| Tony Horton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: (1944-12-06)December 6, 1944 (age 81) Santa Monica, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 31, 1964, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 28, 1970, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .268 |
| Home runs | 76 |
| Runs batted in | 297 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Anthony Darrin Horton (born December 6, 1944) is an American former professionalbaseball player. Afirst baseman who batted and threw right-handed, Horton played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theBoston Red Sox (1964–1967) andCleveland Indians (1967–1970).
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Horton made his major league debut at age 19 in1964. He was a reserve first baseman for two seasons with the Red Sox until he was traded to the Indians in1967 forGary Bell, who won 12 games for the Red Sox during their pennant drive after going 1–5 in Cleveland. In 106games played as an Indian, Hortonbatted .281 with 10home runs and 44runs batted in.
After batting .249 in1968 with 14 homers and 59 RBI, Horton enjoyed his finest season in1969, batting .278 and establishing career bests with 27 home runs and 93 runs batted in.
1970 was a curious season for Horton. He batted .269 with 17 home runs and 59 RBI in a season full of ups and downs. On May 24 of that year in the second game of adoubleheader, he hit three home runs in an 8–7 loss to theNew York Yankees but was reportedly upset about not hitting a fourth. Exactly one month later, again against the Yankees and in the first game of another doubleheader, he fouled off a “folly floater” fromSteve Hamilton. He asked for another "Folly Floater," Hamilton threw it and Horton again popped it foul behind home plate, but this time intoThurman Munson's mitt for an out. An embarrassed Horton crawled back into the dugout.[1]
On July 2, Hortonhit for the cycle in a 10–9 victory over theBaltimore Orioles. His playing career ended unexpectedly on August 28, after he took himself out in the fifth inning of the second game of a doubleheader against theCalifornia Angels.[2][3] He was treated and recovered, but the stress of professional baseball forced him to leave the game prematurely; he had played his last game three months shy of his 26th birthday. His manager,Alvin Dark, in his 1980 bookWhen in Doubt, Fire the Manager, would call Horton's sudden exit “the most sorrowful incident I was ever involved in, in my baseball career.”[4]
In his career, Horton batted .268 with 76 home runs and 297 RBI in 636 games played. His early exit from the game has often been tied to Indian lore with theCurse of Rocky Colavito.
· Baseball Almanac, orRetrosheet| Achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | Hitting for the cycle July 2, 1970 | Succeeded by |