Jimmie Schaffer

Summary

Jimmie Ronald Schaffer (born April 5, 1936) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher who played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds all of the National League, and the Chicago White Sox of the American League, between 1961 and 1968[1]

Jimmie Schaffer
Catcher
Born: (1936-04-05) April 5, 1936 (age 88)
Limeport, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 20, 1961, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
July 11, 1968, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Batting average.223
Home runs11
Runs batted in56
Teams

Early life and education edit

Schaffer was born in Limeport, Pennsylvania, and attended Coopersburg High School in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1954.

Major League Baseball edit

Playing career edit

Schaffer signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues before making his major league debut at age 25 on May 20, 1961. In that game, he started at catcher and batted eighth for the Cardinals, and in his first major league at bat, he recorded his first career major league hit, a third-inning single off the Cubs' Dick Ellsworth in a 1-0 loss.[2]

In his major league career, Schaffer played in 304 games with 11 home runs, 56 runs batted in and a .223 batting average.[3]

Coaching career edit

Schaffer also managed in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system, spent one season (1978) as the bullpen coach of the Texas Rangers, and played a similar role for the Kansas City Royals from 1980 to 1988, serving on the Royals' 1980 and 1985 world champion coaching staffs.

After retiring from coaching professional baseball in 1989, Schaffer returned to his hometown of Limeport, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Jeanne have five adult children and a 12-year-old grandson.[4]

References edit

  1. ^ "Jimmie Schaffer Stats".
  2. ^ "St. Louis Cardinals at Chicago Cubs Box Score, May 20, 1961".
  3. ^ "Jimmie Schaffer Stats".
  4. ^ http://articles.mcall.com/1990-06-30/sports/2736680_1_major-leagues-dave-linde-minor-leagues [bare URL]

External links edit

  • Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet