Elliott Maddox
Encyclopedia
Elliott Maddox is an African-American former Major League Baseball
American player. Maddox, from 1970 to 1980, played for the Detroit Tigers
, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers
, New York Yankees
, Baltimore Orioles
, and New York Mets
.
in Union, New Jersey
. He then went on to attend the University of Michigan
, and while there took Judaic studies courses. As a junior in 1967, he won the Big Ten batting title with a .467 average. Maddox converted to Judaism
in 1975.
in the 4th round of the draft, but did not sign. In June 1968 he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers
in the 1st round (20th pick) of the draft (secondary phase). In 2 minor league seasons, in 1968 and 1969, Maddox batted .303.
, Norm McRae, and Don Wert
to the Washington Senators
for Ed Brinkman
, Aurelio Rodríguez
, Joe Coleman, and Jim Hannan. In 1972, he stole 20 bases, a career high.
In March 1974 the New York Yankees
purchased him from the Rangers. Maddox went on to his finest year in the Majors, finishing 6th in the American League
with a .303 batting average
and 4th in the league in on base percentage (.395). He also had 14 assists from the outfield, and came in 8th in the league in Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player voting.
In 1975, he slipped on the field in Shea Stadium
and suffered an injury to his knee. He later sued the New York Yankees as his employer, the New York Mets as lessees of Shea Stadium, and the City of New York as owners of the stadium. In the notable decision Maddox v. City of New York, the New York Court of Appeals
ruled that Maddox knew of the condition of the grass at the time and decided to play anyway. Therefore he assumed the risk, and the defendants were found to be not liable for any damages that occurred to him.
In 1975, he batted .307 (.369 against lefties, and .360 with 2 outs, and runners in scoring position) with a .382 on base percentage, and came in 8th in the league in hbp (7).
In January 1977 the Yankees traded Maddox and Rick Bladt
to the Baltimore Orioles
for Paul Blair
. In November 1977 he signed as a free agent with the New York Mets
. In 1980 he led the league in being hit by pitches (6). In June 1981 he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies
.
Maddox was an excellent defensive player, who could play both infield
and outfield
positions. While he played primarily outfield, he also played third base, shortstop, second base, and first base in his career. His fielding percentage in the outfield was better than the league average every year that he played.
In 2007, Maddox was inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame.
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...
American player. Maddox, from 1970 to 1980, played for the 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...
, Washington Senators/Texas Rangers
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...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
.
Early and personal life
Maddox attended Union High SchoolUnion High School (New Jersey)
Union High School is a comprehensive community public high school located in Union Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Union Public School District. In the late 1960s, a new high school was built, expanding on the existing Burnet Junior High School structure...
in Union, New Jersey
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
. He then went on to attend the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
, and while there took Judaic studies courses. As a junior in 1967, he won the Big Ten batting title with a .467 average. Maddox converted to Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in 1975.
Minor league career
In June 1966 he was drafted by the Houston AstrosHouston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
in the 4th round of the draft, but did not sign. In June 1968 he was drafted by the 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...
in the 1st round (20th pick) of the draft (secondary phase). In 2 minor league seasons, in 1968 and 1969, Maddox batted .303.
Major league career
As a 22-year-old, he played 109 games for the Detroit Tigers in 1970. In October 1970, he was traded by the Tigers with Denny McLainDenny McLain
Dennis Dale "Denny" McLain is a former American professional baseball player, and the last major league pitcher to win 30 or more games during a season —a feat accomplished by only thirteen players in the 20th century....
, Norm McRae, and Don Wert
Don Wert
Donald Ralph Wert , nicknamed "Coyote", is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Detroit Tigers from 1963 to 1970 and also briefly played for the Washington Senators in 1971...
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...
for Ed Brinkman
Ed Brinkman
Edwin Albert Brinkman was a Major League Baseball shortstop. He played fifteen years in the Major League Baseball, led the American League in games played twice, won a Gold Glove Award at shortstop, and had a career batting average of .224...
, Aurelio Rodríguez
Aurelio Rodríguez
Aurelio Rodríguez Ituarte, Jr. , was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the California Angels , Washington Senators , Detroit Tigers , San Diego Padres , New York Yankees , Chicago White Sox and Baltimore Orioles...
, Joe Coleman, and Jim Hannan. In 1972, he stole 20 bases, a career high.
In March 1974 the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
purchased him from the Rangers. Maddox went on to his finest year in the Majors, finishing 6th in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with a .303 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 :...
and 4th in the league in on base percentage (.395). He also had 14 assists from the outfield, and came in 8th in the league in Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player voting.
In 1975, he slipped on the field in Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
and suffered an injury to his knee. He later sued the New York Yankees as his employer, the New York Mets as lessees of Shea Stadium, and the City of New York as owners of the stadium. In the notable decision Maddox v. City of New York, the New York Court of Appeals
New York Court of Appeals
The New York Court of Appeals is the highest court in the U.S. state of New York. The Court of Appeals consists of seven judges: the Chief Judge and six associate judges who are appointed by the Governor to 14-year terms...
ruled that Maddox knew of the condition of the grass at the time and decided to play anyway. Therefore he assumed the risk, and the defendants were found to be not liable for any damages that occurred to him.
In 1975, he batted .307 (.369 against lefties, and .360 with 2 outs, and runners in scoring position) with a .382 on base percentage, and came in 8th in the league in hbp (7).
In January 1977 the Yankees traded Maddox and Rick Bladt
Rick Bladt
Richard Alan Bladt was a right-handed outfielder in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees.Bladt was signed by the Cubs in as an undrafted amateur free agent...
to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Paul Blair
Paul Blair (baseball)
Paul L. D. Blair is a former outfielder who spent seventeen seasons in Major League Baseball with the Baltimore Orioles , New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds...
. In November 1977 he signed as a free agent with the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. In 1980 he led the league in being hit by pitches (6). In June 1981 he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
.
Maddox was an excellent defensive player, who could play both infield
Infield
Infield is a widely used term in sports terminology, its meaning depends on the sport in which it is used.- In baseball :In baseball the baseball diamond plus a region beyond it , has both grass and dirt, in contrast to the more distant, usually grass-covered outfield...
and outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
positions. While he played primarily outfield, he also played third base, shortstop, second base, and first base in his career. His fielding percentage in the outfield was better than the league average every year that he played.
In 2007, Maddox was inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame.