Tom Haller
Encyclopedia
Thomas Frank Haller was an American
professional
baseball
player and baseball executive. He played as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
with the San Francisco Giants
(-), Los Angeles Dodgers
(-) and Detroit Tigers
. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
and attended the University of Illinois
, where he played as a quarterback
for the Illinois Fighting Illini football
team. Haller was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent
in 1958
. After playing in the minor leagues
for three seasons, he made his major league debut with the Giants on April 11, 1961
at the age of 24.
Haller hit .261 with 18 home run
s and 55 RBIs
for the Giants in 1962
, in a platoon
system alongside Ed Bailey
. Bailey and Haller combined to give the Giants 35 home runs and 100 runs batted in from the catcher's position as the they battled the Los Angeles Dodgers
in a tight pennant race. The two teams ended the season tied for first place and met in the 1962 National League tie-breaker series
. The Giants won the three-game series to clinch the National League championship. The Giants then lost the New York Yankees
in the 1962 World Series
in seven games. Haller collected four hits in 14 at-bats with a home run and three RBIs in the Series.
Haller continued in a platoon role alongside Bailey through the 1963
season, finishing the year second to Johnny Edwards among National League
catchers in fielding percentage
. In December 1963, the Giants traded Bailey to the Milwaukee Braves
for veteran catcher Del Crandall
, and Haller became their full-time catcher. A regular from 1964
to 1967
, Haller was a good defensive catcher. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
, baseball historian Bill James
said the decision to award Joe Torre
the National League Gold Glove Award
was absurd, stating that he was given the award because of his offensive statistics and that, either Haller or John Roseboro were more deserved of the award. Haller also helped offensively in 1965
, hitting two home runs and driving in five runs during a game on September 27 to put the Giants in first place with one week left in the season. However, the Giants faltered and ended the season two games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers
.
The following season, Haller earned his first All-Star berth when he was named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1966 All-Star Game
. He was the catcher for two twenty-game winners in 1966, as Juan Marichal
won 25 games and Gaylord Perry
won 21 games. Haller finished the season with career-highs of 27 home runs and 67 runs batted in, as the Giants once again finished second to the Dodgers
by a game and a half. He earned his second consecutive All-Star berth in 1967 when he was named as a reserve for the National League team in the 1967 All-Star Game
. Haller ended the 1967 season second to Tim McCarver
among the league's catchers in assists
and in fielding percentage, and guided the Giants' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average
in the National League, as Giants pitcher, Mike McCormick
, won the National League Cy Young Award
with a 22-10 record. The Giants finished in second place for a third consecutive season, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals
.
In February 1968
, the Giants were in need of good infielder
s, and with four young catching prospects including Dick Dietz
, club president Chub Feeney
decided to trade Haller along with a player to be named later, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ron Hunt
and Nate Oliver
. The trade was the first between the two teams since their move to the West Coast in , and also the first since the one that would have sent Jackie Robinson
from the Dodgers to the Giants after the season. Haller played well in 1968, posting a .285 batting average
in 144 games and earned his third consecutive All-Star berth. He also played well defensively with career-highs in assists (83) and in double plays (23). He guided the Dodgers' pitching staff to the second best team earned run average in the league, although the team finished the season in seventh place.
After spending four seasons with the Dodgers, Haller was traded to the Detroit Tigers
in December 1971. He batted .207 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 1972
as a backup catcher for Bill Freehan
, as the Tigers won the American League Eastern Division
championship. His playing time was reduced when the Tigers acquired catcher Duke Sims
in August. In the 1972 American League Championship Series
against the Oakland Athletics
, Haller made only one appearance as a pinch hitter
in Game 2, as the Tigers lost the series in five games. In October 1972, the Tigers traded Haller to the Philadelphia Phillies
for pitcher, Don Leshnock
. He then made the decision to retire at the age of 35.
, accumulating 1,011 hits
in 3,935 at bats for a .257 career batting average along with 134 home runs, 504 runs batted in and an on base percentage
of .340. A three-time All-Star
, he was a capable defensive catcher, ending his career with a respectable .992 fielding percentage
which at the time of his retirement, was second only to the .993 career record of Elston Howard
. Haller led National League catchers in putout
s in , and in baserunners caught stealing
in . He set the National League single season record for double play
s by a catcher with 23 in 1968. He led the National League in sacrifice flies
in with 9.
