Frank Torre
Encyclopedia
Frank Joseph Torre is a former first baseman
in Major League Baseball
. Torre, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the Milwaukee Braves (1956-60) and Philadelphia Phillies
(1962-63). He is the older brother of Joe Torre
, himself a former Major League Baseball player and longtime manager.
Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent in , Torre spent four seasons in the Braves farm system. He debuted with the team in (the Braves had since moved to Milwaukee
) and played in 111 games, most of them as a backup. He hit
.258 in 159 at-bats.
Torre’s two best seasons were in and ; in the former year, he batted .272 with 5 home run
s and 40 runs batted in
. He also tied a National League record that year by scoring six runs in one game, the first game of a September 2 doubleheader
against the Chicago Cubs
, which the Braves won 23-10. Torre was a member of a Braves team that defeated the New York Yankees
in that year's World Series
; he homered twice in the Series, which the Braves won in seven games on the strength of Lew Burdette
’s three victories. In Torre established career highs in batting average (.309), home runs (six) and RBIs (55) as the Braves repeated as National League champions. However, the Yankees defeated the Braves in the World Series
after trailing 0-2 and 1-3 in the Series.
In his career Torre played 714 games, batting .273 with 13 home runs and 179 RBIs. He was also a difficult man to strike out
, fanning only 64 times in 1482 at-bats, or one per 23.2 at-bats. Torre was also an excellent defensive player, coming into the game as a replacement for Joe Adcock
in late-inning situations in games where he did not start. Torre led all National League
first basemen in fielding percentage
in 1957 and 1958.
In , as his brother Joe
was managing the New York Yankees to a World Series
title (his first as a player or manager—39 years after Frank had won his) over the Atlanta Braves
, Frank made news of his own by successfully undergoing a heart transplant
. http://www.canoe.ca/96WorldSeries/oct29_frank.html He received the new heart on October 25 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital after a two-and-a-half month wait. The very next night, he watched from his hospital bed as Joe managed the Yankees to the World Series title. Like the 1958 World Series against Frank's Milwaukee Braves, the Yankees had rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win this Series, taking the next four games.
In 2006 it was reported that Frank needed a kidney transplant as a result of the medication he had been taking for his heart. A year later he received a kidney from one of his daughters.
Torre currently serves as a Vice President of the Baseball Assistance Team
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical hardships.
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...
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...
. Torre, who batted and threw left-handed, played for the Milwaukee Braves (1956-60) and 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...
(1962-63). He is the older brother of Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
, himself a former Major League Baseball player and longtime manager.
Signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent in , Torre spent four seasons in the Braves farm system. He debuted with the team in (the Braves had since moved to Milwaukee
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) and played in 111 games, most of them as a backup. He hit
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 :...
.258 in 159 at-bats.
Torre’s two best seasons were in and ; in the former year, he batted .272 with 5 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 40 runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
. He also tied a National League record that year by scoring six runs in one game, the first game of a September 2 doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, which the Braves won 23-10. Torre was a member of a Braves team that defeated 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...
in that year's 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...
; he homered twice in the Series, which the Braves won in seven games on the strength of Lew Burdette
Lew Burdette
Selva Lewis Burdette, Jr. was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Boston and Milwaukee Braves...
’s three victories. In Torre established career highs in batting average (.309), home runs (six) and RBIs (55) as the Braves repeated as National League champions. However, the Yankees defeated the Braves in the World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
after trailing 0-2 and 1-3 in the Series.
In his career Torre played 714 games, batting .273 with 13 home runs and 179 RBIs. He was also a difficult man to strike out
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....
, fanning only 64 times in 1482 at-bats, or one per 23.2 at-bats. Torre was also an excellent defensive player, coming into the game as a replacement for Joe Adcock
Joe Adcock
Joseph Wilbur "Billy Joe" Adcock was an American first baseman and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball, best known for his years with the powerful Milwaukee Braves teams of the 1950s, whose career included numerous home run feats...
in late-inning situations in games where he did not start. Torre led all National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
first basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
in 1957 and 1958.
In , as his brother Joe
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
was managing the New York Yankees to a World Series
1996 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
title (his first as a player or manager—39 years after Frank had won his) over the Atlanta 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....
, Frank made news of his own by successfully undergoing a heart transplant
Heart transplantation
A heart transplant, or a cardiac transplantation, is a surgical transplant procedure performed on patients with end-stage heart failure or severe coronary artery disease. As of 2007 the most common procedure was to take a working heart from a recently deceased organ donor and implant it into the...
. http://www.canoe.ca/96WorldSeries/oct29_frank.html He received the new heart on October 25 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital after a two-and-a-half month wait. The very next night, he watched from his hospital bed as Joe managed the Yankees to the World Series title. Like the 1958 World Series against Frank's Milwaukee Braves, the Yankees had rallied from an 0-2 deficit to win this Series, taking the next four games.
In 2006 it was reported that Frank needed a kidney transplant as a result of the medication he had been taking for his heart. A year later he received a kidney from one of his daughters.
Torre currently serves as a Vice President of the Baseball Assistance Team
Baseball Assistance Team
The Baseball Assistance Team is a 501 non-profit affiliated with Major League Baseball. The organization's stated goal is to "help members of the baseball family who have come on hard times and are in need of assistance," and is guided by the principles of teamwork, caring, and sharing...
, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to helping former Major League, Minor League, and Negro League players through financial and medical hardships.