| Mike Epstein | |
|---|---|
 | |
| First baseman | |
| Born: (1943-04-04)April 4, 1943 (age 82) The Bronx, New York, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 16, 1966, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 28, 1974, for the California Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .244 |
| Home runs | 130 |
| Runs batted in | 380 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Michael Peter Epstein (born April 4, 1943), nicknamed "Super Jew",[1] is an American former professionalbaseball player for theBaltimore Orioles,Washington Senators / Texas Rangers,Oakland Athletics, andCalifornia Angels ofMajor League Baseball (MLB).[2][3][4]
Epstein was born inthe Bronx,New York, and is Jewish.[5][6] His parents were Jack (a salesman, born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) and Evelyn (born in New York City).[6] When he was three years old, his family moved toHartsdale, New York, and then when he was 13 tothe Fairfax District inLos Angeles, California.[7][6][8] Epstein said of his father, who refused when Epstein was still a minor to sign a contract on his behalf with the Dodgers: "He wanted me to be a lawyer, rather than a bum."[8]
Epstein played for the baseball and football teams while attendingFairfax High School in Los Angeles, graduating in 1961.[9][6] He was named to the baseball second team on the All-Western League Team two years in a row, by the Helms Athletic Foundation's All-Southern California Board of Athletics.[10] He played quarterback and fullback on the football team.[11][12]
Epstein attended theUniversity of California-Berkeley on a football scholarship, playing as a running back in 1962, under future NFL Hall of Fame coachMarv Levy and alongside future NFL quarterbackCraig Morton. He was recruited to Berkeley by future NFL Hall of Fame coachBill Walsh. He majored insocial psychology and eventually playedcollege baseball for theCalifornia Golden Bears, graduating in 1964.[6][7][13][14][15][16][17]
Although his .375 batting average in 1963 led to a contract offer by theLos Angeles Dodgers, he decided to finish college.[9] The following year, he batted .384 as a senior and was named anAll-American.[18] His .381 career average is a school record.[19] He represented the United States inbaseball at the 1964 Summer Olympics as ademonstration sport in Tokyo.[20]
In 2023, Epstein was inducted into the California Athletics Hall of Fame.[19]
Epstein was signed by the Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1964, receiving a $20,000 signing bonus.[13][21] Epstein played for theStockton Ports of theCalifornia League in 1965, and led the league inbatting average (.338) andhome runs (30; tying a league record set byVince DiMaggio).[7] He was named the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP).[7] Rival managerRocky Bridges nicknamed him "Super Jew" for his efforts that season.[9]
Epstein played for theRochester Red Wings of theInternational League in 1966, batting .309 with 29 home runs and 102runs batted in (RBIs), earning him league MVP and Rookie of the Year honors.[9][18] He was also named an All Star and receivedThe Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year Award andTopps Minor League Player of the Year Award.[9][18]
Epstein was first brought up for six games by theBaltimore Orioles in1966, at the age of 23. After the Orioles tried in vain to convert him to the outfield (they already hadBoog Powell at first base), they demoted him to Rochester again. The outspoken Epstein refused to report, going home to California and continuing his schooling instead.[13] He was traded in May 1967 withFrank Bertaina to theWashington Senators forPete Richert, going from one of the best organizations in baseball to one of the worst.[13] Later that season, in his first at-bat against the Orioles, Epstein hit agrand slam.[9] In1968 he was fourth in the league in gettinghit by pitches HBP (9).[5]
In1969 with the Senators, in only 403 at bats Epstein hit 30home runs (ninth in theAmerican League), had 85 runs batted in (RBIs), and hit for a .278 batting average (and .347 with runners in scoring position) with an excellent .414on-base percentage and .551slugging percentage.[5] He was fourth in the league in hit by pitch (10), and he hit a home run every 13.4 at bats.[5] He was 25th in voting for the American LeagueMVP.[5] This was also the only year in which the reconstituted Senators (now theTexas Rangers) finished above .500.[22]
In 1970, he was second in the league in being hit by a pitch (13), while hitting 20 home runs, and leading all AL first basemen in range factor (10.08).[5] In 1969-70, he was managed by Hall of Fame hitting greatTed Williams.[23][24] In 1969, Williams made a special effort to instruct Epstein on how to improve as a hitter, with a focus on teaching Epstein to only swing at strikes. That year, Epstein had career highs in batting average, home runs,bases on balls, runs batted in,runs scored, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. In only 18 more at-bats in 1969 than 1968, he had 17 more home runs, 33 more runs and 52 more RBIs; and his batting average increased from .234 to .278. In 1970, however, Epstein's hitting declined as his average against left-handed pitching fell considerably.[7][5]
In May 1971, he was traded along withDarold Knowles to theOakland Athletics for Frank Fernandez,Don Mincher,Paul Lindblad, and cash. In 1971, while hitting 18 home runs in 329 at bats, he was hit by a pitch 12 times, leading the league.[5] In1972 he hit 26 home runs (3rd in the league) for the world champion Athletics.[5] He hit a home run every 17.5 at bats (3rd in the AL), had a .490 slugging percentage (5th), had a .376 on-base percentage (6th), collected 62 walks (10th), and was hit by a pitch 11 times (2nd).[5] He was 16th in voting for theAmerican LeagueMVP.[5]
However, in late May, while on the road in Arlington Texas, Epstein and sluggerReggie Jackson came to blows in the clubhouse over Epstein's use of complimentary tickets for family members. The next day, ownerCharlie Finley asked him about the incident. Finley claimed Epstein attacked his star player (Jackson). Epstein disputed that, claimed that Jackson was the problem, and demanded to be traded.[25]
Going hitless in 16 at bats during theWorld Series that fall, in addition to his feud with managerDick Williams over lack of playing time, resulted in the Athletics fulfilling his trade demand by sending him to theTexas Rangers forHoracio Piña on December 1, 1972.[26] Additionally, the A's wanted to free up the first base position forGene Tenace who was the star of that same Fall Classic.[27]
Opening1973 batting .188 with one homer and six RBIs, he was dealt along withRich Hand andRick Stelmaszek from the Rangers to theCalifornia Angels forJim Spencer andLloyd Allen on May 20.[28] In 1973, he was seventh in the league in hit by pitches (8).[5] On May 4,1974, he was released by the Angels.[5]
In 907 games over nine seasons, Epstein posted a .244 batting average (695-for-2,854) with 362 runs, 130 home runs, 380 RBIs, 448 bases on balls, .358 on-base percentage and .424 slugging percentage. He finished his career with a .991fielding percentage playing every inning at first base. In 13 postseason games, he hit only .108 (4-for-37) with two runs scored, one home run, one RBI, and nine walks.[5]
In 1991 he was inducted into theSouthern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[29] He was inducted as a member of the United StatesNational Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2004.[30]
Through 2010, he was sixth all-time in career home runs (behindMike Lieberthal) among Jewish major league baseball players.[31]
In 1993, theMilwaukee Brewers named Epstein manager of therookie leagueHelena Brewers, who played in thePioneer League. He only managed 11 games, as his hitting philosophy learned under Ted Williams was contrary to the current trend at the time.[32][33][7]
After his baseball playing days were over, Epstein ran a hitting school, teaching the techniques he learned from Ted Williams.[34][7]
· Baseball Almanac, orBaseball Reference (Minors), orRetrosheet
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