Jim Britton
Encyclopedia
James Allan Britton is a retired Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played from 1967-1971 with the Atlanta Braves
and Montreal Expos
. He was 6'5" tall and weighed 225 pounds.
In 1961, Britton refused a football
scholarship to Penn State University and signed as an amateur free agent
with the Baltimore Orioles
. On November 26, 1962, the Braves drafted him in the first-year draft.
On September 20, 1967 at the age of 23, Britton made his Major League debut with the Braves. During this game he gave up a three run home run
to Johnny Bench
- the first of Bench's career. Perhaps his best season in the Major Leagues was his second - in 34 games, he had an ERA
of 3.10.
On December 2, 1969, Britton was traded with Don Johnson, a minor leaguer, to the Montreal Expos for pitcher Larry Jaster
. Expected to be a spot starter the following season, he missed that season due to arm trouble. On September 25, 1971, Britton played his final major league game.
As a batter, Britton hit .127. The highlight of his hitting career would be the double he hit in 1969. Fielding, Britton committed two errors in his career for a .952 fielding percentage
. During his career, he wore three numbers - 27 in 1967, 42 in 1968 and 1969, and 27 in 1971.
He currently resides in Suwanee, Georgia
.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played from 1967-1971 with 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....
and 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...
. He was 6'5" tall and weighed 225 pounds.
In 1961, Britton refused a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship to Penn State University and signed as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
with the 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...
. On November 26, 1962, the Braves drafted him in the first-year draft.
On September 20, 1967 at the age of 23, Britton made his Major League debut with the Braves. During this game he gave up a three run 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...
to Johnny Bench
Johnny Bench
Johnny Lee Bench is a former professional baseball catcher who played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983 and is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame...
- the first of Bench's career. Perhaps his best season in the Major Leagues was his second - in 34 games, he had an ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
of 3.10.
On December 2, 1969, Britton was traded with Don Johnson, a minor leaguer, to the Montreal Expos for pitcher Larry Jaster
Larry Jaster
Larry Edward Jaster is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Montreal Expos and Atlanta Braves between 1965 and 1972 with the exception of 1971....
. Expected to be a spot starter the following season, he missed that season due to arm trouble. On September 25, 1971, Britton played his final major league game.
As a batter, Britton hit .127. The highlight of his hitting career would be the double he hit in 1969. Fielding, Britton committed two errors in his career for a .952 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...
. During his career, he wore three numbers - 27 in 1967, 42 in 1968 and 1969, and 27 in 1971.
He currently resides in Suwanee, Georgia
Suwanee, Georgia
As of 2010 Suwanee had a population of 15,355. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 67.4% white, 10.8% black or African American, 0.1% Native American, 18.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.3% reporting some other race and 2.3% reporting two or more races...
.