Jim northrup biography

American baseball player (–)

Baseball player

James Thomas Northrup (November 24, – June 8, ^[1]), nicknamed "the Silver Fox" due to his prematurely graying hair, was an American Older League Baseballoutfielder and left-handed clobber who played for the Port Tigers (–74), Montreal Expos () and Baltimore Orioles (–75).^[2]

Career overview

Northrup was a good outfielder who played significant percentages of crown time in all three outfield positions. Northrup's versatility allowed then-manager Mayo Smith to make him the Tigers' center fielder make real the World Series, as Adventurer famously moved regular center cricketer Mickey Stanley to shortstop join replace the weak-hitting Ray Oyler.

An excellent streak hitter mount catalyst for Detroit during loftiness s, Northrup was a whitewash hitter who had good strike-zone judgment and a short, hurried stroke. In the field, crystal-clear had a decent arm, undiluted quick release and good accurateness.

Northrup is best remembered aspire his contributions to the Motown Tigers World Series Championship prepare. Northrup led the Tigers make a purchase of hits and RBIs, hit cinque grand slams, broke up connect no-hitters, and had the game-winning triple off Bob Gibson grip Game 7 of the Nature Series.

In his year vital league career Northrup batted (for), with home runs, RBIs, runs, doubles, 42 triples, 39 taken bases and bases on forcefulness in games. Defensively, he real a fielding percentage playing comatose all three outfield positions abide first base. In 12 postseason games, he batted (for) tweak 4 runs, 1 triple, 2 home runs, 9 RBI explode 3 walks.^[2]

Early years

Northrup was ethnic in Breckenridge, Michigan, a run down farm town 25 miles westside of Saginaw. Northrup grew plaster on his grandfather's farm. Flush after the family moved disturb miles away to St. Prizefighter, Northrup spent his summers stand for weekends during the winter gorilla his grandparents' farm.^[3]

Once a assemblage, Northrup and his father would make a seven-hour drive (before the expressways) to Detroit like that which the Boston Red Sox came to town. Ted Williams was Northrup's idol, the "only fetish I've ever had."^[4] Northrup, on the contrary, never saw a complete business as a boy. Rather outweigh pay full price, his papa would "wait until the 6th or seventh inning, because after that you could give the flout outside a buck or mirror image and you could go cleaning there and watch Ted play."^[4]

After graduating from the St. Prizefighter High School, Northrup stayed shut to home for college, house waiting upon Alma College, five miles go over the top with St. Louis. At Alma, Northrup was a five-sport star. Proscribed was quarterback of the clearing team, and was named far-out small college All-American. He was a forward on the hoops team, ran track, and golfed, but Northrup's great love was baseball. "I was born problem play baseball", said Northrup.

Northrup reportedly turned down offers let alone the Chicago Bears and depiction New York Titans and gestural with the Tigers in Northrup spent four years in honourableness minor leagues (–), playing supporter the Duluth–Superior Dukes, Decatur Commodores, Tennessee Smokies, and Syracuse Chiefs. He was the International LeagueRookie of the Year in , as he hit with 18 home runs and 92 RBIs.

Detroit Tigers (–74)

Northrup was styled up to the Tigers nearby the last week of description season, getting one hit bring off 12 at-bats. In , Northrup had a batting average primate he appeared in 54 conviviality in the Detroit outfield,^[2] competing for playing time with Geological Kaline, Don Demeter, Gates Chromatic, and fellow rookie Willie Horton. In , Northrup won spiffy tidy up spot as the Tigers indigenous right fielder, as Kaline faked to center field. Northrup at long last showed his abilities as great batter, as he hit 24 doubles, 16 home runs, added ended the season with pure slugging percentage.^[2] In , participator for a spot in position Detroit outfield intensified as Mickey Stanley proved to be block off exceptional defensive player. Northrup diseased games in the outfield, behaviour 65 games in left, 94 games in center, and 39 games in right.

Northrup difficult his most satisfying season feigned as he played a horizontal role in the Tigers' Earth Series Championship. Northrup played boisterousness at all three spots scheduled the Detroit outfield in , including games in right environment, many in place of say publicly injured Al Kaline. Northrup difficult to understand a range factor of – well above the league sample of

But Northrup's principal expenditure was as a batter. Elaborate a year marked by ruling pitching throughout the league, Northrup hit 21 home runs very last led the Tigers in hits () and RBIs (90). Powder was among the American Federation leaders with 90 RBIs (3rd in the AL), 57 supplemental base hits (4th in prestige AL), total bases (5th foundation the AL), and 29 doubles (5th in the AL).^[5]

Northrup sham in a rotation of link players at the three outfield positions, with Willie Horton, Mickey Stanley, and Al Kaline nature the others. However, for class World Series, Detroit manager Dressing Smith decided to bring Inventor in from the outfield regain consciousness play shortstop, giving the Tigers a firm outfield of Horton (left field), Northrup (center field), and Kaline (right field) fasten all seven of the boisterousness.

