Bob Hazle
Encyclopedia
Robert Sydney "Hurricane" Hazle (December 9, 1930 - April 25, 1992) is a former professional baseball player. He was an outfielder
over parts of 3 seasons (1955, 1957-1958) with the Cincinnati Redlegs
, Milwaukee Braves
and Detroit Tigers
. Hazle was a member of the 1957 World Series
champion Braves. For his career he hit .310 with 9 home run
s and 37 runs batted in in 110 games played.
Hazle debuted with the Reds late in the 1955 season, but made no impression. He was traded with Corky Valentine
to the Milwaukee Braves in return for George Crowe
the following spring, but did not appear in the big leagues. Playing for Wichita, he was hurt and reportedly considered quitting the sport.
Hazle is best remembered for his meteoric 1957 performance. He was promoted from Wichita only after outfielder Bill Bruton
suffered a season-ending knee injury, and did not play until the Braves' 100th game.
In less than three weeks, from August 9 through August 25, Hazle batted .473 with 5 home runs and 19 RBI in 14 games, a sudden burst of unexpected offense that earned him the nickname "Hurricane." The original Hurricane Hazel
had struck the coast of Hazle's home state, South Carolina, in 1954.
The first-place Braves swept the second-place Cardinals on August 9-11, which went a long way towards sealing the National League pennant for Milwaukee; the first two games of the series were blowouts, and Hazle had seven hits and five RBI. He batted a torrid .556 in his first dozen games. For the season, Hazle bat .403 in 41 games, with 7 home runs and 27 RBI. On the next-to-last day of the season, Hazle broke up a no-hit bid by Cincinnati's Johnny Klippstein
with a two-out, eighth inning single.
Hazle appeared in four of seven World Series games that year, hitting an ineffective .154 for the champion Braves. However, both of his Series hits came in the seventh and deciding game; Hazle scored the first run in a 5-0 victory. Despite having had just 134 at-bats, Hazle finished fourth in the 1957 NL Rookie of the Year voting.
After a bad start in 1958, he was traded to Detroit. After a stint in the minors, he retired in 1959.
Hazle was born in Laurens, South Carolina
and died in Columbia, South Carolina
at the age of 61.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
over parts of 3 seasons (1955, 1957-1958) with the Cincinnati Redlegs
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, Milwaukee Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
and Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
. Hazle was a member of the 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
champion Braves. For his career he hit .310 with 9 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 37 runs batted in in 110 games played.
Hazle debuted with the Reds late in the 1955 season, but made no impression. He was traded with Corky Valentine
Corky Valentine
Harold Lewis "Corky" Valentine was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched for the Cincinnati Redlegs for 36 games during the 1954 Cincinnati Redlegs season and ten games during the 1955 Cincinnati Redlegs season.-External links:...
to the Milwaukee Braves in return for George Crowe
George Crowe
George Daniel Crowe was a Major League first baseman. He attended Franklin High School in Franklin, Indiana, graduated from Indiana Central College, now the University of Indianapolis, in 1943 and played baseball and basketball. He was the first Indiana "Mr. Basketball"...
the following spring, but did not appear in the big leagues. Playing for Wichita, he was hurt and reportedly considered quitting the sport.
Hazle is best remembered for his meteoric 1957 performance. He was promoted from Wichita only after outfielder Bill Bruton
Bill Bruton
William Havon Bruton was a Major League Baseball center fielder who played for the Milwaukee Braves in 1953 through 1960, and for the Detroit Tigers in 1961 through 64. Bruton batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
suffered a season-ending knee injury, and did not play until the Braves' 100th game.
In less than three weeks, from August 9 through August 25, Hazle batted .473 with 5 home runs and 19 RBI in 14 games, a sudden burst of unexpected offense that earned him the nickname "Hurricane." The original Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
had struck the coast of Hazle's home state, South Carolina, in 1954.
The first-place Braves swept the second-place Cardinals on August 9-11, which went a long way towards sealing the National League pennant for Milwaukee; the first two games of the series were blowouts, and Hazle had seven hits and five RBI. He batted a torrid .556 in his first dozen games. For the season, Hazle bat .403 in 41 games, with 7 home runs and 27 RBI. On the next-to-last day of the season, Hazle broke up a no-hit bid by Cincinnati's Johnny Klippstein
Johnny Klippstein
John Calvin Klippstein was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball for a number of teams throughout his career. The most prominent portion of his career was spent early on with the Chicago Cubs . In 18 years, he finished with an 101-118 record and a 4.24 ERA in 711 games...
with a two-out, eighth inning single.
Hazle appeared in four of seven World Series games that year, hitting an ineffective .154 for the champion Braves. However, both of his Series hits came in the seventh and deciding game; Hazle scored the first run in a 5-0 victory. Despite having had just 134 at-bats, Hazle finished fourth in the 1957 NL Rookie of the Year voting.
After a bad start in 1958, he was traded to Detroit. After a stint in the minors, he retired in 1959.
Hazle was born in Laurens, South Carolina
Laurens, South Carolina
Laurens is a city in Laurens County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 9,916 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Laurens County.-History:...
and died in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
at the age of 61.