Atlee Hammaker

Atlee Hammaker
Atlee Hammaker
	Pitcher
	Born:January 24, 1958(age 66); Carmel-by-the-Sea, California,U.S.
	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
	Kansas City Royals(1981); San Francisco Giants(1982–1985,1987–1990); San Diego Padres(1990–1991); Chicago White Sox(1994–1995);
Career highlights and awards
	All-Star(1983); NL ERA leader(1983); San Francisco Giants Wall of Fame;
Medals
Baseball
RepresentingtheUnited States
Amateur World Series

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

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

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 League All-Starteam. (Through June, his record was 9–3 with an ERA of 1.52.)

1983 All-Star Game

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

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

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

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]

References

^"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.ISBN 031087159X.
^"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

Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orESPN,orBaseball Reference,orFangraphs,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
1983 All Star Game box score

[atlast-1] "At last!".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. July 7, 1983. p. 27.

[breeze-2] "This time, the AL breezes by".Spokane Chronicle.(Washington). Associated Press. July 7, 1983. p. 21.

[afsgb-3] Boswell, Thomas (July 7, 1983)."AL finally says goodbye to losing skid".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). Washington Post. p. D1.

[ohlcts-4] "Oquendo's homer lifts Cards to Series".Spokesman-Review.(Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. October 15, 1987. p. C1.

[bend-5] "St. Louis sends Giants packing".The Bulletin.(Bend, Oregon). UPI. October 15, 1987. p. D1.

[6] Dravecky, Dave (2004).Called Up: Stories of Life and Faith from the Great Game of Baseball.Zondervan. p. 162.ISBN 031087159X.

[7] "For Atlee Hammaker, more ball in the family seemed like bad idea".SFGate.April 25, 2014.RetrievedAugust 31,2015.

[8] "Reference at miamiherald".

[9] "Annalee Hammaker and Joshua Rolette's Wedding Website".

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