Clint Courtney
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Clinton Dawson Courtney (March 16, 1927 – June 16, 1975), nicknamed Scrap Iron, was an American professional baseball catcher who played in
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB) for the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
(1951), St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles (1952–1954, 1960, 1961),
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
(1955), Washington Senators (1955–1959) and
Kansas City Athletics The history of the Athletics Major League Baseball franchise spans the period from 1901 to the present day, having begun as a charter member franchise in the new American League in Philadelphia before moving to Kansas City in 1955 for 13 seas ...
(1961). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Courtney was born in
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
, growing up there and in
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...
. After serving in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, he was signed as a catcher by the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
. Playing
minor league Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
baseball for them for the next few seasons, he was involved in several fights. After one game with the Yankees in 1951, he was traded to the Browns in 1952 at the urging of
Rogers Hornsby Rogers Hornsby Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 1933 ...
, St. Louis's
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
. Courtney won ''The Sporting News'' American League Rookie of the Year,
batting Batting may refer to: * Batting (baseball), the act of attempting to hit a ball thrown by the pitcher with a baseball bat, in order to score runs * Batting (cricket), the act of defending one's wicket with the cricket bat while attempting to score ...
.286. Both that season and the next, he was involved in on-the-field fights with
Billy Martin Alfred Manuel Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989), commonly called "Billy", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yan ...
, whom he had battled in the minor leagues several seasons before. Courtney remained the starting catcher for the Browns when they moved to Baltimore in 1954 and became the Orioles. Then, he was traded to the White Sox. Used as the backup to
Sherm Lollar Sherm is a shortened version of the given name Sherman and may refer to: People *Sherm Chavoor (1919-1992), American swimming coach *Sherm Cohen (born 1965), American storyboard artist *Sherm Feller (1918–1994), American musician and sports an ...
by Chicago, Courtney only lasted half a season with the White Sox before he was traded to the Senators. He finished out the 1955 season with Washington and spent the next four years there, appearing in a career-high 134 games for the ballclub in 1958. Injuries afflicted him in 1959, and he was traded back to Baltimore for the 1960 season, where he became the first catcher to wear an oversized mitt while catching
knuckleball A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This chan ...
pitcher
Hoyt Wilhelm James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angel ...
. Traded to Kansas City for 1961, he was returned to Baltimore after playing one game for the Athletics. Accepting an assignment to the minor leagues halfway through the 1961 season, he played minor league ball for the next few seasons, following Oriole manager Paul Richards into the
Houston Colt .45's The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
organization. Once his playing career ended, Courtney managed in the minor leagues, first in Houston's organization, and then for affiliates of the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
. He hoped to be a major league manager one day and came close to being named Atlanta's manager in 1974, though the team settled on
Clyde King Clyde Edward King (May 23, 1924 – November 2, 2010) was an American pitcher, coach, manager, general manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball. King's career in baseball spanned 67 years, including 35 full years with the New ...
instead. However, while serving as the manager of the
Richmond Braves The Richmond Braves were an American minor league baseball club based in Richmond, Virginia, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 2008. Owned by the parent Atlanta club and colloquially referred to as the ...
in 1975, Courtney died of a heart attack while on a road trip with the team.


Early life

Clinton Dawson Courtney was born on March 16, 1927, in Hall Summit, a
village A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
in tiny
Red River Parish Red River Parish ( French: ''Paroisse de la Rivière-Rouge'') is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,091, making it the fourth-least populous parish in Louisiana. Its seat is Coushatta. ...
,
Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. His parents, C.D. and Ethel Murray Courtney, divorced when Clint was about three or four. Courtney had a sister named Fleta, as well as two stepsisters, Cecil and Jo, from his father's remarriage to Gladys Woods. The Courtneys did not have much money.Russo, p. 24 "I was so poor as a boy, my shoes were so bad that I could step on a dime and tell you if it was heads or tails," Courtney recalled in 1958. The Courtneys lived in Louisiana until Clint had completed the eighth grade, at which point they moved to Arkansas so C.D. could get a job in the oilfields. Clint attended Standard-Ulmstead High School in Smackover, where he garnered All-State recognition playing for the
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team. He had also played
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
since his days in Halls Summit. After graduating, he joined his father working in the Smackover oilfields. He then moved to
Orange, Texas Orange is a city and the county seat of Orange County, Texas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 19,324. It is the easternmost city in Texas, located on the Sabine River at the border with Louisiana, and is from Houst ...
, where he worked as a shipyard welder. In 1944, Courtney was drafted by the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
to serve in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. He served initially at
Fort Robinson Fort Robinson is a former U.S. Army fort and now a major feature of Fort Robinson State Park, a public recreation and historic preservation area located west of Crawford on U.S. Route 20 in the Pine Ridge region of northwest Nebraska. The for ...
and
Fort Chaffee Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center is an Army National Guard installation in western Arkansas, adjacent to the city of Fort Smith. Established as Camp Chaffee in 1941, renamed to Fort Chaffee in 1956, Fort Chaffee has served as a United ...
, playing with the latter's baseball team at the 1945
National Baseball Congress The National Baseball Congress of Wichita, Kansas is an organization of 17 amateur and semi-professional baseball leagues operating in the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1935 by Hap Dumont, it has conducted an annual North America ...
. After that, he served as part of the occupation forces in Korea, the Philippines, and Japan. Courtney continued to play baseball with service teams. Originally an outfielder, he started playing
catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
during his army years. To better accomplish the position change, the left-handed Courtney taught himself to throw right-handed, which would make it easier to make a play to first base. Courtney still batted left-handed. He was discharged from the Army in 1947.


Playing career


Early minor league career

Soon after his 1947 discharge, Courtney was signed to play for the
New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...
by
scout Scout may refer to: Youth movement *Scout (Scouting), a child, usually 10–18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement **Scouts (The Scout Association), section for 10-14 year olds in the United Kingdom **Scouts BSA, sectio ...
Atley Donald Richard Atley Donald (August 19, 1910 – October 19, 1992) was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of Morton, Mississippi, the right-hander played for the New York Yankees from 1938 to 1945. "Swampy", as he was nicknamed, stood and weighed ...
, another Louisiana native. He began his career with the
Beaumont Exporters The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and ...
of the
Class AA Double-A (officially Class AA) is the second-highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946, below only Triple-A. There are currently 30 teams classified at the Double-A level, one for each team in Major League ...
Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...
, playing four games before being assigned to the
Bisbee Yanks Bisbee may refer to: * Bisbee, Arizona ** Bisbee Blue, turquoise from Bisbee, Arizona ** Bisbee Deportation, the illegal expulsion of 1,300 miners from Bisbee, Arizona (1917) **Bisbee Riot, gunfight between black Buffalo Soldiers and local police in ...
of the Class C Arizona-Texas League. In a game against the
Phoenix Senators The Phoenix Senators were a minor league baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, that played on-and-off from 1915 to 1957. They played in the Rio Grande Association in 1915, the Arizona State League from 1928 to 1930, the Arizona–Texas Le ...
, Courtney slid hard into second base, spiking and breaking
player-manager A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the sq ...
Arky Biggs's hand. This started a small fight between the teams. Senator
Billy Martin Alfred Manuel Martin Jr. (May 16, 1928 – December 25, 1989), commonly called "Billy", was an American Major League Baseball second baseman and manager who, in addition to leading other teams, was five times the manager of the New York Yan ...
swore to target Courtney in future games whenever he got the chance. In 114 games for Bisbee, Courtney batted .319 with 71
runs scored In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
, 136 hits, five
home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s, and 80
runs batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBI). According to Rory Costello of the ''
Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...
'', Courtney began the 1948 season with Beaumont before being sent down to the
Augusta Tigers The Augusta Tigers was the primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams in Augusta, Georgia. Beginning in 1884, Augusta has hosted numerous teams in various leagues. History The Augusta Yankees were a South Atlantic League minor league ba ...
of the Class A
South Atlantic League The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
in late April. Statistics of his time for Beaumont are not available, but in 64 games with Augusta, he batted .250 with 21 runs scored, 47 hits, 0 home runs, and 25 RBI. In July, Augusta sent him to another Yankee affiliate, the
Norfolk Tars The Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League from 1931 to 1932 and in the ...
of the Class B
Piedmont League The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States. Teams The following teams were members of the Piedmon ...
. Courtney batted .229 with 22 hits and 1 home run in 29 games for the Tars. Courtney split 1949 between two Class B teams, Norfolk and the
Manchester Yankees The Manchester Yankees was the name of two distinct American minor league baseball franchises representing Manchester, New Hampshire, in the Class B New England League (1948 through July 5, 1949) and the Double-A Eastern League (1969–71). Each f ...
of the
New England League The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played intermittently in five of the six New England states (Vermont excepted) between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League B ...
. In 58 games for Manchester, he batted .349 with 33 runs scored, 73 hits, 5 home runs, and 32 RBI. For Norfolk he played 48 games, batting .243 with 24 runs scored, 41 hits, 5 home runs, and 24 RBI. Over the 1949–50 offseason, Courtney played winter ball with the Guyamas Ostieneros of the Mexican Winter League, leading the league with a .371 average while also serving as the team's
manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities o ...
. Back with Beaumont in 1950, Courtney was one of two players unanimously selected to the league's All-Star team. He made a positive impression on manager
Rogers Hornsby Rogers Hornsby Sr. (April 27, 1896 – January 5, 1963), nicknamed "The Rajah", was an American baseball infielder, manager, and coach who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1926, 1933 ...
, who would also manage him with the Ponce Leones in the Puerto Rican Winter League over the offseason. In 146 games, Courtney batted .263 with 137 hits, four home runs, and 79 RBI. In winter ball over the offseason, Courtney was the leading vote-getter for the All-Star Game. Invited to
spring training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
by the Yankees in 1951, Courtney made the team's
Opening Day Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball (MLB) and most of the American minor leagues, this day typically falls during the first week of April, although in recent years ...
roster. However, shortly after the season started, he was sent down to the Kansas City Blues of the
Class AAA Triple-A (officially Class AAA) has been the highest level of play in Minor League Baseball in the United States since 1946. Currently, two leagues operate at the Triple-A level, the International League (IL) and the Pacific Coast League (PCL ...
American Association American Association may refer to: Baseball * American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891 * American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997 * American Association of Profe ...
without having played.Russo, p. 25 He served as Kansas City's starting catcher, playing well but drawing attention for conflicts during the year. Against the
Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division. The Brewers are named for t ...
on June 25, he led with his elbow when sliding into second base, knocking out Johnny Logan's front teeth. Later in the season, when Kansas City played the
St. Paul Saints The St. Paul Saints are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins. They are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and have played their home games at CHS Field since 2015. They prev ...
, Courtney had a fight with
Danny Ozark Daniel Leonard Ozark, born ''Orzechowski'' (November 26, 1923 – May 7, 2009), was an American coach and manager in Major League Baseball. As manager of the Philadelphia Phillies (1973–August 31, 1979), Ozark led the Phils to three consecutive ...
. He was suspended indefinitely and fined $100 after a September 3 game when he spat twice in the face of umpire John Fette and struck him with his baseball bat. In 105 games with Kansas City, Courtney batted .294 with 34 runs scored, 101 hits, eight home runs, and 35 RBI.


