Willie Upshaw
Encyclopedia
Willie Clay Upshaw is a retired Major League Baseball
player who played first base
for the Toronto Blue Jays
(1978, 1980–1987) and Cleveland Indians
(1988), both of the American League
. Following his Major League career, he played two seasons in Japan
for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
(1989–1990). He is currently the field manager of the minor league Bridgeport Bluefish
.
in the 5th round of the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
. Following the season, he was selected by the expansion
Toronto Blue Jays
in the rule 5 Draft
. In 1982, he became the Blue Jays' regular first-baseman and led the team in home run
s with 21, RBI
s with 75, and extra base hits. In 1983 he became the first Blue Jays' player to reach the 100 RBI plateau in a season, driving in 104 runs and batting .306.
Prior to the season, Upshaw's contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians
. Upshaw is currently Major League Baseball's career leader in home run
s (123) and RBIs
(528) for players whose surname
begins with the letter U.
From 2006 to 2007, he served as the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants
. When Barry Bonds
broke Hank Aaron's career home run record, Upshaw was the first to congratulate him with a high-five as Bonds circled the bases. Upshaw is the cousin of NFL
Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw
and former NFL player Marvin Upshaw
. In May 2007 his son, Chad Upshaw, signed a 3-year contract with the Carolina Panthers
as a tight end after going undrafted following his graduation from Buffalo
. He is currently the manager for the Bridgeport Bluefish
, having served as their bench coach as well as the team's first manager in the late 1990s. He currently resides in Fairfield, Connecticut. He coaches at The Clubhouse in Fairfield, CT with former major league players Matt Merullo, Mike Porzio, and Angel Echevarria.
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...
player who played first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
for the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
(1978, 1980–1987) and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
(1988), both of the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
. Following his Major League career, he played two seasons in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The are a Japanese baseball team based in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture. The team was bought on January 28, 2005 by the SoftBank Corporation.The team was formerly known as the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks. In 1988, Daiei bought the team from Osaka's Nankai Electric Railway Co., and its headquarters were...
(1989–1990). He is currently the field manager of the minor league Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
.
Bio
Upshaw was drafted by the New York YankeesNew 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...
in the 5th round of the 1975 Major League Baseball Draft
1975 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1975 Major League Baseball draft..Many baseball draft experts consider the 1975 draft to be the weakest in MLB history.- External links :*- References :...
. Following the season, he was selected by the expansion
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
in the rule 5 Draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. In 1982, he became the Blue Jays' regular first-baseman and led the team in 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 with 21, 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...
s with 75, and extra base hits. In 1983 he became the first Blue Jays' player to reach the 100 RBI plateau in a season, driving in 104 runs and batting .306.
Prior to the season, Upshaw's contract was purchased by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Upshaw is currently Major League Baseball's career leader in 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 (123) and RBIs
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...
(528) for players whose surname
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
begins with the letter U.
From 2006 to 2007, he served as the first base coach for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. When Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
broke Hank Aaron's career home run record, Upshaw was the first to congratulate him with a high-five as Bonds circled the bases. Upshaw is the cousin of NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
Hall of Famer Gene Upshaw
Gene Upshaw
Eugene Thurman Upshaw, Jr. was an American football player for the Oakland Raiders of the American Football League and later the NFL, later the executive director of the National Football League Players' Association...
and former NFL player Marvin Upshaw
Marvin Upshaw
Marvin Allen Upshaw is a former American football defensive lineman in the National Football League. He played nine seasons for the Cleveland Browns , the Kansas City Chiefs and the St...
. In May 2007 his son, Chad Upshaw, signed a 3-year contract with the Carolina Panthers
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
as a tight end after going undrafted following his graduation from Buffalo
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, also commonly known as the University at Buffalo or UB, is a public research university and a "University Center" in the State University of New York system. The university was founded by Millard Fillmore in 1846. UB has multiple campuses...
. He is currently the manager for the Bridgeport Bluefish
Bridgeport Bluefish
The Bridgeport Bluefish is an American professional baseball team based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. They are a member of the Liberty Division of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, having served as their bench coach as well as the team's first manager in the late 1990s. He currently resides in Fairfield, Connecticut. He coaches at The Clubhouse in Fairfield, CT with former major league players Matt Merullo, Mike Porzio, and Angel Echevarria.