Rusty Torres
Encyclopedia
Rosando "Rusty" Torres Hernández (born September 30, 1948, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
) is a former professional baseball
outfielder
. He played all or part of nine season in Major League Baseball
for five different teams. In an odd coincidence, Torres happened to be in the ballpark when forfeit
s were called in three different games in the 1970s.
early in life, attending from NY Vocational High School in Jamaica, Queens
. He was drafted by the New York Yankees
in the 54th round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft
.
, and the Greensboro Yankees. He batted
a combined .247 in 75 games.
In 1968, Torres returned to Fort Lauderdale, where he batted just .229 in 126 games. He spent his third season at class-A with the Kinston Eagles in 1969, batting .270 with 13 home run
s. This performance earned Torres a promotion to Double-A.
Playing for the Manchester Yankees, he missed a good chunk of the 1970 season due to injury, appearing in just 41 games and batting .244. Still, Torres was promoted to Triple-A in 1971. Playing for the Syracuse Chiefs, Torres batted .290 with 19 home runs in 133 games, earning himself a call-up to the Yankees in September.
on September 20, 1971, singling in four trips against Baltimore. That same day, the Washington Senators
announced they would move to Dallas/Fort Worth
for the 1972 season. After a 4-for-5 day (with his first major league home run
) against Detroit on September 26, the Yankees started Torres in right field
for its final three games of the season in Washington - the last three games the Senators would ever play there.
stepped to the plate; if he got on, Torres (who already had two hits including a homer) would have been next to bat. Suddenly, outraged Senators fans stormed the field, causing the game to be forfeited to New York. In a 2007 interview, Torres gave his view of the situation: "Bobby Murcer
hits a ground ball. He gets thrown at first. They thought it was three outs. It was only two outs. And they rushed us! They rushed the field. They took dirt. People were taking dirt, taking the bases. They were tearing up the seats. It was unbelievable. That was a real scary experience. Thankfully, none of us got hurt."
s in 26 at bat
s. The following season, Torres made the Yankees out of spring training
, appearing on Opening Day as a pinch hitter
. However, Torres hit just .211 in 199 at bats in 1972, earning himself a demotion back to Syracuse in late July. After the season he was dealt to the Cleveland Indians
in a six-player deal that brought third baseman
Graig Nettles
to New York.
They were not, however, enough for him to keep that spot in . John Lowenstein
moved into the lineup as the everyday left fielder
, with Charlie Spikes
moving into Torres' position in right field. With Leron Lee
also joining the team, Torres became the Indians' fifth outfielder.
. Torres did not start the game, but was inserted as a pinch hitter
in the ninth inning, delivering a single. Two batters later, John Lowenstein
hit a sacrifice fly
, tying the game at 5-5, and putting Torres in scoring position (on second base) with the chance to score the game-winning run for Cleveland. But with a crowd that had been consuming as much alcohol as they could for nine innings, the situation finally boiled over. After Texas outfielder Jeff Burroughs
violently reacted to a fan stealing his glove, hundreds of fans poured into the outfield, many of them throwing whatever they could lay their hands on, even several chairs. As a result, the head umpire forfeited the contest to the Rangers—the same franchise, of course, as the old Senators.
. On September 12, he was traded to the California Angels
in a deal that brought Frank Robinson
to Cleveland. However, he did not play for the Angels during the remainder of the season.
, Torres batted a minor league career best .306 in 107 games. During the following offseason, the Angels traded their starting center fielder, Mickey Rivers
, to the Yankees. In return, they received right fielder Bobby Bonds
. This sent their 1975 starting right fielder, Leroy Stanton
, to the bench, opening up a spot for Torres.
Torres was the Angels' Opening Day center fielder that year. Overall, he appeared in 120 games for the 1976 Angels, 104 of them in center field. He had one of his best seasons at the plate in 1976—he had just a .205 batting average, but with several walks and decent power to make him a near-league-average offensive player (98 OPS+) that year.
Once again, however, Torres could not hold onto a starting job. The Angels gave the center field job to Gil Flores
in 1977. Combined with other acquisitions, Torres wound up buried deep on the bench. Despite spending the entire season in the majors, Torres totaled just 77 at bats with an anemic .156 batting average. He became a free agent
at the end of the year.
. Torres started 1978 back in the minor leagues for the first time in three years, playing for the Tucson Toros
. He got off to a hot start, batting .346 with 7 home runs in just 30 games. On May 16, Rusty was traded again to the Chicago White Sox
along with Claudell Washington
for, coincidentally, Bobby Bonds. After spending a few months with the minor league Iowa Oaks, Torres earned another shot at the majors in September. In 16 games down the stretch, Torres managed to hit at a .316 clip in 44 at bats.
