Bill Bruton
Encyclopedia
William Havon Bruton was a Major League Baseball
center fielder
who played for the Milwaukee Braves
in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers
in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Bruton was born in Panola, Alabama, and he was the son-in-law of the Negro Leagues legend, Judy Johnson
.
As a teammate of Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock
, Lew Burdette
, Johnny Logan, Eddie Mathews
, Red Schoendienst
, Warren Spahn
, and Bobby Thomson
, Bruton was the leadoff
hitter, the chief base stealer
, and the center fielder for the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of 1956 through 1960.
Bruton started his career right after the Braves franchise moved from Boston
to Milwaukee in 1953. He became an immediate hero when he hit a 10th-inning home run that gave the Braves a 3 - 2 victory over St. Louis
in Milwaukee's first major league game. A line-drive hitter and speedy runner, Bruton led the National League
in stolen bases for three consecutive seasons (1953 through 55), twice in triples
(1956 and 1960), and once in runs scored
(1960). Bruton also led off games with home runs twelve times.
In 1957, a serious knee injury knocked Bruton out of the second half the season - and hence the chance to play in the World Series
, which the Braves won in seven games over the New York Yankees
. Then, in the next baseball season, Bruton came back in good form with the Braves
. He was also the Braves' leading hitter with a .412 average in the 1958 World Series
, which the Braves lost in seven games to the Yankees
. Then in 1959, Bruton led off for the Braves
for the season in which the Braves tied for the National League pennant with the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
Bruton knocked three triple
s in one game during the 1959 season. Two of these triples were with the bases loaded, which was the only time that any batter accomplished this in the National League
during the 20th century. Bruton played for eight seasons with the Braves, and then he was traded to the Detroit Tigers
, where he spent four seasons. There, he covered center field between the heavy hitters Al Kaline
and Rocky Colavito
.
Bruton decided to hang up his baseball spikes permanently following the 1964 season.
Bruton died after suffering a heart attack
in Marshallton, Delaware
, while driving near his home in Wilmington, Del., at the age of 70.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
who played for the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Bruton was born in Panola, Alabama, and he was the son-in-law of the Negro Leagues legend, Judy Johnson
Judy Johnson
William Julius "Judy" Johnson was an American third baseman in Negro league baseball.Johnson was born in Snow Hill, Maryland. Although his father wanted him to be a boxer, Johnson, who was 5 ft 11 in and only 150 lb , was far better suited for a career in baseball...
.
As a teammate of Hank Aaron, Joe Adcock
Joe Adcock
Joseph Wilbur "Billy Joe" Adcock was an American first baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of the 1950s, whose career included numerous home run feats...
, Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
, Johnny Logan, Eddie Mathews
Eddie Mathews
Edwin Lee "Eddie" Mathews was an American Major League Baseball third baseman. He is regarded as one of the greatest third basemen ever to play the game.-Early life:...
, Red Schoendienst
Red Schoendienst
Albert Fred "Red" Schoendienst is an American Major League Baseball coach, former player and manager, and 10-time All-star. After a 19-year playing career with the St...
, Warren Spahn
Warren Spahn
Warren Edward Spahn was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He played his entire 21-year baseball career in the National League. He won 20 games each in 13 seasons, including a 23-7 record when he was age 42...
, and Bobby Thomson
Bobby Thomson
Robert Brown "Bobby" Thomson was a Scottish-born American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "The Staten Island Scot", he was an outfielder and right-handed batter for the New York Giants , Milwaukee Braves , Chicago Cubs , Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles .His season-ending three-run...
, Bruton was the leadoff
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
hitter, the chief base stealer
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
, and the center fielder for the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of 1956 through 1960.
Bruton started his career right after the Braves franchise moved from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Milwaukee in 1953. He became an immediate hero when he hit a 10th-inning home run that gave the Braves a 3 - 2 victory over St. Louis
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
in Milwaukee's first major league game. A line-drive hitter and speedy runner, Bruton led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in stolen bases for three consecutive seasons (1953 through 55), twice in triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(1956 and 1960), and once in runs scored
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
(1960). Bruton also led off games with home runs twelve times.
