Wednesday, September 10, 2014

1976 Profile: Fred Stanley

"Fred Stanley finally put a stop to the shuttle service between the majors and the minors he'd been running for years. He beat his roommate Jim Mason out of the Yankee shortstop job last year, and for the first time in the major leagues, had the chance to play over 100 games in one season.
The results were glowing, and Fred was the most pleasant surprise of the Yankees. He manned the shortstop job with the class of a real veteran, contributing timely hits to augment his unquestioned fielding abilities. It seems at last that Fred needn't fight any longer to stay on a major league roster. He went out and proved his point."

-The New York Yankees Official 1976 Yearbook

"Given the opportunity to play regularly last season, Fred responded with his most satisfying season and turned into the Yankees' most pleasant surprise. He did an outstanding job for the Yankees at short and contributed a lot of big hits. He seemed to be a good luck charm for Bobby Bonds, who hit well with Fred on base.
The Yankees are Fred's fourth major league club (he was previously with the Pilots-Brewers, Indians and Padres), but the first he ever played 100 games for. He holds the distinction of being the last Yankee to hit a grand slam in old Yankee Stadium, connecting on September 8, 1973, against Milwaukee - his only Yankee home run.
Raised in Whittier, California, where he played Little League, Colt League and American Legion ball, Fred was a business major at Rio Hondo, and later a sergeant in the Army.
Originally signed by Houston in 1966, he tried switch-hitting for a few years, but now bats strictly right-handed."

-1976 New York Yankees Press/TV/Radio Guide

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