Birdie Tebbetts

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox baseball biography George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians from 1936 to 1952. Tebbetts was regarded as the best catcher in the American League in the late 1940s.<ref name="Backstop: a history of the catcher and a sabermetric ranking of 50 all-time greats">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazineTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Although he lacked speed and did not hit for power, Tebbetts was an exceptional defensive catcher and intelligent player who capably directed his pitchers. These traits served him well later in his career, as he became the manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Braves and the Cleveland Indians. His major league career encompassed 14 years as a catcher, 11 as a manager and 28 as a scout.

Early life

Tebbetts was born in Burlington, Vermont, but his family moved to Nashua, New Hampshire a few months after he was born. Shortly thereafter, his father died, leaving his mother to raise the family.<ref name="sabrbio">Template:Sabrbio</ref> Some reports state that Tebbetts acquired his nickname as a boy after an aunt observed that his voice sounded like a bird chirping, while other reports state the nickname was acquired while attending Providence College.<ref name=sabrbio/><ref name="Backstop: a history of the catcher and a sabermetric ranking of 50 all-time greats"/> Tebbetts was a bat boy for the Nashua Millionaires as a child, also serving as a catcher for pitchers warming up.<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="sabrbio" /><ref name=":1">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Tebbetts was a star athlete at Nashua High School where he attained All-State status as a football quarterback and as a baseball catcher.<ref name="Tebbetts: Nashua's big leaguer">Template:Cite news</ref> He signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers after they agreed to pay his college tuition. He attended Providence College where he became an All-American in baseball before graduating with a degree in philosophy in 1934.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=sabrbio/><ref name="Tebbetts: Nashua's big leaguer"/> He also suffered an appendicitis in college, causing him to miss several months of baseball.<ref name=":0" />

Baseball career

The Tigers purchased future Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane from the Philadelphia Athletics in December 1933, leaving no place for Tebbetts on the team.<ref name=sabrbio/> He spent the next three seasons playing in the minor leagues before making his MLB debut with the Tigers on September 16, 1936 at the age of 23.<ref name=sabrbio/><ref name="Birdie Tebbetts minor league statistics">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 1937 season, Cochrane's playing career came to an end when he was hit by a pitch and suffered a fractured skull.<ref name=sabrbio/> Rudy York replaced Cochrane as the Tigers' catcher, but his defensive skills were so poor that by the 1939 season, new Tigers manager Del Baker gave Tebbetts a chance to play.<ref name=sabrbio/> Tebbetts ended the season with a .261 batting average and led American League (AL) catchers in assists and in baserunners caught stealing.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1940, York was converted into a first baseman, leaving Tebbetts in sole possession of the catcher's position.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He responded by posting a .296 batting average, as the Tigers defeated the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees in a tight pennant race to clinch the American League title.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> Tebbetts was held hitless in the 1940 World Series as the Tigers lost to the Cincinnati Reds in a seven-game series.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He once again led AL catchers in assists and in baserunners caught stealing.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September, Tebbetts had been charged with assault and battery during a game in Cleveland when a basket of tomatoes was dropped on him by a Cleveland fan.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As police held the fan, Tebbetts rushed up and struck him. The charges were later dismissed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Tebbetts developed a reputation for antagonizing opposing players, constantly heckling them in an effort to have them make mistakes and give his team an advantage.<ref name="Backstop: a history of the catcher and a sabermetric ranking of 50 all-time greats" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> However, he also could be a good sport. In his autobiography, Tebbetts said he and catcher Mike Tresh helped umpire Red Ormbsy call balls and strikes during a game when Ormsby suffered from a dizzy spell. Tebbetts tipped Ormsby off with hand signals following each pitch.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1941, Tebbetts was hitting for a .296 average by mid-season and earned a place as a reserve player for the American League in the 1941 All-Star Game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He led American League catchers in assists for a third consecutive year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Tebbetts was named the starting catcher for the American League in the 1942 All-Star Game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

File:BirdieTebbetts1952bowman.jpg

A 1952 Bowman Gum card of Tebbetts

Despite holding a 3-A draft classification because of his mother's dependency, Tebbetts applied for an Army Air Corps commission.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He joined the military services in August 1942 and was assigned to recruiting duties in Waco, Texas during the Second World War.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tebbetts honed his managerial skills as a player-manager for the Waco Army Flying School's baseball team.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He lost three years of his baseball career to his military service.

