| Bob Hamelin | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Hamelin with theEugene Emeraldsc. 1988 | |
| First baseman /Designated hitter | |
| Born: (1967-11-29)November 29, 1967 (age 57) Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 12, 1993, for the Kansas City Royals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1998, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .246 |
| Home runs | 67 |
| Runs batted in | 209 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Robert James Hamelin (/ˈhæmlɪn/; born November 29, 1967) is an American formerfirst baseman anddesignated hitter who played six seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB), primarily with theKansas City Royals. He also played for theDetroit Tigers and theMilwaukee Brewers. He batted and threw left-handed.
Hamelin posted a .246batting average with 67home runs and 209RBIs in 497games played. In 1994, at the age of 26, he was theAmerican LeagueRookie of the Year. His stint as a professional player was marred by leg injuries, both in the minors and majors. He also suffered from an eye problem.[citation needed]
After a long and illustrious career in the Randolph Little League, Hamelin's family moved from their home inRandolph, New Jersey toIrvine, California, when he was 12 years old.[1] Hamelin attendedIrvine High School,[2] where he excelled in bothfootball andbaseball,[1] and was named the School's Athlete of the Year as a senior. TheUniversity of Notre Dame recruited him to play football, however Hamelin had already decided to pursue a career in baseball.[3] Hamelin enrolled inSanta Ana College after graduating from high school and played on the school's baseball team.[1] Soon thereafter the young baseball prospect transferred toUCLA, where he continued to playbaseball for his new school.[1] In 1987, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theHarwich Mariners of theCape Cod Baseball League.[4]
Hamelin won the 1994 AL Rookie of the Year Award as a member of theKansas City Royals, when he posted a .282 batting average and hit 24home runs (earning him the nickname "the hammer") with 65RBIs during thestrike-shortened season.
Hamelin abruptly quit his professional baseball career while playing in the minor leagues for theToledo Mud Hens (Detroit Tigers AAA Team) in 1999. After grounding out, he went back to the dugout and told managerGene Roof, "I'm done", ending his professional baseball career as a player.[1]
After retirement Hamelin was out of professional baseball for several years, owning a manufacturing company.[5] He attended scouting school and returned to professional baseball as ascout for theWashington Nationals and theToronto Blue Jays.[6] In 2012, he joined the Major League scouting corps of theBoston Red Sox.[7] His scouting contract was not renewed by the Boston Red Sox for the 2021 season.[8]
Hamelin's 1996Pinnacle Foilbaseball card is commonly referred to as the worst baseball card of all time.[9] In 2019, Hamelin and a collection of his baseball cards were featured in the first episode ofSB Nation's two part series "The Bob Emergency", narrated byJon Bois.[10]
· Baseball Almanac, orBaseball Library, orRetrosheet| Preceded by none | Players Choice AL Most Outstanding Rookie 1994 | Succeeded by |
