Global InformationDon Zimmer information
| Don Zimmer | |
|---|---|
 Zimmer as he appeared in a Bowman trading card, 1955 | |
| Infielder / Manager | |
| Born: January 17, 1931 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. | |
| Died: June 4, 2014 (aged 83) Dunedin, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 2, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 2, 1965, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .235 |
| Home runs | 91 |
| Runs batted in | 352 |
| Managerial record | 885–858 |
| Winning % | .508 |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager
As coach
| |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Donald William Zimmer (January 17, 1931 – June 4, 2014) was an American infielder, manager, and coach in Major League Baseball (MLB). Zimmer was involved in professional baseball from 1949 until his death, a span of 65 years, across 8 decades.[1]
Zimmer signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1949. He played in the major leagues with the Dodgers (1954–1959, 1963), Chicago Cubs (1960–1961), New York Mets (1962), Cincinnati Reds (1962), and Washington Senators (1963–1965). Shortly thereafter came a stint with the Toei Flyers of Nippon Professional Baseball in 1966.
In between, Zimmer saw action in all or parts of 18 minor league seasons spanning 1949–1967. He also played winter baseball with the Elefantes de Cienfuegos[2] and the Tigres de Marianao[3] of the Cuban League during the 1952–53 season, as well as for the 1954–55 Puerto Rican League champion Cangrejeros de Santurce en route to the 1955 Caribbean Series. Zimmer led his team to the Series title, topping all hitters with a .400 batting average (8-for-20), three home runs and a .950 slugging percentage, while claiming Most Valuable Player honors.[4][5]
During a minor league game on July 7, 1953, Zimmer was struck in the head by a pitch from Jim Kirk and lost consciousness, and developed blood clots on his brain that required two operations.[6][7][8] He woke up two weeks later, thinking that it was the day after the game where the incident took place. This eventually led to Major League Baseball adopting mandatory batting helmets as a safety measure to be used by players when at-bat.
Following his retirement as a player, Zimmer began his coaching career. He worked in Minor League Baseball, before coaching the Montreal Expos (1971), San Diego Padres (1972), Boston Red Sox (1974–76, 1992), New York Yankees (1983, 1986, 1996–2003), Cubs (1984–1986), San Francisco Giants (1987), Colorado Rockies (1993–1995), and Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays (2004–2014). He served as manager for the Padres (1972–73), Red Sox (1976–1980), Texas Rangers (1981–82), and Cubs (1988–1991).
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nytobitwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ 1952–53 Elefantes de Cienfuegos season
- ^ "Marianao (Liga Profesional Cubana 1952-53)". Desde Mi Palco De Fanático. May 2, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2021.
- ^ Nuñez, José Antero (1994). Serie del Caribe de la Habana a Puerto la Cruz. JAN Editor. ISBN 980-07-2389-7
- ^ Van Hyning, Thomas. (1995) "Teams for the Ages". Puerto Rico's Winter League: A History of Major League Baseball's Launching Pad. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company. pp. 208 and 216. Retrieved 2014-06-06.
- ^ "Zimmer Fractures Skull – St. Paul Star, Hit by Pitch, in 'Fair' Condition at Hospital". The New York Times. July 9, 1953. p. 28. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- ^ "Operation Helps Zimmer". The New York Times. July 16, 1953. p. 25. Retrieved June 10, 2019.
- ^ "Zimmer to Leave Hospital". The New York Times. August 1, 1953. p. 16. Retrieved June 10, 2019.