| Dave Philley | |
|---|---|
 Philley as an Oriole, 1955 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born:(1920-05-16)May 16, 1920 Paris, Texas, U.S. | |
| Died: March 15, 2012(2012-03-15) (aged 91) Paris, Texas, U.S. | |
Batted: Both Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 6, 1941, for the Chicago White Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 6, 1962, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .270 |
| Home runs | 84 |
| Runs batted in | 729 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
David Earl Philley (May 16, 1920 – March 15, 2012) was an American professionalbaseballoutfielder who played inMajor League Baseball.[1] Aswitch hitter who threw right-handed, he debuted on September 6,1941 and played his final game on August 6,1962. He was born inParis, Texas and attendedEast Texas State University prior to his MLB career.[2]
Philley played for eight different teams in a long, 18-season career. He ledAmerican League outfielders inassists three different years (1948,1950,1953) and once inouts (1950).
Philley reached the majors in1941 with theChicago White Sox. He spent four years as amilitary policeman during World War II,[3] rejoining the White Sox in1946 and playing 17 games for them that year.[4] Philley was with the White Sox for five-and-a-half years before moving to thePhiladelphia Athletics early in the1951 season.[1] After playing for Philadelphia in the 1951 through1953 seasons, he next played for theCleveland Indians in1954. He was acquired by theBaltimore Orioles during the1955 season and finished the year with a .299 batting average, leading the Orioles in batting.[1] Later in his long career, Philley played for theDetroit Tigers,Philadelphia Phillies,San Francisco Giants, andBoston Red Sox, including second stints with Chicago and Baltimore. His most productive season came in 1953 with the Athletics, when he posted career-high numbers inbatting average (.303),hits (188),doubles (30), andgames played (157).[1] From 1947 to 1953, he averaged 27 doubles per season, and in1950 with Chicago hit 14home runs with 80runs batted in, also career highs. While in Cleveland, he appeared in the1954 World Series.
As he got older, Philley became more of a pinch-hitting specialist. In1958, playing for the Phillies, he collected 18 pinch hits, including a streak of eight straight to close the season.
He also had a pinch-hit double opening day1959, for an actual total of nine straight, a major league record that still stands today. While playing for Baltimore in1961, he had a season total of 24 pinch hits in 72at-bats, which are also American League records.[5]
A 42-year-old Philley was signed off the Baltimore roster by the expansionHouston Colt .45's during the 1961–62 offseason, but a few hours later, Houston sent him to the Boston Red Sox. Philley spent most of1962 on the bench for Boston until he was released on August 14, 1962.[6]
In an 18-season career, Philley was a .270 hitter with 84 home runs and 729 RBI in 1,904 games. He also collected 1,700 hits, 276 doubles, 72triples, 789 runs, 101stolen bases, and awalk-to-strikeout ratio of 1.078 (594 to 551). Defensively, he recorded a .982fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions and at first and third base.[7] As a pinch hitter, he batted .300 (92-for-307) with two home runs and 57 RBI in that role.[8]
Philley holds the record for the most at-bats in an American League regulation-inningdoubleheader, having 13 at-bats for the White Sox against the Browns on May 30, 1950.[9]
After his playing days, Philley worked as amanager for the Houstonminor league system from 1963 to 1964, and spent 1965 managing theDurham Bulls, where he won aCarolina League division title. He found employment for 1966 in the Red Sox organization, where he managed the Class AWaterloo Hawks and served as ascout. Until his death, Philley lived in his native Paris, Texas.[10]
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