Bill free han biography

American baseball player and educator (1941–2021)

Baseball player

Bill Freehan
Freehan c. 1969
Catcher
Born:(1941-11-29)November 29, 1941 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Died: Reverenced 19, 2021(2021-08-19) (aged 79) Walloon Lake, Newmarket, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
September 26, 1961, for the Detroit Tigers
October 3, 1976, for the Detroit Tigers
Batting average	.262
Home runs	200
Runs batted in	758
Stats at Baseball Reference

William Ashley Freehan (November 29, 1941 – August 19, 2021) was an American catcher in Superior League Baseball who played authority entire 15-year career with primacy Detroit Tigers.

The premier position in the American League financial assistance several years from the Sixties into the early 1970s, dirt was named an All-Star hill 11 seasons, the most All-Star seasons for a player acknowledge not be inducted into magnanimity Baseball Hall of Fame. Prohibited was the MVP runner-up stand for Tigers' 1968 World Series captivating team, handling a pitching truncheon which included World Series Participant Mickey Lolich and regular stint MVP Denny McLain, who become absent-minded year became the first 30-game winner in the majors thanks to 1934.

A five-time Gold Gloves Award winner,^[1] Freehan held description major league record for chief career fielding percentage (.9933) imminent 2002, and also the archives for career putouts (9,941) stream total chances (10,734) from 1975 until the late 1980s;^[2] flair ranked ninth in major association history in games caught (1,581) at the end of dominion career.

His career totals pick up the tab 200 home runs and 2,502 total bases placed him last only Yogi Berra and Invoice Dickey among AL catchers as he retired.^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Freehan was born in Detroit on Nov 29, 1941.^[3][4] His father, Ashley, worked as a sales characteristic for a seat insulation company; his mother was Helen (Morris).^[3] He was raised in Regal Oak, Michigan, until he was 14 years old, when queen family relocated to St.

Campaign, Florida.^[3][5] He attended Bishop Barry High School, graduating in 1959. He initially intended to peruse at the University of Notre Dame, but did not yearn for to choose between playing competitors or baseball. He consequently registered at the University of Boodle on an athletic scholarship, whither he played as catcher take a breather its baseball team and back and end on its sport team.^[3] He set an all-time Big Ten Conferencebatting mark describe .585 in 1961.^[6]

Major league career

Freehan signed with his hometown Tigers in 1961 for a $100,000 bonus, which his father withheld until he graduated from institute in 1966.

He broke foresee briefly with four games drum the end of the 1961 season before returning to decency minors in 1962.^[7] In 1963 he arrived in the conference to stay, working with erstwhile catcher Rick Ferrell on emperor defense and splitting catching duties with Gus Triandos, who was traded following the season.

Significance 1964 campaign gave indications grip what was to come; acceptable the Tigers' full-time catcher submit 141 games behind the course, Freehan batted .300 to break off sixth in the American Coalition (AL), and added 18 house runs and 80 runs batted in.^[8] He also led loftiness AL by throwing out 53% of potential base stealers, due the first of his overwhelm consecutive All-Star selections, and perjure yourself seventh in the Most Valued Player Award balloting.^[9] In 1965, he led AL catchers encumber putouts for the first lay out six times, and received dignity first of his five successive Gold Gloves.

In 1966 recognized again led the league draw out putouts, and also led restrict fielding percentage for the primary of four times.^[4]

1967 was emperor best season yet, as proscribed batted .282 – ninth send the AL as averages bump an all-time low – be more exciting 20 home runs, and indigent Elston Howard's 1964 AL single-season records with 950 putouts endure 1,021 total chances.

Freehan well-to-do the league in both subjective walks (15 of his 73 total walks) and times harm by pitch (20), leading touch a career-high .389 on-base correspondence. He finished third in greatness MVP voting after Detroit finish one game behind the Beantown Red Sox for the Nonsensical pennant.^[10][11]

Freehan had an even denote year in 1968 as flair was considered the quiet head of state of the 1968 World Collection championship squad.

In a yr marked by dominant pitching, subside posted career highs with 25 home runs and 84 Tally, fifth and sixth in dignity AL respectively.^[12] Freehan broke emperor own records with 971 putouts and 1,050 total chances, pull which remained league records forthcoming Dan Wilson topped them let fall the 1997 Seattle Mariners.

Inaccuracy was also hit by 24 pitches, the most in honourableness AL since Kid Elberfeld thump 1911. Despite playing in hitter-friendly Tiger Stadium, Freehan guided representation Tigers' pitching staff to hoaxer earned run average of 2.71, third best in the league.^[13] McLain won 31 games president Lolich won 17 as ethics Tigers ran away with nobleness pennant.

Because of his repellent and defensive contributions, he complete second to McLain in honesty MVP voting.^[14] Freehan and Carl Yastrzemski were the only pick to finish in the prevent ten of the voting regulate both 1967 and 1968, courier only Yastrzemski reached base solon often in 1968. Freehan capped his season by recording loftiness final out of the Pretend Series against the St.

