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Pete Vonachen
Harold Albert "Pete" Vonachen, Jr. (August 31, 1925 – June 10, 2013) was an American businessman and Minor league baseball team owner. Born in Peoria, Illinois, he was often dubbed "Peoria's Mr. Baseball, although this was usually only done for press consumption. Early life Vonachen was a Spalding Institute graduate in 1943 and earned a Bachelor of Science in business administration from Bradley University in 1949. In the interim, he served in the United States Navy from December 1943 through May 1946. An avid sports enthusiast and premiere restaurateur, Vonachen saved professional baseball for Peoria when he purchased the town's Class-A Midwest League franchise after the 1983 season, turning it into a model for the nation. Baseball in Peoria Professional baseball in Peoria can be traced back to 1878, when William Morgan, an early minor league operator, formed an independent club named the Peoria Reds, which frequently beat National League clubs. One notable player who started ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peoria, Illinois
Peoria ( ) is the county seat of Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and the largest city on the Illinois River. As of the United States Census, 2020, 2020 census, the city had a population of 113,150. It is the principal city of the Peoria Metropolitan Area in Central Illinois, consisting of the counties of Fulton County, Illinois, Fulton, Marshall County, Illinois, Marshall, Peoria County, Illinois, Peoria, Stark County, Illinois, Stark, Tazewell County, Illinois, Tazewell, and Woodford County, Illinois, Woodford, which had a population of 402,391 in 2020. Established in 1691 by the French explorer Henri de Tonti, Peoria is the oldest permanent European settlement in Illinois according to the Illinois State Archaeological Survey. Originally known as Fort Clark, it received its current name when the Peoria County, County of Peoria organized in 1825. The city was named after the Peoria tribe, a member of the Illinois Confederation. On October 16, 1854, Abraham Lincoln made A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
California Angels
The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. Since 1966, the team has played its home games at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The franchise was founded in Los Angeles in 1961 by Gene Autry as one of MLB's first two expansion teams and the first to originate in California. Deriving its name from an earlier Los Angeles Angels franchise that played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), the team was based in Los Angeles until moving to Anaheim in 1966. Due to the move, the franchise was known as the California Angels from 1965 to 1996 and the Anaheim Angels from 1997 to 2004. "Los Angeles" was added back to the name in 2005, but because of a lease agreement with Anaheim that required the city to also be in the name, the franchise was known as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim until 2015. The current Lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Tracy (baseball)
James Edwin Tracy (born December 31, 1955) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) manager and player. He played for the Chicago Cubs in 1980 and 1981, and has managed the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Colorado Rockies. Tracy was named Manager of the Year in 2009, only the second manager to win the award after being hired mid-season, joining Jack McKeon for the Florida Marlins. Playing career Tracy was an All-America baseball player at Marietta College, an NCAA Division III institution in Ohio. In 1976, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Chatham A's of the Cape Cod Baseball League and was named a league all-star. He played as an outfielder for parts of two seasons with the Chicago Cubs in 1980–81. He also played two seasons in Japan with the Yokohama Taiyo Whales in 1983–84. Managing career Tracy worked as a minor league manager for several organizations including the Ottawa Lynx in 1994. He is featured as the manager of the 1988 Peoria Chiefs in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pete Mackanin
Peter Mackanin, Jr. (pronounced ; born August 1, 1951), is an American former professional baseball utility player, coach, scout, and manager, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers, Montreal Expos, Philadelphia Phillies, and Minnesota Twins, from to . Mackanin briefly managed the Pittsburgh Pirates, in . Following the firing of Cincinnati Reds manager Jerry Narron, in , Mackanin (who was the team’s advance scout, at the time) became the acting Reds’ manager, for the duration of that campaign; the Reds then decided to replace Mackanin with Dusty Baker. Mackanin was the Phillies' bench coach, from to . After spending the season as a scout for the New York Yankees, he served as Philadelphia’s third base coach in and , then became interim manager, following Ryne Sandberg’s resignation. The Phillies later announced that they were removing the "interim" label and Mackanin would serve as the team's manager in . On September 29, 2017, the team anno ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Joe Maddon
Joseph John Maddon (born February 8, 1954) is an American former professional baseball manager and coach. He has managed the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball. Maddon began his coaching career in MLB with the Angels in 1994 and served under managers Buck Rodgers, Marcel Lachemann, John McNamara, Terry Collins, and Mike Scioscia. He served two stints as interim manager during this time. He managed the Rays from 2006 through 2014, winning the 2008 American League pennant. After opting out of his contract following the 2014 season, he joined the Cubs, led them to the 2015 National League Championship Series and was named the 2015 National League Manager of the Year. In 2016, Maddon managed the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908. Early life and career The son of an Italian father, Joseph Anthony Maddon (who shortened the family name from Maddonini), and a Polish mother, Albina Klocek, Maddon grew up in an apartment ove ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rick Wilkins (baseball)
Richard David Wilkins (born June 4, 1967) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1991 and 2001 for the Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Diego Padres."Rick Wilkins Statistics and History" "baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 23, 2017. Early life Wilkins was born in . While growing up, he graduated from |