(-), and was their vice president of baseball operations (-). He was named to the Giants' 25th anniversary team in 1982. In 1986, he served as the manager
of the minor league Birmingham Barons
. In June 1986, Haller was named as the General Manager of the Chicago White Sox
.
After a long illness, Haller died in Los Angeles, California
, on November 26, at age of 67. Haller was the younger brother of American League
umpire Bill Haller
.
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 baseball executive. He played 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...
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...
with 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....
(-), Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(-) 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...
. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Major League career
Haller was born in Lockport, IllinoisLockport, Illinois
Lockport is a city in Will County, Illinois, United States, that incorporated in 1853. Lockport is located in northeastern Illinois, 30 miles southwest of Chicago, and north of Joliet, at locks connecting Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal with the Des Plaines River via the Lockport...
and attended the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
, where he played as a quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
for the Illinois Fighting Illini football
Illinois Fighting Illini football
The Illinois Fighting Illini are a major college football program, representing the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. They compete in NCAA Division I-A and the Big Ten Conference.-Current staff:-All-time win/loss/tie record:*563-513-51...
team. Haller was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur 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....
in 1958
1958 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants season involved the 80-74 team finishing in third place in the National League standings, twelve games behind the NL Champion Milwaukee Braves in their inaugural season in The Golden Gate City.- Offseason :...
. After playing 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...
for three seasons, he made his major league debut with the Giants on April 11, 1961
1961 San Francisco Giants season
- Regular season :Willie Mays had both a three home run game and a four home run game during the 1961 season. Mays became the ninth player, and first Giant, in MLB history to hit four home runs in one game.- Opening Day starters :...
at the age of 24.
Haller hit .261 with 18 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 55 RBIs
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...
for the Giants in 1962
1962 San Francisco Giants season
The 1962 San Francisco Giants season saw the Giants finish in first place in the National League with a record of 103 wins and 62 losses. They finished the season tied with their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, for first place in the league, necessitating a three-game tiebreaker playoff to...
, in a platoon
Platoon system
The platoon system in baseball is a method of designating two players to a single defensive position—usually one right-handed and one left-handed. Typically the right-handed half of the platoon is played on days when the opposing pitcher is left-handed and the left-handed player is played otherwise...
system alongside 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...
. Bailey and Haller combined to give the Giants 35 home runs and 100 runs batted in from the catcher's position as the they battled the Los Angeles Dodgers
1962 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers season was the fifth for the team in Southern California, and the 73rd for the franchise in the National League. After spending the previous four seasons at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, they began the season by opening Dodger Stadium, the team's new ballpark. The...
in a tight pennant race. The two teams ended the season tied for first place and met in the 1962 National League tie-breaker series
1962 National League tie-breaker series
The 1962 National League tie-breaker series was a three-game playoff series to determine the winner of Major League Baseball's National League pennant. The games took place from October 1 to 3, 1962, between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants. The Giants won the series two games...
. The Giants won the three-game series to clinch the National League championship. The Giants then lost the New York Yankees
1962 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the 60th season for the team in New York, and its 62nd season overall. The team finished with a record of 96-66, winning their 27th pennant, finishing 5 games ahead of the Minnesota Twins. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium...
in the 1962 World Series
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
in seven games. Haller collected four hits in 14 at-bats with a home run and three RBIs in the Series.
Haller continued in a platoon role alongside Bailey through the 1963
1963 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* November 30, 1962: Manny Mota and Dick LeMay were traded by the Giants to the Houston Colt .45s for Joey Amalfitano.* December 15, 1962: Stu Miller, Mike McCormick, and John Orsino were traded by the Giants to the Baltimore Orioles for Jack Fisher, Jimmie Coker and Billy Hoeft.-...
season, finishing the year second to Johnny Edwards among National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
catchers in 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...
. In December 1963, the Giants traded Bailey 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....
for veteran catcher Del Crandall
Del Crandall
Delmar Wesley Crandall is a former professional baseball catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who played most of his career with the Boston & Milwaukee Braves...
