Al Unser (baseball): Difference between revisions

Al Unser
Al Unser
	Catcher
	Born: October 12, 1912; Morrisonville, Illinois, U.S.
	Died: July 7, 1995 (aged 82); Decatur, Illinois, U.S.
	Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 14, 1942, for the Detroit Tigers
Last MLB appearance
	September 5, 1945, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Batting average	.251
Home runs	4
Runs batted in	30
Teams
	Detroit Tigers (1942–44); Cincinnati Reds (1945);

Browse history interactively

← Previous edit Next edit →

Content deleted Content added

VisualWikitext

Inline

Revision as of 02:13, 20 June 2024

Albert Bernard Unser (October 12, 1912 – July 7, 1995) was an American Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Detroit Tigers (1942–1944) and Cincinnati Reds (1945). He was a native of Morrisonville, Illinois and the father of MLB center fielder Del Unser.

Biography

Although Unser's major league career was short, he had a lengthy career in minor league baseball. He began his professional career in 1933, playing for three different minor league teams that season. He was picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals organization in 1934, playing in their farm system until 1940. In 1939, he served as manager of the class-D Gastonia Cardinals of the Tar Heel League, guiding them to the league championship.

In 1941, Unser joined the Tigers' farm system, spending that season with the Beaumont Exporters of the Texas League. He spent most of the 1942 season as a player-manager with the Winston-Salem Twins of the Piedmont League, and at the end of the season he joined the major league club. Unser became one of many baseball players who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II, making his major league debut at age 29 on September 14, 1942, in a home game against the Washington Senators at Briggs Stadium.

Over the next two seasons, Unser played sparingly for Detroit, spending part of each season in the minors with the Buffalo Bisons. The following season, he joined the Reds, where he had his best season in 1945. In his only full season in the majors, Unser batted .265 in 67 games with 3 home runs and 21 runs batted in (RBI). His career MLB totals for 120 games include a .251 batting average (85-for-338), 4 home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs, .322 on-base percentage, and a slugging percentage of .355.

In 1946, Unser returned to the minor leagues with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League, spending two seasons with the club. In 1948, he played with the Tulsa Oilers, then returned to the Stars in 1949. In 1950, he played with the minor league Baltimore Orioles, then played for the minor league Milwaukee Brewers the next two seasons. In 1951, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the American Association, batting .293 with 17 home runs. In 1953, Unser returned to managing, serving as player-manager for the Austin Pioneers of the Big State League.

After splitting 1954 among three teams, he returned to the Cardinals organization as essentially a full-time manager and occasional player. While managing the Midwest League Decatur Commodores from 1955 to 1957, he appeared in just 11 and 7 games in the first two seasons, and just a single game in 1957. That year, Unser won his second league championship as a manager. In 1958, he managed the Winston-Salem Red Birds, then spent the next two seasons managing the Keokuk Cardinals. He made his last appearance as a player for Keokuk in 1961 at age 48. He managed one last season in the Milwaukee Braves farm system in 1962, taking the helm of the Boise Braves. He later served as a scout for the Braves and the Cleveland Indians.

Unser died at the age of 82 in Decatur, Illinois.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
Retrosheet
Al Unser at Find a Grave

