| Atlee Hammaker | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1958-01-24)January 24, 1958 (age 67) Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Switch Threw: Left | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| August 13, 1981, for the Kansas City Royals | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| August 9, 1995, for the Chicago White Sox | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 59–67 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 3.66 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 615 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Charlton Atlee Hammaker (born January 24, 1958) is an American formerMajor League Baseball left-handedpitcher who played the majority of his career for theSan Francisco Giants (1982–1990). He also played for theKansas City Royals,San Diego Padres, andChicago White Sox. During his twelve-year career, he won 59 games, lost 67 games and netted five saves.
Hammaker was born inCarmel-by-the-Sea, California, on January 24, 1958, the son of Miyake and Charles Hammaker. A middle child, he has one older brother, Aldine and one younger sister, Charlene. He is halfGerman and halfJapanese. Hammaker grew up living in many different locations due to his father's career in theUnited States Army, and attendedMount Vernon High School inFairfax County, Virginia, where he played basketball,football, and baseball. After suffering a knee injury in football his sophomore year, he began focusing on basketball.
Hammaker received a full basketball scholarship toEast Tennessee State University (ETSU) inJohnson City. After being talked to and convinced by the coaches at ETSU, Hammaker decided to change his focus to baseball. He attended asummer league in Alaska, and from there, was a first-round pick (21st overall) in the1979 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals.
In1983, Hammaker's best season, he led theNational League with anERA of 2.25, aWHIP of 1.039,BB/9IP of 1.67, andstrikeout towalk ratio of 3.97. That year Hammaker won 10, lost 9, and made theNational LeagueAll-Star team. (Through June, his record was 9–3 with an ERA of 1.52.)
Hammaker made theNational League All-Star team in 1983, but did not fare well, surrendering seven earned runs in 0.2 inning pitched; and he gave up the onlygrand slam in All-Star Game history, toFred Lynn. The American League prevailed 13–3 for their first win intwelve years.[1][2][3]
In Game 7 of the1987 NLCS, Hammaker, pitching forSan Francisco, gave up a three-runhomer in the second inning toJosé Oquendo, a utility infielder who had hit only one home run that season. TheCardinals won 6–0 to advance to theWorld Series.[4][5]
While with the Giants, Hammaker and teammatesScott Garrelts,Dave Dravecky andJeff Brantley became known as the "God Squad" because of their strong Christian faith. Forgoing the hard-partying lifestyle of many of their teammates, they preferred to hold Bible studies in their hotel rooms while on the road.[6]
Hammaker is married and lives inKnoxville, Tennessee,[7] with his wife. He is the father of five daughters. His second oldest daughter, Jenna Hammaker-Gomes, is married tomajor league playerYan Gomes.[8] His youngest daughter, Annalee, is married tominor league player Josh Rolette, a catcher in theCleveland Guardians' farm system.[9]
· Baseball Almanac