After his discharge from the military, Tebbetts returned to play for the Tigers in 1946, posting a .243 batting average in 86 games.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> He was hitting for only a .094 average in May 1947 when he was traded to the Boston Red Sox for catcher Hal Wagner.<ref name="1947 Birdie Tebbetts batting log">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After the trade, Tebbetts hit for a .299 average for the remainder of the season.<ref name="1947 Birdie Tebbetts batting log"/> There were reports in July 1947 that the Red Sox were considering Tebbetts as a successor to their manager, Joe Cronin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was hitting for a .286 average at mid-season in 1948 and was named as a reserve catcher for the American League in the 1948 All-Star Game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Red Sox finished the season in a first place tie with the Cleveland Indians before losing the pennant in a one-game playoff at Fenway Park.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Tebbetts was elected to be the starting catcher for the American League in the 1949 All-Star Game.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He hit for a .270 average in 1949 as the Red Sox engaged the New York Yankees in a tight battle for the pennant that was not decided until the final game of the season.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Red Sox had a one-game lead with two games left to play in the season, but lost the final two games of the season against their New York rivals to once again finish in second place.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In 1950, the 37-year-old Tebbetts shared catching duties with Matt Batts as he posted a career-high .310 batting average in 84 games.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> The Red Sox were once again involved in a tight pennant race before faltering to finish in third place in the standings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At a public speaking engagement in October, Tebbetts defended Red Sox manager Steve O'Neill from criticism he received from some of the Red Sox players. In his speech, Tebbetts called the critics "a couple of juvenile delinquents and moronic malcontents."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His comments created friction within the team and two months later, his contract was sold to the Cleveland Indians.<ref name=sabrbio/> He spent the final two seasons of his career as a backup catcher for perennial All-Star Jim Hegan.<ref name=sabrbio/> Tebbetts played his final major league game on September 14, 1952 at the age of 38 although in a news report in December 1952, Tebbetts admitted that his actual age was 43, saying that he subtracted five years off his age after he left college.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Career statistics

In a fourteen-year major league career, Tebbetts played in 1,162 games, accumulating 1,000 hits in 3,704 at bats for a .270 career batting average along with 38 home runs, 469 runs batted in and an on-base percentage of .341.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> He ended his career with a .978 fielding percentage.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> A four-time All-Star, Tebbetts led American League catchers four times in range factor, three times in assists, twice in baserunners caught stealing, and once in putouts.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference"/> Before the arrival of Hall of Fame catcher, Carlton Fisk, Tebbetts was voted the Red Sox' all-time best catcher in a 1969 fan poll , a remarkable feat, considering that he spent only four years with the Red Sox.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Managerial and executive career

File:Birdie Tebbetts 1954.jpg

Tebbetts during his time as Cincinnati Reds manager.

