Tex Clevenger
Encyclopedia
Truman Eugene "Tex" Clevenger (born July 9, 1932, in Visalia, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
/spot starter who played for the Boston Red Sox
, Washington Senators
, Los Angeles Angels
and New York Yankees
from 1954-1962. He was 6'1" tall and 180 pounds, and threw and batted right-handed. He attended Fresno State University. Clevenger owns Clevenger Ford, an automobile dealership in Porterville, CA. He also resides in Porterville.
, which was good enough to earn him the 1953 California League
MVP Award.
On April 18, , at the age of 21, Clevenger made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox. His first season was no more than mediocre, as he went 2-4 with a 4.79 ERA. Overall in his career, he went 36-37 with a 4.18 ERA
, 298 walks
and 361 strikeout
s. Oddly enough, perhaps his best season was his last - in 21 games in , he had an ERA of 2.84 and a record of 2-0. As a hitter, he hit
.157, with the highlight of his hitting career being a triple
in 1958. He had a .961 career fielding percentage
.
Clevenger was often among the league leaders, but only led the league in any category once. Four times was he on the top 10 list for games played, leading the league in 1958. Four times was he on the top 10 list in saves, and also four times was he on the top 10 list in games finished. In each of the categories, he appeared on the top 10 lists every year from 1957-1960. Statistically, Clevenger has often been compared to former pitcher Hal Jeffcoat
.
On September 30, , Clevenger played in his final major league game.
Clevenger wore multiple numbers in his career:
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
) is a 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...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
/spot starter who played for 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"...
, Washington Senators
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...
, Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
and 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...
from 1954-1962. He was 6'1" tall and 180 pounds, and threw and batted right-handed. He attended Fresno State University. Clevenger owns Clevenger Ford, an automobile dealership in Porterville, CA. He also resides in Porterville.
Career
Before the season, Tex was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Red Sox. In the minors that year, he went 16-2 for the San Jose Red SoxSan Jose Red Sox
The San Jose Red Sox were a Boston Red Sox affiliate from 1947 to 1955, located in San Jose, California. They competed in the California League and they played at San Jose Municipal Stadium.-Year-by-year record:...
, which was good enough to earn him the 1953 California League
California League
The California League is a Class A Advanced minor league baseball league which operates throughout the state of California. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High-A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
MVP Award.
On April 18, , at the age of 21, Clevenger made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox. His first season was no more than mediocre, as he went 2-4 with a 4.79 ERA. Overall in his career, he went 36-37 with a 4.18 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...
, 298 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and 361 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s. Oddly enough, perhaps his best season was his last - in 21 games in , he had an ERA of 2.84 and a record of 2-0. As a hitter, he hit
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 :...
.157, with the highlight of his hitting career being a 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 1958. He had a .961 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...
.
Clevenger was often among the league leaders, but only led the league in any category once. Four times was he on the top 10 list for games played, leading the league in 1958. Four times was he on the top 10 list in saves, and also four times was he on the top 10 list in games finished. In each of the categories, he appeared on the top 10 lists every year from 1957-1960. Statistically, Clevenger has often been compared to former pitcher Hal Jeffcoat
Hal Jeffcoat
Harold Bentley Jeffcoat was an outfielder and pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , Cincinnati Redlegs and St...
.
On September 30, , Clevenger played in his final major league game.
Clevenger wore multiple numbers in his career:
- 1954-26
- 1956-10 and 11
- 1957-12 and 17
- 1958-1960-12
- 1961 (with the Angels)-32
- 1961 (with the Yankees)-26
- 1962-21,26
Transactions
- On November 8, , Clevenger was sent with Al Curtis (a minor leaguer), Dick BrodowskiDick BrodowskiRichard Stanley Brodowski is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1952 through 1955 for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians . He batted and threw right-handed.Brodowski was 19 years old when he reached the majors in 1952 with the Boston Red...
, Neil ChrisleyNeil ChrisleyBarbra O'Neil Chrisley is a former Major League Baseball outfielder who played from 1957 to 1961 with the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Braves. He was 6'3" tall, weighed 187 pounds and he threw right and batted left-handed.He was originally signed by the Boston Red Sox as a...
, and Karl OlsonKarl OlsonKarl Arthur Olson of Kentfield, California was a former backup outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Detroit Tigers . He batted and threw right-handed.In a six-season career, Olson was a .235 hitter with six home runs and 50 RBI in 279...
from the Red Sox to the Washington Senators for Bob PorterfieldBob PorterfieldErwin Coolidge "Bob" Porterfield is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for twelve seasons between 1948 and 1959 for the New York Yankees, Washington Senators, Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago Cubs...
, Mickey VernonMickey VernonJames Barton "Mickey" Vernon was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators for the majority of his career, as well as four other teams: the Cleveland Indians , Boston Red Sox , Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates...
, Johnny SchmitzJohnny SchmitzJohn Albert Schmitz, nicknamed "Bear Tracks" , was a left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played 13 seasons between and , missing 1943 to 1945 due to World War II. His nickname was inspired by the way he shuffled to the mound and his size 14 feet...
and Tom UmphlettTom UmphlettThomas Mullen Umphlett is a former center and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from 1953 to 1955 with the Boston Red Sox and Washington Senators....
. - On December 14, , the Los Angeles Angels drafted Clevenger in the expansion draft1960 MLB expansion draftThe 1960 MLB Expansion Draft was held by Major League Baseball on December 14, 1960 to fill the rosters of the Los Angeles Angels and the Washington Senators...
. - On May 8, , Clevenger was traded with Bob CervBob CervRobert Henry Cerv was an American baseball player. Prior to his professional career he was a standout baseball and basketball player at the University of Nebraska....
by the Angels to the New York Yankees for Ryne DurenRyne DurenRinold George "Ryne" Duren was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball.He was known for the combination of his blazing fastball and his very poor vision. With his thick coke bottle glasses, few batters dared to dig in against Duren...
, Lee ThomasLee Thomas (baseball)James Leroy "Lee" Thomas is a former player and front-office executive in American Major League Baseball...
and Johnny JamesJohnny JamesJohn Phillip James is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels between and . James was originally signed by the Yankees in . He batted left-handed but threw right-handed, and he was 5'10", 160 pounds...
.