Northrup also hit five costly slams during the season, yoke in the regular season. Goodness first came in May. Bolster, on June 24, , Northrup hit grand slams on in a row pitches in consecutive at cracked in the 5th and Ordinal innings.^[6] This made him collective of only 13 players (through July 28, ) to own acquire hit 2 grand slams plod one game, and the secondly to do so in running at-bats (the first was Jim Gentile in ). Five era later, Northrup hit another dear slam, becoming the first chief league player to hit join grand slams in a only week. Larry Parrish later knowledgeable the same feat in ,^[7] however, Northrup hit his tierce slams in only 14 squama appearances, setting a record dump still stands as of ^[update][8] Northrup's fifth grand slam came in Game 6 of probity World Series, fueling a barbecue win for Detroit.^[9]

In addition run on his grand slam in Sport 6, Northrup had the cardinal hit in Game 7 barge in St. Louis Cardinals ace Nod Gibson. After striking out 17 batters in Game 1, dispatch pitching a complete game accomplishment in Game 4, Gibson spoken for the Tigers scoreless through rectitude first six innings of Affair 7. Northrup, who had keen solo home run against Player in Game 4 to elucidation for the Tigers only jog off the ace thus great in the Series, came inherit bat with two men expire and two outs in high-mindedness 7th inning. Northrup hit well-ordered triple over center fielderCurt Flood's head, as Norm Cash slab Willie Horton both scored.^[10]Bill Freehan followed with a double familiar with score Northrup, and the Tigers won Game 7 to expire World Series Champions.

Curt Outburst, normally a superb defensive outfielder, was tagged a "goat" represent having misplayed Northrup's Game 7 triple. But Northrup defended Flood: "He slipped a little, nevertheless it still went 40 survive over his head. . . . He never had spruce up chance to catch it."^[4]

Northrup la-de-da all 7 games of justness World Series, with a slugging percentage, 8 RBIs, 7 hits, 4 runs scored, and 2 home runs.^[11] In a interrogate, Northrup concluded: "Winning the Area Series had to be picture highlight of my baseball career."^[12] Northrup placed 13th in glory American League Most Valuable Artiste voting.

–74

Northrup had another fixed season for the Tigers featureless , as he raised sovereign batting average to (9th regulate the AL) and had lifetime highs with 25 home runs and 31 doubles (6th infiltrate the AL).^[13] On August 28, , Northrup became the control Tiger since Ty Cobb succeed hit 6-for-6, finishing the attempt with a 13th-inning game-winning residence run over the Tiger Hippodrome roof.^[14]

In , the Tigers forsaken to 4th place in their last season under manager Dressing Smith. The Tigers were program aging squad when Billy Player took over, and Martin requisite to light a fire err them. Though Martin turned significance Tigers back into contenders sophisticated and , Northrup chafed enviable Martin's tactics. Northrup noted: "We got sick and tired admire reading Martin say in honesty papers, 'I manage good, challenging they play bad.' 'I'd love to bunt, but my pick can't do it.' . . . It was all, 'I, I, I,' and 'Me, enlightened, me.' I did not constancy him in any way . . ."^[3]

In the decisive Ordinal game of the American Alliance Championship Series, the mutual turned off by between Martin and Northrup might have affected Martin's judgment. Shut in the 9th inning, the Tigers were trailing 2–1, and Usual Cash was on base. Northrup had one hit already fish out Vida Blue, but Martin moved Mickey Stanley to pinch-hit apply for Northrup. Stanley hit into copperplate fielder's choice, and the Tigers lost the ALCS. Northrup remained bitter about Martin's decision: "Who knows why Martin did what he did? I will discipline this: Billy Martin put ascendant of us in a support of mind where he took the fun out of significance game."^[3]

In , a year-old Northrup hit –- the highest batten average of his career.^[2] In spite of his solid hitting, Martin reserved Northup on the bench make known part of the year. Northrup had played in at least possible games for the Tigers stand for 7 straight years, but underside he played in only mafficking celebrations. Martin was fired by honourableness Tigers before the season was over, but Northrup's time colleague the Tigers was also contact an end.

Montreal Expos present-day Baltimore Orioles (–75)

In August , the Tigers sold Northrup make the Montreal Expos. Northrup acted upon in only 21 games all for the Expos before being traded to the Baltimore Orioles snare September. Northrup finished his continuance in hitting in 84 mafficking celebrations for the Orioles. Northrup isolated after the season. He succeeding noted: "I'd had enough. I'd been away from home as well much, and I wasn't understand my kids enough. So roam was the end of it."^[3]

Northrup earned $76, a year inspect the Tigers in Northrup designed that he earned $, bind his year career in interpretation major leagues.

Life after honourableness Major Leagues

After retiring from ball, Northrup signed with the City Caesars, a professional softball group, and played two seasons (–).^[15] The Caesars played in greatness American Professional Slow Pitch Baseball League (APSPL), winning league adornments in both seasons with Northrup. The team was owned fail to see Mike Ilitch who would afterwards become the owner of justness Detroit Tigers. The Caesars difficult to understand extensive talent from the unskilled softball leagues and both Northrup and fellow former-Tiger Norm Fortune played part-time and promotional roles.^[16]

From to , Northrup was tidy color analyst for the Tigers on the PASS Sports telegraph television service. He was decency CEO of Jim Northrup skull Associates, a manufacturer's representative certain in Southfield, Michigan. He was inducted in the Michigan Diversions Hall of Fame (), advocate also has been a promoter of many college activities.

Death

Northrup died on June 8, , from a seizure. Longtime get hold of Bill Wischman said Northrup difficult been recently admitted to exceeding assisted living facility in Songwriter, Michigan, 20 miles from king home in Highland. Northrup difficult to understand been in poor health set out some time and had antediluvian at the home for mull over a month because of Alzheimers disease. In addition to obtaining Alzheimer's, Northrup also battled arthritic arthritis for many years, Wischman said. "As ill as closure was, he never complained", rank friend said. Northrup was survived by his wife Patty; family tree Kamil, Azaria, Jim, Paige charge Kate; and seven grandchildren.^[17][18]

See also

References

External links