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| Billy Gardner | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born:(1927-07-19)July 19, 1927 New London, Connecticut, U.S. | |
| Died: January 3, 2024(2024-01-03) (aged 96) Waterford, Connecticut, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 22, 1954, for the New York Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 11, 1963, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .237 |
| Home runs | 41 |
| Runs batted in | 271 |
| Managerial record | 330–417 |
| Winning % | .442 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Managerial record at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As manager As coach | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
William Frederick Gardner (July 19, 1927 – January 3, 2024) was an American professionalbaseball player, coach, and manager. During his ten-season active career inMajor League Baseball (MLB), Gardner was asecond baseman for theNew York Giants,Baltimore Orioles,Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins,New York Yankees, andBoston Red Sox. His only significant time on any team was with Baltimore, where he spent four consecutive full seasons from 1956 to 1959. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and weighed 170 pounds (77 kg). After retiring as a player, he spent over 20 years as a coach or manager, andmanaged the Minnesota Twins andKansas City Royals during the 1980s.
Born inNew London, Connecticut, Gardner was signed by the Giants in 1945 and came up with them on April 22, 1954, but he could not break into the contending team's lineup. In early 1956, he was purchased by the Orioles. Gardner picked up a career-high of 10steals, but in his best season of 1957, he led the league indoubles with 36, andat bats with 644. He played in every one of the 154 games that season,batting .262 with 6home runs and 55RBIs. In his career, Gardner also came in the top 10 inhit by pitches twice (1956 and 1957), with a career-high of 8 in 1957 (fifth in the league).
Gardner wound up as autility infielder with 1961 Yankees, winning the1961 World Series with them against theCincinnati Reds. In his one and only at bat of the post-season, he lined out toshortstop in the ninth inning of Game 2. The Yankees lost the game 6–2. Gardner ended his career with two years on the Red Sox, picking up 70 hits with them in 283 at bats. Nicknamed "Shotgun" for his rifle arm,[1] Gardner ledAmerican League second basemen infielding percentage in 1957 (.987), including 55 consecutive errorless games, and finished with a .976 fielding mark all-time. In all or parts of ten seasons, Gardnerbatted .237 with 41 home runs and 271 RBIs in 1,034 games played. He picked up 841hits, with 159 doubles and 18triples in 3,544 career at bats. He finished with 19 career steals.
After finishing his career with the Red Sox, Gardner stayed in the Boston organization for eight more seasons as a minor league coach and manager (1964; 1967–71) and major leaguethird-base coach (1965–66).[2] He then managed in theKansas City Royalsfarm system from 1972 to 1976, coached at first base for theMontreal Expos in 1977–78, and was a skipper in the Montreal farm system in 1979–80.
Gardner rejoined the Twins as a third-base coach for the1981 season. He was promoted to manager on May 23, 1981, replacingJohnny Goryl, and served until June 21, 1985, never leading Minnesota to the playoffs and avoiding a losing record only once (1984, at 81–81). Gardner incorporated young players such asKent Hrbek,Kirby Puckett,Frank Viola andTim Laudner into the Twin lineup, beginning the foundation of the club's twoWorld Series clubs to come. After a 268–353 record with Minnesota, Gardner received a second chance to manage with the 1987 Royals. Gardner initially signed as the Royals' 1987 third-base coach, but terminally ill Royals managerDick Howser, diagnosed with a malignantbrain tumor during the summer of 1986, was forced to retire duringspring training, and Gardner was promoted to fill the vacancy. He was fired on August 28 of that year after going 62–64, andJohn Wathan took over. His career record as a manager was 330–417, a .442winning percentage.
Gardner's son, Billy Jr., a formerminor league infielder, is a manager in theMiami Marlins' farm system, currently with theBeloit Sky Carp. Gardner Jr. was theWashington Nationals' minor league coordinator in 2018 and 2019 and the manager for theHarrisburg Senators before their 2020 season was cancelled;[3][4] previously, from 2014 to 2017, he was the skipper of theSyracuse Chiefs of theInternational League, the Nationals'Triple-A affiliate.[4][5]
Gardner died at his home inWaterford, Connecticut, on January 3, 2024, at the age of 96.[6]
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Boston Red Soxthird-base coach 1965–1966 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Pittsfield Red Soxmanager 1967–1969 | Succeeded by Franchise relocated |
| Preceded by | Louisville Colonelsmanager 1970 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Pawtucket Red Sox (Eastern League)manager 1971 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Jacksonville Sunsmanager 1972–1974 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Omaha Royalsmanager 1975–1976 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Montreal Exposfirst-base coach 1977–1978 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Memphis Chicksmanager 1979 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Denver Bearsmanager 1980 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Minnesota Twinsthird-base coach 1981 | Succeeded by |
