| Chris Chambliss | |
|---|---|
 Chambliss with Braves. |
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| First baseman | |
| Born: December 26, 1948 Dayton, Ohio |
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| Batted: Left | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| May 28, 1971 for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 8, 1988 for the New York Yankees | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .279 |
| Home runs | 185 |
| Runs batted in | 972 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Carroll Christopher Chambliss (born December 26, 1948, in Dayton, Ohio) is a retired Major League Baseball player who played from 1971 to 1988 for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves.
Contents |
Playing career
Before the majors
Chambliss led the American Association with a .342 batting average while playing for the Wichita Aeros in 1970.
1970-1975
In 1970, Chambliss was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 1st round (1st pick overall) of the free-agent draft (January 17, 1970) and in 1971, was named AL Rookie of the Year. Chambliss played first base and was known as a great clutch hitter throughout his career.
He was dealt to the Yankees from the Indians in April 1974 along with pitchers Cecil Upshaw and Dick Tidrow for Fritz Peterson, Fred Beene, Tom Buskey, and Steve Kline in a much criticized multi-player deal.
1976
In 1976, he received his only selection to the All-Star team.
In the 1976 American League Championship Series, his first-pitch, walk off home run off Mark Littell of the Kansas City Royals gave the Yankees their first trip to the World Series since 1964.
Mark Littell delivers . . . High drive hit to right-center field . . . It could be . . . it is . . . gone!—Keith Jackson, ABC-TV.
Chris Chambliss has won the American League pennant for the New York Yankees. . . . A thrilling, dramatic game. . . . What a way for the American League season to end!—Howard Cosell, ABC-TV.
My first thought was that I hit a home run. Then I realized it was the ninth inning, the game was over and we'd won the championship. Then I thought, 'Oh no, the people are on the field.' I was in the middle of a mass of people and when I fell to the ground, it was scary.—Chambliss.
I never felt like it was fun to celebrate that home run with the fans. They didn't belong on the field. I wanted to meet my teammates at home plate and I couldn't.—Chris Chambliss.
Chambliss was the hitting star of the 1976 ALCS, as he also hit a two-run homer in Game 3 to help the Yankees win that Game 5 to 3. He hit an ALCS record .524 with 2 home runs and eight RBIs. "The Chambliss Tapes," a time-travel short story based around his famous 1976 playoff home run is included in the anthology Rebellion: New Voices of Fiction. Written by Donald Capone. In the 1976 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Chambliss hit .313 (5-for-16) with one RBI.
Later career
Chambliss played three more seasons with the Yankees, winning a Gold Glove for fielding prowess in 1978. He then moved on to Atlanta from 1980-1986. He had one at-bat with the Yankees in 1988 and struck out. After his playing days ended, Chambliss became a hitting instructor for several teams and was talked about as a possible managerial candidate.
Coaching and managerial career
In 1989, Chambliss became the manager for the Double-A London Tigers of the Eastern League, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The London Tigers won the Eastern League title in 1990, playing out of Labatt Park. That same year Chambliss was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News.
Chambliss was also a hitting coach with the Yankees, and has the distinction of being one of two men who have worn a Yankee uniform (player or coach) during each of the Yankees' last six World Series Championship seasons prior to 2009 (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000) -- the other is former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph. He was also the hitting coach for the New York Mets.
Most recently, Chambliss worked as hitting coach of the Cincinnati Reds, until he was fired on October 11, 2006.[1]
He is currently the manager of the Triple A Charlotte Knights.
See also
External links
- Chambliss Sinks the Royals
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube
- Retrosheet
References
- London Tigers 1989, The Collector's Edition, Souvenir Program.
- Tiger Special: Peanuts, popcorn, crackerjack, Baseball's Back, The London Free Press, Section F, April 7, 1989.
- 1980 Baseball Register published by The Sporting News
| Preceded by Thurman Munson |
American League Rookie of the Year 1971 |
Succeeded by Carlton Fisk |
| Preceded by Jay Ward |
New York Yankees hitting coach 1988 |
Succeeded by Champ Summers |
| Preceded by first manager |
London Tigers Manager 1989-1990 |
Succeeded by Gene Roof |
| Preceded by Buddy Bailey |
Greenville Braves Manager 1991 |
Succeeded by Grady Little |
| Preceded by Phil Niekro |
Richmond Braves Manager 1992 |
Succeeded by Grady Little |
| Preceded by Don Baylor |
St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach 1993-1995 |
Succeeded by George Hendrick |
| Preceded by Rick Down |
New York Yankees hitting coach 1996-2000 |
Succeeded by Gary Denbo |
| Preceded by Lynn Jones |
Calgary Cannons Manager 2001 |
Succeeded by Dean Treanor |
| Preceded by Dave Engle |
New York Mets hitting coach 2002 |
Succeeded by Denny Walling |
| Preceded by Ray Knight |
New York Mets hitting coach 2004-2006 |
Succeeded by Brook Jacoby |
| Preceded by Marc Bombard |
Charlotte Knights Manager 2009 |
Succeeded by incumbent |
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