Robert Tufts
Encyclopedia
Robert Malcolm Tufts is an American former Major League Baseball
pitcher. He played in parts of three seasons for the San Francisco Giants
and Kansas City Royals
from through .
in the 12th round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
.
He made his debut for the Giants in 1981, and pitched in 11 games for them that season. He held the distinction of being the last Princeton University
baseball player to appear in a major league baseball
game until Chris Young debuted with the Rangers on August 24, 2004.
The following spring, Tufts was traded to the Royals along with Vida Blue
. During the 1982 and 1983 seasons he appeared in 16 games for the Royals. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds
on June 7, 1983, for Charlie Leibrandt
and never appeared again in a major league game.
Tufts is a convert to Judaism.
Tufts is one of six major league baseball players who converted to Judaism
during their careers.http://www.royalsreview.com/2008/11/2/651978/happy-birthday-bob-tuftshttp://www.tbs-needham.com/uploads/15558Sermon_-_YK_5768.pdf He was a participant in a 2005 seminar at the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Jews and Baseball, and has also performed baseball clinics in Israel.http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/041907/njExBigLeaguer.html
In 2009, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He underwent pill-based and liquid chemotherapy and reached a recovery point at which he could undergo and autologous stem cell transplant. As of May 2010, he is in almost complete remission.
Tufts is currently an adjunct professor at New York University, where he teaches business development. He also teaches sports marketing at Yeshiva University and organization behavior in sports at Manhattanville College.
,” in Essex County, Massachusetts
, in 1680.
After retiring from baseball in 1983, Tufts completed his MBA degree from Columbia University
. He now lives in Forest Hills, New York.
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...
pitcher. He played in parts of three seasons 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....
and Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
from through .
Career
Tufts was drafted by the Giants out of Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in the 12th round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
.
He made his debut for the Giants in 1981, and pitched in 11 games for them that season. He held the distinction of being the last Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
baseball player to appear in a 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...
game until Chris Young debuted with the Rangers on August 24, 2004.
The following spring, Tufts was traded to the Royals along with Vida Blue
Vida Blue
Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
. During the 1982 and 1983 seasons he appeared in 16 games for the Royals. He was traded to 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....
on June 7, 1983, for Charlie Leibrandt
Charlie Leibrandt
Charles Louis "Charlie" Leibrandt, Jr. is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1979 to 1993 for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. Leibrandt was a productive pitcher throughout his 14 year career, and a member of the 1985 World Series...
and never appeared again in a major league game.
Tufts is a convert to Judaism.
Tufts is one of six major league baseball players who converted to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
during their careers.http://www.royalsreview.com/2008/11/2/651978/happy-birthday-bob-tuftshttp://www.tbs-needham.com/uploads/15558Sermon_-_YK_5768.pdf He was a participant in a 2005 seminar at the baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on Jews and Baseball, and has also performed baseball clinics in Israel.http://www.njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/041907/njExBigLeaguer.html
In 2009, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He underwent pill-based and liquid chemotherapy and reached a recovery point at which he could undergo and autologous stem cell transplant. As of May 2010, he is in almost complete remission.
Tufts is currently an adjunct professor at New York University, where he teaches business development. He also teaches sports marketing at Yeshiva University and organization behavior in sports at Manhattanville College.
Miscellaneous
Tufts says he had a relative “who was the first woman tried and convicted of witchcraftWitchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
,” in Essex County, Massachusetts
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
, in 1680.
After retiring from baseball in 1983, Tufts completed his MBA degree from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. He now lives in Forest Hills, New York.