Al Unser (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Albert Bernard Unser was a Major League Baseball
catcher
who played for the Detroit Tigers
(1942-1944) and Cincinnati Reds
(1945). He was a native of Morrisonville, Illinois
and the father of MLB center fielder
Del Unser
.
Although Unser's major league career was short, he had a lengthy career in minor league baseball
. He began his professional career in , playing for three different minor league teams that season. He was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals
organization in , playing in their farm system until . In , he served as manager of the class-D Gastonia Cardinals of the Tar Heel League
, guiding them to the league championship.
In , Unser joined the Tigers' farm system, spending that season with the Beaumont Exporters
of the Texas League
. He spent most of the season as a player-manager with the Winston-Salem Twins of the Piedmont League
, and at the end of the season he joined the major league club. Unser became one of many baseball players who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II
, making his major league debut at age 29 on September 14, 1942 in a home game against the Washington Senators
at Briggs Stadium.
Over the next two seasons, Unser played sparingly for Detroit, spending part of each season in the minors with the Buffalo Bisons
. The following season, he joined the Reds, where he had his best season in . In his only full season in the majors, Unser batted .265 in 67 games with 3 home runs and 21 runs batted in (RBI). His career MLB totals for 120 games include a .251 batting average
(85-for-338), 4 home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs
, .322 on base percentage
, and a slugging percentage of .355.
In , Unser returned to the minor leagues with the Hollywood Stars
of the Pacific Coast League
, spending two seasons with the club. In , he played with the Tulsa Oilers
, then returned to the Stars in . In , he played with the minor league Baltimore Orioles
, then played for the minor league Milwaukee Brewers
the next two seasons. In , he was named the Most Valuable Player of the American Association
, batting .293 with 17 home runs. In , Unser returned to managing, serving as player-manager for the Austin Pioneers of the Big State League
.
After splitting among three teams, he returned to the Cardinals organization as essentially a full-time manager and occasional player. While managing the Midwest League
Decatur Commodores
from 1955-1957, he appeared in just 11 and 7 games in the first two seasons, and just a single game in 1957. That year, Unser won his second league championship as a manager. In , he managed the Winston-Salem Red Birds, then spent the next two seasons managing the Keokuk Cardinals. He made his last appearance as a player for Keokuk in at age 48. He managed one last season in the Milwaukee Braves
farm system in , taking the helm of the Boise Braves. He later served as a scout for the Braves and the Cleveland Indians
.
Unser died at the age of 82 in Decatur, Illinois
.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
who played for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(1942-1944) and Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
(1945). He was a native of Morrisonville, Illinois
Morrisonville, Illinois
Morrisonville is a village in Christian County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,056 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Morrisonville is located at ....
and the father of MLB center fielder
Center fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
Del Unser
Del Unser
Delbert Bernard Unser is a retired Major League Baseball center fielder and utility player who had a 15-year career from 1968 to 1982. Unser played for the Washington Senators from 1968 to 1971 and the Cleveland Indians in 1972...
.
Although Unser's major league career was short, he had a lengthy career in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
. He began his professional career in , playing for three different minor league teams that season. He was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
organization in , playing in their farm system until . In , he served as manager of the class-D Gastonia Cardinals of the Tar Heel League
Tar Heel League
The Tar Heel League was the name of a mid-20th century Class D professional minor baseball league, based in North Carolina in the United States. It operated during the full seasons of , and , and from the opening of the season through June 21, ....
, guiding them to the league championship.
In , Unser joined the Tigers' farm system, spending that season with the Beaumont Exporters
Beaumont Exporters
The Beaumont Exporters were a franchise in American minor league baseball that played in the Texas League from 1920-49 and 1953-55. The city of Beaumont, Texas, was also represented in the Texas League from 1912-17 and 1919 as the Oilers, from 1950-52 as the Roughnecks, and from 1983-86 as the...
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
. He spent most of the season as a player-manager with the Winston-Salem Twins of the Piedmont League
Piedmont League
The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States.- Former :...
, and at the end of the season he joined the major league club. Unser became one of many baseball players who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, making his major league debut at age 29 on September 14, 1942 in a home game against the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
at Briggs Stadium.
Over the next two seasons, Unser played sparingly for Detroit, spending part of each season in the minors with the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
. The following season, he joined the Reds, where he had his best season in . In his only full season in the majors, Unser batted .265 in 67 games with 3 home runs and 21 runs batted in (RBI). His career MLB totals for 120 games include a .251 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(85-for-338), 4 home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, .322 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, and a slugging percentage of .355.
In , Unser returned to the minor leagues with the Hollywood Stars
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early and mid 20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.-Hollywood Stars :...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, spending two seasons with the club. In , he played with the Tulsa Oilers
Tulsa Oilers (baseball)
The Tulsa Oilers, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off in multiple leagues from 1905 to 1976. For most of their history, they played at Oiler Park, which opened on July 11, 1934, and was located on the Tulsa County Fairgrounds at 15th Street and...
, then returned to the Stars in . In , he played with the minor league Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
, then played for the minor league Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
the next two seasons. In , he was named the Most Valuable Player of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, batting .293 with 17 home runs. In , Unser returned to managing, serving as player-manager for the Austin Pioneers of the Big State League
Big State League
The Big State League was a mid-level, Class B circuit in American minor league baseball that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in Texas. It saw a lot of transition in its 11-year lifetime, with no team serving as a member in every single season....
.
After splitting among three teams, he returned to the Cardinals organization as essentially a full-time manager and occasional player. While managing the Midwest League
Midwest League
The Midwest League is a Class-A minor league baseball league which operates in the Midwestern United States.-History:Six teams – the Belleville Stags, the Centralia Cubs, the Marion Indians, the Mattoon Indians or East Frankfort White Sox, the Mount Vernon Braves, and the West Frankfort...
Decatur Commodores
Decatur Commodores
The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League , later joining the...
from 1955-1957, he appeared in just 11 and 7 games in the first two seasons, and just a single game in 1957. That year, Unser won his second league championship as a manager. In , he managed the Winston-Salem Red Birds, then spent the next two seasons managing the Keokuk Cardinals. He made his last appearance as a player for Keokuk in at age 48. He managed one last season in the Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
farm system in , taking the helm of the Boise Braves. He later served as a scout for the Braves and the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
Unser died at the age of 82 in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
.