Clint Hartung
Encyclopedia
Clinton Clarence Hartung (August 10, 1922 – July 8, 2010) was a right-handed pitcher
and right fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played with the New York Giants
from 1947 to 1952. His name has become associated with promising rookies who have undistinguished careers. His pro nicknames were "The Hondo Hurricane" and "Floppy."
Originally signed for the Minneapolis Millers
, Hartung played for the Eau Claire
Bears
of the Northern League
for two months in 1942, hitting
.358 and winning
3 games as a pitcher. He was then drafted
into the U.S. Army
where he spent the duration of World War II
, playing on military teams, often against other drafted pros. Here he went 25-0 as a pitcher and averaged 15 strikeout
s a game, and batted .567. A year before his demobilization, the Giants signed him for $35,000, a very high sum, and expectations were proportionally high: Sportswriter Tom Meany later said of him, "Rather than stop at the Polo Grounds
they should have taken him straight to Cooperstown" -- the Hall of Fame.
In he finally debuted in the major leagues, but his performance under these conditions quickly proved less stellar. His first season he only managed 9–7 pitching and .306 hitting. In 1948 his stats declined to 8-8 and .179; his pitching never recovered, and was his last year in that job for the Giants, while his hitting did recover somewhat but he never achieved anything like his earlier numbers. As with some other phenoms, he was noted for doing much better in spring training
than he would in the regular season. His fielding was never good, and reportedly he was unable to hit curveball
s.
After 1950, he was relieved of his duties as a pitcher and was switched to the outfield—a very rare position shift in the major leagues. Hartung was the 11th player in history whose first homer in the majors was as a pitcher to later hit a home run as a position player; the previous player to do so was Babe Ruth
, but the next was not until Rick Ankiel
repeated the feat in the 2000s. He was at least present, though passively, as the pinch runner
at third base
in the 1951 play known as the Shot Heard 'Round the World
.
By 1954 he was back in the minor leagues, playing for the next two years for Cincinnati Redlegs' farm teams the Havana Sugar Kings
of the International League
and the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association
. He also played for the Oakland Oaks
of the Pacific Coast League
.
He played for the Plymouth (Oil Company) Oilers, a nationally known semi-pro team in Sinton, Texas, for several years after leaving the minor leagues, including the summer of 1956, the same year Don Larsen pitched his perfect World Series game against the Dodgers.
A 1983 Texas Monthly (magazine) article commented on his career.
The baseball statistical reference by Bill James
commemorates Hartung with its "Clint Hartung Award", for the most overhyped rookie of each decade (and honors him with one for the 1940s), and baseball-themed musician Terry Cashman
wrote a song called "The Hondo Hurricane".
Clint Hartung died at his home in Sinton, Texas July 8, 2010.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from 1947 to 1952. His name has become associated with promising rookies who have undistinguished careers. His pro nicknames were "The Hondo Hurricane" and "Floppy."
Originally signed for the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
, Hartung played for the Eau Claire
Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Eau Claire is a city located in the west-central part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 65,883 as of the 2010 census, making it the largest municipality in the northwestern portion of the state, and the 9th largest in the state overall. It is the county seat of Eau Claire County,...
Bears
Eau Claire Bears
The Eau Claire Bears were a minor league baseball team from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. From 1933 until 1942 and 1946 until 1953, the team was a member of the Northern League. The Class C team was affiliated with the Chicago Cubs until 1939, and re-affiliated with the Boston Braves in 1947...
of the Northern League
Northern League (baseball, 1902-71)
This article refers to the original incarnations of the Northern League, which operated between 1902 and 1971. For the more recent league, see Northern League ...
for two months in 1942, hitting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.358 and winning
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
3 games as a pitcher. He was then drafted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
where he spent the duration of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, playing on military teams, often against other drafted pros. Here he went 25-0 as a pitcher and averaged 15 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s a game, and batted .567. A year before his demobilization, the Giants signed him for $35,000, a very high sum, and expectations were proportionally high: Sportswriter Tom Meany later said of him, "Rather than stop at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
they should have taken him straight to Cooperstown" -- the Hall of Fame.
In he finally debuted in the major leagues, but his performance under these conditions quickly proved less stellar. His first season he only managed 9–7 pitching and .306 hitting. In 1948 his stats declined to 8-8 and .179; his pitching never recovered, and was his last year in that job for the Giants, while his hitting did recover somewhat but he never achieved anything like his earlier numbers. As with some other phenoms, he was noted for doing much better in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
than he would in the regular season. His fielding was never good, and reportedly he was unable to hit curveball
Curveball
The curveball is a type of pitch in baseball thrown with a characteristic grip and hand movement that imparts forward spin to the ball causing it to dive in a downward path as it approaches the plate. Its close relatives are the slider and the slurve. The "curve" of the ball varies from pitcher to...
s.
After 1950, he was relieved of his duties as a pitcher and was switched to the outfield—a very rare position shift in the major leagues. Hartung was the 11th player in history whose first homer in the majors was as a pitcher to later hit a home run as a position player; the previous player to do so was Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, but the next was not until Rick Ankiel
Rick Ankiel
Richard Alexander Ankiel is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is currently with the Washington Nationals. He bats and throws left-handed....
repeated the feat in the 2000s. He was at least present, though passively, as the pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
at third base
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
in the 1951 play known as the Shot Heard 'Round the World
Shot Heard 'Round the World (baseball)
In baseball, the "Shot Heard 'round the World" is the term given to the walk-off home run hit by New York Giants outfielder Bobby Thomson off Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Ralph Branca at the Polo Grounds to win the National League pennant at 3:58 p.m...
.
By 1954 he was back in the minor leagues, playing for the next two years for Cincinnati Redlegs' farm teams the Havana Sugar Kings
Havana Sugar Kings
The Havana Sugar Kings were a Cuban-based minor league baseball team that played in the Class AAA International League from 1954 to 1960 . They were affiliated with Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds, and their home stadium was El Gran Estadio del Cerro in Havana, Cuba.-History:The Sugar...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
and the Nashville Volunteers of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
. He also played for the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (PCL)
The Oakland Oaks were a minor league baseball team in Oakland, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1955, after which the club transferred to Vancouver, British Columbia...
of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
.
He played for the Plymouth (Oil Company) Oilers, a nationally known semi-pro team in Sinton, Texas, for several years after leaving the minor leagues, including the summer of 1956, the same year Don Larsen pitched his perfect World Series game against the Dodgers.
A 1983 Texas Monthly (magazine) article commented on his career.
The baseball statistical reference by Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
commemorates Hartung with its "Clint Hartung Award", for the most overhyped rookie of each decade (and honors him with one for the 1940s), and baseball-themed musician Terry Cashman
Terry Cashman
Terry Cashman is a record producer and singer-songwriter, best known for his 1981 hit, "Talkin' Baseball." While the song is well recognized today, it was all but ignored by typical Top 40 radio during its chart life, making only the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.Cashman was the lead singer...
wrote a song called "The Hondo Hurricane".
Clint Hartung died at his home in Sinton, Texas July 8, 2010.
External links
- Short blurb from a 1947 LIFELife (magazine)Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
magazine - The History of the Phenom
- Clint Hartung at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...