Wally Moon
Encyclopedia
Wallace Wade Moon, known popularly as Wally Moon, (born April 3, 1930, in Bay
, Arkansas
) is a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
. Moon played his 12-year career in the National League
for the St. Louis Cardinals
(1954–1958) and Los Angeles Dodgers
(1959–1965). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
coach of the Alabama
and Duke
. From a family of educators, he earned a master's degree in administrative education from Texas A&M University
in College Station
while he was still in the minor leagues. He coached from 1953-1954 at Lake City
, also in Craighead County. In the spring of 1954 the Cardinals told Moon to report to their minor league spring training camp. He ignored the order and reported instead to St. Petersburg with the Cardinals. He said that he would make the team or quit baseball. They let him stay, and by the end of the spring training he replaced Enos Slaughter in the outfield.
to the Yankees
. Moon responded for good. In his first at-bat, despite chants of "We want Slaughter", he belted a home run
against the Cubs
; in the same game Tom Alston
became the first African American
to play for the Cardinals. Moon finished with a .304 batting average
, 12 home runs, 76 RBI
, and career-high numbers in runs (106), hits (193), doubles
(29), and stolen bases (18) in 151 games. He earned both the MLB Rookie of the Year
and The Sporting News Rookie of the Year
honors. Almost a unanimous vote, Moon won easily over rookies Ernie Banks
, Gene Conley
and Hank Aaron.
A fine left fielder
with a good arm, Moon also played right field
and center
as well as the first base
. He was a Gold Glove Award
winner in 1960
as he made the All--Star
team in 1957
and 1959
. Twice in his career, Moon compiled double figures in doubles, triples, home runs and stolen bases: 22, 11, 16, 12 in 1956, and 26, 11, 19, 15 in 1959
, his first year with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers traded for Moon by sending outfielder Gino Cimoli
, both of whom were coming off years in which they batted below .250; the Cardinals also added pitcher Phil Paine
, who did not end up playing for the Dodgers. Moon was initially concerned about batting for the Dodgers, who then played in the converted L. A. Coliseum
: right field was 440 feet away, making it difficult for a left-handed batter like Moon. However, the left-field seats were only 251 feet away, protected by a 42-foot high screen. After consulting with friend and mentor Stan Musial
, Moon adjusted his batting to emphasize hitting to left. The results were very successful. In his first season with the Dodgers, he took his team from seventh place to the World Championship
, providing support in the line-up for Duke Snider
, Gil Hodges
and Don Demeter
. He gained quick public acclaim in 1959 for the "Moon shots" that he hit over the high left field screen. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Moon_Wally.stm Moon hit a home run in the sixth and final game of that World Series, which the Dodgers won over the Chicago White Sox
. He also caught Luis Aparicio
's fly ball for the final out of the Series.
Beside this, he hit a career-high 24 homers in 1957
. Moon enjoyed another good season in 1961
, batting .328 with 17 home runs and 88 RBI.
A career .289 hitter, Moon also hit 142 home runs with 661 RBI in 1457 games. He had tremendous discipline at the plate, compiling a remarkable 1.90 walk-to-strikeout ratio (644-to-591), with a .371 on base percentage
and a .445 slugging average for a combined .816 OPS
. Appropriately, he scored the last run ever in the Coliseum
.
and baseball coach at John Brown University
, and a coach and minor league manager and owner of the San Antonio Dodgers for four years beginning in the late 1970s. Moon moved to Bryan, Texas
, where he has lived for over 25 years. He retired in 1998. He is married to Bettye and has five children and seven grandchildren.
Moon is featured on many websites featuring baseball cards, as he sported a prominent unibrow
.
A Jan. 27, 1960 episode ( "The Larry Hanify Story") of the popular TV western, Wagon Train
, features Wally Moon in a brief role. The end credits include: "And Introducing Wally Moon as Sheriff Bender." There is no baseball tie-in with his character, but the sheriff does catch a bullet during a shoot-out with Tommy Sands' bad guy. A rerun of the program aired on the Encore Westerns Channel, May 12, 2011.
Bay, Arkansas
Bay is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,800 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Bay is located at ....
, Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
) is a former 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...
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...
. Moon played his 12-year career in the 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...
for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1954–1958) and 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...
