"The measure of young Tom Tresh is that while he was not having a good year in 1964, he was a dangerous man in the clutch. Even during his worst slump periods, Tom would come through with two strikes on him. He batted only .246 last year, but he chipped in with 131 hits, 25 doubles and 74 RBIs. He'll have to cut down on the 110 strikeouts, though, which were the most on the club. Defensively, Tom led all AL outfielders with a .996 fielding average, committing only one error."
-Jack Zanger, Major League Baseball 1965
"Late in the training season, Tommy Tresh moved to center field. In the last 30 years, the Yankees have had two regular center fielders - Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle. That's tough billing to follow! But Tom, who had played only in the infield when he came up to the Yankees and who moved to left field when Tony Kubek returned from service in 1962, has no fear of the latest move. A fine outfielder, Tresh is happy to trade places with Mickey Mantle if it means a longer career for the Switcher.
And speaking of switchers, Tresh is one, too. It was his Dad's idea way back when Tommy was a youngster and the senior Tresh was a fine catcher for the White Sox and Indians. Catcher Mike was never much of a hitter and he determined better things for his son ... and it has turned out that way. Not that Tom wouldn't welcome a better season than 1964 at bat. Last year was his poorest offensively of his first three. The 26-year-old Tresh has averaged better than 20 home runs each year, but he would sacrifice a bit of this power to be a more productive batsman and that was his goal this spring. Because he also walks a lot, Tom is now the Yankee leadoff man in the revised scheme of things established by Manager Johnny Keane."
-The New York Yankees Official 1965 Yearbook
"Tom Tresh had an off-year in 1964, batting only .246 with 16 homers and 73 runs batted in. But, knowing the type of ballplayer this talented switch-hitter is, you can be certain he'll bounce back, perhaps to even greater heights than before.
The son of former American League catcher Mike Tresh was inked by the Bomber organization on January 14, 1958. Working his way up the ladder, Tommy performed at New Orleans, St. Petersburg, Greensboro, Binghamton, Amarillo and Richmond before getting the call to join the New Yorkers at the tail end of the '61 season.
Tresh had been a shortstop all through his career and won a regular berth during the spring of '62 after battling Phil Linz for the post. That August, however, Tony Kubek returned from Army service. Ralph Houk, then the Yankee field pilot, switched Tom to left field, a position completely unfamiliar to him. But Tresh learned quickly and became one of the best around in a short time.
That rookie campaign saw Tresh finish with a .286 mark, as he accounted for 20 homers and 93 runs batted in. He topped that off by batting .321 against San Francisco in the World Series, with his biggest moment being a game-winning three-run homer in the fifth contest off Jack Sanford.
Tresh tailed off somewhat to .269 in '63, but upped his homer total to 25 and batted in 71 runs. But with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris out for long periods of time with injuries, Tommy did yeoman work in carrying the outfield load.
Tom, winner of the James P. Dawson Award as the outstanding Yankee rookie of the 1962 spring training grind, has also appeared in two All-Star Games and will, no doubt, appear in quite a few more."
-Jay Publishing 1965 New York Yankees Yearbook
Son of former major league catcher Mike Tresh.
Signed by Yankee organization, January 14, 1958.
Named Rookie of the Year in International League, 1961.
Winner of James P. Dawson Award as outstanding Yankee rookie in spring training, 1962.
Named American League Rookie of the Year, 1962.
Led Yankees in runs scored (91) and doubles (28), 1963.
Led Yankees in stolen bases- 13 steals in 13 attempts, 1964.
Attends Central Michigan University during off-season.
-1965 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
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