, and Haller became their full-time catcher. A regular from 1964
1964 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants were a fourth-place team, as a result of their 90-72 record, placing them three games behind the National League and World Series Champion St. Louis Cardinals.- Offseason :...
to 1967
1967 San Francisco Giants season
The 1967 San Francisco Giants season saw the Giants finish in second place in the National League with a record of 91 wins and 71 losses, 10½ games behind the NL and World Series champion St...
, Haller was a good defensive catcher. In his book, The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is a reference-type book written by Bill James featuring an overview of baseball decade by decade, along with rankings of the top 100 players at each position. The original edition was published in 1985 by Villard Books, followed by The New Bill James...
, baseball historian Bill James
Bill James
George William “Bill” James is a baseball writer, historian, and statistician whose work has been widely influential. Since 1977, James has written more than two dozen books devoted to baseball history and statistics...
said the decision to award Joe Torre
Joe Torre
Joseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
the National League Gold Glove Award
Gold Glove Award
The Rawlings Gold Glove Award, usually referred to as the Gold Glove, is the award given annually to the Major League Baseball players judged to have exhibited superior individual fielding performances at each fielding position in both the National League and the American League , as voted by the...
was absurd, stating that he was given the award because of his offensive statistics and that, either Haller or John Roseboro were more deserved of the award. Haller also helped offensively in 1965
1965 San Francisco Giants season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1965 season: Merritt Ranew was acquired by the Giants from the Milwaukee Braves.- Regular season :- Opening Day lineup :*Jesús Alou*Tom Haller*Jim Ray Hart*Harvey Kuenn*Hal Lanier*Juan Marichal*Willie Mays*Willie McCovey...
, hitting two home runs and driving in five runs during a game on September 27 to put the Giants in first place with one week left in the season. However, the Giants faltered and ended the season two games behind 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...
.
The following season, Haller earned his first All-Star berth when he was named as a reserve player for the National League team in the 1966 All-Star Game
1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 37th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 12, 1966 at Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri...
. He was the catcher for two twenty-game winners in 1966, as Juan Marichal
Juan Marichal
Juan Antonio Marichal Sánchez is a former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball. Playing for the San Francisco Giants most of his career, Marichal was known for his high leg kick, pinpoint control and intimidation tactics, which included aiming pitches directly at the opposing batters'...
won 25 games and Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Perry
Gaylord Jackson Perry is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1962-1983 for eight different teams in his career. During a 22-year baseball career, Perry compiled 314 wins, 3,534 strikeouts, and a 3.11 earned run average...
won 21 games. Haller finished the season with career-highs of 27 home runs and 67 runs batted in, as the Giants once again finished second to the Dodgers
1966 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League championship with a 95–67 record , but lost to the Baltimore Orioles in four games in the World Series.-Regular season:...
by a game and a half. He earned his second consecutive All-Star berth in 1967 when he was named as a reserve for the National League team in the 1967 All-Star Game
1967 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1967 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 38th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 11, 1967 at Anaheim Stadium in Anaheim, California. The game resulted...
. Haller ended the 1967 season second to Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver
James Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
among the league's catchers in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in fielding percentage, and guided the Giants' pitching staff to the lowest team earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in the National League, as Giants pitcher, Mike McCormick
Mike McCormick (pitcher)
Michael Francis McCormick is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the New York Giants from 1956 to 1958, then the San Francisco Giants from 1958 to 1970...
, won the National League Cy Young Award
Cy Young Award
The Cy Young Award is an honor given annually in baseball to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball , one each for the American League and National League . The award was first introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955...
with a 22-10 record. The Giants finished in second place for a third consecutive season, this time to the St. Louis Cardinals
1967 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 86th season in St. Louis, Missouri, its 76th season in the National League, and its first full season at Busch Memorial Stadium. The Cardinals went 101-60 during the season and won the NL pennant by 10½ games over the San Francisco Giants...
.
In February 1968
1968 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers had a 76-86 record and finished in seventh place in the National League standings, 21 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals. After the season, the Dodgers underwent some changes among the team management when long time general manager Buzzie Bavasi resigned to take over the...