Torres made the White Sox Opening Day roster in 1979. He was batting .286 for the 1979 season by the morning of July 12; that night, Torres would start in right field in the first game of a doubleheader
against the Detroit Tigers
.
. This time, at least, Rusty wasn't on the field when the madness started; the first game had ended and Torres (who had singled and scored the Sox' only run in the 4-1 loss) was in the dressing room when disc jockey Steve Dahl
"blew up" a box of disco records, causing thousands of fans to run onto the field, which was eventually cleared by police in riot gear. Tigers manager Sparky Anderson
refused to field his team citing safety concerns, which resulted in the forfeiture by the White Sox to the Tigers.
. He played eight games for the Omaha Royals
to get in shape, then was promoted to the majors. In 51 games for the Royals, however, Torres batted just .167 without an extra base hit
, and was released on August 29.
The following January, Torres signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
. He spent the entire 1981 season with their top farm club, the Portland Beavers
, batting .257 with 21 home runs. However, it was not enough to get him back to the majors, and after the season he called it a career at age 33.
player as a kid growing up in the Bronx, Torres was inducted into the "Stickball Hall Of Fame" in 2002. Torres was awarded with the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hall of Fame Pioneer Award in New York on June 8, 2007. He is currently a baseball coach, conducting youth clinics for the Town of Oyster Bay on Long Island
, New York
. He and a partner founded Winning for Winning in 1998 which promotes youth athletics and educates about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Aguadilla , founded in 1775 by Luis de Córdova, is a city located in the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, north of Aguada, and Moca and west of Isabela. Aguadilla is spread over 15 wards and Aguadilla Pueblo...
) is a former professional baseball
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....
outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. He played all or part of nine season 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 five different teams. In an odd coincidence, Torres happened to be in the ballpark when forfeit
Forfeit (baseball)
In rare cases, baseball games are forfeited, usually in the event when a team is no longer able to play. In the event of forfeiture, the score is recorded as "9 to 0", as per rule 2.00 of the Major League Baseball Rules Book...
s were called in three different games in the 1970s.
Early life
The Puerto-Rican born Torres came to live in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
early in life, attending from NY Vocational High School in Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
. He was drafted by 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 the 54th round of the 1966 Major League Baseball Draft
1966 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1966 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :A January free agent amateur draft was added for the first time in 1966. Ninety-five prospects were selected in the regular phase and 102 in the secondary phase of the...
.
Early minor league career
Torres did not make his professional debut until the following season, starting out 1967 with the rookie league Johnson City Yankees. In all, Torres played for four different teams in the Yankees organization in 1967: Johnson City, the Oneonta Yankees, the Fort Lauderdale YankeesFort Lauderdale Yankees
The Fort Lauderdale Yankees, based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was an American minor league baseball franchise that existed from 1962 through 1992. The team was a Class A Florida State League affiliate of the New York Yankees and won seven FSL championships during its 31 years of existence.The...
, and the Greensboro Yankees. He batted
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 :...
a combined .247 in 75 games.
In 1968, Torres returned to Fort Lauderdale, where he batted just .229 in 126 games. He spent his third season at class-A with the Kinston Eagles in 1969, batting .270 with 13 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. This performance earned Torres a promotion to Double-A.
Playing for the Manchester Yankees, he missed a good chunk of the 1970 season due to injury, appearing in just 41 games and batting .244. Still, Torres was promoted to Triple-A in 1971. Playing for the Syracuse Chiefs, Torres batted .290 with 19 home runs in 133 games, earning himself a call-up to the Yankees in September.
New York Yankees
Torres made his major league debut as a 22-year-old rookie with the New York YankeesNew 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...
on September 20, 1971, singling in four trips against Baltimore. That same day, 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...
announced they would move to Dallas/Fort Worth
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area, a title designated by the U.S. Census as of 2003, encompasses 12 counties within the U.S. state of Texas. The area is divided into two metropolitan divisions: Dallas–Plano–Irving and Fort Worth–Arlington. Residents of the area...
for the 1972 season. After a 4-for-5 day (with his first major league 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...
) against Detroit on September 26, the Yankees started Torres in right field
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
for its final three games of the season in Washington - the last three games the Senators would ever play there.
Forfeit #1: Senators' last game in Washington
On the season's final day, September 30 (Torres' 23rd birthday), the Senators were leading 7-5 with two outs in the top of the ninth when Yankee Horace ClarkeHorace Clarke
Horace Meredith Clarke was a Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees and the San Diego Padres from 1965 to 1974....
stepped to the plate; if he got on, Torres (who already had two hits including a homer) would have been next to bat. Suddenly, outraged Senators fans stormed the field, causing the game to be forfeited to New York. In a 2007 interview, Torres gave his view of the situation: "Bobby Murcer
Bobby Murcer
Bobby Ray Murcer was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who played for 17 seasons between 1965 and 1983, mostly with the New York Yankees, whom he later rejoined as a longtime broadcaster...
hits a ground ball. He gets thrown at first. They thought it was three outs. It was only two outs. And they rushed us! They rushed the field. They took dirt. People were taking dirt, taking the bases. They were tearing up the seats. It was unbelievable. That was a real scary experience. Thankfully, none of us got hurt."
