Butch Hobson

Butch Hobson
Third baseman
Born: August 17, 1951 (1951-08-17) Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 7, 1975 for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
August 3, 1982 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.248
Home runs	98
RBI	397
Teams
Boston Red Sox (1975-1980) California Angels (1981) New York Yankees (1982)
Career highlights and awards
Led the American League in strikeouts (162) in 1977

Clell Lavern "Butch" Hobson, Jr. (born August 17, 1951 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama) is a former third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Hobson played for the Boston Red Sox (1975–80), California Angels (1981) and New York Yankees (1982). He batted and threw right-handed.

After retiring, he managed the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Boston Red Sox. He managed the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball in 2008. He won the International League Manager of the Year award in 1991, and led the Nashua Pride to the Atlantic League Championship in 2000 and the Can-Am League Championship in 2007.

Hobson was a star football player for the University of Alabama team under Bear Bryant. Selected by the Red Sox in the 1973 amateur draft, he made his debut in 1975. His most productive season came in 1977, when he set team season records for a third baseman with 30 home runs and 112 RBIs.

In 1978, Hobson hit 17 home runs with 80 RBI. Nevertheless, he posted 43 errors, the most for any American League fielder in that season, and his .899 fielding average also was the first below .900 by a regular player in 60 years. Hobson hit 28 home runs with 93 RBI in 1979, but a year later, an ensuing injury to his right elbow left him inactive for almost two campaigns.

Before the 1981 season, Hobson was sent to the Angels along with Rick Burleson in the same trade that brought Carney Lansford and Mark Clear to Boston. Hobson finished his major league career with the Yankees in 1982. In an eight-year career, Hobson hit a .248 batting average with 98 home runs and 397 RBI in 738 games.

Hobson managed Pawtucket for one season and posted a 79-64 record to lead his team to a first-place finish in the International League. After losing the Governors' Cup to Columbus, he was hired to manage the Red Sox parent club and posted a 207-232 record for Boston from 1992-94. In 1996, while managing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, then a Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, he was arrested for possession of cocaine and immediately fired. Since 2000, he managed the Pride for eight straight seasons with a record of 508-456.

On July 27, 2007 managing the Pride in a game against the North Shore Spirit, Hobson was ejected after arguing against a call reversed against a Spirit baserunner who was called safe after initially being called out. Hobson reacted by pulling first base from the ground, then going into the stands to give it to a young fan.

Hobson left the Nashua Pride after the 2007 season. On November 19, 2007, Hobson was officially named the first-ever manager of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the Atlantic League. He won manager of the year for the Atlantic League for the 2008 season.

On October 19, 2010 Hobson was named Manager of the Lancaster Barnstormers for the 2011 season.

Hobson's son, K C Hobson, was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 6th round, 190th overall in the June 2009 baseball draft and is currently playing for the Lansing Lugnuts of the Midwest League.

Sources

• The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Butch Hobson at the Internet Movie Database

Preceded by Tucker Ashford	Columbia Mets Manager 1987-1988	Succeeded by Bill Stein
Preceded by Dave Holt	New Britain Red Sox Manager 1989-1990	Succeeded by Gary Allenson
Preceded by Johnny Pesky	Pawtucket Red Sox Manager 1991	Succeeded by Rico Petrocelli
Preceded by Mike Quade	Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons Manager 1996	Succeeded by Ramon Aviles
Preceded by Bob Geren	Sarasota Red Sox Manager 1999	Succeeded by Ron Johnson
Preceded by Joe Morgan	Boston Red Sox Manager 1992–1994	Succeeded by Kevin Kennedy