Major league career


MLB debut and trade to Browns (1951)

Despite his suspension, Courtney was called up by the Yankees in late September 1951. He made his major league debut on September 29, starting behind the plate for the second game of a doubleheader against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
. He was hitless in two at bats, though he did reach base in the sixth inning when he was
hit by a pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...
from
Mickey McDermott Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. (April 29, 1929 – August 7, 2003) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Pre-professional career Mickey McDermott was the third son of Maurice McDermott Sr., a police officer and fo ...
. New York won 3–1. Courtney did not play any other major league games in 1951. With his debut, Courtney likely became the first MLB catcher to wear
eyeglasses Glasses, also known as eyeglasses or spectacles, are vision eyewear, with lenses (clear or tinted) mounted in a frame that holds them in front of a person's eyes, typically utilizing a bridge over the nose and hinged arms (known as temples or ...
during a game. He had been wearing them since either his time in the military or his time in the minor leagues because he was
myopic Near-sightedness, also known as myopia and short-sightedness, is an eye disease where light focuses in front of, instead of on, the retina. As a result, distant objects appear blurry while close objects appear normal. Other symptoms may include ...
, a condition that probably resulted from his time as a welder. Courtney would use tape to keep the frames on his head as the glasses sat underneath the catcher's mask. He wore ones with shatter-proof lenses, but due to the rough nature of his position, he had broken about a dozen pairs by 1958. After the season, on November 23, Courtney was traded to the
St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...
. Yankee
general manager A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
(GM) George Weiss disliked the catcher for his on-the-field incidents. Courtney's teammate
Gil McDougald Gilbert James McDougald (May 19, 1928 – November 28, 2010) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder who spent ten major league seasons playing for the New York Yankees from 1951 through 1960. McDougald was the 1951 American L ...
thought another reason for the trade was that Martin, now in the majors with the Yankees, could not stand Courtney.Russo, p. 26 Meanwhile, Hornsby, who had just been named St. Louis's manager, was excited to acquire one of his favorite players from Beaumont for his team. Four days after acquiring Courtney, the Browns traded
Sherm Lollar Sherm is a shortened version of the given name Sherman and may refer to: People *Sherm Chavoor (1919-1992), American swimming coach *Sherm Cohen (born 1965), American storyboard artist *Sherm Feller (1918–1994), American musician and sports an ...
to the White Sox, paving the way for Courtney to be their starting catcher in 1952. Baseball historian Frank Russo wrote, "In restrospect, Courtney's trade to St. Louis was the best thing that could have happened to his career."


Rookie season (1952)

Towards the end of 1952 spring training, Courtney tripped and fell during a foot race against sportswriter Milton Richman in a railway yard, and the broken glass and rocks in the yard resulted in a number of cuts. Despite the mishap, he played the next day's
exhibition game An exhibition game (also known as a friendly, a scrimmage, a demonstration, a preseason game, a warmup match, or a preparation match, depending at least in part on the sport) is a sporting event whose prize money and impact on the player's or ...
covered in bandages, getting three hits against
Early Wynn Early Wynn Jr. (January 6, 1920 – April 4, 1999), nicknamed "Gus", was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox, dur ...
. Either teammate Duane Pillette or Browns announcer
Buddy Blattner Robert Garnett "Buddy" Blattner (February 8, 1920 – September 4, 2009), was an American table tennis and professional baseball player. He played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily for the New York Giants. After his reti ...
dubbed him "Scrap Iron", a nickname that would stick with him throughout his career and would well describe the tough, confrontational Courtney. Courtney was the Opening Day starting catcher for the Browns. In the fourth game of the year, he had his first major league hit, a
triple Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble": Sports * Triple (baseball), a three-base hit * A basketball three-point field goal * A figure skating jump with three rotations * In bowling terms, three strikes in a row * ...
with the bases loaded against
Bob Kennedy Robert Daniel Kennedy (August 18, 1920 – April 7, 2005) was a right fielder/third baseman, manager and executive in Major League Baseball. From 1939 to 1957, Kennedy played for the Chicago White Sox (1939–42, 1946–48, 1955–56, 1957), Cle ...
, helping the Browns defeat the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
7–1. On May 6, he hit his first major league home run, a go-ahead, two-run blast against
Bob Hooper Robert Nelson Hooper (May 30, 1922 – March 17, 1980) was a Canadian-born pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1950 to 1955. A native of Leamington, Ontario, Hooper attended Montclair State University in New Jersey and served in the United Sta ...
as St. Louis beat the
Philadelphia Athletics The Philadelphia Athletics were a Major League Baseball team that played in Philadelphia from 1901 to 1954, when they moved to Kansas City, Missouri, and became the Kansas City Athletics. Following another move in 1967, the team became the Oaklan ...
5–1. Courtney missed 16 games from June 13 through June 28 after discovering a split finger on his right hand during a game against the
Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
on June 12. On July 12, in the second inning of a game against the Yankees, Courtney spiked Martin when he slid into second. When Courtney attempted the play again in the eighth inning, Martin hit him with the hand that had been holding the baseball. Courtney got up and tried to retaliate, which resulted in a shower of punches from Martin. A brawl ensued, during which umpire
Bill Summers Bill Summers may refer to: * Bill Summers (car builder) (1935–2011), American car builder and longtime speed record holder * Bill Summers (musician) (born 1948), American jazz percussionist *Bill Summers (umpire) William Reed Summers (November ...
was knocked to the ground with a punch. Courtney was ejected from the game, but Summers allowed Martin to stay in because he thought Martin had merely been defending himself. The Yankees won 5–4 in extra innings, and Courtney was suspended three games and fined $100. He had a game-ending RBI in painful fashion on September 9, getting
hit by a pitch In baseball, hit by pitch (HBP) is an event in which a batter or his clothing or equipment (other than his bat) is struck directly by a pitch from the pitcher; the batter is called a hit batsman (HB). A hit batsman is awarded first base, provided ...
by
Ray Scarborough Rae Wilson Scarborough (July 23, 1917 – July 1, 1982) was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators (1942–1943 and 1946–1950), Chicago White Sox (1950), Boston Red Sox (1951–52), New York Yankees ( ...
with the bases loaded to force in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth, as the Browns defeated the Yankees 5–4. In 119 games as a rookie, Courtney batted .286 with 38 runs scored, 118 hits, 5 home runs, and 50 RBI. His .996
fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
led
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
(AL) catchers. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting to Harry Byrd, also ranking 24th in AL
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
(MVP) voting. Courtney also won ''The Sporting News'' AL Rookie of the Year award. Oscar Fraley of
United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...
wrote that Courtney was "a rarity in succeeding as a freshman catcher."