, the Giants were in need of good infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
s, and with four young catching prospects including Dick Dietz
Dick Dietz
Richard Allen Dietz was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Atlanta Braves from 1966 to 1973. Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Dietz enjoyed his best season in 1970 with the Giants, when he batted .300 with 22 home runs and...
, club president Chub Feeney
Chub Feeney
Charles Stoneham "Chub" Feeney was an American front office executive in Major League Baseball and president of the National League during a 40-plus year career in baseball....
decided to trade Haller along with a player to be named later, to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ron Hunt
Ron Hunt
Ronald Kenneth Hunt is a former Major League Baseball player. A second baseman who also played third base sparingly, Hunt played for the New York Mets , Los Angeles Dodgers , San Francisco Giants , Montreal Expos and St...
and Nate Oliver
Nate Oliver
Nathaniel Oliver had a seven-year major league career in the 1960s, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers.Nate is the son of Jim Oliver, Sr., who had played in the Negro Leagues. James Oliver Field in St...
. The trade was the first between the two teams since their move to the West Coast in , and also the first since the one that would have sent Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
from the Dodgers to the Giants after the season. Haller played well in 1968, posting a .285 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 144 games and earned his third consecutive All-Star berth. He also played well defensively with career-highs in assists (83) and in double plays (23). He guided the Dodgers' pitching staff to the second best team earned run average in the league, although the team finished the season in seventh place.
After spending four seasons with the Dodgers, Haller was traded to 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...
in December 1971. He batted .207 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 1972
1972 Detroit Tigers season
The Detroit Tigers won the American League East division championship with a record of 86-70 , finishing one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox. They played one more game than the Red Sox due to a scheduling quirk caused by the 1972 Major League Baseball strike -- a game which turned out to...
as a backup catcher for Bill Freehan
Bill Freehan
William Ashley Freehan is a former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers...
, as the Tigers won the American League Eastern Division
American League East
The American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
championship. His playing time was reduced when the Tigers acquired catcher Duke Sims
Duke Sims
Duane B. Sims was a Major League Baseball catcher who played from 1964 to 1974 with the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers....
in August. In the 1972 American League Championship Series
1972 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 7, 1972 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaGame 1 pitted ace pitchers Catfish Hunter for the A's and Mickey Lolich for the Tigers, and, as expected, both were brilliant...
against the Oakland Athletics
1972 Oakland Athletics season
The Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning the American League West with a record of 93 wins and 62 losses. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALCS, followed by a seven-game World Series, in which they defeated the Cincinnati Reds for their first World...
, Haller made only one appearance 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 Game 2, as the Tigers lost the series in five games. In October 1972, the Tigers traded Haller to 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...
for pitcher, Don Leshnock
Don Leshnock
Donald Lee Leshnock is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Detroit Tigers in 1972, appearing in one game without giving up an earned run. He also played college baseball for the Youngstown State Penguins from 1965 to 1967 and was later inducted into the Youngstown State...
. He then made the decision to retire at the age of 35.
Career statistics
In a twelve-year major league career, Haller played in 1,294 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 1,011 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 3,935 at bats for a .257 career batting average along with 134 home runs, 504 runs batted in and an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .340. A three-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, he was a capable defensive catcher, ending his career with a respectable .992 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...
which at the time of his retirement, was second only to the .993 career record of Elston Howard
Elston Howard
Elston Gene Howard was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees...
. Haller led National League catchers in putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s in , and in baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
in . He set the National League single season record for double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s by a catcher with 23 in 1968. He led the National League in sacrifice flies
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....
in with 9.
Coaching and executive career
After his playing career ended, Haller worked for the Giants as a coachCoach (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...
(-), and was their vice president of baseball operations (-). He was named to the Giants' 25th anniversary team in 1982. In 1986, he served as the manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of the minor league Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
. In June 1986, Haller was named as the General Manager of 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...
.
After a long illness, Haller died in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, on November 26, at age of 67. Haller was the younger brother of American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
umpire Bill Haller
Bill Haller
William Edward Haller is a retired Major League Baseball umpire. Haller officiated 3,068 regular season games in the American League from 1961 and from 1963–1982...
.