Mike Hershberger---1969
Mike Hershberger’s offensive
highlight during his 11-year career
was that in 1966 he led the American
League in sacrifice flies with seven.
Wow!
However, Hershberger was a good
outfielder with a strong arm. He
logged 84 outfield assists during his
career, as he manned primarily right
field for the White Sox and A’s. Alvin
Dark, his Kansas City manager in
1966, had this to say about
Hershberger in The Sporting News,
June 18, 1966:
“There’s no one better in the
American League,” Dark
declared. “I’m not sure about
the National League. They say that
new outfielder with the Giants
(Ollie Brown) can really throw.
Roberto Clemente has a great arm.
But they couldn’t be any better
than Hershberger.”
The 1966 article went on to capture
Dark’s comments on an emerging bat
(Hershberger was batting .270 at the
time) due to Hershberger’s courage
and desire to succeed. All the extra
batting practice was going to pay off.
Unfortunately, the right-handed
swinger came back to earth and a .
253 average for ‘66, which would be
just .001 more than what would
eventually be his lifetime average
(.252). He also didn’t hit with power,
as he cleared the fences just 26
times in 3,572 career at bats.
Seems to us Hershberger should
have posed with a ball in his hand
and glove on, with arm cocked
serving notice to all potential base
runners. Instead, he grabbed a bat
which gives a sense of irony to his
card.
(8/9-10/08)
highlight during his 11-year career
was that in 1966 he led the American
League in sacrifice flies with seven.
Wow!
However, Hershberger was a good
outfielder with a strong arm. He
logged 84 outfield assists during his
career, as he manned primarily right
field for the White Sox and A’s. Alvin
Dark, his Kansas City manager in
1966, had this to say about
Hershberger in The Sporting News,
June 18, 1966:
“There’s no one better in the
American League,” Dark
declared. “I’m not sure about
the National League. They say that
new outfielder with the Giants
(Ollie Brown) can really throw.
Roberto Clemente has a great arm.
But they couldn’t be any better
than Hershberger.”
The 1966 article went on to capture
Dark’s comments on an emerging bat
(Hershberger was batting .270 at the
time) due to Hershberger’s courage
and desire to succeed. All the extra
batting practice was going to pay off.
Unfortunately, the right-handed
swinger came back to earth and a .
253 average for ‘66, which would be
just .001 more than what would
eventually be his lifetime average
(.252). He also didn’t hit with power,
as he cleared the fences just 26
times in 3,572 career at bats.
Seems to us Hershberger should
have posed with a ball in his hand
and glove on, with arm cocked
serving notice to all potential base
runners. Instead, he grabbed a bat
which gives a sense of irony to his
card.
(8/9-10/08)