Sophomore season, move to Baltimore (1953–1954)

Courtney sought a $4,500 raise for 1953, which would bring his salary to $12,000. When owner
Bill Veeck William Louis Veeck Jr. ( ; February 9, 1914 – January 2, 1986), also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was an American Major League Baseball franchise owner and promoter. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Br ...
countered with an $11,000 offer, Courtney wrote a short letter saying, "Dear Veeck: I changed my mind. I want $14,000, not $12,000. Clint." On April 28, the Browns faced the Yankees at
Sportsman's Park Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri. All but one of these were located on the same piece of land, at the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street, on the ...
. In the top of the 10th inning, McDougald jarred the ball loose from Courtney at the plate, scoring a run. When the Browns were up to bat that inning, Courtney retaliated by spiking
Phil Rizzuto Philip Francis Rizzuto (September 25, 1917 – August 13, 2007), nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career with the New York Yankees (1941–1956), and was elected to th ...
as he tried to stretch a
single Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
into a
double A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another. Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to: Film and television * Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character * Th ...
. Martin jumped on Courtney in a wild melee. Fans threw soda bottles onto the field, the game was paused for 17 minutes, and umpire
Johnny Stevens John William Stevens (May 14, 1912 – September 9, 1981) was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1948 to 1971. He umpired in four World Series and five All-Star Games. Stevens also refereed college ...
dislocated his shoulder. Afterwards, AL president
Will Harridge William Harridge (October 16, 1883 – April 9, 1971) was an American executive in professional baseball whose most significant role was as president of the American League (AL) from 1931 to 1959. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the ...
doled out a record $850 in fines, including $250 to Courtney alone. Courtney was involved in another fight in the third inning of the first game of a doubleheader on July 5, when
Johnny Bucha John George Bucha (January 22, 1925 – April 28, 1996) was an American professional baseball player whose 18-year career included 84 games in Major League Baseball ( MLB) over three seasons. A catcher and native of Allentown, Pennsylvania, Buch ...
of the
Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
crashed into him while trying to score. Bucha was ruled out to end the inning, but a bench-clearing brawl ensued. The Tigers ultimately won the game by a score of 10–7. In the first game of a doubleheader on July 16, the Browns hit three successive home runs during the first inning of an 8–6 victory over the Yankees. Courtney started the feat, followed by
Dick Kryhoski Richard David Kryhoski (March 24, 1925 – April 10, 2007) was an American professional baseball first baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for four different franchises between 1949 and 1955. Listed at and , he batted and threw lef ...
and
Jim Dyck James Robert Dyck (February 3, 1922 – January 11, 1999) was a third baseman and left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between 1951 and 1956. Listed at , 200 lb., Dyck batted and threw right-handed. He was ...
. This was an MLB record at the time. Courtney "produced much less with the bat" in 1953 according to Costello, who attributed the diminished performance to broken fingers suffered early in the year. In 106 games, Courtney batted .251 with 28 runs scored, 89 hits, 4 home runs, and 19 RBI. Over the offseason, he managed the Ciudad Obregón Yaquis of the Mexican Winter League, again getting selected to the All-Star Game. Courtney remained the starting catcher in 1954, as the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles. In the first MLB game at Memorial Stadium, on April 15, Courtney hit the first home run in the stadium's history, a solo shot against
Virgil Trucks Virgil Oliver "Fire" Trucks (April 26, 1917 – March 23, 2013) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Athletics and New York Yankees between 1941 and 1958. He batted ...
in a 3–1 win over the White Sox. Against the Washington Senators on August 29, Courtney had five hits and two RBI in a 5–0 victory. In 122 games, he batted .270 with 25 runs scored, 107 hits, 4 home runs, and 37 RBI. He
struck out In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It usually means that the batter is out. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters, and is denote ...
a mere 7 times in 397
at bats In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a batt ...
(1.8 percent of the time), setting a franchise record for lowest strikeout percentage. On November 17, the Orioles made a 17-player trade with the Yankees, acquiring catchers Hal W. Smith and
Gus Triandos Gus Triandos (July 30, 1930 – March 28, 2013) was a Greek American professional baseball player and scout (sport), scout. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher and a first baseman for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, and the D ...
. This made Courtney expendable, and he was traded to the White Sox on December 6.
Jim Brideweser James Ehrenfeld Brideweser (February 13, 1927 – August 25, 1989) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from 1951 to 1957 for the New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers. He was tall b ...
and
Bob Chakales Robert Edwards Chakales ha-kuh'-les(August 10, 1927 – February 18, 2010) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with four clubs between the 1951 in baseball, 1951 and 1957 in baseball, 1957 seasons. Listed at 6'1", 185 lb., C ...
were part of the trade, which brought Baltimore
Matt Batts Matthew Daniel Batts (October 16, 1921 – July 14, 2013) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1947 through 1956 for the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Chica ...
,
Don Ferrarese Donald Hugh Ferrarese (born June 19, 1929), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardi ...
,
Don Johnson Donnie Wayne Johnson (born December 15, 1949) is an American actor, producer and singer. He played the role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s television series ''Miami Vice'', for which he won a Golden Globe, and received a Primetime Em ...
and
Fred Marsh Fred Francis Marsh (January 5, 1924 – October 26, 2006) was an American infielder in Major League Baseball who played in and from to for the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Oriole ...
in return.


