| Alan Bannister | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Outfielder /Infielder | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1951-09-03)September 3, 1951 (age 74) Montebello, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| July 13, 1974, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| October 6, 1985, for the Texas Rangers | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .270 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 19 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 288 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Alan Bannister (born September 3, 1951)[1] is an American former professionalbaseball player who played inMajor League Baseball for thePhiladelphia Phillies(1974–75),Chicago White Sox (1976–80),Cleveland Indians(1980–83),Houston Astros (1984) andTexas Rangers(1984–85). Developed as ashortstop, he became autility player during his major league career.
Bannister attendedJohn F. Kennedy High School inLa Palma, California and then playedcollege baseball atArizona State University.[2] He represented the United States at the1971 Pan American Games, where he won a silver medal.[3] Highly touted in college, Bannister was the Phillies' first-round pick in the 1973 draft (January). Although versatile (he played every position but pitcher and catcher) he never lived up to his college billing and was rarely a regular.[4] He opened the1975 season as the Phillies' starting center fielder until the arrival ofGarry Maddox from theSan Francisco Giants on May 4. He was traded withDick Ruthven andRoy Thomas to theChicago White Sox forJim Kaat andMike Buskey on December 10, 1975.[5] He was the1977 White Sox' starting shortstop following the trade ofBucky Dent in April, the only season in which he played over 100 games at a position, and he led allAmerican League shortstops in errors (40). That same season he led the AL in sacrifice flies with 11.
In 12 major league seasons he played in 972 games and recorded 3,007 at bats, 430 runs, 811 hits, 143 doubles, 28 triples, 19 home runs, 288 RBI, 108 stolen bases, 292 walks, with a .270 batting average, .334 on-base percentage and a .355 slugging percentage.
After his playing career, he managed two years in theMontreal Expos minor league system and three years for theAZL Giants of theArizona League. He was inducted to theCollege Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010.[6]
As an amateur, Bannister was involved in a play which resulted in a fatality. In July 1972, he was a participant in a Baseball Federation tour ofJapan. While attempting to complete adouble play during a game against a Japanese team, he made a throw to first base which struck the head ofAkira Tohmon, who was advancing from first base to second base. Tohmon was knocked unconscious, and later died at a hospital as a result ofcerebral contusion.[7][8]
