Tom Tresh
Encyclopedia
Thomas Michael Tresh was a Major League Baseball
infielder
and outfielder
who played for the New York Yankees
(1961–69) and Detroit Tigers
(1969). Tresh was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He was the son of catcher
Mike Tresh
.
, Tresh started his career with the Yankees as a shortstop
when Tony Kubek
was in military service
. On Opening Day
of the 1962 season, Tresh was in the Yankees' lineup at shortstop. Not until Derek Jeter
in would another Yankee rookie shortstop gain such an honor.
In he won both the MLB Rookie of the Year
and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year
awards, after hitting .286 (the highest mark of his career) with 20 home run
s and 93 RBI
in 157 games
. When Kubek returned during the 1962 season, Tresh was moved to left field
. At various times with the Yankees, Tresh played shortstop, outfield, and third base.
In Game 5 of the 1962 World Series, he broke a 2-2 tie with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 8th ining off Jack Sanford
(who had won 24 games that season), leading to a 5-3 Yankee win and a 3-2 lead in games.
Tresh never again hit as well as he did in his rookie year, and after nine years in New York, he was sent to Detroit in midseason 1969. Tresh was born and grew up in Detroit, making him a home-town favorite. However, his career was over when he was released by the Tigers after the 1969 season; he had just turned 32 when he played his last game.
Tresh hit 114 home run
s from 1962–66, with a career-high 27 in 1966, and made the American League All-Star team in 1962-63. A Gold Glove
winner in 1965, he also homered from each side of the plate
in three games, including a doubleheader in that season in which he hit four home runs, three of them in the second game. In a nine-season career, Tresh was a .245 hitter with 153 home runs and 530 RBI in 1192 games.
Following his playing career, Tresh returned to his alma mater, Central Michigan University. where he worked as an assistant placement director for many years. He helped to invent the Slide-Rite, a training tool to teach sliding
and diving skills for baseball
, softball
, football
and soccer.
Tresh died of a heart attack
at his Venice, Florida
home on October 15, 2008.
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...
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...
and 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...
who played for 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...
(1961–69) 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...
(1969). Tresh was a switch-hitter and threw right-handed. He was the son of 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...
Mike Tresh
Mike Tresh
Michael "Mike" Tresh was a catcher in Major League Baseball. From 1938 through 1949, he played for the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians . Tresh batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania...
.
Biography
Born in Detroit, MichiganDetroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, Tresh started his career with the Yankees as a shortstop
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...
when Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
was in military service
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
. On Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...
of the 1962 season, Tresh was in the Yankees' lineup at shortstop. Not until Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter
Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...
in would another Yankee rookie shortstop gain such an honor.
In he won both the MLB Rookie of the Year
MLB Rookie of the Year Award
In Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News .*In 1947-48, and again in 1950, a single award was given for all of Major League Baseball....
awards, after hitting .286 (the highest mark of his career) with 20 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 93 RBI
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...
in 157 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,...
. When Kubek returned during the 1962 season, Tresh was moved to left field
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...
. At various times with the Yankees, Tresh played shortstop, outfield, and third base.
In Game 5 of the 1962 World Series, he broke a 2-2 tie with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the 8th ining off Jack Sanford
Jack Sanford
John Stanley Sanford was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball, and later in his career a relief pitcher as well, for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, and California Angels. He finished his career playing very briefly with the Kansas City...
(who had won 24 games that season), leading to a 5-3 Yankee win and a 3-2 lead in games.
Tresh never again hit as well as he did in his rookie year, and after nine years in New York, he was sent to Detroit in midseason 1969. Tresh was born and grew up in Detroit, making him a home-town favorite. However, his career was over when he was released by the Tigers after the 1969 season; he had just turned 32 when he played his last game.
Tresh hit 114 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 from 1962–66, with a career-high 27 in 1966, and made the American League All-Star team in 1962-63. A Gold Glove
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...
winner in 1965, he also homered from each side of the plate
Home Plate
Home Plate is the fifth album by Bonnie Raitt, released in 1975 .-Track listing:#"What Do You Want the Boy to Do?" – 3:19#"Good Enough" – 2:56#"Run Like a Thief" – 3:02...
in three games, including a doubleheader in that season in which he hit four home runs, three of them in the second game. In a nine-season career, Tresh was a .245 hitter with 153 home runs and 530 RBI in 1192 games.
Following his playing career, Tresh returned to his alma mater, Central Michigan University. where he worked as an assistant placement director for many years. He helped to invent the Slide-Rite, a training tool to teach sliding
Slide (baseball)
In baseball, a slide is when a player, acting as a baserunner, drops his body to the ground once he is very close to the base he is approaching and slides along the ground to reach the base....
and diving skills for 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...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and soccer.
Tresh died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at his Venice, Florida
Venice, Florida
Venice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 21,015. It is noted for its large snowbird population. Its newspaper is the Venice Gondolier Sun...
home on October 15, 2008.