Mitchell Jack "Mickey" Stanley (born July 20, 1942) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
former professional
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 ...
player.
A native of
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
, Stanley signed with 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 ...
organization in 1960. After four years in the Tigers' minor league organization, he made his major league debut in September 1964. He remained with the Tigers for 15 years from 1964 to 1978. He appeared in 1,516 games with the Tigers, 1,175 of them as a center fielder. He won four American League Gold Glove Awards (1968, 1969, 1970, and 1973) and ranked among baseball's all-time leaders in career
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 ...
by an outfielder.
For the
1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1968 Major League Baseball season, 1968 season. The 65th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between American League (AL) ch ...
, Detroit manager
Mayo Smith
Edward Mayo "Catfish" Smith (January 17, 1915 – November 24, 1977) was an American professional baseball player, manager, and scout who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics. Smith had a 39-year baseball career ...
moved Stanley to
shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
, a move that has been ranked as one of the gutsiest coaching decisions in sports history.
After retiring from baseball, Stanley became a builder and real estate developer in
Livingston County, Michigan
Livingston County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 193,866. It is part of the Detroit-Warren- Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county seat and most populous city is Howell. The ...
. He was inducted into the
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports athletes, coaches and contributors. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, presid ...
in 1994 and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
Early life
Stanley was born in
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...
, in 1942.
His father, James, drove a truck at night for the Oven Fresh Bakery.
He attended
Ottawa Hills High School in Grand Rapids where he played baseball, basketball, and football. He played in the infield and pitched for Ottawa Hills.
[ He led the Grand Rapids city league with a .524 batting average in 1959, and compiled a .373 batting average as a senior in 1960.][ In football, he played at the halfback and end positions.][
]
Professional baseball
Minor leagues
In June 1960, Stanley signed for a reported $12,000 to play for 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 ...
organization during the 1961 season.
Stanley spent four years in the Tigers' minor league organization. In 1962, he played for the Duluth Dukes
The Duluth Dukes was the name of an American minor league baseball franchise that represented Duluth, Minnesota, in the Northern League from 1935 to 1942, and from 1946 to 1955. In addition, a separate edition of the Dukes was one of four franc ...
in the outfield with Jim Northrup and Willie Horton
William R. Horton (born August 12, 1951), commonly referred to as "Willie Horton", is an American convicted felon who became notorious for committing violent crimes while on furlough from prison, where he was serving a life sentence without the ...
—a trio that later played together in Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
for more than a decade. Stanley's speed and fielding talents impressed, but his failure to hit for average delayed his progress to the big league roster. He hit .252 with the Knoxville Smokies
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state's ...
at Double-A level in 1963.[ He began the 1964 with the Triple-A ]Syracuse Chiefs
Syracuse may refer to:
Places Italy
*Syracuse, Sicily, or spelled as ''Siracusa''
*Province of Syracuse
United States
*Syracuse, New York
**East Syracuse, New York
**North Syracuse, New York
*Syracuse, Indiana
* Syracuse, Kansas
*Syracuse, Miss ...
, but he hit only .160 in 19 games and was sent back to Knoxville 50 at bats with Syracuse where he hit a career high .304 in 90 games.
In mid-September 1964, Stanley was called up by the Tigers, making his major league debut on September 13, playing in left field in place of Gates Brown
William James "Gates" Brown (May 2, 1939 – September 27, 2013) was an American Major League Baseball left fielder who spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers (1963–1975). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Early life
Brown ...
