Ted Kazanski
Encyclopedia
Theodore Stanley Kazanski (b. January 25, 1934) is a former shortstop
in Major League Baseball
who played from through for the Philadelphia Phillies
. Listed at 6' 1" , 175 lb., he batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Hamtramck, Michigan
, Kazanski was a classic slick fielder, slap-hitter, that used the entire field to his advantage. One of the most highly rated schoolboy ballplayers of his time, he was given a reported $100.000 bonus to sign with the Phillies in 1951.
He spent two and a half seasons in the Philadelphia Minor League
system before joining the big club in the 1953 midseason, at nineteen of age.
In his majors debut, Kazanski went 3-for-6 and drove in
four runs from the top of the order, to lead the Phillies to a 13–2 victory over the Chicago Cubs
at Wrigley Field
. Kazanski became the first player since – first season run batted in was recorded as an official statistic
– to drive in at least four runs as a shortstop in his major league debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau
. He finished the season with a .217 batting average
in 95 games.
In 1954 Kazanski was relegated to backup and platoon infield duties, splitting time with Bobby Morgan
and Granny Hamner
. He spent most of 1955 at Triple-A. His most productive season came in 1956, when he posted career-highs in games
(117), home run
s (4), RBI (34) and hits (80), while hitting .211. In that season, he belted a three-run home run (on April 22 ) and an inside-the-park grand slam (on August 8), to provide two of the 19 victories of Phillies pitching ace Robin Roberts. He also started a triple play
in the same game as his inside the park grand slam, a feat that would not be duplicated until Ángel Pagán
did so on May 19, 2010
From 1957 to 1958, he divided his playing time between Triple-A and the Phillies.
In a six-season majors career, Kazanski was a .217 hitter (288-for-1329) with 14 home runs and 116 in 417 games, including 118 runs
, 49 doubles
, nine triples
and four stolen base
s.
In 1959, Kazanski was sent by Philadelphia along with Stan Lopata
to the Milwaukee Braves
in the same transaction that brought Gene Conley
, Harry Hanebrink
and Joe Koppe
to the Phillies. He played in the Braves minor league system until 1963, when was traded to Detroit
in exchange for Ozzie Virgil
.
Kazanski also saw action in the minors with the Kansas City Athletics
, Cleveland Indians
, Los Angeles Angels, Washington Senators
and New York Yankees
organizations, hitting .253 with 70 home runs and 244 RBI in 1183 games until he retired after the 1964 season. He was through by the age of thirty years.
Following his playing career, Kazanski coached
in the Detroit Tigers
organization and also worked as an assistant for the baseball team at the University of Detroit Mercy
, which he attended.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
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...
who played from through for 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...
. Listed at 6' 1" , 175 lb., he batted and threw right-handed.
A native of Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck, Michigan
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 22,423. Hamtramck is surrounded by the city of Detroit except for a small portion of the western border that touches the similarly surrounded city of Highland Park...
, Kazanski was a classic slick fielder, slap-hitter, that used the entire field to his advantage. One of the most highly rated schoolboy ballplayers of his time, he was given a reported $100.000 bonus to sign with the Phillies in 1951.
He spent two and a half seasons in the Philadelphia Minor League
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...
system before joining the big club in the 1953 midseason, at nineteen of age.
In his majors debut, Kazanski went 3-for-6 and drove 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...
four runs from the top of the order, to lead the Phillies to a 13–2 victory over 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...
at Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
. Kazanski became the first player since – first season run batted in was recorded as an official statistic
Baseball statistics
Statistics play an important role in summarizing baseball performance and evaluating players in the sport.Since the flow of a baseball game has natural breaks to it, and normally players act individually rather than performing in clusters, the sport lends itself to easy record-keeping and statistics...
– to drive in at least four runs as a shortstop in his major league debut, according to the Elias Sports Bureau
Elias Sports Bureau
The Elias Sports Bureau is an American company that provides historical research and statistical services in the field of professional sports.In 1913, Al Munro Elias and his brother Walter established the Al Munro Elias Bureau in New York City...
. He finished the season with a .217 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 :...
in 95 games.
In 1954 Kazanski was relegated to backup and platoon infield duties, splitting time with Bobby Morgan
Bobby Morgan
Robert Morris Morgan was an infielder in Major League Baseball. He played from 1950 to 1958 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. He played in the 1952 and 1953 World Series for the Dodgers....
and Granny Hamner
Granny Hamner
Granville Wilbur Hamner was an American shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball. Hamner was one of the key players on the "Whiz Kids", the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies...
. He spent most of 1955 at Triple-A. His most productive season came in 1956, when he posted career-highs in 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,...
(117), 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 (4), RBI (34) and hits (80), while hitting .211. In that season, he belted a three-run home run (on April 22 ) and an inside-the-park grand slam (on August 8), to provide two of the 19 victories of Phillies pitching ace Robin Roberts. He also started a triple play
Triple Play
A triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
in the same game as his inside the park grand slam, a feat that would not be duplicated until Ángel Pagán
Angel Pagán
Ángel Anthony Pagán is a Puerto Rican professional baseball player. He currently plays outfield for the New York Mets of Major League Baseball. Pagan's original contract in Major League Baseball was with the Mets, but he was transferred to the Chicago Cubs when they bought his contract...
did so on May 19, 2010
From 1957 to 1958, he divided his playing time between Triple-A and the Phillies.
In a six-season majors career, Kazanski was a .217 hitter (288-for-1329) with 14 home runs and 116 in 417 games, including 118 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 49 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, nine triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and four stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
In 1959, Kazanski was sent by Philadelphia along with Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
to the Milwaukee 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....
in the same transaction that brought Gene Conley
Gene Conley
Donald Eugene Conley is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons from to for four different teams. Conley also played forward in the 1952-1953 season and from 1958 to 1964 for two teams in the National Basketball Association...
, Harry Hanebrink
Harry Hanebrink
Harry Aloysius Hanebrink was a backup second baseman/left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Milwaukee Braves and Philadelphia Phillies . Listed at 6' 0", 165 lb., Hanebrink batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
and Joe Koppe
Joe Koppe
Joseph Koppe , born Joseph Kopchia in Detroit, Michigan, was an American Major League Baseball player for the Milwaukee Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Angels....
to the Phillies. He played in the Braves minor league system until 1963, when was traded to Detroit
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...
in exchange for Ozzie Virgil
Ozzie Virgil, Sr.
Osvaldo José Virgil broke the color barrier for Detroit in 1958. He served in the U.S. Marines from 1950 to 1952...
.
Kazanski also saw action in the minors with 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....
, 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...
, Los Angeles Angels, 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...
and 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...
organizations, hitting .253 with 70 home runs and 244 RBI in 1183 games until he retired after the 1964 season. He was through by the age of thirty years.
Following his playing career, Kazanski coached
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...
in 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...
organization and also worked as an assistant for the baseball team at the University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy
University of Detroit Mercy is a private, Roman Catholic co-educational university in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with the Society of Jesus and the Sisters of Mercy. Antoine M. Garibaldi is the president. With origins dating from 1877, it is the largest Roman Catholic university...
, which he attended.