Champ Summers
Encyclopedia
John Junior "Champ" Summers (born June 15, 1946 in Bremerton, Washington
), is a former Major League Baseball
player who played primarily as an outfielder
and designated hitter
for six teams during his eleven year career that spanned from 1974 to 1984. Summers played his eleven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Oakland Athletics
(1974); Chicago Cubs
(1975-1976); Cincinnati Reds
(1977-1979); Detroit Tigers
(1979-1981); San Francisco Giants
(1982-1983); and San Diego Padres
(1984).
in Vietnam
and did not play his first Major League Baseball game until he was 28 years old. He was signed by the Oakland Athletics as an amateur free agent
in 1971, after being discovered in a men's softball league following his service in Vietnam.
Summers came from a family of athletes, with a father who was a prizefighter
in the United States Navy
and a mother who was a pro bowler
. Summers received his nickname "Champ" from his father: "Dad took one look at me when I was born and said, He looks like he's just gone 10 rounds with Joe Louis
.'"
Summers bounced between the minors
and majors, mostly as a pinch hitter
, until Sparky Anderson
brought him to Detroit as a designated hitter.
Champ's best seasons were 1979 and 1980, when he hit 38 of his 54 career home runs and 121 of his 218 career RBIs. In 1979, he hit a career high 21 home runs, batted .291 with a .401 on base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage for a .956 OPS
. Summers had five RBIs in a single game in May 1979. In 1980, he had another big year, batting .297 with a .393 on base percentage, .504 slugging percentage and .897 OPS. Summers performance dropped off substantially in 1981, batting .255 with only 3 home runs.
On March 4, 1982, the Tigers traded Champ to the San Francisco Giants for Enos Cabell
and cash. After two seasons with the Giants, he was traded to the San Diego Padres, where he played his final season in 1984.
While with the Padres, Summers was one of the central figures in a series of bench-clearing brawls in a game at Atlanta
on August 12. At one point, Summers charged toward the Braves dugout looking to take on pitcher Pascual Pérez
, who had hit the Padres' Alan Wiggins
in the first inning, although Perez had been brushed back by San Diego pitchers Ed Whitson
and Craig Lefferts
while at bat. Summers was intercepted by injured Atlanta slugger Bob Horner and tackled by Horner and two fans that claimed Champ had made indecent remarks to them in the parking lot.
Summers ended his career playing for the Padres in the 1984 World Series against his former skipper, Sparky Anderson, and his former Detroit Tigers teammates. Summers struck out in his only at bat in the 1984 World Series
, which also wound up being his last major league at bat.
Over his eleven year career, Summers hit for a .255 batting average with 54 home runs and 218 RBIs.
Bremerton, Washington
Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. The population was 38,790 at the 2011 State Estimate, making it the largest city on the Olympic Peninsula. Bremerton is home to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and the Bremerton Annex of Naval Base Kitsap...
), is a former 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...
player who played primarily as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
for six teams during his eleven year career that spanned from 1974 to 1984. Summers played his eleven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1974); Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1975-1976); 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....
(1977-1979); 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...
(1979-1981); 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....
(1982-1983); and San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
(1984).
Playing career
Summers served in the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Vietnam
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and did not play his first Major League Baseball game until he was 28 years old. He was signed by the Oakland Athletics as an amateur free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
in 1971, after being discovered in a men's softball league following his service in Vietnam.
Summers came from a family of athletes, with a father who was a prizefighter
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and a mother who was a pro bowler
Bowler (ten-pin)
A bowler is someone participating in the sport of bowling, either as an amateur or professional. In American ten-pin bowling, a bowler is most commonly a member of a team of three to six people...
. Summers received his nickname "Champ" from his father: "Dad took one look at me when I was born and said, He looks like he's just gone 10 rounds with Joe Louis
Joe Louis
Joseph Louis Barrow , better known as Joe Louis, was the world heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time...
.'"
Summers bounced between the minors
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...
and majors, mostly as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
, until Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
brought him to Detroit as a designated hitter.
Champ's best seasons were 1979 and 1980, when he hit 38 of his 54 career home runs and 121 of his 218 career RBIs. In 1979, he hit a career high 21 home runs, batted .291 with a .401 on base percentage and a .556 slugging percentage for a .956 OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
. Summers had five RBIs in a single game in May 1979. In 1980, he had another big year, batting .297 with a .393 on base percentage, .504 slugging percentage and .897 OPS. Summers performance dropped off substantially in 1981, batting .255 with only 3 home runs.
On March 4, 1982, the Tigers traded Champ to the San Francisco Giants for Enos Cabell
Enos Cabell
Enos Milton Cabell, Jr. is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played 15 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, the Houston Astros, the San Francisco Giants, the Detroit Tigers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cabell is a cousin of center fielder Ken Landreaux.Cabell was...
and cash. After two seasons with the Giants, he was traded to the San Diego Padres, where he played his final season in 1984.
While with the Padres, Summers was one of the central figures in a series of bench-clearing brawls in a game at Atlanta
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....
on August 12. At one point, Summers charged toward the Braves dugout looking to take on pitcher Pascual Pérez
Pascual Pérez (baseball)
Pascual Gross Perez was a right-handed baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Montreal Expos, and New York Yankees....
, who had hit the Padres' Alan Wiggins
Alan Wiggins
Alan Anthony Wiggins was a Major League Baseball second baseman and left fielder. He was the first baseball player known to die of AIDS.-Early career:Wiggins was born in 1958 in Los Angeles, California...
in the first inning, although Perez had been brushed back by San Diego pitchers Ed Whitson
Ed Whitson
Eddie Lee Whitson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher best remembered for his short and turbulent stint with the New York Yankees in the mid 1980s. He batted and threw right-handed.-Pittsburgh Pirates:...
and Craig Lefferts
Craig Lefferts
Craig Lindsay Lefferts was a relief pitcher for the Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , San Francisco Giants , Baltimore Orioles , Texas Rangers and California Angels...
while at bat. Summers was intercepted by injured Atlanta slugger Bob Horner and tackled by Horner and two fans that claimed Champ had made indecent remarks to them in the parking lot.
Summers ended his career playing for the Padres in the 1984 World Series against his former skipper, Sparky Anderson, and his former Detroit Tigers teammates. Summers struck out in his only at bat in the 1984 World Series
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, which also wound up being his last major league at bat.
Over his eleven year career, Summers hit for a .255 batting average with 54 home runs and 218 RBIs.