In 1957, a serious knee injury knocked Bruton out of the second half the season - and hence the chance to play in the World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
, which the Braves won in seven games over the New York Yankees
1957 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 55th season for the team in New York, and its 57th season overall. The team finished with a record of 98-56 to win their 23rd pennant, finishing eight games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. New York was managed by Casey Stengel...
. Then, in the next baseball season, Bruton came back in good form with the Braves
1957 Milwaukee Braves season
The Milwaukee Braves season was the year that the team won its first and only World Series championship while based in Milwaukee. The Braves won 95 games and lost 59 to win the National League pennant by eight games over the second-place St. Louis Cardinals....
. He was also the Braves' leading hitter with a .412 average in the 1958 World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
, which the Braves lost in seven games to the Yankees
1958 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 56th season for the team in New York, and its 58th season overall. The team finished with a record of 92-62, winning their 24th pennant, finishing 10 games ahead of the Chicago White Sox. In the World Series, they defeated the Milwaukee Braves in 7 games. New...
. Then in 1959, Bruton led off for the Braves
1959 Milwaukee Braves season
The 1959 Milwaukee Braves season was the seventh season for the franchise in Milwaukee and its 84th season overall. The Braves ended the National League regular season in a first-place tie with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With both clubs finishing with records of 86-68, a special best-of-three...
for the season in which the Braves tied for the National League pennant with the Los Angeles Dodgers
1959 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished in a first-place tie with the Milwaukee Braves, then won the pennant as they swept the Braves in a best-of-three playoff series. They went on to defeat the Chicago White Sox in the 1959 World Series in just their second season since leaving Brooklyn.- Offseason :*...
.
Bruton knocked three triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s in one game during the 1959 season. Two of these triples were with the bases loaded, which was the only time that any batter accomplished this in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
during the 20th century. Bruton played for eight seasons with the Braves, and then he was traded to the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, where he spent four seasons. There, he covered center field between the heavy hitters Al Kaline
Al Kaline
Albert William "Al" Kaline is a former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Kaline played his entire 22-year baseball career with the Detroit Tigers. Kaline still works for the Tigers as a front office official. Because of his lengthy career and...
and Rocky Colavito
Rocky Colavito
Rocco Domenico "Rocky" Colavito, Jr. is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball best known for his years with the Cleveland Indians. He wore a #6, #7 or #21 jersey during his MLB career...
.
Bruton decided to hang up his baseball spikes permanently following the 1964 season.
Bruton died after suffering a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Marshallton, Delaware
Marshallton, Delaware
Marshallton is an unincorporated community in Mill Creek Hundred, New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The community was founded in 1836 and is named for John Marshall, mill owner.-Geography:...
, while driving near his home in Wilmington, Del., at the age of 70.
Stats
- In his twelve-year Major League career, Bruton posted an overall .273 batting averageBatting averageBatting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 94 home runHome runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 545 RBIRun batted inRuns batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1610 gamesGames playedGames played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. - tied for the Northern LeagueNorthern League (baseball, 1902-71)This article refers to the original incarnations of the Northern League, which operated between 1902 and 1971. For the more recent league, see Northern League ...
lead in games played (124), and led the league in at bats (545), runs (126), and batting average (.325) while playing for the Eau Claire BearsEau Claire BearsThe Eau Claire Bears were a minor league baseball team from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. From 1933 until 1942 and 1946 until 1953, the team was a member of the Northern League. The Class C team was affiliated with the Chicago Cubs until 1939, and re-affiliated with the Boston Braves in 1947...
in 1950 - led the Western LeagueWestern League (defunct minor league)The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
with 27 triples while playing for the Denver Bears in 1951 - tied for the American AssociationAmerican Association (20th century)The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
lead in games played (154), at bats (650), runs (130), hits (211), and outfield assists (22) while playing for the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
in 1952
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players with 100 triples
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
- List of Major League Baseball runs scored champions
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
External links
- Baseball Library - Profile and highlights
- Baseball Reference - Career statistics and analysis
- The Deadball Era
- Retrosheet