Billy Gardner
Encyclopedia
William Frederick Gardner (born July 19, 1927 in Waterford, Connecticut
) is an American
former Major League Baseball
player, coach
and manager
. Gardner was a scrappy light-hitting second baseman who batted and threw right-handed. Gardner played for the New York Giants
, Baltimore Orioles
, Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins
, New York Yankees
, and the Boston Red Sox
. His only significant time on any team was with the Orioles, where he had four straight full seasons with them from 1956-1959. He was also notable for managing the Minnesota Twins
and Kansas City Royals
.
Gardner was not speedy, picking up a career-high of only 10 steals
, but in his best season of , he did lead the league in doubles
with 36, and at bat
s with 644. He played in every one of the 154 games that season, batting
.262 with 6 home run
s and 55 RBIs
. In his career, Gardner also came in the top 10 in hit by pitch
es twice (1956, '57), with a career-high of 8 in 1957 (5th in the league).
He wound up as a utility infielder on the powerful Yankees, winning the 1961 World Series
with them against the Cincinnati Reds
. In his one and only at bat of the post-season, he lined out to shortstop
in the 9th inning of Game 2. The Yankees lost the game 6-2. He was never an every-day player with the Yankees, because they had Bobby Richardson
to fill the second base spot. Gardner ended his career with two years on the Red Sox, picking up 70 hits with them in 283 at bats.
Nicknamed "Shotgun" for his rifle arm, Gardner led American League
second basemen in fielding percentage
in 1957 (.987), including 55 consecutive errorless games, and finished with a .976 fielding mark all-time.
In all or parts of ten seasons, Gardner batted
.237 with 41 home run
s and 271 RBIs in 1034 games played. He picked up 841 hits
, with 159 doubles
and 18 triples
in 3544 career at bat
s. He finished with 19 career steals
.
(1965–66). He then managed in the Kansas City Royals
farm system from 1972–76, coached for the Montreal Expos
in 1977-78, and was a skipper in the Montreal farm system in 1979-80.
Gardner rejoined the Twins as a third-base coach for the 1981 season
. He was promoted to manager on May 23, 1981, replacing Johnny Goryl
, and served until June 21, 1985, never leading Minnesota to the playoffs and avoiding a losing record only once . On the bright side, Gardner incorporated young players such as Kent Hrbek
, Kirby Puckett
, Frank Viola
and Tim Laudner
into the Twin lineup, beginning the foundation of the club's two World Series
clubs to come.
After a 268-353 record with Minnesota, Gardner received a second chance to manage under difficult circumstances with the Royals. Gardner initially signed as the Royals' 1987 third-base coach. But terminally ill Royals manager Dick Howser
, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor
during the summer of , was forced to retire during spring training
, and Gardner was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was fired on August 28 of that year after going 62-64, and John Wathan
took over. His career record as a manager was 330-417, a .442 winning percentage
.
His son, Billy Gardner, Jr.
, a former minor league
infielder, is a manager in the Tampa Bay Rays
' organization. He skippered the Montgomery Biscuits
in the Double-A Southern League
in 2007, leading them to an 81-59 record, a first place finish and the league playoff title.
Waterford, Connecticut
Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Waterford, Ireland. The population was 19,152 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place .-Geography:...
) is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
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...
player, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. Gardner was a scrappy light-hitting second baseman who batted and threw right-handed. Gardner played for the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, and the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. His only significant time on any team was with the Orioles, where he had four straight full seasons with them from 1956-1959. He was also notable for managing the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
.
MLB playing career
Gardner was signed by the Giants in 1945 and came up with them on April 22, 1954, but he could not break into the contending team's lineup. In early , he was purchased by the Orioles, which is where his career really began, and he would begin to secure himself as an every-day player.Gardner was not speedy, picking up a career-high of only 10 steals
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...
, but in his best season of , he did lead the league in doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
with 36, and at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s with 644. He played in every one of the 154 games that season, batting
Batting (baseball)
In baseball, batting is the act of facing the opposing pitcher and trying to produce offense for one's team. A batter or hitter is a person whose turn it is to face the pitcher...
.262 with 6 home run
Home run
In 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 55 RBIs
Run batted in
Runs 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 his career, Gardner also came in the top 10 in hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
es twice (1956, '57), with a career-high of 8 in 1957 (5th in the league).