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
-'''Albert Bernard Unser''' ([[October 12]], [[1912]] – [[July 7]], [[1995]]) was a [[Major League Baseball]] [[catcher]] who played for the [[Detroit Tigers]] (1942-1944) and [[Cincinnati Reds]] (1945).  He was a native of [[Morrisonville, Illinois]] and the father of MLB [[center fielder]] [[Del Unser]].
+{{short description|American baseball player (1912-1995)}}
+{{Infobox baseball biography
+|name=Al Unser
+|position=[[Catcher]]
+|image=
+|bats=Right
+|throws=Right
+|birth_date={{Birth date|1912|10|12|mf=y}}
+|birth_place=[[Morrisonville, Illinois]], U.S.
+|death_date={{death date and age|1995|7|7|1912|10|12}}
+|death_place=[[Decatur, Illinois]], U.S.
+|debutleague = MLB
+|debutdate=September 14
+|debutyear={{Baseball year|1942}}
+|debutteam=[[Detroit Tigers]]
+|finalleague = MLB
+|finaldate=September 5
+|finalyear={{Baseball year|1945}}
+|finalteam=[[Cincinnati Reds]]
+|statleague = MLB
+|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
+|stat1value=.251
+|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
+|stat2value=4
+|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
+|stat3value=30
+|teams=
+*[[Detroit Tigers]] (1942–44)
+*[[Cincinnati Reds]] (1945)
+}}
+'''Albert Bernard Unser''' (October 12, 1912 – July 7, 1995) was an American [[Major League Baseball]] [[catcher]] who played for the [[Detroit Tigers]] (1942–1944) and [[Cincinnati Reds]] (1945). He was a native of [[Morrisonville, Illinois]] and the father of MLB [[center fielder]] [[Del Unser]].
+==Biography==
-Unser is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during [[World War II]].  He made his [[major league debut]] on September 14, 1942 in a home game against the [[Minnesota Twins|Washington Senators]] at [[Briggs Stadium]].  He played sparingly for Detroit, and had his best season in 1945 with the Reds, batting .265 in 67 games with 3 [[home runs]] and 21 [[runs batted in]] (RBI). Career totals for 120 games include a .251 [[batting average]] (85-for-338), 4 home runs, 30 RBI, 41 [[run (baseball)|runs]], .322 [[on base percentage]], and a [[slugging percentage]] of .355.
+Although Unser's major league career was short, he had a lengthy career in [[minor league baseball]]. He began his professional career in {{baseball year|1933}}, playing for three different minor league teams that season. He was picked up by the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] organization in {{baseball year|1934}}, playing in their farm system until {{baseball year|1940}}. In {{baseball year|1939}}, he served as manager of the class-D [[Gastonia Cardinals]] of the [[Tar Heel League]], guiding them to the league championship.
+In {{baseball year|1941}}, Unser joined the Tigers' farm system, spending that season with the [[Beaumont Exporters]] of the [[Texas League]]. He spent most of the {{baseball year|1942}} season as a player-manager with the [[Winston-Salem Twins]] of the [[Piedmont League]], and at the end of the season he joined the major league club. Unser became one of many baseball players who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II, making his major league debut at age 29 on September 14, 1942, in a home game against the [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] at [[Briggs Stadium]].
-Unser was manager of the [[Midwest League]] [[Decatur Commodores]] from 1955-1957.
+Over the next two seasons, Unser played sparingly for Detroit, spending part of each season in the minors with the [[Buffalo Bisons]]. The following season, he joined the Reds, where he had his best season in {{baseball year|1945}}. In his only full season in the majors, Unser batted .265 in 67 games with 3 [[home runs]] and 21 [[runs batted in]] (RBI). His career MLB totals for 120 games include a .251 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] (85-for-338), 4 home runs, 30 RBI, 41 [[run (baseball)|runs]], .322 [[on-base percentage]], and a [[slugging percentage]] of .355.
-He died at the age of 82 in [[Decatur, Illinois]].
+In {{baseball year|1946}}, Unser returned to the minor leagues with the [[Hollywood Stars]] of the [[Pacific Coast League]], spending two seasons with the club. In {{baseball year|1948}}, he played with the [[Tulsa Oilers (baseball)|Tulsa Oilers]], then returned to the Stars in {{baseball year|1949}}. In {{baseball year|1950}}, he played with the minor league [[Baltimore Orioles (minor league)|Baltimore Orioles]], then played for the minor league [[Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)|Milwaukee Brewers]] the next two seasons. In {{baseball year|1951}}, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the [[American Association (20th century)|American Association]], batting .293 with 17 home runs. In {{baseball year|1953}}, Unser returned to managing, serving as player-manager for the [[Austin Pioneers]] of the [[Big State League]].
+After splitting {{baseball year|1954}} among three teams, he returned to the Cardinals organization as essentially a full-time manager and occasional player. While managing the [[Midwest League]] [[Decatur Commodores]] from 1955 to 1957, he appeared in just 11 and 7 games in the first two seasons, and just a single game in 1957. That year, Unser won his second league championship as a manager. In {{baseball year|1958}}, he managed the [[Winston-Salem Red Birds]], then spent the next two seasons managing the [[Keokuk Cardinals]]. He made his last appearance as a player for Keokuk in {{baseball year|1961}} at age 48. He managed one last season in the [[Milwaukee Braves (1953–69)|Milwaukee Braves]] farm system in {{baseball year|1962}}, taking the helm of the [[Boise Braves]]. He later served as a scout for the Braves and the [[Cleveland Indians]].
+Unser died at the age of 82 in [[Decatur, Illinois]].
 ==External links==
+{{baseballstats | br=u/unseral01 | brm=unser-001alb }}
-*[http://www.baseball-reference.com/u/unseral01.shtml Baseball Reference]
 *[http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/Punsea101.htm Retrosheet]
+*{{Find a Grave}}
+{{AA MVPs}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Unser, Al}}
-[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
-[[Category:Major League Baseball players from Illinois]]
-[[Category:Detroit Tigers players]]
-[[Category:Cincinnati Reds players]]
 [[Category:1912 births]]
 [[Category:1995 deaths]]
+[[Category:American Association (1902–1997) MVP Award winners]]
+[[Category:Atlanta Braves scouts]]
+[[Category:Augusta Rams players]]
-{{US-baseball-catcher-stub}}
+[[Category:Austin Pioneers players]]
+[[Category:Baseball players from Decatur, Illinois]]
+[[Category:Beaumont Exporters players]]
+[[Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players]]
+[[Category:Cedar Rapids Indians players]]
+[[Category:Cincinnati Reds players]]
+[[Category:Cleveland Indians scouts]]
+[[Category:Columbus Red Birds players]]
+[[Category:Dayton Ducks players]]
+[[Category:Decatur Commodores players]]
+[[Category:Detroit Tigers players]]
+[[Category:Gastonia Cardinals players]]
+[[Category:Hollywood Stars players]]
+[[Category:Jacksonville Jax players]]
+[[Category:Keokuk Cardinals players]]
+[[Category:Lufkin Lumbermen players]]
+[[Category:Major League Baseball catchers]]
+[[Category:Milwaukee Braves scouts]]
+[[Category:Milwaukee Brewers (minor league) players]]
+[[Category:Minor league baseball managers]]
+[[Category:Mobile Shippers players]]
+[[Category:Paris Pirates players]]
+[[Category:Scranton Miners players]]
+[[Category:Sioux City Soos players]]
+[[Category:Tulsa Oilers (baseball) players]]
+[[Category:Winston-Salem Twins players]]