| Chico Salmon | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Utility player | |
| Born:(1940-12-03)December 3, 1940 Colón, Panama | |
| Died: September 17, 2000(2000-09-17) (aged 59) Bocas del Toro,Panama | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 28, 1964, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| August 14, 1972, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .249 |
| Home runs | 31 |
| Runs batted in | 149 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Ruthford Eduardo "Chico" Salmon (December 3, 1940 – September 17, 2000) was aPanamanian professionalbaseball player. He played inMajor League Baseball as autility player from1964 through1972, most notably as a member of theBaltimore Orioles team that won three consecutiveAmerican League pennants from 1969 to 1971 and, won theWorld Series in 1970. He also played for theCleveland Indians.
Salmon was born inColón, Panama on December 3, 1940.[1] Salmon graduated from Abel Bravo High School in Colón, where he lettered in baseball, basketball, and track. He later attended Abel Bravo College, where he also played baseball. It was as a college student that Salmon played for the Panamanian baseball team during the 1959 Pan-American Games in Venezuela.[2]
Salmon was originally signed as a free agent by the originalWashington Senators,[3] and played one game for their minor league affiliate, theMissoula Timberjacks in 1959.[4] He played in the minor leagues for teams affiliated with theSan Francisco Giants (1960),Detroit Tigers (1961-62), andMilwaukee Braves (1963).[4] During that time, his lowestbatting average was .292, and he hit .325 or above every other year. In 1963, playing for theDenver Bears of theTriple-APacific Coast League at third base and in the outfield, he hit .325, with 103runs scored and 19stolen bases.[5]
The Bears were a Triple-A affiliate of the Braves.[5] Before the 1964 season, Salmon was traded by the Braves to the Cleveland Indians.[3] During the 1964 season, Salmon played in 71 games for Cleveland's Pacific Coast League affiliate, thePortland Beavers.[6] He hit only .234 in his worst minor league season.[4]
Salmon began play for theCleveland Indians (now Guardians) chiefly as a versatileutility player from 1964 to 1968, both in the outfield and infield. Despite his unusually poor hitting at Portland in 1964, Cleveland called Salmon up in late June, when regular third basemanMax Alvis was stricken with spinal meningitis.[2] Though Salmon did not play any games at third base, he started 39 games in the outfield and 31 at first or second base. In his rookie year hisbatting average was .307 in 283at bats.[1]
The most playing time he got with the Indians was 126 games in 1966 (hitting .256 in 422 at bats), playing 90 games or less in his other three seasons. He earned the nickname "Super Sub" in Cleveland.[1][7]
Salmon was selected by theSeattle Pilots in theexpansion draft following the 1968 season,[8] but was acquired by the Orioles forGene Brabender andGordon Lund on March 31, 1969.[9] He played for the Orioles from 1969 to 1972, retiring after that year. Never a starting level player, he did become the Orioles primary utility player, eventually playing all four infield positions.[7] The most he played was in 1970 (63 games and 172 at bats), never playing in more than 52 games any other year or having more than 91 at bats. His highest Orioles average was .297 in 1969.[1] In an August 16, 1969 game against the Pilots, Salmon had the best game of his career, going 4 for 4, with twohome runs, and 6 runs batted in (RBIs).[7]
The Orioles were American League champions from 1969 to 1971, winning the1970 World Series over theCincinnati Reds.[10] In Game 2 of the 1970 World Series, Salmon had a critical pinch hitsingle and scored arun.[11]
Salmon was not particularly well known for his fielding. While he was still with the team, the Orioles had a mock award named the Chico Salmon No Touch Award "to recognize fielding prowess that had all the deftness of a rhinoceros knitting," according toJim Palmer.[12] He was, however, widely known for his belief in ghosts which caused him to always sleep with the lights on.[13] He had to confront this fear during his 1964 army service, where he could not sleep with lights on, but he never really overcame it later in life.[7]
He retired with a career .249 average, 31 home runs, 202 runs scored and 149 RBIs.[1]
After retiring, he moved to Cleveland and did social work with youth at the Lincoln Recreation Center, discouraging drug abuse. He later returned to Panama, did some baseball scouting there, and also managed the Panamanian team in the World Amateur Baseball Series.[7]
He died from a heart attack on September 17, 2000, at the age of 59.[14]
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