He wound up as a utility infielder on the powerful Yankees, winning the 1961 World Series
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
with them against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. In his one and only at bat of the post-season, he lined out to shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in the 9th inning of Game 2. The Yankees lost the game 6-2. He was never an every-day player with the Yankees, because they had Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson
Robert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
to fill the second base spot. Gardner ended his career with two years on the Red Sox, picking up 70 hits with them in 283 at bats.
Nicknamed "Shotgun" for his rifle arm, Gardner led American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
second basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1957 (.987), including 55 consecutive errorless games, and finished with a .976 fielding mark all-time.
In all or parts of ten seasons, Gardner batted
Batting average
Batting 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 :...
.237 with 41 home run
Home run
In 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 271 RBIs in 1034 games played. He picked up 841 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, with 159 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and 18 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....
in 3544 career at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. He finished with 19 career steals
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...
.
As a manager and coach
After finishing his career with the Red Sox, Gardner stayed in the Boston organization for eight more seasons as a minor league coach and manager (1964; 1967–71) and major league third-base coachCoach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
(1965–66). He then managed in the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
farm system from 1972–76, coached for the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
in 1977-78, and was a skipper in the Montreal farm system in 1979-80.
Gardner rejoined the Twins as a third-base coach for the 1981 season
1981 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins finished a combined 41-68, seventh in the American League West. In the strike split season, the Twins were 17-39, seventh place in the first half and 24-29, fourth place in the second half. 469,090 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League...
. He was promoted to manager on May 23, 1981, replacing Johnny Goryl
Johnny Goryl
John Albert Goryl is a special adviser/player development for the Cleveland Indians and a former infielder, manager and coach in American Major League Baseball....
, and served until June 21, 1985, never leading Minnesota to the playoffs and avoiding a losing record only once . On the bright side, Gardner incorporated young players such as Kent Hrbek
Kent Hrbek
Frequently injured , Hrbek retired after the players strike in 1994, citing his nagging injury problems and desire to spend more time with his wife and daughter at their home in Bloomington, MN...
, Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett
Kirby Puckett was a Major League Baseball center fielder. He played his entire 12-year baseball career with the Minnesota Twins and he is the Twins franchise's all-time leader in career hits, runs, doubles, and total bases...
, Frank Viola
Frank Viola
Frank John Viola, Jr. is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Minnesota Twins , New York Mets , Boston Red Sox , Cincinnati Reds and Toronto Blue Jays . A three-time All-Star, he was named World Series MVP with the Twins in 1987 and won the AL Cy Young Award in 1988...
and Tim Laudner
Tim Laudner
Timothy Jon Laudner is a former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Minnesota Twins from 1981 to 1989.-Playing career:...
into the Twin lineup, beginning the foundation of the club's two World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
clubs to come.
After a 268-353 record with Minnesota, Gardner received a second chance to manage under difficult circumstances with the Royals. Gardner initially signed as the Royals' 1987 third-base coach. But terminally ill Royals manager Dick Howser
Dick Howser
Richard Dalton Howser was an American Major League Baseball shortstop, coach and manager. He is best known as the manager of the Kansas City Royals during the 1980s, and for guiding them to the franchise's only World Series title in 1985.-Playing career:A native of Miami, Florida, Howser grew up...
, diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
during the summer of , was forced to retire during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, and Gardner was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was fired on August 28 of that year after going 62-64, and John Wathan
John Wathan
John David Wathan is a former Major League Baseball catcher and manager for the Kansas City Royals. He was considered one of the rare catchers with speed, having 105 stolen bases during his career...
took over. His career record as a manager was 330-417, a .442 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
.
His son, Billy Gardner, Jr.
Billy Gardner, Jr.
William Frederick Gardner, Jr. is an American minor league baseball manager. In , Gardner is slated to begin his fifth consecutive season as skipper of the Montgomery Biscuits, Double-A Southern League affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays...
, a former minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
infielder, is a manager in the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
' organization. He skippered the Montgomery Biscuits
Montgomery Biscuits
The Montgomery Biscuits are a minor league baseball team based in Montgomery, Alabama. The team is the Class AA affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and plays in the Southern League. The 2004 season was the team's first in Montgomery...
in the Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
in 2007, leading them to an 81-59 record, a first place finish and the league playoff title.