Carmen Fanzone
Encyclopedia
Carmen Ronald Fanzone is a former utility
man who played between and in Major League Baseball
. Listed at 6' 0", 200 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Fanzone was a versatile and effective utility man who was able to play all four infield
positions, left field
and right field
, playing mainly as a third baseman
.
Fanzone was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox
in 1964, spending seven years at different minor league
levels before joining the big team in 1970. As a rookie
, he hit .200 (3-for-15) in 10 games. Then, he was dealt by Boston to the Chicago Cubs
before the 1971 season in the same transaction that brought Phil Gagliano
to the Red Sox. His most productive season came with the 1972 Cubs, when he posted career-numbers in games
(86), home run
s (8), RBI
(42) and runs
(26). Carmen is known for catching the last out in Milt Pappas no-hitter on September 2, 1972 when Gary Jestadt of the Padres popped out to him. He appeared in 227 games with Chicago, mostly in pinch-hit
duties, and did not return to the majors after the 1974 season. He also is one of three players in Cubs history to hit a home run in consecutive pinch-hit at bat
s. The others are Dale Long
and Darrin Jackson
.
In a five-season career, Fanzone was a .224 hitter (132-for-588) with 20 home runs and 94 RBI in 237 games, including 27 doubles and three stolen base
s. After that, he played with the Hawaii Islanders
1975 Pacific Coast League
champion team.
Fanzone is an accomplished horn player. He once played "The Star-Spangled Banner
" prior to a game at Wrigley Field
. Following his playing retirement, Fanzone started a jazz music
career as a flugelhorn
player. Fanzone and his wife Sue Raney
, a four-time Grammy Award
nominee as a jazz vocalist
, reside in Sherman Oaks
.
In the television program Transformers Animated, the captain of the Detroit Police Department was named Carmine Fanzone as a tribute.
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
man who played between and in 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...
. Listed at 6' 0", 200 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Fanzone was a versatile and effective utility man who was able to play all four infield
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
positions, left field
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
, playing mainly as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
.
Fanzone was signed as an amateur free agent by 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"...
in 1964, spending seven years at different 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...
levels before joining the big team in 1970. As a rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
, he hit .200 (3-for-15) in 10 games. Then, he was dealt by Boston to 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...
before the 1971 season in the same transaction that brought Phil Gagliano
Phil Gagliano
Philip Joseph Gagliano is a former Major League Baseball infielder from 1963-1974. His brother, Ralph Gagliano, also played professional baseball. He became a good utility player during his early career with the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs...
to the Red Sox. His most productive season came with the 1972 Cubs, when he posted career-numbers in games
Games played
Games 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,...
(86), 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 (8), RBI
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...
(42) and runs
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...
(26). Carmen is known for catching the last out in Milt Pappas no-hitter on September 2, 1972 when Gary Jestadt of the Padres popped out to him. He appeared in 227 games with Chicago, mostly in pinch-hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
duties, and did not return to the majors after the 1974 season. He also is one of three players in Cubs history to hit a home run in consecutive pinch-hit 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. The others are Dale Long
Dale Long
Richard Dale Long was a first baseman in professional baseball. Between 1951 and 1963, Long played in Major League Baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates , St. Louis Browns , Chicago Cubs , San Francisco Giants , New York Yankees and Washington Senators...
and Darrin Jackson
Darrin Jackson
Darrin "D. J." Jay Jackson is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played 12 years for the Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers...
.
In a five-season career, Fanzone was a .224 hitter (132-for-588) with 20 home runs and 94 RBI in 237 games, including 27 doubles and three stolen base
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...
s. After that, he played with the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
1975 Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
champion team.
Fanzone is an accomplished horn player. He once played "The Star-Spangled Banner
The Star-Spangled Banner
"The Star-Spangled Banner" is the national anthem of the United States of America. The lyrics come from "Defence of Fort McHenry", a poem written in 1814 by the 35-year-old lawyer and amateur poet, Francis Scott Key, after witnessing the bombardment of Fort McHenry by the British Royal Navy ships...
" prior to a game at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Following his playing retirement, Fanzone started a jazz music
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
career as a flugelhorn
Flugelhorn
The flugelhorn is a brass instrument resembling a trumpet but with a wider, conical bore. Some consider it to be a member of the saxhorn family developed by Adolphe Sax ; however, other historians assert that it derives from the valve bugle designed by Michael Saurle , Munich 1832 , thus...
player. Fanzone and his wife Sue Raney
Sue Raney
Sue Raney is an American jazz singer. Signed by Capitol Records at the age of seventeen, her debut album, the Nelson Riddle-produced When Your Lover Has Gone, was released in 1958. Raney begin singing at only four years of age, and encouraged by her mother, began working as a professional before...
, a four-time Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominee as a jazz vocalist
Vocal jazz
Jazz singing can be defined by the instrumental approach to the voice, where the singer can match the instruments in their stylistic approach to the lyrics, improvised or otherwise, or through scat singing; that is, the use of nonsensical meaningless non-morphemic syllables to imitate the sound of...
, reside in Sherman Oaks
Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, California
Sherman Oaks is an affluent district in the San Fernando Valley area of the city of Los Angeles, California. In contrast to much of the Valley, the area is relatively urbanized, with commercial skyscrapers along Ventura Boulevard as well as scattered throughout...
.
In the television program Transformers Animated, the captain of the Detroit Police Department was named Carmine Fanzone as a tribute.