Danny Cater
Encyclopedia
Danny Anderson Cater is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
, third baseman
, and outfielder
. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies
at the age of 18 on June 8, . He played for the Phillies
(1964), Chicago White Sox
(1965–1966), Kansas City Athletics (1966–1967), Oakland Athletics
(1968–1969), New York Yankees
(1970–1971), Boston Red Sox
(1972–1974), and St. Louis Cardinals
(1975).
Cater played twelve seasons in the major leagues, mostly as a regular. For the eight-year period from to , he averaged over 500 plate appearances per season. He was a good hitter who was tough to strike out; however, he was slow afoot, so had a knack for grounding into double plays, finishing in the top ten in the league in that category six times in those eight years, including second in both and .
He finished second for the American League
batting title in 1968 with a batting average
of .290. It was "The Year of the Pitcher," and Carl Yastrzemski
won the title with an average
of .301, the lowest ever for a batting champion.
Career highlights included:
Cater's career totals include 1,289 games played
, 1,229 hits
, 66 home runs, 519 RBI, and a lifetime batting average
of .276.
After retiring from baseball Danny worked at the headquarters office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in Austin, Texas. He now lives in Plano, Texas.
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...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, and 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...
. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
at the age of 18 on June 8, . He played for the Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1964), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1965–1966), Kansas City Athletics (1966–1967), 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....
(1968–1969), New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(1970–1971), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1972–1974), and 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...
(1975).
Cater played twelve seasons in the major leagues, mostly as a regular. For the eight-year period from to , he averaged over 500 plate appearances per season. He was a good hitter who was tough to strike out; however, he was slow afoot, so had a knack for grounding into double plays, finishing in the top ten in the league in that category six times in those eight years, including second in both and .
He finished second for the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
batting title in 1968 with a 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 :...
of .290. It was "The Year of the Pitcher," and Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Yastrzemski
Carl Michael Yastrzemski is a former American Major League Baseball left fielder and first baseman. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989. Yastrzemski played his entire 23-year baseball career with the Boston Red Sox . He was primarily a left fielder, with part of his later career...
won the title with an 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 :...
of .301, the lowest ever for a batting champion.
Career highlights included:
- a pair of 5-hit games...five singleSingle (baseball)In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
s vs. the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe 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...
(August 30, 1967) and a doubleDouble (baseball)In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and four singles vs. the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(June 21, 1970) - eighteen 4-hit games, with the most impressive being two singles, a doubleDouble (baseball)In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and a home runHome runIn 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...
good for 4 RBI and 4 runsRun (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...
scored vs. the California AngelsLos Angeles Angels of AnaheimThe Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
(August 12, 1973)
Cater's career totals include 1,289 games played
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,...
, 1,229 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....
, 66 home runs, 519 RBI, and a lifetime 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 :...
of .276.
After retiring from baseball Danny worked at the headquarters office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts in Austin, Texas. He now lives in Plano, Texas.
Quotes
- "Cater, by the way, has the reputation of being able to figure out his batting average to four decimal places on his way down to first base." -- Jim BoutonJim BoutonJames Alan "Jim" Bouton is a former American Major League Baseball pitcher. He is also the author of the controversial baseball book Ball Four, which was a combination diary of his season and memoir of his years with the New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, and Houston Astros.-Amateur and college...
in Ball FourBall FourBall Four is a book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton in . The book is a diary of Bouton's 1969 season, spent with the Seattle Pilots and then the Houston Astros following a late-season trade. In it Bouton also recounts much of his baseball career, spent mainly with the...
(June 30, 1969)
- " But anyone who has stood behind a batting cage knows that getting wood on good pitching as consistently as Cater does is a feat. Asked what he expects Cater to do, Manager Hank Bauer says, "Hit." Move runners along, get on base, anything special? "Nope. Hit." That is what he does. He does everything batting instructors tell people to do, and it works." Roy Blount, Jr. in Sports Illustrated, May 19, 1969, "The Name is Carter--er, Cater" .. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082419/2/index.htm