White Sox and Senators (1955–1959)

Courtney initially held out for a higher contract from Chicago, but he agreed to a deal with the team on January 21, 1955. "This is a good club to be with — providin’ they gimme some work to do," he told reporters during spring training. However, Courtney played only 19 of the team's first 44 games, serving as the backup to Lollar. In those 19 games, he batted .378 with 7 runs scored, 14 hits, 1 home run, and 10 RBI. On June 7, he was traded to the Senators with Chakales and
Johnny Groth John Thomas Groth (July 23, 1926August 7, 2021) was an American professional baseball outfielder and scout who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played with the Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox, Washingt ...
for
Jim Busby James Franklin Busby (January 8, 1927 – July 8, 1996) was an American center fielder and coach in Major League Baseball who played with the Chicago White Sox (1950–52, 1955), Washington Senators (1952–55), Cleveland Indians (1956–57), Ba ...
. With Washington, Courtney got the bulk of the playing time for the rest of the season. In 75 games, he batted .298 with 26 runs scored, 71 hits, 2 home runs, and 30 RBI. He played 94 games combined between Chicago and Washington, batting .209 with 33 runs scored, 85 hits, 3 home runs, and 40 RBI. Catchers Courtney, Lou Berberet, and
Ed Fitz Gerald Edward Raymond Fitz Gerald (May 21, 1924 – June 14, 2020) was an American professional baseball player and coach. A former catcher, he appeared in 807 games played in Major League Baseball over 12 seasons (–) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, W ...
all played at least 60 games for Washington in 1956, though Courtney's 101 appearances were the most of the three. He had three RBI as well as a triple on July 19 in a 5–4 victory over the
Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
. On August 5, he had three hits, two runs scored, and three RBI in a 10–4 victory over the
Kansas City Athletics The history of the Athletics Major League Baseball franchise spans the period from 1901 to the present day, having begun as a charter member franchise in the new American League in Philadelphia before moving to Kansas City in 1955 for 13 seas ...
. His three-run home run against
Bob Keegan Robert Charles Keegan (August 4, 1920 – June 20, 2001) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox from 1953 to 1958. A native of Rochester, New York, he attended Bucknell University and performed Wo ...
in the first game of an August 28 doubleheader helped Washington beat the White Sox 6–2. Courtney ended the season batting .300 with 31 runs scored, 85 hits, 5 home runs, and 44 RBI. Washington used the same trio of catchers in 1957. Fitz Gerald played only 45 games, but Berberet played slightly more than Courtney this year, 99 to 91. Courtney broke his hand on a
foul tip In baseball, a foul tip is defined as "a batted ball that goes sharp and direct from the bat to the catcher and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught, and any foul tip that is caught is a strike and the ball is 'in play'." A ''fou ...
on May 1, not playing again until May 31. Shortly after his injury, he was fined $100 by manager
Chuck Dressen Charles Walter Dressen (September 20, 1894Dressen's birthdate has been revised from 1898, as was commonly reported in ''The Sporting News' Baseball Register'' and ''Macmillan's Baseball Encyclopedia'', to 1894 by both Baseball Reference and Retr ...
for "insubordination". On August 3, he had three hits, two home runs, and four RBI, though the effort came in a 13–4 loss to the Tigers. Courtney ended the season batting .267 with 23 runs scored, 62 hits, 6 home runs, and 27 RBI. With the return of Steve Korcheck from Army service in 1958, the Senators had more than enough catchers. Rumors suggested that Courtney would be traded, but it was Berberet who was dispatched before the year. Used as the starter, Courtney set a career-high with 134 games played in 1958. Against the Tigers on September 10, he had two hits and four RBI, including a two-run home run off of
Paul Foytack Paul Eugene Foytack (November 16, 1930 – January 23, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and right-handed pitcher who appeared in 312 games in Major League Baseball between 1953 and 1964 for two American League clubs, the Detro ...
in the eighth inning that turned a 4–3 deficit into a 5–4 victory. Three days later, he had five RBI, including a
grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...
against Ken Johnson in an 8–5 victory over Kansas City. Courtney finished the season with career highs in runs scored (46), home runs (8), and RBI (62). He batted .251 and recorded 113 hits. Defensively, he led AL catchers with 64
assist Assist or ASSIST may refer to: Sports Several sports have a statistic known as an "assist", generally relating to action by a player leading to a score by another player on their team: *Assist (basketball), a pass by a player that facilitates a ba ...
s and 17
double play In baseball and softball, a double play (denoted as DP in baseball statistics) is the act of making two outs during the same continuous play. Double plays can occur any time there is at least one baserunner and fewer than two outs. In Major Leag ...
s turned, ranking third in the league with a .991 fielding percentage. In February 1959, Courtney was admitted to a hospital with fears that he had suffered a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
, but doctors instead diagnosed him with
pleurisy Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity (pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other sy ...
. During a spring training game, he collided with Smith at home plate and sustained a hairline fracture to his leg, but he missed only a few games and was ready for Opening Day. His bad luck came to a head when a bout of the
mumps MUMPS ("Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System"), or M, is an imperative, high-level programming language with an integrated transaction processing key–value database. It was originally developed at Massachusetts Gener ...
kept Courtney off the field until mid-May. In his absence, the Senators acquired
Hal Naragon Harold Richard Naragon (October 1, 1928 – August 31, 2019) was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Cleveland Indians (1951; 1954–59) and Washington Senators/ Minnesota Twins (1959–62). He batted left-handed and threw rig ...
, who split catching duties with Courtney for the rest of the year. Courtney had four three-hit games during the year but never recorded more than two RBI all season. In 72 games, he batted .233 with 19 runs scored, 44 hits, 2 home runs, and 18 RBI.


