Yankees World Series Champion, St. Louis' Last AL All-Star, Dies at 97
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Billy Hunter, who became the St. Louis Browns' last All-Star during a storied career in baseball, has died. He was 97.
Hunter moved east with the Browns franchise to Baltimore, which became known as the Orioles beginning with the 1954 season. After being traded to the Yankees in November 1954, he would play 39 games for the 1956 World Series champions.
More news: Former Cubs, Cardinals Outfielder Who Made St. Louis History Passes Away
Hunter batted .219 with 16 home runs and 144 RBIs in six major league seasons with the Browns/Orioles (1953-54), Yankees (1955-56), Kansas City Athletics (1957-58), and Cleveland Indians (1958).
After retiring as a player, Hunter went into scouting, then coaching. He managed the Texas Rangers for two seasons (1977-78), missing the playoffs by only five games in his second year.
Billy Hunter, manager of the Texas Rangers baseball team, Dallas, Texas, July 5 1977.
Billy Hunter, manager of the Texas Rangers baseball team, Dallas, Texas, July 5 1977.
UPI/Although Hunter never managed or coached a professional team again, he spent eight seasons as the head baseball coach at Towson University. He also spent 11 years as Towson's athletic director.
Hunter's claim to fame as the Browns' last All-Star Game representative came during his first year in the big leagues. A shortstop, Hunter appeared in all 154 games for St. Louis' final season as an American League city. He slashed .219/.253/.259 with one home run and 37 RBIs in 1953.
More news: Former Red Sox, Indians, Angels Pitcher Passes Away
Hunter's offensive output ticked up in 1954, when he slashed .243/.281/.304 for the rechristened Baltimore Orioles. But he was traded after the season as part of the deal that sent Don Larsen and Bob Turley to the Yankees for 10 players.
Hunter played sparingly (137 games) in his two seasons in New York, slashing .239/.276/.327. He did not appear in the 1956 World Series, which saw the Yankees defeat the Brooklyn Dodgers for the championship.
More news: Former Braves, Red Sox Pitcher Dies Unexpectedly at 54
Hunter was traded again in February 1957, this time to the Kansas City Athletics as part of an 11-player trade. He would go on to play 138 games for the A's, slashing .186/.253/.321 from 1957-58.
Hunter was traded to Cleveland in June 1958, and he played 76 games for the Indians to conclude his major league career. Hunter's final season (1959) as a player came with San Diego of the Pacific Coast League. He batted .249 with eight home runs and 47 RBIs in 1959 for the Padres, who were the Indians' top minor league affiliate at the time.
More news: MLB News: Former Red Sox, Cardinals Pitcher Passes Away
Rather than move to Toronto to continue his playing career, Hunter took a job with the Indians as a part-time scout in 1960. He worked his way up to a full-time scout, then a minor league manager, and a major league coach in Baltimore.
As the Orioles' third base coach in 1969, Hunter took over for manager Earl Weaver in Game 4 of the 1969 World Series when the O's temperamental skipper was ejected; Baltimore lost the game in 10 innings to the eventual champion New York Mets.
More news: Two-Time World Series Champion, Beloved Member of 1969 Mets, Passes Away
Hunter became the last living St. Louis Browns player only recently, when Ed Mickelson died on June 27.
In 1996, Hunter was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. In 1997 he was inducted into the Towson University Athletics Hall of Fame.
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