(1959–1965). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Youth
Moon was named after Wallace Wade, the former college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coach of the Alabama
Alabama Crimson Tide football
|TeamName = Alabama football |Image = Alabama Crimson Tide Logo.svg |ImageSize = 110 |Helmet = Alabama Football.png |ImageSize2 = 150 |CurrentSeason = 2011 Alabama Crimson Tide football team...
and Duke
Duke Blue Devils football
The Duke Blue Devils football program is a college football team that represents Duke University . The team is currently a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference , which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association . The Blue Devils compete in the Coastal...
. From a family of educators, he earned a master's degree in administrative education from Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
in College Station
College Station, Texas
College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in East Central Texas in the heart of the Brazos Valley. The city is located within the most populated region of Texas, near three of the 10 largest cities in the United States - Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio...
while he was still in the minor leagues. He coached from 1953-1954 at Lake City
Lake City, Arkansas
Lake City is a town in Craighead County, Arkansas in the United States, along the St. Francis River. The population is 2,082 according to the 2010 census. It is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, also in Craighead County. In the spring of 1954 the Cardinals told Moon to report to their minor league spring training camp. He ignored the order and reported instead to St. Petersburg with the Cardinals. He said that he would make the team or quit baseball. They let him stay, and by the end of the spring training he replaced Enos Slaughter in the outfield.
Major league career
Moon made his majors debut on April 13, 1954. To make room for him in the roster, St. Louis sent the veteran Enos SlaughterEnos Slaughter
Enos Bradsher Slaughter , nicknamed "Country", was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 19-year baseball career, he played from 1938–1942 and 1946-1959 for four different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the St...
to the 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...
. Moon responded for good. In his first at-bat, despite chants of "We want Slaughter", he belted a 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 the 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...
; in the same game Tom Alston
Tom Alston
Thomas Edison Alston was a Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1954 to 1957. A native of Greensboro, North Carolina, he stood 6'5" and weighed 210 lbs....
became the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to play for the Cardinals. Moon finished with a .304 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 :...
, 12 home runs, 76 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...
, and career-high numbers in runs (106), hits (193), 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....
(29), and stolen bases (18) in 151 games. He earned 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....
honors. Almost a unanimous vote, Moon won easily over rookies Ernie Banks
Ernie Banks
Ernest "Ernie" Banks , nicknamed "Mr. Cub", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and first baseman. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the Chicago Cubs . He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977.-High school years:Banks was a letterman and standout in football,...
, 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...
and Hank Aaron.
A fine 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 a good arm, Moon also played 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...
and center
Center 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...
as well as the first base
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. He was a 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...
winner in 1960
1960 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Pittsburgh Pirates over New York Yankees ; Bobby Richardson, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Municipal Stadium: National League, 5-3*All-Star Game , July 13 at Yankee Stadium: National League, 6-0...
as he made the 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...
team in 1957
1957 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1957 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 24th playing of the midseason exhibition baseball game between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 9, 1957 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis,...
and 1959
1959 Major League Baseball All-Star Game (second game)
The 1959 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 27th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on August 3, 1959 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles,...
. Twice in his career, Moon compiled double figures in doubles, triples, home runs and stolen bases: 22, 11, 16, 12 in 1956, and 26, 11, 19, 15 in 1959
1959 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over Chicago White Sox ; Larry Sherry, MVP*All-Star Game , July 7 at Forbes Field: National League, 5-4*All-Star Game , August 3 at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: American League, 5-3...
, his first year with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers traded for Moon by sending outfielder Gino Cimoli
Gino Cimoli
Gino Nicholas Cimoli was an outfielder in Major League Baseball.A high school all-star at Galileo High School, Cimoli signed as an amateur free agent with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949...
, both of whom were coming off years in which they batted below .250; the Cardinals also added pitcher Phil Paine
Phil Paine
Phillips Steere Paine was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched all or part of six seasons between and ....
, who did not end up playing for the Dodgers. Moon was initially concerned about batting for the Dodgers, who then played in the converted L. A. Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
: right field was 440 feet away, making it difficult for a left-handed batter like Moon. However, the left-field seats were only 251 feet away, protected by a 42-foot high screen. After consulting with friend and mentor Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
, Moon adjusted his batting to emphasize hitting to left. The results were very successful. In his first season with the Dodgers, he took his team from seventh place to the World Championship
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
, providing support in the line-up for Duke Snider
Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...
