Buddy Harris
Encyclopedia
Walter Francis "Buddy" Harris (born December 5, 1948, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
) is a retired American
professional baseball
player. A right-handed pitcher
, he worked in 22 games
as a relief pitcher
for the – Houston Astros
of Major League Baseball
. Harris graduated from Roxborough High School
(where he excelled in basketball
as well as baseball
) and attended the University of Miami
and Philadelphia University
. He stood 6 in 7 in (2.01 m) tall and weighed 245 pounds (111.1 kg) during his active career.
Harris was selected by Houston in the first round of the secondary phase in the June 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
. He had three outstanding seasons in minor league baseball
leading up to his first trial with the Astros in September 1970. He led the Rookie-level Appalachian League
in strikeout
s (1968), and posted sparkling 1.84 and 2.02 earned run average
s in the Class A Carolina League
(1969) and Double-A Southern League
(1970). On his MLB debut, on September 10, 1970, he worked in two innings against the San Francisco Giants
and surrendered a two-run home run
to Willie Mays
.
Harris made 20 appearances for the 1971 Astros
, with one relief appearance in April and 19 from June through September sandwiched around 14 games with the Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers. He split two decisions
for Houston that year, giving up 33 hits
and 16 bases on balls, with 21 strikeouts in 30⅔ innings. In his penultimate MLB game, on September 1, 1971, he pitched 3⅓ innings of hitless relief against the Los Angeles Dodgers
at the Astrodome, notching six strikeouts.
Arm miseries curtailed his career, however, and he retired after the 1973 minor league season.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
) is a retired American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. A right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, he worked in 22 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
as a relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for the – Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
of Major League Baseball
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...
. Harris graduated from Roxborough High School
Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Roxborough is a neighborhood in the Northwest Philadelphia section of the United States city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is bordered to the southwest, along the Schuylkill River, by the neighborhood of Manayunk, along the northeast by the Wissahickon Creek section of Fairmount Park, and to...
(where he excelled in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
as well as baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
) and attended the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University
Philadelphia University, founded in 1884, is a private university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Philadelphia University's student body consists of about 3,500 individuals from all 50 states and over 50 countries...
. He stood 6 in 7 in (2.01 m) tall and weighed 245 pounds (111.1 kg) during his active career.
Harris was selected by Houston in the first round of the secondary phase in the June 1968 Major League Baseball Draft
1968 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1968 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The Los Angeles Dodgers laid the groundwork for their championship clubs of the 1970s with an outstanding draft...
. He had three outstanding seasons 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...
leading up to his first trial with the Astros in September 1970. He led the Rookie-level Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
in strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s (1968), and posted sparkling 1.84 and 2.02 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
s in the Class A Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
(1969) and Double-A Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
(1970). On his MLB debut, on September 10, 1970, he worked in two innings against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
and surrendered a two-run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
to Willie Mays
Willie Mays
Willie Howard Mays, Jr. is a retired American professional baseball player who played the majority of his major league career with the New York and San Francisco Giants before finishing with the New York Mets. Nicknamed The Say Hey Kid, Mays was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979, his...
.
Harris made 20 appearances for the 1971 Astros
1971 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. The team finished tied for fourth in the National League West with a record of 79-83, 11 games behind the San Francisco Giants.- Offseason :...
, with one relief appearance in April and 19 from June through September sandwiched around 14 games with the Triple-A Oklahoma City 89ers. He split two decisions
Decision (baseball)
A decision is a statistical credit given to a baseball pitcher.There are two types of decisions: win and loss.In order to receive a win, the starting pitcher must complete at least five innings and leave with the lead. If the pitcher's lead is preserved by the bullpen, he is credited with a win...
for Houston that year, giving up 33 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
and 16 bases on balls, with 21 strikeouts in 30⅔ innings. In his penultimate MLB game, on September 1, 1971, he pitched 3⅓ innings of hitless relief against the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
at the Astrodome, notching six strikeouts.
Arm miseries curtailed his career, however, and he retired after the 1973 minor league season.