Grady Hatton
Encyclopedia
Grady Edgebert Hatton Jr. (born October 7, 1922 in Beaumont, Texas
, United States
) is a retired American baseball
player, coach
, manager
and executive. Although the bulk of his playing career was as the third baseman
and second baseman
of the Cincinnati Reds
, Hatton is most identified with his native Texas
: he was born in Beaumont
, attended the University of Texas at Austin
, managed minor league teams in Houston and San Antonio and was an important contributor to the early years of Major League Baseball
's Houston Astros
.
Hatton batted left-handed and threw right-handed, standing 5 inch and weighing 170 lb (77.1 kg). He came to the majors in 1946
without any minor league seasoning, making his debut against the Chicago Cubs
. He went 2 for 3, drove in a run
, and scored a run. Hatton batted
.254 with 91 home run
s in a 12-year big league career with Cincinnati, the Chicago White Sox
, Boston Red Sox
, St. Louis Cardinals
, Baltimore Orioles
and Chicago Cubs
, for whom he served as a player-coach in 1960
at the end of his playing career. From 1957-61, he managed in the Baltimore and Chicago Cubs systems before joining the nascent Houston Colt .45s (as the Astros were first known) as director of player personnel in their maiden 1962 season. Hatton then moved back into uniform as manager of Houston's AAA Oklahoma City 89ers
farm in the Pacific Coast League
from 1963-65.
Named to succeed Luman Harris as the Astros' manager for 1966
— and also carrying the unusual (for a field manager) title of club vice president — it was expected that he would be able to harness the young talent he had developed at AAA. But the Astros compiled a record of only 164-221 in 2½ years, and Hatton was replaced as skipper by Harry Walker
midway through the 1968
campaign.
He remained with the Astros as a scout from 1968 through 1972, and as a major league coach
in 1973-74. He was still active in baseball in the late 1980s as a scout for the San Francisco Giants
.
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
) is a retired American 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...
player, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
, manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
and executive. Although the bulk of his playing career was as the 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 second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
of the 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....
, Hatton is most identified with his native Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
: he was born in Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, attended the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, managed minor league teams in Houston and San Antonio and was an important contributor to the early years 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...
's 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...
.
Hatton batted left-handed and threw right-handed, standing 5 inch and weighing 170 lb (77.1 kg). He came to the majors in 1946
1946 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: St. Louis Cardinals over Boston Red Sox *All-Star Game, July 9 at Fenway Park: American League, 12–0-Other champions:*Negro League World Series: Newark Eagles over Kansas City Monarchs...
without any minor league seasoning, making his debut against the 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...
. He went 2 for 3, drove in a run
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...
, and scored a run. Hatton batted
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 :...
.254 with 91 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...
s in a 12-year big league career with Cincinnati, the 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...
, 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"...
, 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...
, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and 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...
, for whom he served as a player-coach in 1960
1960 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Yankees ; Bobby Richardson, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5-3*All-Star Game , July 13 at Yankee Stadium: National League, 6-0...
at the end of his playing career. From 1957-61, he managed in the Baltimore and Chicago Cubs systems before joining the nascent Houston Colt .45s (as the Astros were first known) as director of player personnel in their maiden 1962 season. Hatton then moved back into uniform as manager of Houston's AAA Oklahoma City 89ers
Oklahoma RedHawks
The Oklahoma City RedHawks are a minor league baseball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Houston Astros...
farm in 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...
from 1963-65.
Named to succeed Luman Harris as the Astros' manager for 1966
1966 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Baltimore Orioles over Los Angeles Dodgers ; Frank Robinson, MVP*All-Star Game, July 12 at Busch Stadium: National League, 2–1 ; Brooks Robinson, MVP-Other champions:*College World Series: Ohio State...
— and also carrying the unusual (for a field manager) title of club vice president — it was expected that he would be able to harness the young talent he had developed at AAA. But the Astros compiled a record of only 164-221 in 2½ years, and Hatton was replaced as skipper by Harry Walker
Harry Walker
Harry William Walker, known to baseball fans of the middle 20th century as "Harry the Hat" , was an American baseball player, manager and coach.-Early life and family:...
midway through the 1968
1968 in baseball
-The Year of the Pitcher:In Major League Baseball, the trend throughout the 1960s was of increased pitching dominance, caused by enforcing a larger strike zone beginning in 1963...
campaign.
He remained with the Astros as a scout from 1968 through 1972, and as a major league coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
in 1973-74. He was still active in baseball in the late 1980s as a scout for 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....
.