, Gil Hodges
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
and Don Demeter
Don Demeter
Donald Lee "Don" Demeter is a former outfielder, third baseman, and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, and Cleveland Indians...
. He gained quick public acclaim in 1959 for the "Moon shots" that he hit over the high left field screen. http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/M/Moon_Wally.stm Moon hit a home run in the sixth and final game of that World Series, which the Dodgers won over 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...
. He also caught Luis Aparicio
Luis Aparicio
Luis Ernesto Aparicio Montiel is a former shortstop in professional baseball. His career in Major League Baseball spanned three decades, from through . Aparicio played for the Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
's fly ball for the final out of the Series.
Beside this, he hit a career-high 24 homers in 1957
1957 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Milwaukee Braves over New York Yankees ; Lew Burdette, MVP*All-Star Game, July 9 at Busch Stadium: American League, 6-5-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Marianao *College World Series: California...
. Moon enjoyed another good season in 1961
1961 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Cincinnati Reds ; Whitey Ford, MVP*All-Star Game , July 11 at Candlestick Park: National League, 5-4 *All-Star Game , July 31 at Fenway Park: 1–1 tie...
, batting .328 with 17 home runs and 88 RBI.
A career .289 hitter, Moon also hit 142 home runs with 661 RBI in 1457 games. He had tremendous discipline at the plate, compiling a remarkable 1.90 walk-to-strikeout ratio (644-to-591), with a .371 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...
and a .445 slugging average for a combined .816 OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
. Appropriately, he scored the last run ever in the Coliseum
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum is a large outdoor sports stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, at Exposition Park, that is home to the Pacific-12 Conference's University of Southern California Trojans football team...
.
Post-playing career
After playing in the majors, Moon went on to become athletic directorAthletic director
An athletic director is an administrator at many American colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and related staff involved in intercollegiate or interscholastic athletic programs...
and baseball coach at John Brown University
John Brown University
The main campus in Northwest Arkansas has been the site of the university since it was founded in 1919. JBU has 2,183 students as of the 2011-2012 school year, 1,279 of which are traditional undergraduates. Of these, 878 live on campus. The Graduate School has 468 students...
, and a coach and minor league manager and owner of the San Antonio Dodgers for four years beginning in the late 1970s. Moon moved to Bryan, Texas
Bryan, Texas
Bryan is a city in Brazos County, Texas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 76,201. It is the county seat of Brazos County and is located in the heart of the Brazos Valley . It shares its border with the city of College Station, which lies to its south...
, where he has lived for over 25 years. He retired in 1998. He is married to Bettye and has five children and seven grandchildren.
Moon is featured on many websites featuring baseball cards, as he sported a prominent unibrow
Unibrow
A unibrow is a "confluence of eyebrows"; that is, the presence of abundant hair between the eyebrows, so that they seem to converge to form one long eyebrow. The condition of having a unibrow is synophrys.-Beauty culture:...
.
A Jan. 27, 1960 episode ( "The Larry Hanify Story") of the popular TV western, Wagon Train
Wagon Train
Wagon Train is an American Western series that ran on NBC from 1957–62 and then on ABC from 1962–65...
, features Wally Moon in a brief role. The end credits include: "And Introducing Wally Moon as Sheriff Bender." There is no baseball tie-in with his character, but the sheriff does catch a bullet during a shoot-out with Tommy Sands' bad guy. A rerun of the program aired on the Encore Westerns Channel, May 12, 2011.
See also
- Home run in first Major League at-batHome run in first at-batThis is a list of Major League Baseball players who hit a home run in their first major league at bat.Bill Duggleby, Jeremy Hermida, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Daniel Nava are the only players to hit a grand slam in their first at bat...
- List of NL Gold Glove Winners at Outfield
- MLB Rookie of the Year AwardMLB Rookie of the Year AwardIn 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...
- The Sporting News Rookie of the Year AwardThe Sporting News Rookie of the Year AwardThe 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....
- List of Major League Baseball triples champions
External links
- http://www.wallymoon.com/ The Official Web Site of Wally Moon