Jerry Zimmerman
Encyclopedia
Gerald Robert Zimmerman (September 21, 1934 — September 9, 1998) was an American
professional
baseball
player and coach
. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball
for the Cincinnati Reds
and the Minnesota Twins
from 1961 to 1968. Born in Omaha, Nebraska
, he attended Milwaukie High School
in Oregon
.
when he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
in 1952
. He had played for the Minneapolis Millers
, Boston's Triple-A farm club, where his manager was Gene Mauch
. After spending seven years in the minor leagues
, he was released by the Red Sox on July 16, only to be picked up by the Baltimore Orioles
on the same day. Two months later, on September 25, the Orioles released him, and he was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds
, then known as the Redlegs. Zimmerman finally got his big break during the 1961
season, when the Reds traded away catcher Ed Bailey
and Zimmerman was called up to the majors.
Zimmerman was the Reds' starting catcher during their pennant
-winning season of 1961
, and although he only had a batting average
of .206, he still led the team's catchers, with Johnny Edwards
hitting .186 and Bob Schmidt
hitting .129. In the 1961 World Series
, Zimmerman appeared in two games as a late-inning
defensive substitution and had no at bats, as the Reds lost to the New York Yankees
, four games to one.
After the 1961 season, Zimmerman was traded on January 30, 1962
to the Minnesota Twins
for Dan Dobbek
. He played for the Twins for seven seasons, serving mostly as a backup for Earl Battey
. When the Twins won the 1965
American League pennant, Zimmerman was one of the few players on the team with previous World Series experience. The Twins would lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the 1965 World Series
. In 1967
, Zimmerman played in 104 games as Battey was troubled by health issues. The Twins were in first place with two games left in the season, but lost their final two games to the Boston Red Sox
and finished the season in second place. Although he was still an active player, Zimmerman became the Twins' unofficial bullpen coach in 1967, as the Twins only had three coaches during that time. After Battey's release in the off-season, the Twins traded for catcher John Roseboro, and Zimmerman went back to being a reserve player during the 1968
season. He was released by the Twins on March 18, .
, accumulating 203 hits
in 994 at bats for a .204 career batting average along with 3 home run
s and 72 runs batted in. Although he was a light-hitting player, Zimmerman was a good defensive catcher, leading the American League in 1965
with a .997 fielding percentage
and had a career fielding percentage of .991.
coach for the expansion team
Montreal Expos
from 1969
to 1975
, then was bullpen coach for the Twins (under Mauch) from 1976
to 1980
. Zimmerman also umpired
a game on August 25, in Toronto during an umpires' strike
. Zimmerman and Don Leppert
are the last two active coaches to umpire a Major League game. He then scouted for the Orioles during the 1980s. Zimmerman died in Neskowin, Oregon
, and his remains were cremated.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
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 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...
. He played as a catcher 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...
for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and 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...
from 1961 to 1968. Born in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, he attended Milwaukie High School
Milwaukie High School
Milwaukie High School is a public high school located in Milwaukie, Oregon, United States. It is one of three high schools within the North Clackamas School District. The school mascot is the mustang, and its school colors are maroon and gold.- History :...
in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
Major League career
Zimmerman began his career as an amateur free agentFree agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
when he was signed by the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
in 1952
1952 Boston Red Sox season
The 1952 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing 6th in the American League with a record of 76 wins and 78 losses.- Opening Day lineup :- Notable transactions :...
. He had played 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...
, Boston's Triple-A farm club, where his manager was Gene Mauch
Gene Mauch
Gene William Mauch was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers , Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago Cubs , Boston Braves , St...
. After spending seven years 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...
, he was released by the Red Sox on July 16, only to be picked up by 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...
on the same day. Two months later, on September 25, the Orioles released him, and he was picked up by the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
, then known as the Redlegs. Zimmerman finally got his big break during the 1961
1961 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League pennant with a record of 93-61, four games over the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers, but losing the World Series in five games to the New York Yankees. The Reds were managed by Fred...
season, when the Reds traded away catcher Ed Bailey
Ed Bailey
Lonas Edgar Bailey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from through . Bailey batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee...
and Zimmerman was called up to the majors.
Zimmerman was the Reds' starting catcher during their pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
-winning season of 1961
1961 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League pennant with a record of 93-61, four games over the runner-up Los Angeles Dodgers, but losing the World Series in five games to the New York Yankees. The Reds were managed by Fred...
, and although he only had a 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 .206, he still led the team's catchers, with Johnny Edwards
Johnny Edwards (baseball player)
John Alban Edwards was a former professional baseball catcher known for his excellent defensive skills. He played in the Major Leagues for the Cincinnati Reds , St...
hitting .186 and Bob Schmidt
Bob Schmidt (baseball)
Robert Benjamin Schmidt , is an American former professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from 1958 to 1965...
hitting .129. In the 1961 World Series
1961 World Series
The 1961 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds , with the Yankees winning in five games to earn their 19th championship in 39 seasons. This World Series was surrounded by Cold War political puns pitting the "Reds" against the "Yanks"...
, Zimmerman appeared in two games as a late-inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
defensive substitution and had no at bats, as the Reds lost to the New York Yankees
1961 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team in New York, and its 61st season overall. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home...
, four games to one.
