Tim Harkness
Encyclopedia
Thomas William Harkness (born December 23, 1937 in Lachine, Quebec
, Canada
) is a former first baseman
in Major League Baseball
who played from 1961 to 1964 with the Los Angeles Dodgers
and New York Mets
.
Harkness was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies
as an amateur free agent before the season. He was traded by the Phillies on April 5, 1957 along with a player to be named later
, Ron Negray
, Elmer Valo
, a minor league player and $75,000 to the Brooklyn Dodgers
in exchange for Chico Fernandez
, with the Phillies completing the trade on April 8 when they sent Ben Flowers
to the Dodgers.
Harkness made his major league debut on September 12, 1961 against the Phillies, working out a walk
in five pitches against pitcher Chris Short
as a pinch hitter
in the ninth inning in a 19-10 loss at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
. He finished the 1961 season with four hits
(including two doubles
) in eight at bat
s, for a .500 batting average
. In the season, he appeared in 92 games for the Dodgers, with nine hits (including two doubles and two home run
s) in 62 at bats, and seven runs batted in
. He hit the first home run of his career on April 17 in the top of the second inning against Mike McCormick
to drive in Daryl Spencer
, as part of an 8-7 win over the San Francisco Giants
at Candlestick Park.
He was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Mets
on November 30, together with Larry Burright
, in exchange for Bob Miller. In the season with the Mets, Harkness played in 123 games, getting 79 hits (including 12 doubles, three triples
and 10 home runs) in 375 at bats, for a .211 batting average, together with 41 RBI. His seven times hit by pitch
that season tied him for eighth among National League
batters.
On April 17, 1964, Harkness led off for the Mets in the bottom of the first inning and had a single off of Bob Friend
in the third inning to become the first Mets player to bat and the first to get a hit in the team's first game played at Shea Stadium
as part of a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He finished the 1964 season with the Mets, having appeared in 39 games and getting 33 hits in 117 at bats (including two doubles, a triple and two home runs) for a .282 batting average, and 13 RBI.
As of 2010, Harkness is the manager
of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League
.
Lachine, Quebec
Lachine was a city on the Island of Montreal in southwestern Quebec, Canada. It is now a borough within the city of Montreal.-History:...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) is a former 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...
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 from 1961 to 1964 with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
Harkness 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...
as an amateur free agent before the season. He was traded by the Phillies on April 5, 1957 along with a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
, Ron Negray
Ron Negray
Ronald Alvin Negray was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched in 66 games from 1952-1958 with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies....
, Elmer Valo
Elmer Valo
Elmer William Valo , born Imrich Valo, was a Slovak-American right fielder, coach and scout in Major League Baseball, making his debut on September 22,...
, a minor league player and $75,000 to the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
in exchange for Chico Fernandez
Chico Fernandez
Humberto "Chico" Fernández Pérez is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played eight seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers , Philadelphia Phillies , Detroit Tigers , and New York Mets . Fernández played in 856 Major League games, 810 at shortstop...
, with the Phillies completing the trade on April 8 when they sent Ben Flowers
Ben Flowers
Bennett Flowers was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for four different teams between and . Listed at 6' 4", 195 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Wilson, North Carolina....
to the Dodgers.
Harkness made his major league debut on September 12, 1961 against the Phillies, working out a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
in five pitches against pitcher Chris Short
Chris Short
Christopher Joseph "Style" Short was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies , and in his final year, for the Milwaukee Brewers . He was a left-handed pitcher, but batted righty. He was born in Milford, Delaware.Short was considered a top pitcher from 1964 through 1968 with...
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...
in the ninth inning in a 19-10 loss at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
. He finished the 1961 season with four 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....
(including two 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....
) in eight at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s, for a .500 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 :...
. In the season, he appeared in 92 games for the Dodgers, with nine hits (including two doubles and two 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 62 at bats, and seven runs batted in
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...
. He hit the first home run of his career on April 17 in the top of the second inning against Mike McCormick
Mike McCormick (pitcher)
Michael Francis McCormick is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the New York Giants from 1956 to 1958, then the San Francisco Giants from 1958 to 1970...
to drive in Daryl Spencer
Daryl Spencer
Daryl Dean Spencer , is a former professional baseball player. He was a utility infielder, playing shortstop, second base, and third base in the major leagues from 1952-1963. He played for the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, St...
, as part of an 8-7 win over 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....
at Candlestick Park.
He was traded by the Dodgers to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
on November 30, together with Larry Burright
Larry Burright
Larry Allen Burright is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball. He played from 1962-1964 with the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.-Career:...
, in exchange for Bob Miller. In the season with the Mets, Harkness played in 123 games, getting 79 hits (including 12 doubles, three 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....
and 10 home runs) in 375 at bats, for a .211 batting average, together with 41 RBI. His seven times hit by pitch
Hit by pitch
In baseball, hit by pitch , or hit batsman , is a batter or his equipment being hit in some part of his body by a pitch from the pitcher.-Official rule:...
that season tied him for eighth among National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
batters.
On April 17, 1964, Harkness led off for the Mets in the bottom of the first inning and had a single off of Bob Friend
Bob Friend
Robert Bartmess Friend is a former right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who pitched primarily for the Pittsburgh Pirates , joining the New York Yankees and New York Mets in his final season of...
in the third inning to become the first Mets player to bat and the first to get a hit in the team's first game played at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
as part of a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He finished the 1964 season with the Mets, having appeared in 39 games and getting 33 hits in 117 at bats (including two doubles, a triple and two home runs) for a .282 batting average, and 13 RBI.
As of 2010, Harkness is the 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...
of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Intercounty Baseball League
Intercounty Baseball League
The Intercounty Baseball League is a semi-professional baseball organization located in the Canadian province of Ontario. The league was formed in 1919....
.