former Tigers teammate Al Kaline also held this position, and the two threw out the first pitch of the 2006 World Series at Comerica Park.
On Opening Day 2013, Horton threw out the first pitch at Comerica Park in Detroit. The Tigers went on to win 8–3 over the New York Yankees.
Horton's autobiography 23: Detroit's Own Willie the Wonder, the Tigers' First Black Great was published in July 2022. [19]
Horton and his wife, Gloria reside in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The couple have seven children and 21 grandchildren. [1]
In September 1968, Horton legally had his name changed from "William Wattison Horton" to simply "Willie Horton", saying that he preferred "Willie" to his more formal, former name. [20]
Albert William Kaline, nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kaline played in the outfield, mainly as a right fielder where he won ten Gold Glove Awards and was known for his strong throwing arm. He was selected to 18 All-Star Games, including selections each year between 1955 and 1967. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1980 in his first year of eligibility.
Cecil Grant Fielder is an American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Fielder was a power hitter in the 1980s and 1990s. He attended college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). He played in MLB for the Toronto Blue Jays (1985–1988), in Japan's Central League for the Hanshin Tigers (1989), and then in MLB for the Detroit Tigers (1990–1996), New York Yankees (1996–97), Anaheim Angels in 1998, and Cleveland Indians in 1998. With the Yankees, he won the 1996 World Series over the Atlanta Braves. In 1990, he became the first player to reach the 50–home run mark since George Foster hit 52 for the Cincinnati Reds in 1977 and the first American League player to do so since Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris famously hit 54 and 61 in 1961.
Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado is a Venezuelan former professional baseball right fielder. He played for the Chicago White Sox (1997–2004) and Detroit Tigers (2005–2011). Ordóñez is 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighs 215 lb (98 kg). Having posted a career .309 batting average over 15 seasons, Ordóñez retired from the major leagues as a Tiger on June 3, 2012, in a ceremony at Comerica Park prior to the afternoon game.
Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito Jr. was an American professional baseball player, coach, and television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder from 1955 to 1968, most prominently as a member of the Cleveland Indians, with whom he established himself as a fan favorite for his powerful hitting and his strong throwing arm. Colavito also played for the Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Athletics, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Yankees. At the time of his retirement in 1968, Colavito ranked third among AL right-handed hitters for home runs (374) and eighth for AL games played as a right fielder (1,272).
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Norman Dalton Cash was an American Major League Baseball first baseman who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. A power hitter, his 377 career home runs were the fourth most by an American League left-handed hitter when he retired, behind Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig; his 373 home runs with the Tigers is tied for second in franchise history with Miguel Cabrera, behind Al Kaline (399). He also led the AL in assists three times and fielding percentage twice; he ranked among the all-time leaders in assists and double plays upon his retirement, and was fifth in AL history in games at first base (1,943). He was known to fans and teammates during his playing days as "Stormin' Norman."
James Thomas Northrup, nicknamed "the Silver Fox" due to his prematurely graying hair, was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and left-handed batter who played for the Detroit Tigers (1964–74), Montreal Expos (1974) and Baltimore Orioles (1974–75).
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Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley is an American former professional baseball player.
This is a list of award winners and league leaders for the Detroit Tigers professional baseball team.
Leon Kauffman Roberts is an American former corner outfielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1974 through 1984 for the Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals. Listed at 6' 3", 200 lb., Roberts batted and threw right handed.
The 2007 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 107th season and its eighth at Comerica Park. The season ended with the 88–74 Tigers finishing runner-up in the American League Central, eight games in back of the Cleveland Indians. They failed in winning the Wild Card.
The 1968 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 68th season and the 57th season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers won the 1968 World Series, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals four games to three. The 1968 baseball season, known as the "Year of the Pitcher," was the Detroit Tigers' 68th since they entered the American League in 1901, their eighth pennant, and third World Series championship. Detroit pitcher Denny McLain won the Cy Young Award and was named the American League's Most Valuable Player after winning 31 games. Mickey Lolich pitched three complete games in the World Series – and won all three – to win World Series MVP honors.
The 1961 Detroit Tigers won 101 games but finished in second place, eight games behind the Yankees. The team's 1961 record tied the 1934 Tigers team record of 101 wins, and only twice in team history have the Tigers won more games: 1968 and 1984.
The 1972 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 72nd season and the 61st season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers won the American League East championship with a record of 86–70 (.551), finishing one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox. They played one more game than the Red Sox due to a scheduling quirk caused by the 1972 Major League Baseball strike—a game which turned out to allow them to win the division. They lost the 1972 American League Championship Series to the Oakland A's three games to two.
The 1999 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 99th season and—after nearly a century of baseball at the corner of Michigan and Trumbull Avenues—its 88th and final season at Tiger Stadium. The team had a record of 69–92 and finished in third place of the American League Central, 27+1⁄2 games behind the Cleveland Indians. On September 27, 1999, Robert Fick had the final hit of the final game at Tiger Stadium, a rooftop grand slam, which was the stadium's 11,111th home run. In the 2000 season, the Tigers moved to Comerica Park.
The 1971 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 71st season and the 60th season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers finished in second place in the American League East with a 91–71 record, 12 games behind the Orioles. They outscored their opponents 701 to 645. They drew 1,591,073 fans to Tiger Stadium, the second highest attendance in the American League.
The 1974 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 74th season and the 63rd season at Tiger Stadium. The Tigers compiled a record of 72–90. They finished in last place in the American League East, 19 games behind the Baltimore Orioles. They were outscored by their opponents 768 to 620.
The 1993 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 93rd season and the 82nd season at Tiger Stadium. The team wasn't expected to do much after a sixth-place finish the previous season. The pitching staff was riddled with inconsistencies, but the Tigers were in first place as late as June 25 before a 10-game losing streak ended their hopes of a turnaround. This would be the Tigers last winning season of the 20th century, the next time the team finished with the winning record was 2006, by then the team had been playing in Comerica Park for 7 years.