. At the time, Al Kaline
Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kal ...
called Stanley "the best young outfielder we have had in the minors since I started here." Stanley appeared in four major league games in 1964, compiling a .273 batting average in 11 at bats.[
Stanley returned to the minors in 1965. He appeared in 144 games at Syracuse and compiled .281 batting average with 10 home runs and 73 RBIs.][ He was also named to the ]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 ...
all-star team and led the league's outfielders with a .992 fielding percentage.[
]
1965–1967
In late August 1965, Stanley returned to Tigers—this time to stay. He appeared in 30 games, 29 of them in center field, with a .239 batting average and hit his first major league home run on September 3, 1964.[
In 1966, Stanley made the big league roster and began the season as the team's starting center fielder. In mid-May, he broke a bone in his left little finger when he fell at his home after washing his car. He returned to the lineup in mid-June and appeared in a total of 92 games, 82 in center field. He ended up leading the team with a .289 batting average and finished the season with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 174 chances in center field.] Stanley credited his improved batting in 1966 to acting manager Frank Skaff
Francis Michael Skaff (September 30, 1910 – April 12, 1988) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) infielder, coach, manager and scout. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935 and for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1943, and served as act ...
giving him more playing time in the second half of the season and boosting his confidence.[
In 1967, the Tigers were in the running for the American League pennant, ultimately finishing one game behind 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 ...
. Stanley appeared in 145 games, 129 in center field.[ However, his batting average plummeted by 79 points to .210, just three points higher than shortstop ]Ray Oyler
Raymond Francis Oyler (August 4, 1937 – January 26, 1981) was an American baseball player, a major league shortstop for the Detroit Tigers (1965–1968), Seattle Pilots (1969), and California Angels (1970). He is best remembered as the slic ...
.
1968 season
During the Tigers' 1968 season, Stanley helped the team win the American League pennant with a 103-59 record. He appeared in 153 games, including 131 in center field, 15 at first base, nine at shortstop, and one inning at second base. He compiled a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in center field and won his first American League Glove Award. At the plate, he compiled a .259 batting average with 11 home runs and 60 RBIs.[
Late in the 1968 season, manager ]Mayo Smith
Edward Mayo "Catfish" Smith (January 17, 1915 – November 24, 1977) was an American professional baseball player, manager, and scout who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics. Smith had a 39-year baseball career ...
moved Stanley to shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball or softball fielding position between second and third base, which is considered to be among the most demanding defensive positions. Historically the position was assigned to defensive specialists who ...
, a position Stanley had never played professionally, not even in the minor leagues.[ His debut at short came on August 23 in ]Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...
, moving from center to shortstop in the seventh inning of the first game of a doubleheader, then starting at short in the second game. Stanley would again start at shortstop in six of the last nine games of the season in preparation for the 1968 World Series
The 1968 World Series was the World Series, championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1968 Major League Baseball season, 1968 season. The 65th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff between American League (AL) ch ...
, replacing regular shortstop Ray Oyler
Raymond Francis Oyler (August 4, 1937 – January 26, 1981) was an American baseball player, a major league shortstop for the Detroit Tigers (1965–1968), Seattle Pilots (1969), and California Angels (1970). He is best remembered as the slic ...
, who hit just .135 that year. The move allowed Smith to play all three of his power-hitting Tiger outfielders (Willie Horton
William R. Horton (born August 12, 1951), commonly referred to as "Willie Horton", is an American convicted felon who became notorious for committing violent crimes while on furlough from prison, where he was serving a life sentence without the ...
, Jim Northrup, and Al Kaline
Albert William Kaline ( ; December 19, 1934 – April 6, 2020), nicknamed "Mr. Tiger", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers. For most of his career, Kal ...
) for every game of the World Series. Despite his inexperience at shortstop, Stanley played the position adequately, committing only two errors in 34 chances with neither miscue leading to a run. As the starting shortstop for the entire 1968 World Series, Stanley hit a modest .214 in the Fall Classic, but did notch a triple and scored twice in a pivotal Game 5 comeback win for the Tigers. ESPN.com
ESPN.com is the official website of ESPN. It is owned by ESPN Internet Ventures, a division of ESPN Inc.
History
Since launching in April 1995 as ESPNET.SportsZone.com (ESPNET SportsZone), the website has developed numerous sections including: ...
has ranked Smith's decision to move Stanley to shortstop as the third or fourth "gutsiest call" in sports history, and one of the Ten Greatest Coaching Decisions of the 20th Century in any sport. ''The Boston Globe
''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...