1972
Torres finished 1971 with a .385 batting average, with 10 hitHit (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....
s in 26 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s. The following season, Torres made the Yankees out of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, appearing on Opening Day as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. However, Torres hit just .211 in 199 at bats in 1972, earning himself a demotion back to Syracuse in late July. After the season he was dealt to 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...
in a six-player deal that brought 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...
Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles
Graig Nettles , nicknamed "Puff", is a former Major League Baseball third baseman. During a 22-year baseball career, he played for the Minnesota Twins , Cleveland Indians , New York Yankees , San Diego Padres , Atlanta Braves and Montreal Expos .Nettles was one of the best...
to New York.
Cleveland Indians
Torres was the Indians' Opening Day right fielder and leadoff hitter in 1973. He started 51 games in right field for the Indians that season, more than any other player. Overall, he appeared in 121 games in his first full major league season, but hit just .205. Still, his defensive skills were enough for him to claim a regular spot in the lineup of the lowly Indians.They were not, however, enough for him to keep that spot in . John Lowenstein
John Lowenstein
John Lee Lowenstein , is a former professional baseball player who played Major League Baseball primarily as an outfielder from to...
moved into the lineup as the everyday 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...
, with Charlie Spikes
Charlie Spikes
Leslie Charles Spikes was a Major League Baseball player from 1972 to 1980 for the New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and Atlanta Braves. He also played 26 games for the Chunichi Dragons in Japan in . He mostly played the outfield...
moving into Torres' position in right field. With Leron Lee
Leron Lee
Leron Lee is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played 8 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians and San Diego Padres....
also joining the team, Torres became the Indians' fifth outfielder.
Forfeit #2: Ten Cent Beer Night
On June 4, the Indians decided to hold a promotion to attract fans to the park in a game against Texas: the now-infamous Ten Cent Beer NightTen Cent Beer Night
Ten Cent Beer Night was a promotion held by Major League Baseball's Cleveland Indians during a game against the Texas Rangers at Cleveland Municipal Stadium on June 4, 1974....
. Torres did not start the game, but was inserted as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in the ninth inning, delivering a single. Two batters later, John Lowenstein
John Lowenstein
John Lee Lowenstein , is a former professional baseball player who played Major League Baseball primarily as an outfielder from to...
hit a sacrifice fly
Sacrifice fly
In baseball, a sacrifice fly is a batted ball that satisfies four criteria:* There are fewer than two outs when the ball is hit.* The ball is hit to the outfield....
, tying the game at 5-5, and putting Torres in scoring position (on second base) with the chance to score the game-winning run for Cleveland. But with a crowd that had been consuming as much alcohol as they could for nine innings, the situation finally boiled over. After Texas outfielder Jeff Burroughs
Jeff Burroughs
Jeffrey Alan Burroughs is a former player in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the Washington Senators , Texas Rangers , Atlanta Braves , Seattle Mariners , Oakland Athletics and Toronto Blue Jays . Burroughs batted and threw right-handed...
violently reacted to a fan stealing his glove, hundreds of fans poured into the outfield, many of them throwing whatever they could lay their hands on, even several chairs. As a result, the head umpire forfeited the contest to the Rangers—the same franchise, of course, as the old Senators.
September trade
Torres hit a miserable .187 in 1974, starting just 27 games, mostly in center fieldCenter fielder
A center fielder, abbreviated CF, is the outfielder in baseball who plays defense in center field – the baseball fielding position between left field and right field...
. On September 12, he was traded to the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in a deal that brought 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...
to Cleveland. However, he did not play for the Angels during the remainder of the season.
California Angels
Torres spent the entire 1975 season in the minors. Playing for the Salt Lake City GullsSalt Lake City Gulls
leftThe Salt Lake City Gulls, a former member of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, were based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were a minor league affiliate of the California Angels from 1975 to 1981, and of the Seattle Mariners from 1982 to 1984...
, Torres batted a minor league career best .306 in 107 games. During the following offseason, the Angels traded their starting center fielder, Mickey Rivers
Mickey Rivers
John Milton "Mickey" Rivers is a former Major League Baseball player from 1970-1984 for the California Angels, New York Yankees, and Texas Rangers...
, to the Yankees. In return, they received right fielder Bobby Bonds
Bobby Bonds
Bobby Lee Bonds was an American right fielder in Major League Baseball from to , primarily with the San Francisco Giants...