Jerome Walton
Jerome O'Terrell Walton (born July 8, 1965) is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Chicago Cubs, California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, between 1989 and 1998. He batted and threw right-handed. Walton was born in Newnan, Georgia. Baseball career He graduated from Newnan High School in Newnan, and went on to attend Enterprise State Junior College. Walton was drafted in the second round (36th overall) of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft by the Chicago Cubs. Walton made his major league debut on April 4, as a Chicago Cub. He was named the 1989 National League Rookie of the Year (the first Cub to be so honored since Ken Hubbs in ), playing in 116 games, batting .293 with 24 stolen bases and a 30-game hitting streak. Walton received votes for the Most Valuable Player Award to go alongside his Rookie of the Year season, finishing 13th. In the 1989 National League Championship Series, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dwight Smith (baseball)
John Dwight Smith Sr. (November 8, 1963 – July 22, 2022) was an American outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for four teams from 1989 to 1996, primarily the Chicago Cubs. As a rookie with the Cubs, he batted .324 with 52 runs batted in (RBI) as the team captured a division title, and he was runner-up behind teammate Jerome Walton in voting for the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award. He was increasingly used as a pinch hitter in his five seasons with the team. After a season split between two American League (AL) clubs, he played two final seasons with the Atlanta Braves, helping them win the 1995 World Series title. His son, Dwight Smith Jr., also became a major league outfielder. Early life and amateur career Smith was born in Tallahassee, Florida. He was the youngest of four children. His father died when he was seven years old. Smith attended Wade Hampton High School in Varnville, South Carolina, and played for the school's baseball and football te ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rafael Palmeiro
Rafael Palmeiro Corrales (born September 24, 1964) is a Cuban-American former Major League Baseball first baseman and left fielder. Palmeiro was an All-American at Mississippi State University before being drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 1985. He played for the Cubs (1986–1988), Texas Rangers (1989–1993, 1999–2003), and the Baltimore Orioles (1994–1998, 2004–2005). He was named to the MLB All-Star Team four times, and won the Gold Glove three times. He is one of only seven players in MLB history to be a member of both the 500 home run club and the 3,000 hit club. Days after recording his 3,000th hit, Palmeiro received a 10-game suspension for testing positive for an anabolic steroid. Early life Palmeiro was born in Havana, Cuba but moved to the United States at the age of seven. He graduated from Miami Jackson High School in Miami, Florida. Although he was drafted by the New York Mets in the 8th round of the 1982 draft, he did not sign. College career Palmeiro wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Derrick May (baseball)
Derrick Brant May (born July 14, 1968) is a former outfielder who played for the Chicago Cubs (1990–94), Milwaukee Brewers (1995), Houston Astros (1995–96), Philadelphia Phillies (1997), Montreal Expos (1998) and Baltimore Orioles (1999). He also played three seasons in Japan, from until , for the Chiba Lotte Marines. He was the assistant hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2016. He was the manager of the Frederick Keys of the MLB Draft League in 2021. Currently is the Organization Hitting Coordinator for SSG Lander’s in Korea. May batted left-handed and threw right-handed. After signing to play football and baseball at Virginia Tech, May was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the first round (#9 overall) of the 1986 June draft, at the age of 17. May hit .320 (3rd), .298 (11th), .305 (5th), .295 (5th), and .296 (5th) and was a Carolina League and Southern League All-Star before making his major league debut. May enjoyed an 18-year professional baseball career, inc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Greg Maddux
Gregory Alan Maddux (born April 14, 1966) is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four teams. Maddux is best known for his accomplishments while playing for the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago Cubs. With the Braves, he won the 1995 World Series over the Cleveland Indians. The first to achieve a number of feats and records, he was the first pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young Award four consecutive years (1992–1995), matched by only one other pitcher, Randy Johnson. During those four seasons, Maddux had a 75–29 record with a 1.98 earned run average (ERA), while allowing less than one baserunner per inning. Maddux is the only pitcher in MLB history to win at least 15 games for 17 straight seasons. In addition, he holds the record for most Gold Gloves by any player with 18, and most putouts by a pitcher with 546, including a tied live-ball-era record of 39 putouts in a season (1990, 1991, 1993 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Grace
Mark Eugene Grace (born June 28, 1964) is a former Major League Baseball (MLB) first baseman who spent 12 seasons with the Chicago Cubs and three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks of the National League (NL). He was a member of the 2001 World Series champion Diamondbacks that beat the New York Yankees. Grace batted and threw left-handed; he wore jersey number 28 and 17 during his rookie season of 1988, and he kept number 17 for the remainder of his career. Career Amateur career Grace played high school baseball and basketball at Tustin High School in Tustin, California. After graduating high school in 1982, he first attended Saddleback College before transferring to San Diego State University to play for the San Diego State Aztecs. At the age of 19, he was drafted in the 15th round by the Minnesota Twins but he did not sign. Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs selected Grace in the 1985 Major League Baseball draft. He spent three years playing in the Cubs farm system before mak ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
