Nathan Edward Ott is a former professional

Professional baseball

Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....

 baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

 catcher

Catcher

Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...

 and 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...

 who played in the Major Leagues

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...

 for the Pittsburgh Pirates

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

 and California Angels between 1974 and 1981. He was a left-handed batter and threw right-handed.

Major League career

Ott, who is unrelated to Hall of Famer Mel Ott

Mel Ott

Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...

, began his Major League career as a right fielder

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...

 with the Pirates in 1974

1974 Pittsburgh Pirates season

- Offseason :* January 9, 1974: Fred Breining was drafted by the Pirates in the 3rd round of the 1974 Major League Baseball Draft.* January 16, 1974: John Lamb was purchased from the Pirates by the Chicago White Sox....

. He converted to playing catcher in 1975

1975 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 89th in the history of the franchise. The Pirates' 92-69 record was good enough to win their fifth National League East title in six seasons by 6½ games over their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies...

, backing up Manny Sanguillen

Manny Sanguillen

Manuel De Jesus Sanguillen Magan, better known as Manny Sanguillen or "Sangy" , is a former professional baseball player who was a catcher in the Major Leagues. He was named to the All-Star team three times, in , , and . He played primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but also for the Oakland...

 and Duffy Dyer

Duffy Dyer

Donald Robert "Duffy" Dyer is a former American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the New York Mets , Pittsburgh Pirates , Montreal Expos , and Detroit Tigers .-Playing career:Dyer played alongside Sal Bando and Rick Monday as a member of...

. The Pirates traded Sanguillen to the Oakland Athletics

1977 Oakland Athletics season

The 1977 Oakland Athletics season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 7th in the American League West with a record of 63 wins and 98 losses...

 before the 1977

1977 Pittsburgh Pirates season

- Offseason :* November 5, 1976: Manny Sanguillén was traded by the Pirates to the Oakland Athletics for manager Chuck Tanner.* December 10, 1976: Richie Zisk and Silvio Martínez were traded by the Pirates to the Chicago White Sox for Goose Gossage and Terry Forster.* March 15, 1977: Rick Langford,...

 season, and new Pirates manager Chuck Tanner

Chuck Tanner

Charles William "Chuck" Tanner was a left fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. He was known for his unwavering confidence and infectious optimism. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series championship in 1979...

 installed Ott into a platoon

Platoon system

The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...

 role alongside Dyer. He played in 104 games that year while hitting for a .264 batting average

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 :...

. His batting average improved to .269 in 1978

1978 Pittsburgh Pirates season

- Offseason :* December 8, 1977: Al Oliver and Nelson Norman were traded by the Pirates to the Texas Rangers as part of a four-team trade. Bert Blyleven was traded by the Rangers to the Pirates, and John Milner was traded by the New York Mets to the Pirates...

 while appearing in 112 games.

Ott platooned with catcher Steve Nicosia

Steve Nicosia

Steven Richard Nicosia , is a former major league baseball player. He played catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos, and Toronto Blue Jays from 1979 until 1985.-External links:...

 in 1979

1979 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates had 98 wins and 64 losses and captured the National League East Division title by two games over the Montreal Expos. The Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds to win their ninth National League title, and the Baltimore Orioles to win their fifth World Series title - and also...

, and had his best season with a .273 batting average along with 7 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, 51 runs batted in and a career-high .994 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...

, second only to Gene Tenace

Gene Tenace

Fury Gene Tenace , better known as Gene Tenace, is a former Italian-American professional baseball player and current coach in Major League Baseball. He was a catcher and first baseman from through . Tenace was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics from Valley High School in Lucasville, OH and...

 among 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...

 catchers. Led by future Hall of Fame inductee, Willie Stargell

Willie Stargell

Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell , nicknamed "Pops" in the later years of his career, was a Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...

, the Pirates won the National League Eastern Division pennant

Pennant (sports)

A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...

, then defeated the Cincinnati Reds

1979 Cincinnati Reds season

The 1979 Cincinnati Reds season consisted of the Reds winning the National League West under their first-year manager John McNamara, with a record of 90-71, 1½ games better than the Houston Astros. However, the Reds lost the National League Championship Series to the eventual World Series champion...

 in the 1979 National League Championship Series

1979 National League Championship Series

-Game 1:Tuesday, October 2, 1979 at Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, OhioBoth sides threw their aces in Game 1 as fourteen-game winner John Candelaria started for the Pirates, and Tom Seaver started for the Reds. After Omar Moreno grounded out to start the game, a 45-minute rain delay stalled the...