'' rated it as "the gutsiest move in history."
1969–1974
In 1969, Mayo Smith continued his experiment playing Stanley at shortstop. That year, Stanley played 58 games at shortstop. However, Stanley's batting average dropped precipitously while playing at shortstop, and he returned to center field for 99 games. His batting average recovered when he was returned to center field, and he finished the 1969 season with a .235 batting average, 16 home runs, and a career-high 70 RBIs.[ Stanley also won his second Gold Glove Award in 1969 after compiling a .985 fielding percentage in 101 games in the outfield.
From 1970 to 1974, Stanley remained a mainstay in center field for Detroit. His excellent defensive play won him a third Gold Glove Award in 1970. That year, he appeared in 132 games in center field with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 331 chances. He hit .252 with 13 home runs and 47 RBIs and ranked second in the American League with 11 triples.][
During the 1971 season, Stanley hit for a career-high .292 batting average, second only to Al Kaline among the Tigers' starters.][ He remained a fixture in center field for the 1971 Tigers, appearing in 139 games at the position with a .983 fielding percentage.][
In 1972, Stanley helped lead the Tigers to the American League East divisional title. He appeared in 139 games in center field and compiled a .987 fielding percentage. His batting average dropped to .234 with 14 home runs and 55 RBIs.][
Stanley had one of his best all-around seasons in 1973. He appeared in a career-high 157 games, including 151 games as the team's starting center fielder. He compiled a .993 fielding percentage, a 2.74 range factor (well above the league average of 2.02), and won his fourth Gold Glove Award. He hit a career-high 17 home runs during the 1973 season.][ After being struck out by ]Nolan Ryan
Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanning four decades, Ryan ...
in a 1973 no-hitter
In baseball, a no-hitter is a game in which a team was not able to record a hit. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in at least nine innings recorded no hits. A pitcher wh ...
, Stanley told reporters: "Those were the best pitches I ever heard."
In 1974, Stanley played 90 games at center field and compiled a .986 fielding percentage. However, his batting average dropped to .221, the lowest by Stanley since 1967.[ On July 30, 1974, Stanley broke a bone in his right hande, making room for ]Ron LeFlore
Ronald LeFlore (born June 16, 1948) is an American former Major League Baseball center fielder. He played six seasons with the Detroit Tigers before being traded to the Montreal Expos. He retired with the Chicago White Sox in 1982. He stole 455 ...
to take over as the Tigers' center fielder. As LeFlore performed well, Stanley conceded in late August, "It's going to be pretty hard to move him out. He's an exciting player."
1975–1978
With LeFlore taking over in center field, Stanley in February 1975 said, "For the first time I feel like I'm on the outside looking in", while adding, "I want to stay in Detroit. I want to stay in Michigan. This is my home and this is where I want to play." He became a utility player and late-inning defense replacement during the 1975 season, appearing in 15 games in center field, 14 in left field, 14 at first base, seven at third base, and one as the team's designated hitter.[
He continued in the utility role through the 1978 season, playing at least two games at every position except pitcher and catcher.][ By April 1977, Stanley and ]John Hiller
John Frederick Hiller (born April 8, 1943) is a Canadian former baseball relief pitcher who played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Detroit Tigers between 1965 and 1980. A native of Toronto, he joined the Tigers in 1965 and w ...
were the only two players remaining on the roster from the 1968 World Series championship team. At the end of the 1978 season, Stanley's contract with the Tigers expired, though Stanley expressed his desire to continue playing.
During the 1978 season, Stanley was a bridge between the Tigers 1968 and 1984 World Series teams. Having been a mainstay on the 1968 team, he was an aging veteran playing alongside rookies Alan Trammell
Alan Stuart Trammell ( ; born February 21, 1958) is an American former professional baseball shortstop, manager and coach and member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame as a player. His entire 20-year playing career in Major League Baseball ( ...
