Dick Phillips
Encyclopedia
Richard Eugene Phillips (November 24, 1931 — March 29, 1998) was a North American
professional baseball
player, manager
and coach
. A native of Racine, Wisconsin
, who attended Valparaiso University
, Phillips batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg).
Phillips' playing career extended from through , with time out for military service during the Korean War
. An outfielder
when he broke into baseball, he later was a first baseman
and second baseman
. He spent his first decade in professional baseball in the minor leagues
, mostly in the farm systems of the Milwaukee Braves
and San Francisco Giants
. After he won the 1961 Pacific Coast League
Most Valuable Player award, the Giants gave the 30-year-old Phillips his first Major League
opportunity at the outset of the season, but he went hitless in three at bats and was returned to the minors at the May roster cutdown. The following season, the Giants sold Phillips' contract to the Washington Senators
, and Phillips would spend the entire and campaigns on Washington's roster, starting 67 games at first base for the 1963 Senators
and 52 more there in 1964
. In 1965, he returned to the minors, as a first baseman with the Senators' Triple-A Hawaii Islanders
affiliate. Apart from a late-season call-up in 1966
, he spent the remainder of his playing career with Hawaii. As a Major Leaguer, Phillips compiled a lifetime batting average
of .229, with 12 home runs and 60 runs batted in.
Phillips remained in the game after his playing career ended, managing in the farm systems of the Minnesota Twins
, San Diego Padres
and Milwaukee Brewers
from 1973-79 and 1981-83. He also spent the season as a coach with the Padres under manager Jerry Coleman
. In his final professional baseball assignments, he managed in independent league baseball in 1995-96.
Phillips served as manager of the PCL's Vancouver Canadians
in 1982–1983, and also was the team's assistant general manager during the early 1990s. He died in Burnaby, British Columbia
, at the age of 66.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
and coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
. A native of Racine, Wisconsin
Racine, Wisconsin
Racine is a city in and the county seat of Racine County, Wisconsin, United States. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city had a population of 82,196...
, who attended Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso University, known colloquially as Valpo, is a regionally accredited private university located in the city of Valparaiso in the U.S. state of Indiana. Founded in 1859, it consists of five undergraduate colleges, a graduate school, a nursing school and a law school...
, Phillips batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (82 kg).
Phillips' playing career extended from through , with time out for military service during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. An outfielder
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...
when he broke into baseball, he later was a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
. He spent his first decade in professional baseball in the minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, mostly in the farm systems of the 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 San Francisco 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....
. After he won the 1961 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...
Most Valuable Player award, the Giants gave the 30-year-old Phillips his first Major League
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...
opportunity at the outset of the season, but he went hitless in three at bats and was returned to the minors at the May roster cutdown. The following season, the Giants sold Phillips' contract to the Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
, and Phillips would spend the entire and campaigns on Washington's roster, starting 67 games at first base for the 1963 Senators
1963 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season involved the Senators finishing 10th in the American League with a record of 56 wins and 106 losses.-Offseason:* October 5, 1962: Paul Casanova was signed as a free agent by the Senators....
and 52 more there in 1964
1964 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season involved the Senators finishing 9th in the American League with a record of 62 wins and 100 losses.- Offseason :* October 14, 1963: Minnie Miñoso was released by the Senators....
. In 1965, he returned to the minors, as a first baseman with the Senators' Triple-A Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
affiliate. Apart from a late-season call-up in 1966
1966 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators season involved the Senators finishing 8th in the American League with a record of 71 wins and 88 losses.- Offseason :* October 12, 1965: Woodie Held was traded by the Senators to the Baltimore Orioles for John Orsino....
, he spent the remainder of his playing career with Hawaii. As a Major Leaguer, Phillips compiled a lifetime batting average
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 :...
of .229, with 12 home runs and 60 runs batted in.
Phillips remained in the game after his playing career ended, managing in the farm systems of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
from 1973-79 and 1981-83. He also spent the season as a coach with the Padres under manager Jerry Coleman
Jerry Coleman
Gerald Francis "Jerry" Coleman is a former Major League Baseball second baseman for the New York Yankees. Currently, he is an analyst and former play-by-play radio announcer for the San Diego Padres...
. In his final professional baseball assignments, he managed in independent league baseball in 1995-96.
Phillips served as manager of the PCL's Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver Canadians
The Vancouver Canadians are a minor league baseball team located in Vancouver, British Columbia. The Canadians are the Northwest League affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays. The C's have previously affiliated with the Oakland Athletics between 2000-2010. They are the only Canadian team in the...
in 1982–1983, and also was the team's assistant general manager during the early 1990s. He died in Burnaby, British Columbia
Burnaby, British Columbia
Burnaby is a city in British Columbia, Canada, located immediately to the east of Vancouver. It is the third-largest city in British Columbia by population, surpassed only by nearby Surrey and Vancouver....
, at the age of 66.