Bud Harrelson
Encyclopedia
Derrel McKinley "Bud" Harrelson (born June 6, 1944) is a former Major League Baseball
shortstop
who played for the New York Mets
, Philadelphia Phillies
and Texas Rangers
from to . After retiring, he served as a coach for the World Champion Mets, and as manager
of the Mets in 1990
and 1991
. He was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame
in .
of .236 and hit a total of seven home run
s during his fifteen year major league career, but had a lifetime .969 fielding percentage
, and won a Gold Glove
at his position in . He was a National League
All-Star in 1970
and received Most Valuable Player Award
consideration despite batting only .243 for the season.
, Jerry Koosman
and the San Diego Padres
' Clay Kirby
engaged in a pitchers' duel at Shea Stadium
. After nine scoreless innings by Kirby and ten by Koosman, the game was turned over to the bullpen
s for extra innings
. The game finally ended after eleven innings when Harrelson hit a single
to drive in Cleon Jones
. This led to an eleven game winning streak that brought them back into second place, seven games back of the Chicago Cubs
.
On September 10 the Mets swept a double header
against the Montreal Expos
. Coupled with a loss by the Cubs, the Mets jumped into first place for the first time in franchise history. On September 24, the New York Mets clinched the NL East with a 6-0 victory over Steve Carlton
and the St. Louis Cardinals
. The Mets won 39 of their last 50 games, and finished the season with 100 wins against 62 losses, eight games over the second place Cubs. For his part, Harrelson batted .248 with no home runs, 24 runs batted in and 42 runs scored. He had a .969 fielding percentage in 119 games at short.
against the Atlanta Braves
, however, they were a go-ahead triple
in the fourth inning of the first game, and an RBI double
in game two of the Mets' three game sweep.
. Mets starter
Jon Matlack
held the Cincinnati Reds
to two hits in his 5-0 complete game victory in game two of the series at Riverfront Stadium. Following the game, Harrelson commented, "He made the Big Red Machine look like me hitting today."
Inadvertently providing the Reds with bulletin board material, Harrelson was confronted by Reds second baseman
Joe Morgan
during pregame warm-ups for game three. During this confrontation, he received the warning that batting champion Pete Rose
was unhappy with the quote.
In the fifth inning, Morgan hit a double play ball to Mets first baseman John Milner
with Rose on first. Whether Rose slid hard into second attempting to break up the double play or if Harrelson was overly sensitive due to the warning he received is a matter of debate. Regardless, a fight between the two erupted, resulting in a bench-clearing brawl. The game was nearly called off when, after the Reds took the field, the Shea Stadium crowd threw objects from the stands at Rose, causing Reds manager Sparky Anderson
to pull his team off the field until order was restored. Mets Manager Yogi Berra
and players Willie Mays
, Tom Seaver
, Cleon Jones
, and Rusty Staub
were actually summoned by NL President Chub Feeney
out to left field to calm the fans.
, the Mets dealt Harrelson to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the start of the season. Rose and Harrelson actually became teammates when Rose signed with the Phillies as free agents prior to the start of the season. After two seasons with the Phillies, Harrelson spent one season with the Texas Rangers before retiring.
In , Harrelson was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame
.
in and the Columbia Mets
in . When Mets third base coach Bobby Valentine
accepted a managerial position with the Texas Rangers part way through the 1985 season, Harrelson replaced him on Davey Johnson
's coaching staff.
Harrelson was a coach with the Mets during their 1986 World Series
championship season, and eventually replaced Johnson following his dismissal as Mets manager 42 games into the season. He led the Mets to their seventh consecutive winning season, finishing at 91-71 and earning another season as manager. Although the Mets were contenders for most of the first half of the 1991 season
and were as close as 2.5 games behind the eventual division winning Pittsburgh Pirates
, the team collapsed in the second half and Harrelson was fired with a week remaining in the season and replaced by his third base coach, Mike Cubbage
. His second season ended with a 75-80 record; the Mets finished at 78-84, one-half game behind the fourth place Chicago Cubs
.
During the 1991 season, Harrelson hosted his own radio
show in New York
but ended it prematurely during the season because of the team's poor record.
: June 6, 1944. He grew up in Hayward, California
where he attended Sunset High School. He currently resides in Hauppauge, New York
, and is co-owner, Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations and first base coach
of the Long Island Ducks
, an unaffiliated minor league baseball
team. He appeared as himself in a episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
along with several other members of the 1969 Mets.
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...
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...
who played for the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
from to . After retiring, he served as a coach for the World Champion Mets, and as 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...
of the Mets in 1990
1990 New York Mets season
The 1990 New York Mets season was the 29th regular season for the Mets. They went 91-71 and finished second in the National League East. They were managed by Davey Johnson and Bud Harrelson...
and 1991
1991 New York Mets season
The 1991 New York Mets season was the 30th regular season for the Mets. They went 77-84 and finished fifth in the National League East. They were managed by Bud Harrelson and Mike Cubbage...
