Harry Chiti
Encyclopedia
Harry Chiti (November 16, 1932 — January 31, 2002) was an American
catcher
in Major League Baseball
. From 1950 through 1962, he played for the Chicago Cubs
(1950–52, 1955–56), Kansas City Athletics
(1958–1960), Detroit Tigers
(1960–61) and New York Mets
(1962). A native of Kincaid, Illinois
, Chiti batted and threw right-handed. He was the father of major league coach
Dom Chiti
.
, Chiti was only 17 years old when he broke in the majors with the Chicago Cubs, making infrequent appearances from 1950–52.
After two years in the military
during the Korean War
, Chiti returned to Chicago and handled the starting job in 1955, batting
.231 with 11 home run
s and 41 RBI in a career-high 113 games
.
In 1956, Chiti shared catching duties with Hobie Landrith
. On May 30 (Memorial Day) he made an entry for himself in Cubs trivia, during the second game of a windblown doubleheader against the Milwaukee Braves, in which 39 runs were scored overall. While being intentionally walked, Braves pitcher Ray Crone
delivered a little too close to the outside corner of the plate, and Chiti smacked it into the right field corner, legging out a triple.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-05-30/sports/0605300116_1_russ-meyer-wrigley-field-cubshttp://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1956/B05302CHN1956.htm
At season's end, he was sent to the World Series Champion
New York Yankees
, but he never saw any action with the Bombers. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics
from New York in the 1957 Rule 5 draft
. Chiti played with the Athletics from 1958–60. The next three years he was part of transactions between the A’s, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles
and Cleveland Indians
.
On April 25, 1962—before he even played a game for the Indians—Chiti was acquired by the expansion New York Mets for a player to be named later
. However, he was sent back to the Indians on June 15, 1962 after 15 games and a .195 batting average. Since Chiti was the "player to be named later," he thus became the first player ever traded for himself. He never played another major league game, spending two more years at AAA before retiring in 1964.
In a ten-season career, Chiti was a .238 hitter with 41 home runs and 179 RBI in 502 games.
Chiti died in Haines City, Florida
, at age 69.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
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...
. From 1950 through 1962, he played for 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...
(1950–52, 1955–56), Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
(1958–1960), 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...
(1960–61) 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...
(1962). A native of Kincaid, Illinois
Kincaid, Illinois
Kincaid is a village in Christian County, Illinois. It had a 2010 census population of 1,505.-Geography:Kincaid is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , all of it land...
, Chiti batted and threw right-handed. He was the father of major league 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...
Dom Chiti
Dom Chiti
Harry Dominic Chiti is a former bullpen coach of the Texas Rangers and a former left handed pitcher in the minor leagues. He is the son of former major league catcher Harry Chiti.-Playing career:...
.
Career
A competent defensive catcher with a great ability to handle the knuckleballKnuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
, Chiti was only 17 years old when he broke in the majors with the Chicago Cubs, making infrequent appearances from 1950–52.
After two years in the military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
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...
, Chiti returned to Chicago and handled the starting job in 1955, batting
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 :...
.231 with 11 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 41 RBI in a career-high 113 games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
.
In 1956, Chiti shared catching duties with Hobie Landrith
Hobie Landrith
Hobart "Hobie" Neal Landrith is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from 1950 through 1963 for the Cincinnati Reds & Redlegs, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, and Washington Senators...
. On May 30 (Memorial Day) he made an entry for himself in Cubs trivia, during the second game of a windblown doubleheader against the Milwaukee Braves, in which 39 runs were scored overall. While being intentionally walked, Braves pitcher Ray Crone
Ray Crone
Raymond Hayes Crone was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Milwaukee Braves from 1954 to 1957 and the New York/San Francisco Giants from 1957 to 1958.-Early life and career:...
delivered a little too close to the outside corner of the plate, and Chiti smacked it into the right field corner, legging out a triple.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2006-05-30/sports/0605300116_1_russ-meyer-wrigley-field-cubshttp://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1956/B05302CHN1956.htm
At season's end, he was sent to the World Series Champion
1956 World Series
The 1956 World Series of Major League Baseball was played between the New York Yankees and the defending champion Brooklyn Dodgers during the month of October 1956. The Series was a rematch of the 1955 World Series...
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...
, but he never saw any action with the Bombers. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
from New York in the 1957 Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. Chiti played with the Athletics from 1958–60. The next three years he was part of transactions between the A’s, Detroit Tigers, 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 Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
On April 25, 1962—before he even played a game for the Indians—Chiti was acquired by the expansion New York Mets for a player to be named later
Player to be named later
The concept of the "player to be named later" is most often associated with Major League Baseball and Minor League Baseball trades.-Description:...
. However, he was sent back to the Indians on June 15, 1962 after 15 games and a .195 batting average. Since Chiti was the "player to be named later," he thus became the first player ever traded for himself. He never played another major league game, spending two more years at AAA before retiring in 1964.
In a ten-season career, Chiti was a .238 hitter with 41 home runs and 179 RBI in 502 games.
Chiti died in Haines City, Florida
Haines City, Florida
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,174 at the 2000 census. As of 2010, the population estimated by the Bureau of Economic and Business Research at the University of Florida is 18,762. Haines City is the third most populous city in Polk County, Florida...
, at age 69.