"Various minor ailments slowed Roy White a bit last season, but he came on strong in the stretch to finish with a .292 average which included 19 homers and 85 runs batted in. Along the way Roy broke the American League's sacrifice fly record of 16 which had stood for 57 years.
Like Bobby Murcer, White started out as an infielder. Twice in the minors, he led his league in errors. Four years ago White was inserted in left field and he's made himself at home there. His best asset in the field is his speed.
In addition, the 28-year-old switch-hitter has hit at least .290 in each of the last three seasons."
-Brenda Zanger, Major League Baseball 1972
"A solid performer, Roy led the Yankees in triples last season with seven and was second only to Bobby Murcer in home runs, RBIs, runs scored and average among regulars. He has had three straight years with a batting average between .290 and .300 and set an AL record with 17 sacrifice flies last year.
Born December 27, 1943 in Los Angeles, California, Roy signed as an infielder and didn't switch to the outfield until he got to the majors in 1965.
He constantly changes his batting stances and his bats, sometimes in the middle of a game."
-Hal Bock, The Complete Handbook of Baseball, 1972 Edition
"Roy White is the picture ballplayer. He's the man Little League coaches can point to any minute of a game as an example of how the game should be played.
Some say the best players are born, not made. But Roy, adding sheer determination to his native skills, made himself one of the best players in the American League.
A native of Los Angeles, Roy signed with the Yankees as an infielder in 1962 and began a lonely struggle to unseat Bobby Richardson at second base. Frustrated as an infielder, he was shifted to the outfield in 1966, and his faltering career spun around. He cut down on his swing, his bat caught fire, and the base hits began to crackle. Today he's a craftsman. Superb bat control enables him to hit the ball anywhere. His record-smashing 17 sacrifice flies in 1971, setting a new American League record, attests to that.
And as for Roy's fielding - in 1971 he became the first Yankee in history to play a full season without an error!
Now at 28, he is a handsome, articulate symbol of the new Yankees - a Yankee who can turn a game around in so many ways - at bat, on the bases, or in the field."
-The New York Yankees Official 1972 Yearbook
"For three straight seasons, Roy White has hit .290 or better. He developed into a top clutch hitter for the Yankees as cleanup man most of the '71 season. Roy drove in the runner on third base 29 times in 38 opportunities for a remarkable .763 percentage last season. He set an American League record for sacrifice flies with 17 in 1971.
White became the first Yankee ever to play a full season without committing an error. Previously, he had tied Joe DiMaggio by making only one outfield error in a season for a .997 mark. His 1.000 record in 1971 tied a major league record. Roy entered the 1972 season with 333 consecutive errorless chances. Originally signed as an infielder, he found a home in the difficult left field - the 'sun field' at Yankee Stadium.
Roy hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a 1970 game in Oakland. He played 92 games for the Fort Lauderdale Yankees in his rookie pro season of 1962, hitting .286. He was named an American League All-Star in 1969 and '70."
-1972 New York Yankees official spring training scorebook
"Roy hit over .290 for the third straight year in 1971 to further solidify his position as one of the top ballplayers in the major leagues. He was outstanding in the clutch, with an average of .763 driving in runs from third base with one out or less (29-for-38). He set an American League record for sacrifice flies in one season with 17.
His fielding was exemplary, as he played errorless ball the entire season, covering 314 total chances. This 1.000 fielding percentage tied a major league record and also set a Yankee record for an outfielder. Joe DiMaggio in 1947 and Roy in 1968 jointly held the previous Yankee high of .997. Roy goes into the 1972 season with 333 consecutive chances without committing an error, covering 154 games. His last miscue was on September 19, 1970. Originally signed as an infielder, Roy switched to the outfield in 1966.
A switch-hitter, he joined the select group of those who hit homers right-handed and left-handed in the same game; he accomplished this feat in Oakland on May 7, 1970. Roy names this as his greatest baseball experience to date. He also has switch-hit triples in one game, a major league record. His 162 games in 1970 led the American League and tied a Yankee record also held by Bobby Richardson, who played 162 games in 1962.
He grew up in a hotbed of baseball in Compton, California and competed in Little League, Babe Ruth League, Connie Mack League, American Legion and also some semi-pro ball. Others from the same area who played with or against Roy as a youngster include such major leaguers as Ron Woods, Paul Schaal, Reggie Smith, Don Wilson, Dave Nelson, Dock Ellis and Bobby Tolan."
-1972 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide
No comments:
Post a Comment