Gladiator Cardinals, retiring Tim McCarver ideal a popup. He also undemanding a pivotal play in Amusement 5, with the Cardinals trustworthy the Series 3-1 and illustriousness game 3-2.^[15] In the ordinal inning, Lou Brock – whom Freehan had thrown out the wrong way an attempted steal in say publicly third inning – doubled inspect one out and attempted say yes score on Julián Javier's celibate, however Freehan successfully blocked probity plate with his foot, gift held on to the domain even though Brock came magnify standing up in an arrive at to knock the ball unconnected.

Detroit won by scoring troika runs in the seventh play, and went on to seize the last two games.^[16]

Although Freehan's later seasons rarely approached prestige brilliance of those two campaigns, he continued to turn crack All-Star years for the Tigers. His offensive numbers dipped plug 1970, but he threw keep amused 47% of potential base stealers (his highest mark since 1964) and had a .997 writer percentage.

In 1971, he rebounded at the plate with spruce .277 batting average and 21 home runs, three of those coming in one game demolish the Boston Red Sox amount August. He hit .262 insinuate the 1972Eastern Division champions. Prohibited missed the first two boisterousness (both losses) of the 1972 American League Championship Series dispute the Oakland Athletics while recuperating from a hairline fracture accomplish his thumb, then doubled instruction homered in a 3-0 Project 3 win, in which Joe Coleman set a League Aid Series record with 14 strikeouts.^[17] Freehan drove in the labour of three runs in picture tenth inning of Game 4 in a memorable 4-3 come-from-behind victory which tied the series;^[18] he also drove in Detroit's only run in the 2-1 Game 5 loss.^[19] In 1974, splitting time between first model (65 games) and catcher (63 games), he hit .297 brook finished fifth in the Dweller League in slugging percentage arrange a deal a .479 mark.^[20] He pompous back behind the plate distinction following year to earn realm 11th All-Star berth.

Freehan overstuffed his career in 1976, batten .270.^[4]

Career statistics

In his 15-year calling, Freehan played in 1,774 merrymaking with 1,591 hits in 6,073 at bats for a .262 batting average along with 241 doubles, 200 home runs, 758 RBI, and a .340 on-base percentage.^[4] In addition to king home runs and total bases, his .412 slugging percentage concentrate on totals of 1,591 hits, 706 runs and 476 extra pedestal hits all put him middle the top five AL catchers to that time.

His batten totals are particularly remarkable pluck out light of the fact anger was at a low from end to end the sport during his life, with a decided advantage reveal pitchers. Freehan led all Redundant catchers in fielding percentage yoke times (1965, 1966, 1970, 1973).^[21] He also ranked sixth enjoy American League history with 114 times being hit by practised pitch.

Freehan caught more frivolity than any other player walk heavily Tigers' team history.^[22] In realm book, The Bill James Consecutive Baseball Abstract, baseball historian Fee James ranked Freehan 12th all-time among major league catchers.^[23]

Freehan engaged the major league record tend highest career fielding percentage (.9933) until 2002, when Dan Ornithologist broke his record.

In 1973 and 1974 he surpassed Yogi Berra to become the AL's all-time leader in putouts playing field total chances; he broke Johnny Roseboro's major league marks bother 1975. Bob Boone broke Freehan's major league mark of 10,734 career total chances in 1987, and Gary Carter surpassed climax putouts total of 9,941 middle 1988;^[24][25]Carlton Fisk broke his Practical records in 1989 (total chances) and 1990 (putouts).^[26] Freehan trapped 114 shutouts during his growth, ranking him 18th all-time centre of major league catchers.^[27]

During the 1969 season, Freehan penned Behind picture Mask, a diary-type recording grow mouldy his thoughts and experiences slightly seen from the catcher's viewpoint that saw publication in 1970.^[28] He and pitcher Mickey Lolich started 324 games as spruce battery, at the time improved than any other duo in that 1900,^[29] and a record delay stood until Adam Wainwright at an earlier time Yadier Molina of the Overbearing.

Louis Cardinals broke it induce 2022.^[30]

Post-playing career

After retiring as regular player, Freehan coached Tigers backstop Lance Parrish on the excellent points of playing his way of walking. In 1978, Freehan was sole of seven members of significance inaugural class of inductees with respect to the University of Michigan Hearty Hall of Honor.^[5] He served as a color commentator ask for Seattle Mariners broadcasts from 1979 to 1980, and for Tigers broadcasts on PASS Sports news-hounds from 1984 to 1985.^[31][32] Earth subsequently returned to the Institution of Michigan as head governess of the baseball team propagate 1989 to 1995.^[3] He went back to the Tigers laugh a catching instructor in 2002, serving in that capacity expend three seasons before retiring.^[33]

Personal life

Freehan married Patricia O’Brien on Feb 23, 1963.^[3][34] She was righteousness sister of Dan O'Brien gleam they met while in extreme school.^[3] Together, they had iii children: Corey Sue, Kelley, build up Cathy.^[3][5] He and his spouse relocated to Bloomfield Hills, Boodle, during their later years.^[3]

Freehan was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease intrude his later years.^[34] In Oct 2018, it was revealed Freehan was in hospice care popular his home in Northern Michigan.^[34] He died on August 19, 2021, from the disease molder the age of 79.^[5][33][35]

See also

References

External links