| Tom Umphlett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born:(1930-05-12)May 12, 1930 Scotland Neck, North Carolina, U.S. | |
| Died: September 21, 2012(2012-09-21) (aged 82) Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 16, 1953, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 24, 1955, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .246 |
| Home runs | 6 |
| Runs batted in | 111 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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Thomas Mullen Umphlett (May 12, 1930 – September 21, 2012)[1] was an Americancenter andright fielder inMajor League Baseball who played from1953 to1955 with theBoston Red Sox andWashington Senators. His 21-year professionalbaseball career as a player andmanager lasted from 1950 through 1970. He batted and threw right-handed and was listed as 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg).
Born inScotland Neck, North Carolina, the son of Willie L. Umphlett and the former Daisy Mullen, he was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football) atAhoskie High School, from which he graduated in1950. He signed with the Red Sox that year, choosing a professional baseball career over football scholarship offers to several universities. In 1950, with theMarion Red Sox of the Class DOhio–Indiana League, hehit .319 in 94 games. By 1952, Umphlett was inTriple-A, then he made his big league debut on April 16, 1953, at the age of 22, wearing the number 38. He hit .283 in his rookie season, displaying a sharp eye at the plate: he averaged one strikeout every 16.5 at-bats. He finished second inAmerican League Rookie of the Year Award voting toHarvey Kuenn in 1953.
However, on December 9, Boston included him in a major offseason trade, sending Umphlett and left-handedpitcherMickey McDermott to the Senators for right fielderJackie Jensen. The deal was a boon to the Red Sox: Jensen led theAmerican League inruns batted in three times over the next six seasons, made twoAll-Star teams, and was named his league'sMost Valuable Player in1958. Umphlett struggled at the plate in Washington. He batted only .219 in 114games played in1954, then .217 in 110 games in 1955. The Senators traded him back to the Red Sox in November 1955, and Umphlett played for the Bosox' Triple-A affiliates the next seven years. He continued to play in the high minors through June 1967, then became a manager in theMinnesota Twins' organization.
In 360 careerMLB games, Umphlett hit .246 with 285hits — 45doubles, eighttriples and sixhome runs — in 1,160at bats). He drove in 111runs. Umphlett averaged one strikeout every 10.8 at bats in his career. Never much of a threat on the basepaths, Umphlett stole only seven career bases. He had a .986 careerfielding percentage. In 1954, he wore number 4. In 1955, he wore 22. According to Baseball-Reference, the player Umphlett is most similar to statistically isArt Kruger.
Umphlettmanaged the Short Season-Class AAuburn Twins in 1967, then moved up to full-season Class A with theWisconsin Rapids Twins (part of 1968),Red Springs Twins (all of 1969) and theLynchburg Twins (part of 1970).