, Lou Whitaker
Louis Rodman Whitaker Jr. (born May 12, 1957), nicknamed "Sweet Lou", is an American former professional baseball second baseman.
Whitaker spent his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. From 1977 to 1995, he appeared in 2,390 games for the ...
, Lance Parrish
Lance Michael Parrish (born June 15, 1956), nicknamed "Big Wheel", is an American former baseball catcher who played Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1977 through 1995. Born in Pennsylvania, Parrish grew up in Southern California and excelled in ...
, and Jack Morris
John Scott Morris (born May 16, 1955) is an American former professional baseball starting pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1977 and 1994, mainly for the Detroit Tigers. Morris won 254 games throughout his career.
Armed ...
. He was released by the Tigers in December 1978.
Career statistics
In 15 major league seasons, all with the Tigers, Stanley appeared in 1,516 games, including 1,175 in center field, 94 at first base, 79 in right field, 74 at shortstop, 42 in left field, 18 at third base, five as designated hitter, and four at second base.[
He posted a .248 career batting average (1,243-for-5,022) with 641 runs, 201 doubles, 48 ]triples
TripleS (stylized as tripleS; Help:IPA/English, /ˈtɹɪpəl:ɛs/; ) is a South Korean girl group formed by MODHAUS. They aim to be the world's first decentralized K-pop idol group. The members will rotate between the group, sub-unit, and solo ac ...
, 117 home runs
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 ...
, 500 RBIs, 44 stolen bases
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a runner advances to a base to which they are not entitled and the official scorer rules that the advance should be credited to the action of the runner. The umpires determine whether the runner is safe or ...
, 371 bases on balls
A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
, .298 on-base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) measures how frequently a batter reaches base. An official Major League Baseball (MLB) statistic since 1984, it is sometimes referred to as on-base average (OBA), as it is rarely presented as a ...
and .377 slugging percentage
In baseball statistics, slugging percentage (SLG) is a measure of the batting productivity of a hitter. It is calculated as total bases divided by at bats, through the following formula, where ''AB'' is the number of at bats for a given player, ...
.[
Stanley's greatest talents were on defense. He finished his career with four Gold Glove Awards and a .991 ]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 ...
as an outfielder.[ As of 2006, he ranked 12th all-time in fielding percentage by outfielders][
]
Family and later years
Stanley married his high school girlfriend, Ellen Ann Terrell, in 1961. They had three children: Steven Scott, born 1963; Karen Michele, born 1966; and Pamela Ann, born 1970.[
After being released by the Tigers, Stanley played two seasons of professional softball, for the ]Detroit Caesars
The Detroit Caesars were a professional softball team played in the American Professional Slo-Pitch Softball League (APSPL) from 1977 to 1979.
History
Prior to formalized professional play, Detroit was a hotbed for softball, with some of the top ...
in 1979 and for the Detroit Auto Kings
The Detroit Auto Kings were a professional softball team that played in the North American Softball League (NASL) in the 1980 season at Memorial Field in East Detroit, Michigan.
League history
Detroit was represented by the Detroit Caesars, wh ...
in 1980.
In 1978, Stanley moved to Green Oak Township in Livingston County, Michigan
Livingston County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 193,866. It is part of the Detroit-Warren- Dearborn, MI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county seat and most populous city is Howell. The ...
, and later to Genoa Township in Livingston County. He became a builder and developer.[ In 2005, he led an effort to build 12,000-square-foot homes on 64 lots covering 28 acres near ]Howell, Michigan
Howell is the largest city and county seat of Livingston County, Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 9,489. The city is mostly surrounded by Howell Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Howell is part o ...
. He also served on the board of directors of Brighton Commerce Bank.
He was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports athletes, coaches and contributors. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, presid ...
in 1994 and the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
Footnotes
See also
*
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stanley, Mickey
1942 births
Living people
Detroit Tigers players
Gold Glove Award winners
Baseball players from Grand Rapids, Michigan
Major League Baseball outfielders
Major League Baseball shortstops
People from Brighton, Michigan
Sportspeople from Metro Detroit