Mike Ivie
Encyclopedia
Michael Wilson Ivie is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
who played for the San Diego Padres
, San Francisco Giants
, Houston Astros
, and Detroit Tigers
during his career from 1971 to 1983. In addition to playing first base, Ivie put in considerable time as a third baseman
, a left fielder
and was a designated hitter
.
as a catcher
by the San Diego Padres
. He began his career in the Padres' minor league system, where he once hit 21 homers in 21 games. He made his major league debut as an 18-year-old in 1971. Even though he was a catcher in the minor leagues, he occasionally started as a third baseman, but was then moved to first base and made the Padres in 1974. During the 1978 off season, he was traded from the Padres to the San Francisco Giants
in exchange for Derrel Thomas
. After the 1978 season, Ivie was the talk of a trade rumor involving the Minnesota Twins
to bring Rod Carew
to the Giants. The trade fell through and Carew ended up with the then California Angels. Ivie went on to hit a career high 27 home runs and 89 RBI for the Giants in 1979.
Going into the 1980 season, Ivie was considered the Giants' successor at first base to Willie McCovey
upon his retirement, but due to an off-season accident with a hunting knife where he sliced part of his fifth finger from his hand, he was unable to perform and became a bench player. He walked away during that season, but a phone call from McCovey convinced him to return and he played out the 1980 season, hitting four home runs. In 1981, when Frank Robinson
was given the job as Giants' manager after Dave Bristol
was fired after the 1980 season, Ivie's career took a turn. Even though he was reported to have a good attitude during spring training and worked hard, he lost the starting first base job due to the off-season acquisition of free agent Enos Cabell
, and was then traded to the Houston Astros
during the season. He asked for his release, which was granted. He then called on Sparky Anderson
, manager of the Detroit Tigers
, where he was signed to play first base/DH. He was their starting first baseman/DH during the 1982 season and hit 14 home runs.
During the 1983 season, Ivie was released by the Tigers and retired from baseball.
races of all time, Ivie played a significant role in helping the Giants win and stay in contention for first place throughout most of the season. On May 28, 1978 during the 6th inning of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, which was in full force that season, Ivie was called upon to pinch hit. After running the count to 2-0, Ivie hit the next pitch from Dodger ace Don Sutton into the left field bleachers for a grand slam. As the ball cleared the left field fence, Darrell Evans
, Jack Clark
and Larry Herndon
all scored while the largest paid crowd at Candlestick Park erupted. Ivie was mobbed at home plate by the Giants. The Dodgers tied it in the 7th, but the Giants won the game by a score of 6-5. He went on to hit a total of 4 grand slams that year.
Ivie is one of only five Major League Baseball players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season. The others are Davey Johnson
of the Philadelphia Phillies
, Darryl Strawberry
of the New York Yankees
, Ben Broussard
of the Cleveland Indians
, and Brooks Conrad
of the Atlanta Braves
.
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...
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...
who played for 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...
, 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....
, Houston Astros
Houston 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...
, and 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...
during his career from 1971 to 1983. In addition to playing first base, Ivie put in considerable time as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, a left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and was a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
.
Baseball career
Mike Ivie was drafted first overall in the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft1970 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The regular and secondary phases of the January draft proved more fruitful to major league clubs than the June draft...
as a 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...
by 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...
. He began his career in the Padres' minor league system, where he once hit 21 homers in 21 games. He made his major league debut as an 18-year-old in 1971. Even though he was a catcher in the minor leagues, he occasionally started as a third baseman, but was then moved to first base and made the Padres in 1974. During the 1978 off season, he was traded from the Padres to the 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....
in exchange for Derrel Thomas
Derrel Thomas
Derrel Osborn Thomas is a former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball primarily as a second baseman, center fielder, and shortstop from 1971-85...
. After the 1978 season, Ivie was the talk of a trade rumor involving 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...
to bring Rod Carew
Rod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
to the Giants. The trade fell through and Carew ended up with the then California Angels. Ivie went on to hit a career high 27 home runs and 89 RBI for the Giants in 1979.