. He was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame
New York Mets Hall of Fame
The New York Mets Hall of Fame was created in 1981 to recognize the careers of former New York Mets players, managers, broadcasters and executives. There are presently 25 members...
in .
New York Mets
Harrelson anchored the Mets' infield for thirteen seasons, including their season, and pennant-winning season. Harrelson was typical of shortstops of his era: good fielder, poor hitter. He had a lifetime batting averageBatting 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 :...
of .236 and hit a total of seven 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 during his fifteen year major league career, but had a lifetime .969 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...
, and won a Gold Glove
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
at his position in . He was a 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...
All-Star in 1970
1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 41st midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 14, 1970 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, home of the...
and received Most Valuable Player Award
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
consideration despite batting only .243 for the season.
Amazin' Mets
On May 28, after a five game losing streak that saw the Mets fall into fourth place in the newly aligned National League EastNational League East
The National League East Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. The Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies are tied for the most National League East Division titles . All of Atlanta's NL East titles came during a record stretch of 14 consecutive division titles...
, Jerry Koosman
Jerry Koosman
Jerome Martin Koosman is a former left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies between 1967 and 1985...
and the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
' Clay Kirby
Clay Kirby
Clayton Laws Kirby Jr. born in Washington, D.C. was a pitcher for the San Diego Padres , Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos .Kirby led the National League in losses in 1969....
engaged in a pitchers' duel at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
. After nine scoreless innings by Kirby and ten by Koosman, the game was turned over to the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
s for extra innings
Extra innings
Extra innings is the extension of a baseball or softball game in order to break a tie.Ordinarily, a baseball game consists of nine innings , each of which is divided into halves: the visiting team bats first, after which the home team takes its turn at bat...
. The game finally ended after eleven innings when Harrelson hit a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
to drive in Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
. This led to an eleven game winning streak that brought them back into second place, seven games back of the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
.
On September 10 the Mets swept a double header
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against 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...
. Coupled with a loss by the Cubs, the Mets jumped into first place for the first time in franchise history. On September 24, the New York Mets clinched the NL East with a 6-0 victory over Steve Carlton
Steve Carlton
Steven Norman Carlton , nicknamed "Lefty", is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1965-1988 for six different teams in his career, but it is his time with the Philadelphia Phillies where he received his greatest acclaim as a professional and won four Cy Young Awards...
and the St. Louis Cardinals
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...
. The Mets won 39 of their last 50 games, and finished the season with 100 wins against 62 losses, eight games over the second place Cubs. For his part, Harrelson batted .248 with no home runs, 24 runs batted in and 42 runs scored. He had a .969 fielding percentage in 119 games at short.
1969 World Series
Harrelson had only two hits in the 1969 National League Championship Series1969 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Mets struck first in the second off Phil Niekro when Jerry Grote singled in a run and Ken Boswell scored on a passed ball by Braves catcher Bob Didier...
against the Atlanta 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....
, however, they were a go-ahead 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....
in the fourth inning of the first game, and an RBI double
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....
in game two of the Mets' three game sweep.
Fight with Pete Rose
Harrelson's light hitting became the subject of controversy during the 1973 National League Championship Series1973 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 6, 1973 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioThe starting pitchers, New York's Tom Seaver and Cincinnati's Jack Billingham, produced a classic pitcher's duel in Game 1. The Mets threatened in the first, loading the bases with one out, but Cleon Jones grounded into a...
. Mets starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Jon Matlack
Jon Matlack
Jonathan Trumpbour Matlack is an American former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher...
held 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....
to two hits in his 5-0 complete game victory in game two of the series at Riverfront Stadium. Following the game, Harrelson commented, "He made the Big Red Machine look like me hitting today."
Inadvertently providing the Reds with bulletin board material, Harrelson was confronted by Reds second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
Joe Morgan
Joe Morgan
Joe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
during pregame warm-ups for game three. During this confrontation, he received the warning that batting champion Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
was unhappy with the quote.
In the fifth inning, Morgan hit a double play ball to Mets first baseman John Milner
John Milner
John David Milner was an American first baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up a huge Hank Aaron fan, even appropriating his idol's nickname, "The Hammer." He was a member of the "We Are Family" Pittsburgh Pirates team that won the World Series...
with Rose on first. Whether Rose slid hard into second attempting to break up the double play or if Harrelson was overly sensitive due to the warning he received is a matter of debate. Regardless, a fight between the two erupted, resulting in a bench-clearing brawl. The game was nearly called off when, after the Reds took the field, the Shea Stadium crowd threw objects from the stands at Rose, causing Reds manager Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
to pull his team off the field until order was restored. Mets Manager Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
and players Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
, Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
, Cleon Jones
Cleon Jones
Cleon Joseph Jones is a former Major League Baseball left fielder who is best remembered as the man who caught the final out of the "Miracle Mets" improbable World Series Championship over the Baltimore Orioles....