, before winning the 1979 World Series

1979 World Series

The 1979 World Series matched the National League's Pittsburgh Pirates against the American League's Baltimore Orioles , with the Pirates coming back from a three games to one deficit to win the Series in seven games...

 against the Baltimore Orioles

1979 Baltimore Orioles season

The 1979 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. The Orioles finished first in the American League East division of Major League Baseball with a record of 102 wins and 57 losses...

. During the seven-game series, Ott posted a .333 batting average along with 3 runs batted in.

With young catcher Tony Peña

Tony Peña

Antonio Francisco Peña Padilla is a former professional baseball player, manager and current coach. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Pirates, Cardinals, Red Sox, Indians, White Sox, and Astros. Peña was the manager of the Kansas City Royals between 2002 and 2005. He...

 ready to take over the catching duties, the Pirates traded Ott to the California Angels in April 1981

1981 California Angels season

The California Angels 1981 season involved the Angels finishing with the 5th best overall record in the American League West with 51 wins and 59 losses...

. After one season with the Angels, Ott retired as a player.

Career statistics

In a 8 year career, Ott played in 567 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,...

, accumulating 465 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....

 in 1792 at bats for a .259 career batting average along with 33 home runs and 195 runs batted in. He posted a .983 career 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...

.

Known as a tough, no-nonsense player, Ott was a former wrestler who was not afraid to use those skills on a baseball diamond. In an August 12, , game against the New York Mets

1977 New York Mets season

The 1977 New York Mets season was the 16th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Initially led by manager Joe Frazier followed by Joe Torre, the team finished in last place for the first time since 1967, and for the first time since divisional play was introduced in...

, Ott slid hard into Mets' second baseman Felix Millán

Félix Millán

Félix Bernardo Millán Martínez is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball.-Baseball career:Millán, nicknamed "The Kitten" , born in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, made his major league debut on June 2, 1966 with the Atlanta Braves, and played for Atlanta until 1973. Millan was primarily a second...

 trying to break up a double play

Double play

In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....

. Millán shouted at Ott and hit him with a baseball in his hand, and Ott answered by slamming him hard to the turf at Three Rivers Stadium

Three Rivers Stadium

Three Rivers Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball franchise and National Football League franchise respectively.Built as a replacement to...

, severely injuring his shoulder and essentially forcing him into retirement.

Coaching career

Ott later became a coach with the Houston Astros

Houston Astros

The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

, serving under manager and former Pirates team mate Art Howe

Art Howe

Arthur Henry Howe Jr. is a former Major League Baseball infielder, coach, scout and manager. He is an alumnus of the University of Wyoming...

, from 1989

1989 Houston Astros season

The Houston Astros' 1989 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West.-Offseason:* December 4, 1988: The Astros traded a player to be named later to the Minnesota Twins for Mark Portugal...

 to 1993

1993 Houston Astros season

The Houston Astros' 1993 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West.-Offseason:* October 5, 1992: Denny Walling was released by the Astros....

, where he is remembered for his role in an on-field altercation against the Cincinnati Reds

1991 Cincinnati Reds season

The Cincinnati Reds' 1991 season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Cincinnati Reds attempting to win the National League West.-Offseason:* January 29, 1990: Skeeter Barnes was signed as a free agent by the Reds....

. In , Reds reliever Rob Dibble

Rob Dibble

Robert Keith Dibble is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and television analyst.-Personal life:Dibble is a graduate of Southington High School in Southington, Connecticut...

 (part of the Reds "nasty boys" 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"...

) ignited a brawl when he threw a pitch behind the back of the Astros' Eric Yelding

Eric Yelding

Eric Girard Yelding , is a former Major League baseball player who was with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs from -...

 late in the game of a 4-1 Reds loss. A melee ensued and the 6'4" 230 lb. Dibble wound up on the bottom of a pile with the relatively diminutive Ott having put Dibble in such a choke hold that Dibble's face turned blue.

Ott was named 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 Sussex Skyhawks

Sussex Skyhawks

The Sussex Skyhawks were a professional baseball team that played at Skylands Park in Augusta, New Jersey. The team was part of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball, an independent minor baseball league also referred to as the Can-Am League, from their inaugural season in 2006...

 of the Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball

Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball

The Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, based in Durham, North Carolina, is a professional, independent baseball league located in the Northeastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec. It operates in cities not served by Major or Minor League Baseball teams and is...

for the 2010 season. He currently resides in Forest, Virginia.

External links