Catching the knuckleball, final MLB season (1960–1961)

During spring training in 1960, Courtney was traded back to the Orioles, along with
Ron Samford Ronald Edward Samford (February 28, 1930 – January 14, 2021) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball who played from to with the New York Giants (NL), New York Giants, Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators (1901–60), Washington Senators. ...
, as the Senators acquired
Billy Gardner William Frederick Gardner (born July 19, 1927) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. During his ten-season active career in the major leagues, Gardner was a scrappy, light-hitting second baseman for the New Yo ...
. The trade upset Oriole fans, who liked Gardner. "Ah got a hunch Ah’ll play more than a lot of people think. Ah can hit and Ah ain’t as bad a catcher as a lot of people think," Courtney responded to criticisms. Though Triandos was the main catcher for the Orioles, he was on the
disabled list In Major League Baseball (MLB), the injured list (IL) is a method for teams to remove their injured players from the roster in order to summon healthy players. Before the 2019 season, it was known as the disabled list (DL). General guidelines ...
part of the year with a sore thumb, giving Courtney more playing time. Courtney also made history catching
knuckleball A knuckleball or knuckler is a baseball pitch thrown to minimize the spin of the ball in flight, causing an erratic, unpredictable motion. The air flow over a seam of the ball causes the ball to change from laminar to turbulent flow. This chan ...
pitcher
Hoyt Wilhelm James Hoyt Wilhelm (July 26, 1922 – August 23, 2002), nicknamed "Old Sarge", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angel ...
. The unpredictable nature of a knuckleball made it notoriously difficult not just to hit but to catch, and catchers often allowed
passed ball In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control, and, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a ru ...
s when Wilhelm was throwing. Baltimore manager Paul Richards had been trying since the previous season to help his catchers deal with Wilhelm's pitches, and in 1960, he decided to have his catchers try wearing an oversized
mitt Mitt may refer to: *Mitten, a garment covering the whole hand *Baseball mitt, a leather glove worn by baseball players on defense *Mitt (name), a surname and given name *William Mitten (1819–1906), English authority on bryophytes and chemist, wh ...
. The glove, nicknamed "Big Bertha", was 42 inches from end to end and weighed 30 ounces; most gloves were only 33–34 inches long and weighed just 27 ounces, for comparison. On May 27, Courtney became the first catcher to wear the oversized mitt when he caught Wilhelm in a game against the Yankees. Baltimore won 3–2, and there were no passed balls. Courtney liked the glove but still found Wilhelm challenging. "Boy is he rough to catch. I don’t see how anybody ever hits him." The glove did not solve all problems with catching the knuckleball; in the first game of a doubleheader against Detroit on June 19, while catching Wilhelm, Courtney was twice called for
catcher's interference In baseball, interference occurs in situations in which a person illegally changes the course of play from what is expected. Interference might be committed by players on the offense, players not currently in the game, catchers, umpires, or spec ...
. Against the Yankees again on August 15, Courtney dropped a foul pop up hit by
Mickey Mantle Mickey Charles Mantle (October 20, 1931 – August 13, 1995), nicknamed "the Commerce Comet" and "the Mick", was an American professional baseball player. Mantle played his entire Major League Baseball (MLB) career (1951–1968) with the New York ...
, who then hit a two-run home run to defeat Baltimore. Still, the mitt was legal until the end of 1964, when MLB's Rules Committee declared 38 inches to be the maximum size for a mitt. During the 1960 season, Courtney struggled to throw the ball from home plate back to the pitcher, often having to resort to throwing the ball to the third baseman to relay or walking the ball part of the way back to the pitcher. This condition was short-lived. Courtney appeared in 83 games for the Orioles in 1960, batting .227 with 14 runs scored, 35 hits, 1 home run, and 12 RBI. On January 21, 1961, Courtney was traded to Kansas City with Jim Archer, Bob Boyd,
Wayne Causey James Wayne Causey (born December 26, 1936) is a retired American professional baseball baseball player. An infielder, he appeared in 1,105 games in Major League Baseball as a shortstop, second baseman and third baseman over 11 seasons for the ...
, and
Al Pilarcik Alfred James Pilarcik (July 3, 1930 – September 20, 2010) was an American professional baseball player. An outfielder, he appeared in 668 Major League games between and for the Kansas City Athletics, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox. P ...
for
Whitey Herzog Dorrel Norman Elvert "Whitey" Herzog (; born November 9, 1931) is an American former professional baseball outfielder and manager, most notable for his Major League Baseball (MLB) managerial career. He made his MLB debut as a player in 1956 wit ...
and
Russ Snyder Russell Henry Snyder (born June 22, 1934) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the Kansas City Athletics (1959–60), Baltimore Orioles (1961–67), Chicago White Sox (1968), C ...
. He made one appearance for Kansas City, pinch-hitting for
Haywood Sullivan Haywood Cooper Sullivan (December 15, 1930 – February 12, 2003) was an American college and professional baseball player who was a catcher, manager, general manager and club owner in Major League Baseball. From May 23, 1978, through Novembe ...
in a 5–3 loss to the Yankees in the first game of an April 15 doubleheader, before the Athletics returned him to Baltimore the same day. With Baltimore, he again backed up Triandos. Courtney played his last game for the Orioles on June 24, pinch-hitting for
Marv Breeding Marv Eugene Breeding (May 8, 1934 – December 31, 2006) was an American professional baseball second baseman who played four seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Senators and Los Angeles Dodgers between ...
in a 4–1 loss to the
Los Angeles 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 ha ...
. On July 1, the Orioles demoted Courtney to the
Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...
, who were in need of catching help. "You don’t have to go back to the minors if you don’t want to, but if you did you’d be doing the organization a big favor," pleaded Richards.Richman, Milton. “Richards Keeps Promise, Hires Courtney to Catch for Houston.” '' United Press International'', February 13, 1962. Richards also made a promise that wherever he was employed, Courtney would be able to catch. Courtney did go, playing 30 games for the Red Wings for the rest of the season. He batted .217 with 5 runs scored, 13 hits, 0 home runs, and 4 RBI. In 22 games for Baltimore, he had batted .267 with 3 runs scored, 12 hits, 0 home runs, and 4 RBI.


