Chris Chambliss

Chris Chambliss
Chambliss as a member of the Atlanta Braves in the 1980s.
First baseman
Born: (1948-12-26) December 26, 1948 Dayton, Ohio
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 28, 1971 for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
May 8, 1988 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.279
Home runs	185
Runs batted in	972
Teams
As player Cleveland Indians (1971–1974) New York Yankees (1974–1979) Atlanta Braves (1980–1986) New York Yankees (1988) As coach New York Yankees (1988) St. Louis Cardinals (1993–1995) New York Yankees (1996–2000) New York Mets (2002) Cincinnati Reds (2004–2006) Seattle Mariners (2011–2012)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1976) 6× World Series champion (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000) Gold Glove Award winner (1978) 1971 AL Rookie of the Year

Carroll Christopher Chambliss (born December 26, 1948) is a former Major League Baseball player who played from 1971 to 1988 for the Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves. From 2010 to 2012 Chambliss was the hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners.

Playing career

1970-1975

Chambliss played baseball at UCLA before being the first pick in the 1970 MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians. Then, he led the American Association with a .342 batting average while playing for the Wichita Aeros in 1970. He debuted in the majors in 1971, and was named AL Rookie of the Year. Chambliss played first base and was known as a great clutch hitter throughout his career.

He was dealt to the Yankees from the Indians in April 1974 along with pitchers Cecil Upshaw and Dick Tidrow for Fritz Peterson, Fred Beene, Tom Buskey, and Steve Kline in a much criticized multi-player deal.

1976

In 1976, he received his only selection to the All-Star team.

In the 1976 American League Championship Series, his first-pitch, walk off home run off Mark Littell of the Kansas City Royals gave the Yankees their first trip to the World Series since 1964.

Mark Littell delivers . . . High drive hit to right-center field . . . It could be . . . it is . . . GONE!!

—Keith Jackson, ABC-TV.

Chris Chambliss has won the American League pennant for the New York Yankees! A thrilling, dramatic game. . . . What a way for the American League season to end!

—Howard Cosell, ABC-TV.

No, I'm sure he didn't touch home plate but it wont make any difference, it'll be an easy ruling on this one here...it's a home run all the way. The stage was set for Mr. Chambliss, he'd set record after record...it's a shame they don't a have a Most Valuable Player award for the playoffs.

—Reggie Jackson, ABC-TV.

My first thought was that I hit a home run. Then I realized it was the ninth inning, the game was over and we'd won the championship. Then I thought, 'Oh no, the people are on the field.' I was in the middle of a mass of people and when I fell to the ground, it was scary.

—Chambliss.

I never felt like it was fun to celebrate that home run with the fans. They didn't belong on the field. I wanted to meet my teammates at home plate and I couldn't.

—Chris Chambliss.

Chambliss was the hitting star of the 1976 ALCS, as he also hit a two-run homer in Game 3 to help the Yankees win that Game 5 to 3. He hit an ALCS record .524 with 2 home runs and eight RBIs. In the 1976 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds, Chambliss hit .313 (5-for-16) with one RBI.

Later career

Chambliss played three more seasons with the Yankees, winning a Gold Glove for fielding prowess in 1978. He then moved on to Atlanta from 1980-1986. He had one at-bat with the Yankees in 1988 and struck out. After his playing days ended, Chambliss became a hitting instructor for several teams and was talked about as a possible managerial candidate.

Coaching and managerial career

In 1989, Chambliss became the manager for the Double-A London Tigers of the Eastern League, an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The London Tigers won the Eastern League title in 1990, playing out of Labatt Park. That same year Chambliss was named Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News.

Chambliss was also a hitting coach with the Yankees, and has the distinction of being one of two men who wore a Yankees uniform (player or coach) during each of the Yankees' last six World Series Championship seasons prior to 2009 (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000) -- the other is former New York Mets manager Willie Randolph. Chambliss was also the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Mets and Cincinnati Reds.

Most recently, Chambliss was the manager of the Triple A Charlotte Knights prior to joining the Seattle Mariners in November, 2010 as hitting coach. At the conclusion of the 2012 season, the Mariners announced that Chambliss would not be returning as their hitting coach in 2013.

See also

• List of major league players with 2,000 hits

References

• London Tigers 1989, The Collector's Edition, Souvenir Program.
• Tiger Special: Peanuts, popcorn, crackerjack, Baseball's Back, The London Free Press, Section F, April 7, 1989.
• 1980 Baseball Register published by The Sporting News

External links

• Chambliss Sinks the Royals
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or The Baseball Cube
• Retrosheet

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Thurman Munson	American League Rookie of the Year 1971	Succeeded by Carlton Fisk
Sporting positions
Preceded by Jay Ward	New York Yankees hitting coach 1988	Succeeded by Champ Summers
Preceded by first manager	London Tigers Manager 1989-1990	Succeeded by Gene Roof
Preceded by Buddy Bailey	Greenville Braves Manager 1991	Succeeded by Grady Little
Preceded by Phil Niekro	Richmond Braves Manager 1992	Succeeded by Grady Little
Preceded by Don Baylor	St. Louis Cardinals hitting coach 1993-1995	Succeeded by George Hendrick
Preceded by Rick Down	New York Yankees hitting coach 1996-2000	Succeeded by Gary Denbo
Preceded by Lynn Jones	Calgary Cannons Manager 2001	Succeeded by Dean Treanor
Preceded by Dave Engle	New York Mets hitting coach 2002	Succeeded by Denny Walling
Preceded by Ray Knight	Cincinnati Reds hitting coach 2004-2006	Succeeded by Brook Jacoby
Preceded by Marc Bombard	Charlotte Knights Manager 2009-2010	Succeeded by Joe McEwing