In December 1952, the Indians General Manager, Hank Greenberg, named Tebbetts as the manager of the Indianapolis Indians.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After Tebbetts guided Indianapolis to a fourth-place finish in 1953, he was hired by Gabe Paul to replace Rogers Hornsby as the manager of the Cincinnati Reds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After leading the Reds to fifth-place finishes in 1954 and 1955, Tebbetts led the team to a surprising third-place finish in 1956. The Reds were in first place at mid-season and stayed in the pennant race until the last day of the season, ending up with a 91–63 record, two games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> For his efforts, the Baseball Writers' Association of America voted Tebbetts as the 1956 Manager of the Year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Reds rewarded him with a three-year contract in December.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1957, Tebbetts had the Reds in first place at mid-season, earning him a place on the cover of Time magazine in July of that year.<ref name="1957 Cincinnati Redlegs Schedule, Box Scores and Splits">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Reds faltered during the second half of the season and faded to finish in fourth place.<ref name="1957 Cincinnati Redlegs Schedule, Box Scores and Splits" /> Frank Robinson gave Tebbetts credit for his performance during the 1957 season saying, "He kept after me all year and that's what a young ball player needs."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1958, the Reds fell into last place and Tebbetts announced his resignation on August 14.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In October 1958, Tebbetts was hired as an executive vice president for the Milwaukee Braves.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He served in the Braves front office from 1959 through September 1961, but found that he missed the excitement of being on the playing field.<ref name=sabrbio /> When the team fired Chuck Dressen in September 1961, Tebbetts returned to managing for the last month of the season.<ref name=sabrbio/> Ironically, his former team, the Cincinnati Reds, would win the National League pennant that year.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Despite having talented players like Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock, Warren Spahn, and Lew Burdette, Tebbetts could manage only a fifth-place finish in 1962.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In October 1962, Tebbetts signed a three-year contract to manage the Cleveland Indians, saying that he felt he owed a long-standing debt to new Indians General Manager, Gabe Paul.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> After managing the Indians to a fifth-place finish in 1963, he suffered a heart attack during spring training in Tucson, Arizona on April 1, 1964.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Just three months later, he returned to manage the team. After a fifth-place finish in 1965, Tebbetts led the Indians to fourteen victories in their first fifteen games of the 1966 season, but the team faltered and fell fifteen games out of first place before he resigned as manager in August.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tommy John remembered Tebbetts's advice for pitchers when they faced hitters they really struggled against: tell the hitter exactly what they were going to throw. This was meant to confuse the hitter, who would be unsure whether to believe the pitcher or not.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In eleven seasons as a major league manager, Tebbetts compiled a 748–705 win–loss record.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He returned to the minor leagues as a manager in 1967, managing the Marion Mets in the Appalachian League.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> From 1968 to 1997, Tebbetts scouted for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles and the Florida Marlins.<ref name=sabrbio /> His baseball acuity earned him a reputation as one of the most respected scouts in professional baseball.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Reggie Jackson credited Tebbetts' scouting reports for helping him hit three home runs in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He retired in 1997, having spent 60 years in baseball, including 53 years in the majors.

Managerial Record

Team	Year	Regular season
		Games	Won	Lost	Win %	Finish
CIN	Template:Mlby	154	Template:WinLossPct	5th in NL
CIN	Template:Mlby	154	Template:WinLossPct	5th in NL
CIN	Template:Mlby	154	Template:WinLossPct	3rd in NL
CIN	Template:Mlby	154	Template:WinLossPct	4th in NL
CIN	Template:Mlby	113	Template:WinLossPct	Resigned
CIN total		729	Template:WinLossPct
MIL	Template:Mlby	25	Template:WinLossPct	Interim
MIL	Template:Mlby	162	Template:WinLossPct	5th in NL
MIL total		188	Template:WinLossPct
CLE	Template:Mlby	162	Template:WinLossPct	6th in AL
CLE	Template:Mlby	90	Template:WinLossPct	6th in AL
CLE	Template:Mlby	162	Template:WinLossPct	5th in AL
CLE	Template:Mlby	123	Template:WinLossPct	Resigned
CLE total		537	Template:WinLossPct
Total<ref name="birdie">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation		CitationClass=web }}</ref>||1453||Template:WinLossPct

Later life, death, and legacy

Tebbetts moved to Anna Maria, Florida in the early 1960s.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts, Plain Speaker With 53-Year Baseball Career">Template:Cite news</ref> He was appointed to the Veterans Committee of the Baseball Hall of Fame in February 1979.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He received the Judge Emil Fuchs Award in 1986 for his long and meritorious service in baseball.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Tebbetts died on March 24, 1999, in Bradenton, Florida, at the age of 86.<ref name="Birdie Tebbetts, Plain Speaker With 53-Year Baseball Career"/>

On May 28, 2009, Tebbetts was announced as a Local Legend of Nashua, New Hampshire, and commemorated with a plaque to be placed in Holman Stadium.Template:Citation needed He was inducted into the New Hampshire Interscholastic Athletic Association Hall of Fame in 2014.<ref name=":0" />

External links

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