, and Rusty Staub
Rusty Staub
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
were actually summoned by NL President Chub Feeney
Chub Feeney
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball and president of the National League during a 40-plus year career in baseball....
out to left field to calm the fans.
Phillies & Rangers
After reacquiring former #1 overall pick Tim FoliTim Foli
Timothy John Foli , nicknamed Crazy Horse, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels and New York Yankees from to...
, the Mets dealt Harrelson to the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the start of the season. Rose and Harrelson actually became teammates when Rose signed with the Phillies as free agents prior to the start of the season. After two seasons with the Phillies, Harrelson spent one season with the Texas Rangers before retiring.
In , Harrelson was inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame
New York Mets Hall of Fame
The New York Mets Hall of Fame was created in 1981 to recognize the careers of former New York Mets players, managers, broadcasters and executives. There are presently 25 members...
.
Managerial career with the New York Mets
After his retirement, Harrelson managed the Little Falls MetsLittle Falls Mets
The Little Falls Mets were a minor league baseball team located in Little Falls, New York. The team played in the New York - Penn League, and were affiliated with the New York Mets. Their home stadium was Little Falls Veterans Memorial Park...
in and the Columbia Mets
Columbia Mets
Located in Columbia, South Carolina, the Columbia Mets were affiliated with the New York Mets from 1983 to 1992. A member of the South Atlantic League, they became the Capital City Bombers in 1993. They played in Capital City Stadium.-Year by Year Record:...
in . When Mets third base coach Bobby Valentine
Bobby Valentine
Robert John "Bobby V" Valentine is an American professional baseball manager and former player who is currently the manager of the Boston Red Sox. He previously managed the Texas Rangers and New York Mets as well as the Chiba Lotte Marines in Japan...
accepted a managerial position with the Texas Rangers part way through the 1985 season, Harrelson replaced him on Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
's coaching staff.
Harrelson was a coach with the Mets during their 1986 World Series
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
championship season, and eventually replaced Johnson following his dismissal as Mets manager 42 games into the season. He led the Mets to their seventh consecutive winning season, finishing at 91-71 and earning another season as manager. Although the Mets were contenders for most of the first half of the 1991 season
1991 New York Mets season
The 1991 New York Mets season was the 30th regular season for the Mets. They went 77-84 and finished fifth in the National League East. They were managed by Bud Harrelson and Mike Cubbage...
and were as close as 2.5 games behind the eventual division winning Pittsburgh Pirates
1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season
The 1991 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 110th in franchise history. For the second consecutive season, the Pirates won the National League East Division Title...
, the team collapsed in the second half and Harrelson was fired with a week remaining in the season and replaced by his third base coach, Mike Cubbage
Mike Cubbage
Michael Lee Cubbage in Charlottesville, VA was an American baseball player who played Major League Baseball from 1974 until the close of the 1981 season...
. His second season ended with a 75-80 record; the Mets finished at 78-84, one-half game behind the fourth place Chicago Cubs
1991 Chicago Cubs season
The 1991 Chicago Cubs season saw the Cubs finish in fourth place in the National League East with a record of 77 wins and 83 losses.-Offseason:* December 6, 1990: George Bell was signed as a free agent by the Cubs....
.
During the 1991 season, Harrelson hosted his own radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
show in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
but ended it prematurely during the season because of the team's poor record.
Personal life
Harrelson was born on D-DayD-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
: June 6, 1944. He grew up in Hayward, California
Hayward, California
Hayward is a city located in the East Bay in Alameda County, California. With a population of 144,186, Hayward is the sixth largest city in the San Francisco Bay Area and the third largest in Alameda County. Hayward was ranked as the 37th most populous municipality in California. It is included in...
where he attended Sunset High School. He currently resides in Hauppauge, New York
Hauppauge, New York
Hauppauge is a hamlet and CDP in the Town of Islip and the Town of Smithtown in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population of the CDP was 20,100 at the time of the 2000 census....
, and is co-owner, Senior Vice President for Baseball Operations and first base 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...
of the Long Island Ducks
Long Island Ducks
The Long Island Ducks is an American professional baseball team based in Central Islip, New York. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, an unaffiliated minor league baseball
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...
team. He appeared as himself in a episode of Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond
Everybody Loves Raymond is an American television sitcom that originally ran on CBS from September 13, 1996, to May 16, 2005. Many of the situations from the show are based on the real-life experiences of lead actor Ray Romano, creator/producer Phil Rosenthal and the show's writing staff...
along with several other members of the 1969 Mets.