Going into the 1980 season, Ivie was considered the Giants' successor at first base to Willie McCovey
Willie McCovey
Willie Lee McCovey , nicknamed "Mac", "Big Mac", and "Stretch", is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. He played nineteen seasons for the San Francisco Giants, and three more for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, between and...
upon his retirement, but due to an off-season accident with a hunting knife where he sliced part of his fifth finger from his hand, he was unable to perform and became a bench player. He walked away during that season, but a phone call from McCovey convinced him to return and he played out the 1980 season, hitting four home runs. In 1981, when Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson
Frank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
was given the job as Giants' manager after Dave Bristol
Dave Bristol
James David Bristol is a former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period....
was fired after the 1980 season, Ivie's career took a turn. Even though he was reported to have a good attitude during spring training and worked hard, he lost the starting first base job due to the off-season acquisition of free agent Enos Cabell
Enos Cabell
Enos Milton Cabell, Jr. is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played 15 seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, the Houston Astros, the San Francisco Giants, the Detroit Tigers, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cabell is a cousin of center fielder Ken Landreaux.Cabell was...
, and was then traded to the Houston Astros
Houston 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...
during the season. He asked for his release, which was granted. He then called on Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
, manager of 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...
, where he was signed to play first base/DH. He was their starting first baseman/DH during the 1982 season and hit 14 home runs.
During the 1983 season, Ivie was released by the Tigers and retired from baseball.
Most Memorable Moment
During the 1978 season, which was to become one of the most memorable National League WestNational League West
The National League Western Division, or NL West, is one of the three divisions of Major League Baseball's National League. It was created in 1969 when the previously undivided National League expanded its membership to twelve teams, positioning half of them in an Eastern division and the other...
races of all time, Ivie played a significant role in helping the Giants win and stay in contention for first place throughout most of the season. On May 28, 1978 during the 6th inning of the Giants-Dodgers rivalry, which was in full force that season, Ivie was called upon to pinch hit. After running the count to 2-0, Ivie hit the next pitch from Dodger ace Don Sutton into the left field bleachers for a grand slam. As the ball cleared the left field fence, Darrell Evans
Darrell Evans
Darrell Wayne Evans is a former third baseman and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played from 1969 to 1989 with the Atlanta Braves , San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers . He is also the former manager and director of player personnel for the Victoria Seals of the Golden Baseball...
, Jack Clark
Jack Clark (baseball)
Jack Anthony Clark , also known as "Jack the Ripper," is a former Major League Baseball player. From 1975 through 1992, Clark played for the San Francisco Giants , St. Louis Cardinals , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres and Boston Red Sox...
and Larry Herndon
Larry Herndon
Larry Darnell Herndon is a former Major League Baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals , San Francisco Giants , and Detroit Tigers...
all scored while the largest paid crowd at Candlestick Park erupted. Ivie was mobbed at home plate by the Giants. The Dodgers tied it in the 7th, but the Giants won the game by a score of 6-5. He went on to hit a total of 4 grand slams that year.
Ivie is one of only five Major League Baseball players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season. The others are Davey Johnson
Davey Johnson
David Allen "Davey" Johnson is an American Major League Baseball player and current manager of the Washington Nationals. He was the starting second baseman for the Baltimore Orioles when they won four American League pennants and two World Series championships between 1965 and 1972...
of 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...
, Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Strawberry
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is a former American Major League Baseball outfielder who is well-known both for his play on the field and for his controversial behavior off it...
of 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...
, Ben Broussard
Ben Broussard
Benjamin Isaac Broussard is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman. He is currently a musician. Broussard was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball Draft...
of the 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...
, and Brooks Conrad
Brooks Conrad
Brooks Litchfield Conrad , nicknamed "Raw Dog", is a Major League Baseball second baseman, third baseman, and pinch hitter for the Atlanta Braves.-Career:...
of 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....
.
Trades involving Ivie
- February 28, 1978 - Traded by the San Diego Padres to the San Francisco Giants for Derrel ThomasDerrel ThomasDerrel Osborn Thomas is a former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball primarily as a second baseman, center fielder, and shortstop from 1971-85...
. - April 20, 1981 - Traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Houston Astros for Dave BergmanDave BergmanDavid Bruce Bergman was a Major League Baseball first baseman, designated hitter, and outfielder.Born in Evanston, Illinois, Bergman is an alumnus of Maine South High School and Illinois State University...
and Jeffrey LeonardJeffrey LeonardJeffrey N. Leonard is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball with a 14-year career from to...
.