Atlee Hammaker
Atlee Hammaker | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | |||||||||||||||
Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
Born: Carmel-by-the-Sea, California,U.S. | January 24, 1958|||||||||||||||
Batted:Switch Threw:Left | |||||||||||||||
MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
August 13, 1981, for the Kansas City Royals | |||||||||||||||
Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
August 9, 1995, for the Chicago White Sox | |||||||||||||||
MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
Win–loss record | 59–67 | ||||||||||||||
Earned run average | 3.66 | ||||||||||||||
Strikeouts | 615 | ||||||||||||||
Teams | |||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
Medals
|
Charlton Atlee Hammaker(born January 24, 1958) is an American formerMajor League Baseballleft-handedpitcherwho played the majority of his career for theSan Francisco Giants(1982–1990). He also played for theKansas City Royals,San Diego Padres,andChicago White Sox.During his twelve-year career, he won 59 games, lost 67 games and netted five saves.
Early life
[edit]Hammaker was born inCarmel-by-the-Sea, California,on January 24, 1958, the son of Miyake and Charles Hammaker. A middle child, he has one older brother, Aldine and one younger sister, Charlene. He is halfGermanand halfJapanese.Hammaker grew up living in many different locations due to his father's career in theUnited States Army,and attendedMount Vernon High SchoolinFairfax County, Virginia,where he played basketball,football,and baseball. After suffering a knee injury in football his sophomore year, he began focusing on basketball.
Hammaker received a full basketball scholarship toEast Tennessee State University(ETSU) inJohnson City.After being talked to and convinced by the coaches at ETSU, Hammaker decided to change his focus to baseball. He attended asummer league in Alaska,and from there, was a first-round pick (21st overall) in the1979 MLB Draftby the Kansas City Royals.
Career
[edit]In1983,Hammaker's best season, he led theNational Leaguewith anERAof 2.25, aWHIPof 1.039,BB/9IPof 1.67, andstrikeouttowalkratio of 3.97. That year Hammaker won 10, lost 9, and made theNational LeagueAll-Starteam. (Through June, his record was 9–3 with an ERA of 1.52.)
1983 All-Star Game
[edit]Hammaker made theNational League All-Star team in 1983,but did not fare well, surrendering seven earned runs in 0.2 inning pitched; and he gave up the onlygrand slamin All-Star Game history, toFred Lynn.The American League prevailed 13–3 for their first win intwelve years.[1][2][3]
1987 NLCS
[edit]In Game 7 of the1987 NLCS,Hammaker, pitching forSan Francisco,gave up a three-runhomerin the second inning toJosé Oquendo,a utility infielder who had hit only one home run that season. TheCardinalswon 6–0 to advance to theWorld Series.[4][5]
Religion
[edit]While with the Giants, Hammaker and teammatesScott Garrelts,Dave DraveckyandJeff Brantleybecame known as the "God Squad" because of their strong Christian faith. Forgoing the hard-partying lifestyle of many of their teammates, they preferred to hold Bible studies in their hotel rooms while on the road.[6]
Personal life
[edit]Hammaker is married and lives inKnoxville, Tennessee,[7]with his wife. He is the father of five daughters. His second oldest daughter, Jenna Hammaker-Gomes, is married tomajor leagueplayerYan Gomes.[8]His youngest daughter, Annalee, is married tominor leagueplayer Josh Rolette, a catcher in theCleveland Guardians' farm system.[9]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"At last!".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 7, 1983. p. 27.
- ^"This time, the AL breezes by".Spokane Chronicle.(Washington). Associated Press. July 7, 1983. p. 21.
- ^Boswell, Thomas (July 7, 1983)."AL finally says goodbye to losing skid".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). Washington Post. p. D1.
- ^"Oquendo's homer lifts Cards to Series".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 15, 1987. p. C1.
- ^"St. Louis sends Giants packing".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 15, 1987. p. D1.
- ^Dravecky, Dave (2004).Called Up: Stories of Life and Faith from the Great Game of Baseball.Zondervan. p. 162.ISBN031087159X.
- ^"For Atlee Hammaker, more ball in the family seemed like bad idea".SFGate.April 25, 2014.RetrievedAugust 31,2015.
- ^"Reference at miamiherald".
- ^"Annalee Hammaker and Joshua Rolette's Wedding Website".
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
- 1983 All Star Game box score
- 1958 births
- American baseball players of Japanese descent
- Baseball players from Monterey County, California
- Birmingham Barons players
- Chicago White Sox players
- East Tennessee State Buccaneers baseball players
- East Tennessee State Buccaneers men's basketball players
- Fort Myers Royals players
- Gulf Coast Royals players
- High Desert Mavericks players
- Jacksonville Suns players
- Kansas City Royals players
- Las Vegas Stars (baseball) players
- Living people
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Nashville Sounds players
- National League All-Stars
- National League ERA champions
- Omaha Royals players
- People from Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
- Phoenix Firebirds players
- Phoenix Giants players
- San Diego Padres players
- San Francisco Giants players
- Shreveport Captains players
- Wichita Wranglers players
- American men's basketball players
- Peninsula Oilers players