After the 1961 season, Zimmerman was traded on January 30, 1962
1962 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins improved to 91-71, finishing second in the American League. 1,433,116 fans attended Twins games, the second highest total in the American League.- Offseason :...
to 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...
for Dan Dobbek
Dan Dobbek
Daniel John Dobbek is a retired American professional baseball player. An outfielder, he played one full season and parts of two others for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins franchise of Major League Baseball; his only full MLB campaign, 1960, was as a member of the last "original"...
. He played for the Twins for seven seasons, serving mostly as a backup for Earl Battey
Earl Battey
Earl Jesse Battey, Jr. was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago White Sox , the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins...
. When the Twins won the 1965
1965 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins won the 1965 American League pennant with a 102-60 record. It was the team's first pennant since moving to Minnesota, and the 102 wins was a team record.- Regular season :...
American League pennant, Zimmerman was one of the few players on the team with previous World Series experience. The Twins would lose to the Los Angeles Dodgers
1965 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers finished the regular-season with a 97–65 record, which earned them the NL pennant by just two games over their arch-rivals, the San Francisco Giants...
in the 1965 World Series
1965 World Series
The 1965 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers against the American League champion Minnesota Twins, who had won their first pennant since 1933 when the team was known as the Washington Senators...
. In 1967
1967 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins finished 91-73, tied for second in the American League with the Detroit Tigers. The Twins had a one-game lead with two games remaining, but lost both games to the Boston Red Sox in the season's final days...
, Zimmerman played in 104 games as Battey was troubled by health issues. The Twins were in first place with two games left in the season, but lost their final two games to the Boston Red Sox
1967 Boston Red Sox season
The Boston Red Sox season, often referred to as The Impossible Dream, consisted of the Red Sox shocking New England and the rest of the baseball world by winning the American League Championship and reaching the World Series for the first time since 1946...
and finished the season in second place. Although he was still an active player, Zimmerman became the Twins' unofficial bullpen coach in 1967, as the Twins only had three coaches during that time. After Battey's release in the off-season, the Twins traded for catcher John Roseboro, and Zimmerman went back to being a reserve player during the 1968
1968 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins season was a season in American baseball. The team finished 79-83, seventh in the American League.- Offseason :* January 27, 1968: Eric Soderholm was drafted by the Twins in the 1st round of the secondary phase of the 1968 Major League Baseball Draft.- Regular season :Leadoff...
season. He was released by the Twins on March 18, .
Career statistics
In a 8 year career, Zimmerman played in 483 gamesGames 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,...
, accumulating 203 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 994 at bats for a .204 career batting average along with 3 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 72 runs batted in. Although he was a light-hitting player, Zimmerman was a good defensive catcher, leading the American League in 1965
1965 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins won the 1965 American League pennant with a 102-60 record. It was the team's first pennant since moving to Minnesota, and the 102 wins was a team record.- Regular season :...
with a .997 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...
and had a career fielding percentage of .991.
Coaching career
Zimmerman rejoined Mauch as bullpenBullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
coach for the expansion team
Expansion team
An expansion team is a brand new team in a sports league. The term is most commonly used in reference to the North American major professional sports leagues, but is applied to sports leagues worldwide that use a closed franchise system of league membership. The term comes from the expansion of the...
Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
from 1969
1969 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos participated in their first season in Major League Baseball in . Even though the Expos, as typical for first-year expansion teams, finished in the cellar of the National League East Division with a 52-110 record, 48 games behind the eventual World Series Champion New York Mets,...
to 1975
1975 Montreal Expos season
-Offseason:* December 4, 1974: Tom Walker and Terry Humphrey were traded by the Expos to the Detroit Tigers for Woodie Fryman.* December 4, 1974: Mike Torrez and Ken Singleton were traded by the Expos to the Baltimore Orioles for Dave McNally, Rich Coggins, and Bill Kirkpatrick .* December 5, 1974:...
, then was bullpen coach for the Twins (under Mauch) from 1976
1976 Minnesota Twins season
The Minnesota Twins finished 85-77, third in the American League West. Only 715,394 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League...
to 1980
1980 Minnesota Twins season
The 1980 Minnesota Twins season was a season in American baseball. The Twins finished 77-84, third in the American League West. 769,206 fans attended Twins games, the lowest total in the American League.- Offseason :* December 3, 1979: 1979 rule 5 draft...
. Zimmerman also umpired
Umpire (baseball)
In baseball, the umpire is the person charged with officiating the game, including beginning and ending the game, enforcing the rules of the game and the grounds, making judgment calls on plays, and handling the disciplinary actions. The term is often shortened to the colloquial form ump...
a game on August 25, in Toronto during an umpires' strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
. Zimmerman and Don Leppert
Don Leppert
Donald George Leppert , is a former professional baseball player who played catcher in the Major Leagues from 1961-1964. He would play for the Washington Senators and Pittsburgh Pirates. After his playing career ended, Leppert was a coach for the Pirates , Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros...
are the last two active coaches to umpire a Major League game. He then scouted for the Orioles during the 1980s. Zimmerman died in Neskowin, Oregon
Neskowin, Oregon
Neskowin is an unincorporated community in Tillamook County, Oregon, United States, near where Slab Creek empties into the Pacific Ocean. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Neskowin as a census-designated place . The census definition of the area may not...
, and his remains were cremated.