Career statistics and playing style

In an 11-season career, Courtney was a .268 hitter with 260 runs scored, 750 hits, 38 home runs, and 313 RBI in 946 games. As a catcher, he recorded 3,556
putout In baseball statistics, a putout (denoted by ''PO'' or ''fly out'' when appropriate) is awarded to a defensive player who (generally while in secure possession of the ball) records an out by one of the following methods: * Tagging a runner wit ...
s with 379 assists and only 50 errors in 3,985 chances for a .987
fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball. It is calculated by the sum of putouts and assists, div ...
. He also had a 41%
caught stealing In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder whil ...
percentage, throwing out 198 of 478 would-be base stealers. Richards thought Courtney was underrated as a catcher. "You know, Courtney is about three times better a catcher than anyone has ever given him for being. He hops around out there, but he gets the job done. He’s one of the fellows who doesn’t mind winning.""Clint Courtney Big Help in Oriole Drive.” ''Associated Press'', June 3, 1960. Courtney had a reputation for "burning" the ball back to the pitchers when he returned it to the mound. When Courtney was with the Browns, he would hold his glove in the center of the plate as pitchers were throwing.
Ned Garver Ned Franklin Garver (December 25, 1925 – February 26, 2017) was an American professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Browns (1948–1952), the Detroit Tigers (1952–1956), the Kansas City Athle ...
noted that Lollar and
Les Moss John Lester Moss (May 14, 1925 – August 29, 2012) was an Americans, American professional baseball player, Coach (baseball), coach, Scout (sports), scout and Manager (baseball), manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the S ...
, other Browns catchers, had moved the glove to the part of the plate where Garver wished to throw the ball. "So when Courtney always held his glove in the middle of the plate, it made it harder for me," Garver observed. Courtney held the glove in this manner on instruction from Hornsby, who theorized that "the pitchers will miss it enough that they will hit the edge of the plate a lot of the time." When Hornsby was not managing him, Courtney apparently was more likely to set up the pitch location; biographer Costello called him "an expert framer of pitches."


Later minor league career

MLB expanded by creating two new franchises for the 1962 season, and Richards becoming the general manager of the
Houston Colt .45's The Houston Astros are an American professional baseball team based in Houston, Texas. The Astros compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division, having moved to the division in 2013 after ...
. He kept his promise by acquiring Courtney from the Orioles.Russo, p. 28 Courtney competed for the major league club but was cut in April. Initially, he was assigned to the Triple-A
Oklahoma City 89ers Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...
of the American Association. After just three games with them, he was sent to the
Durham Bulls The Durham Bulls are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays. They are located in Durham, North Carolina, and play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, which opened in ...
of the Class B Carolina League, where manager Lou Fitzgerald wanted a veteran around to help the team's catchers. In 81 games for the Bulls, Courtney batted .246 with 37 runs scored, 61 hits, 9 home runs, and 57 RBI. As his career neared its end, Courtney developed a new goal: to become an MLB manager.Russo, p. 27 He split 1963 between Durham and the Texas League's San Antonio Bullets, serving as a player and coach at both destinations. In 23 games for San Antonio, he batted .250 with 5 runs scored, 10 hits, 2 home runs, and 9 RBI. He played 38 games for Durham, batting .212 with 14 runs scored, 24 hits, 6 home runs, and 20 RBI. At San Antonio, he worked with
Jerry Grote Gerald Wayne Grote (born October 6, 1942) is an American former professional baseball player. He played the majority of his Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Mets, catching every inning of the franchise's first two World ...
, a similar-type player who would go on to spend 16 seasons in the major leagues. Courtney finished his playing career in 1964 as a player-coach with San Antonio, where he served as the backup catcher to Dave Adlesh. In 37 games, Courtney batted .324 with 1 run scored, 12 hits, 0 home runs, and 3 RBI. Over 30 years later, David King of '' The San Antonio Express-News'' called Courtney the "heart" of the Bullets, going on to discuss how his work ethic and simple approach to the game influenced the team.