. This sent their 1975 starting right fielder, Leroy Stanton
Leroy Stanton
Leroy Bobby Stanton , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played all or part of nine seasons in the majors, from to . He played in the New York Mets, California Angels ant the Seattle Mariners. He also played one season in Japan for the Hanshin Tigers in .-New York Mets:Stanton played...
, to the bench, opening up a spot for Torres.
Torres was the Angels' Opening Day center fielder that year. Overall, he appeared in 120 games for the 1976 Angels, 104 of them in center field. He had one of his best seasons at the plate in 1976—he had just a .205 batting average, but with several walks and decent power to make him a near-league-average offensive player (98 OPS+) that year.
Once again, however, Torres could not hold onto a starting job. The Angels gave the center field job to Gil Flores
Gil Flores
Gilberto Garcia Flores is a retired professional baseball player who played three seasons for the California Angels and New York Mets of Major League Baseball.-External links:...
in 1977. Combined with other acquisitions, Torres wound up buried deep on the bench. Despite spending the entire season in the majors, Torres totaled just 77 at bats with an anemic .156 batting average. He became a free agent
Free 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....
at the end of the year.
Chicago White Sox
After spending most of the winter without a team, Torres was signed on March 1 by the Texas RangersTexas 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...
. Torres started 1978 back in the minor leagues for the first time in three years, playing for the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
. He got off to a hot start, batting .346 with 7 home runs in just 30 games. On May 16, Rusty was traded again to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
along with Claudell Washington
Claudell Washington
Claudell Washington is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Oakland Athletics , Texas Rangers , Chicago White Sox , New York Mets , Atlanta Braves , New York Yankees and California Angels...
for, coincidentally, Bobby Bonds. After spending a few months with the minor league Iowa Oaks, Torres earned another shot at the majors in September. In 16 games down the stretch, Torres managed to hit at a .316 clip in 44 at bats.
Torres made the White Sox Opening Day roster in 1979. He was batting .286 for the 1979 season by the morning of July 12; that night, Torres would start in right field in the first game of a 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 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...
.
Forfeit #3: Disco Demolition Night
Unfortunately, that night the White Sox decided to stage a promotion: Disco Demolition NightDisco Demolition Night
Disco Demolition Night was a promotional event that took place on Thursday, July 12, 1979, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, during which a crate filled with disco records was blown up on the field. It was held during the twi-night doubleheader baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and...
. This time, at least, Rusty wasn't on the field when the madness started; the first game had ended and Torres (who had singled and scored the Sox' only run in the 4-1 loss) was in the dressing room when disc jockey Steve Dahl
Steve Dahl
Steven Robert Dahl has been an American radio personality and humorist for more than thirty years. He is currently podcasting, and releases the podcasts for download daily from his own website as well as the iTunes store...
"blew up" a box of disco records, causing thousands of fans to run onto the field, which was eventually cleared by police in riot gear. Tigers manager 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...
refused to field his team citing safety concerns, which resulted in the forfeiture by the White Sox to the Tigers.
Remaining career
Torres finished the 1979 season with a .253 average and a career-high eight home runs. He became a free agent again at the end of the season, re-signing with the White Sox before spring training. However, he did not make the club, and was released on April 1. A month later, on May 5, he was signed by the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
. He played eight games for the Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
to get in shape, then was promoted to the majors. In 51 games for the Royals, however, Torres batted just .167 without an extra base hit
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
, and was released on August 29.
The following January, Torres signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He spent the entire 1981 season with their top farm club, the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
, batting .257 with 21 home runs. However, it was not enough to get him back to the majors, and after the season he called it a career at age 33.
Later life
Today, Torres is founder and president of "Winning Beyond Winning," a group that helps prepare young athletes for a life beyond sports. "We help teach the kids how to excel in sports, but just as importantly, we tell them to make sure they get a well-rounded education." An excellent stickballStickball
Stickball is a street game related to baseball, usually formed as a pick-up game, played in large cities in the Northeastern United States, especially New York City. The equipment consists of a broom handle and a rubber ball, typically a spaldeen, pensie pinkie, high bouncer or tennis ball. The...
player as a kid growing up in the Bronx, Torres was inducted into the "Stickball Hall Of Fame" in 2002. Torres was awarded with the Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum
The Hispanic Heritage Baseball Museum Hall of Fame, Inc., was founded in San Francisco, California, in June 1999 by its founder Mr.Gabriel "Tito" Avila, Jr., as a way to honor the greatest Hispanic baseball players of all time. The organization is a not-for-profit institution...
Hall of Fame Pioneer Award in New York on June 8, 2007. He is currently a baseball coach, conducting youth clinics for the Town of Oyster Bay on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He and a partner founded Winning for Winning in 1998 which promotes youth athletics and educates about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.