Gordon MacKenzie
Henry Gordon Mackenzie (July 9, 1937 – August 12, 2014) was an American professional baseball player, manager, coach and scout. He appeared in 11 Major League games played during the final weeks of the season for the Kansas City Athletics, but collected only three singles and one base on balls in 25 plate appearances and never returned to the big leagues as a player. The native of St. Petersburg, Florida, a catcher during his active career (1956–66), threw and batted right-handed, stood tall and weighed . Mackenzie signed with the Athletics after graduating from St. Petersburg High School. He made his MLB debut on August 13, 1961, as a pinch hitter against the Chicago White Sox, and was a starting catcher for five late-season games, but the 1961 audition provided Mackenzie's only big-league playing experience. However, he would manage in minor league baseball for 16 years, and spend eight seasons as a coach at the Major League level for the Kansas City Royals (1980–8 ...
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Catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catcher is also called upon to master many other skills in order to field the position well. The role of the catcher is similar to that of the wicket-keeper in cricket. Positioned behind home plate and facing toward the outfield, the catcher can see the whole field, and is therefore in the best position to direct and lead the other players in a defensive play. The catcher typically calls for pitches using hand signals. The calls are based on the pitcher's mechanics and strengths, as well as the batter's tendencies and weaknesses. Essentially, the catcher controls what happens during the game when the ball is not "in play". Foul tips, bouncing balls in the dirt, and contact with runners during plays at the plate are all events to be handl ...
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