Ron Hansen (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Lavern Hansen is a former shortstop
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Baltimore Orioles
(1958–62), Chicago White Sox
(1963–67, 1968–69), Washington Senators
(1968), New York Yankees
(1970–71) and Kansas City Royals
(1972). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a 15-season career, Hansen was a .234 hitter
with 106 home run
s and 501 RBI
in 1384 games
.
Hansen was one of the best shortstops in the American League
in the 1960s, yet unfortunately, a player whose career was hampered throughout and was eventually cut short by chronic back ailments and other injuries which prevented him from ever really enjoying a great career. Despite being a tall shortstop at 6 ft 3 in and 200 pounds (91 kg), Hansen was fluid and smooth in the field. He was a competent hitter as well, in an era when shortstops barely hit their weight.
Hansen, who was supposed to be the starting shortstop for Baltimore in 1957, missed the entire season with a slipped disk
. He debuted in 1958, and went 0-for-19 in 12 games. In 1959 he played in two games and ended 0-for-4.
In 1960, Hansen surpassed all expectations by turning in a solid, injury-free season, filling the Orioles urgent need for a quality shortstop. He appeared in 153 games, and finished with 22 home runs, 86 RBI, 22 doubles
, five triples
, a .255 batting average
and a .342 on base percentage
, batting from the eight spot
. He was selected for the All-Star Game
and earned American League Rookie of the Year
honors, getting 22 of 24 votes, as well as the TSN Rookie of the Year Award
.
Hansen led AL shortstops in double play
s in 1961, hitting 12 home runs with 51 RBI in 155 games. In 1962 he spent six months as a Marine
due to the Cuban Missile Crisis
. During the service, Hansen reinjured his back. Before the 1963 season, he was sent to the White Sox along with knuckleball
er Hoyt Wilhelm
in the same trade that brought Luis Aparicio
to the Orioles.
With Chicago, Hansen led the AL twice more in double plays and four times in assist
s. During a doubleheader in 1965, he tied an AL record with 18 total chances
in the first game and added 10 more in the second for a total of 28, to set a major league record for a doubleheader.
In 1964, Hansen posted career-highs in batting average (.261), runs (85), hits (160) and doubles (25), and belted 20 home runs with 68 RBI. In 1965 he led the league with 162 games played, but was out again with back problems in 1966, appearing in 23 games. He underwent surgery for a ruptured spinal disc
and returned in 1967, playing in 157 games.
In 1968, Hansen was sent to the Senators at pre-season in a deal for infielder Tim Cullen
. With the Senators, on July 30, 1968 Hansen turned the eighth unassisted triple play
in major league history and the first in 41 years. In a curious movement, he was then shipped back to the White Sox for Cullen, making them the only two players in MLB history to be traded for one another twice in the same season. In the at bats following the triple play (the games of July 30 and 31), Hansen struck out six consecutive times. On August 1 he hit a grand slam home run, and the following day, batting .185, he was traded to the White Sox.
With Aparicio again in Chicago, Hansen served as a backup infielder. He finished his career as a utility for the Yankees and Kansas City, and later became a coach
and minor league
manager
. In , he was still in baseball, as a major league scout for the Philadelphia Phillies
.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
in 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...
who played for the 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...
(1958–62), 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...
(1963–67, 1968–69), Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
(1968), 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...
(1970–71) 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...
(1972). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a 15-season career, Hansen was a .234 hitter
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 :...
with 106 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 and 501 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1384 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,...
.
Hansen was one of the best shortstops in 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...
in the 1960s, yet unfortunately, a player whose career was hampered throughout and was eventually cut short by chronic back ailments and other injuries which prevented him from ever really enjoying a great career. Despite being a tall shortstop at 6 ft 3 in and 200 pounds (91 kg), Hansen was fluid and smooth in the field. He was a competent hitter as well, in an era when shortstops barely hit their weight.
Hansen, who was supposed to be the starting shortstop for Baltimore in 1957, missed the entire season with a slipped disk
Spinal disc herniation
A spinal disc herniation , informally and misleadingly called a "slipped disc", is a medical condition affecting the spine due to trauma, lifting injuries, or idiopathic, in which a tear in the outer, fibrous ring of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion A spinal disc herniation...
. He debuted in 1958, and went 0-for-19 in 12 games. In 1959 he played in two games and ended 0-for-4.
In 1960, Hansen surpassed all expectations by turning in a solid, injury-free season, filling the Orioles urgent need for a quality shortstop. He appeared in 153 games, and finished with 22 home runs, 86 RBI, 22 doubles
Double (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....
, five triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, a .255 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 :...
and a .342 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, batting from the eight spot
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
. He was selected for the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
and earned American League Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
honors, getting 22 of 24 votes, as well as the TSN Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News .*In 1947-48, and again in 1950, a single award was given for all of Major League Baseball....
.
Hansen led AL shortstops in double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s in 1961, hitting 12 home runs with 51 RBI in 155 games. In 1962 he spent six months as a Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
due to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
. During the service, Hansen reinjured his back. Before the 1963 season, he was sent to the White Sox along with knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er Hoyt Wilhelm
Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....
in the same trade that brought Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
to the Orioles.
With Chicago, Hansen led the AL twice more in double plays and four times in assist
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
s. During a doubleheader in 1965, he tied an AL record with 18 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
in the first game and added 10 more in the second for a total of 28, to set a major league record for a doubleheader.
In 1964, Hansen posted career-highs in batting average (.261), runs (85), hits (160) and doubles (25), and belted 20 home runs with 68 RBI. In 1965 he led the league with 162 games played, but was out again with back problems in 1966, appearing in 23 games. He underwent surgery for a ruptured spinal disc
Intervertebral disc
Intervertebral discs lie between adjacent vertebrae in the spine. Each disc forms a cartilaginous joint to allow slight movement of the vertebrae, and acts as a ligament to hold the vertebrae together.-Structure:...
and returned in 1967, playing in 157 games.
In 1968, Hansen was sent to the Senators at pre-season in a deal for infielder Tim Cullen
Tim Cullen
This article is about the baseball player. For the article about the Wisconsin state politician, see Timothy Cullen . For the article about the former World Bank spokesman see Tim Cullen ....
. With the Senators, on July 30, 1968 Hansen turned the eighth unassisted triple play
Unassisted triple play
In baseball, an unassisted triple play occurs when a defensive player makes all three putouts by himself in one continuous play, without any teammates touching the ball . In Major League Baseball , it is one of the rarest of individual feats, along with hitting four home runs in one game and the...
in major league history and the first in 41 years. In a curious movement, he was then shipped back to the White Sox for Cullen, making them the only two players in MLB history to be traded for one another twice in the same season. In the at bats following the triple play (the games of July 30 and 31), Hansen struck out six consecutive times. On August 1 he hit a grand slam home run, and the following day, batting .185, he was traded to the White Sox.
With Aparicio again in Chicago, Hansen served as a backup infielder. He finished his career as a utility for the Yankees and Kansas City, and later became a 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...
and minor league
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...
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...
. In , he was still in baseball, as a major league scout for 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...
.
External links
- http://www.baseballtoddsdugout.com/ronhansen.html
- Klingaman, Mike. "Catching Up With...former Oriole Ron Hansen," The Toy Department (The Baltimore Sun sports blog), Wednesday, February 24, 2010.