Coaching career

In 1965, Courtney returned to the major leagues as the
bullpen coach In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, who determines the starting lineup and batting order, decides how to substitute players during the game, and makes strategy decisio ...
for Houston, their first season under the name Astros and their first year in the indoor
Astrodome The NRG Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas. It was financed and assisted in development by Roy Hofheinz, mayor of Houston ...
. After the season, Richards and the entire Astro coaching staff were fired. Hired by the
Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. The Braves ...
in 1967, Richards reemployed Courtney as a travelling catching instructor for Atlanta's minor league teams. After just over three years of instructing minor league catchers, Courtney got a chance to manage again in 1970, when he replaced Fitzgerald as manager of the struggling
Shreveport Braves The Shreveport Braves were a minor-league baseball team based from Shreveport, Louisiana. The team played from 1968 to 1970 in the Texas League and was affiliated with the Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball ...
of the Texas League. The move was supposed to be temporary, enabling Courtney to be near his ill father and brother-in-law. His relatives' health improved, however, and Courtney held the position for the rest of the year as Shreveport posted a 58–76 record overall. In 1971, he managed the
Greenwood Braves The Greenwood Braves were a single-A minor league baseball team located in Greenwood, South Carolina that existed from 1968 to 1979. History Affiliated with the Atlanta Braves, the Braves were members of the Western Carolinas League. The Brave ...
of the Class A
Western Carolina League The original Western Carolina League was a Class-D circuit in Minor League Baseball which was ideated and created by John Henry Moss. The league ran from 1948 to 1952, then combined with the North Carolina State League to form the Tar Heel Leag ...
, helping the team post the best record in the league, at 85–38. "Clint ‘Scraps’ Courtney is a man who means what he says and doesn't beat around the bush getting the job done,” opined Jim Joyce of ''The Greenwood Index-Journal''. Courtney managed the
Savannah Braves The Savannah Braves were a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1971 to 1983. They were located in Savannah, Georgia, and played their home games at Grayson Stadium. The franchis ...
of the Class AA Southern League in 1972, guiding them to an 80–59 record. He began 1973 with them but was promoted in June to manage the
Richmond Braves The Richmond Braves were an American minor league baseball club based in Richmond, Virginia, the Triple-A International League affiliate of the Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 2008. Owned by the parent Atlanta club and colloquially referred to as the ...
of the Class AAA
International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major League Baseball ...
, Atlanta's top minor league affiliate. Richmond finished 1973 with a 53–93 record but went 75–65 in 1974. When
Eddie Mathews Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman. He played 17 seasons for Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (1967) and Detroit Tigers (1967– ...
was fired as Atlanta's manager in July 1974, Courtney was prominently mentioned as a possible successor to
Eddie Mathews Edwin Lee Mathews (October 13, 1931 – February 18, 2001) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) third baseman. He played 17 seasons for Boston / Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves (1952–1966); Houston Astros (1967) and Detroit Tigers (1967– ...
to manage the Braves. The job instead went to
Clyde King Clyde Edward King (May 23, 1924 – November 2, 2010) was an American pitcher, coach, manager, general manager and front office executive in Major League Baseball. King's career in baseball spanned 67 years, including 35 full years with the New ...
, and Courtney continued to manage Richmond. Nevertheless, Courtney figured that his dreams of managing a major league team would soon be realized.


Death

On June 15, 1975, while on a road trip with Richmond to play the
Rochester Red Wings The Rochester Red Wings are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals. They are located in Rochester, New York, and play their home games at Innovative Field ...
, Courtney was playing
ping pong Table tennis, also known as ping-pong and whiff-whaff, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight ball, also known as the ping-pong ball, back and forth across a table using small solid rackets. It takes place on a hard table div ...
and discussing baseball with some of his players when he suffered a heart attack. The attack proved fatal, and Courtney died at the age of 48. He was buried in Plot N of the Mount Zion Cemetery in Hall Summit, Louisiana.Russo, p. 29
Bob Lemon Robert Granville Lemon (September 22, 1920 – January 11, 2000) was an American right-handed pitcher and manager (baseball), manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Lemon was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, National Ba ...
replaced him as the manager of Richmond, which finished the 1975 season with a 62–75 record.


Personal life

Courtney married St. Louis's Dorothy Knelange in
Ciudad Obregón Ciudad Obregón is a city in southern Sonora. It is the state's second largest city after Hermosillo and serves as the municipal seat of Cajeme, as of 2020, the city has a population of 436,484. Ciudad Obregón is south of the state's norther ...
on January 11, 1954. The couple had five children: Wendell, Cynthia, Kathleen, Nancy, and Stephen.Duvall, Bob. “Whatever Became of. . .?” ''Baseball Digest'', May 1970: 47. During his career, Courtney owned a 200-acre ranch in
Coushatta, Louisiana Coushatta is a town in, and the parish seat of, rural Red River Parish, Louisiana, Red River Parish in north Louisiana, United States. It is situated on the east bank of the Red River of the South, Red River. The community is approximately 45 mile ...
, renting up to 500 more acres at times as well. "I aim to own my own land ‘n’ all the cattle I can git," he told sportswriter
Bob Broeg Robert William Patrick Broeg (March 18, 1918 – October 28, 2005) was an American sportswriter. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, he officially covered the St. Louis Cardinals for forty years. He graduated from Cleveland High School ( ...
in 1953. He grew over 10,000 peppers, eggplants, and tomato vines in greenhouses, also taking care of
Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...
racehorses on his property. He had a country boy reputation; teammate Dick Hall quipped that riding in the same vehicle as him was "like being in a barn". Courtney was listed at and . Despite his tough reputation during games, his temperament was more genial and affable off the field.


Notes


References

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External links


Baseball AlmanacBaseball LibraryKlingaman, Mike. "In nest of zanies, 3 stood out"
''The Baltimore Sun'', August 31, 2004 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Courtney, Clint 1927 births 1975 deaths Augusta Tigers players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball players from Louisiana Beaumont Exporters players Bisbee Yanks players Chicago White Sox players Durham Bulls players Houston Astros coaches Kansas City Athletics players Kansas City Blues (baseball) players Major League Baseball bullpen coaches Major League Baseball catchers Manchester Yankees players New York Yankees players Norfolk Tars players Oklahoma City 89ers players People from Red River Parish, Louisiana Rochester Red Wings players St. Louis Browns players San Antonio Bullets players Washington Senators (1901–1960) players United States Army personnel of World War II