| Tom Haller | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born:(1937-06-23)June 23, 1937 Lockport, Illinois, U.S. | |
| Died: November 26, 2004(2004-11-26) (aged 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 11, 1961, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 4, 1972, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .257 |
| Home runs | 134 |
| Runs batted in | 504 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Thomas Frank Haller (June 23, 1937 – November 26, 2004) was an American professionalbaseball player,coach, and executive. He played as acatcher inMajor League Baseball (MLB) from 1961 to 1972, most notably as a member of theSan Francisco Giants where he made two of his threeAll-Star teams. Haller ended his playing career with theLos Angeles Dodgers and theDetroit Tigers.[1]
Haller was considered one of the top catchers in theNational League (NL) during the late 1960s.[2] In 2008, he was part of the inaugural class of inductees into theSan Francisco Giants Wall of Fame.[3]
Haller was born inLockport, Illinois, and attended theUniversity of Illinois, where he played as aquarterback for theIllinois Fighting Illini football team.[4] During his time at the university, Haller was also a member ofTheta Chi fraternity. Haller was signed by the San Francisco Giants, as an amateurfree agent, in1958.[1] After playing in theminor leagues for three seasons, he made his major league debut with the Giants on April 11, 1961, at the age of 24.[1][5]
Haller hit .261, with 18home runs, and 55Run batted in (RBI), for the Giants in1962, in aplatoon system, alongsideEd Bailey, although both catchers were left-handed hitters. Haller and Bailey combined to give the Giants 35 home runs and 100 runs batted in from the catcher's position as they battled theLos Angeles Dodgers in a tight pennant race.[6] The two teams ended the season tied for first place and met in the1962 National League tie-breaker series.[7] The Giants won the three-game series to clinch the National League championship.[8] The Giants then lost to theNew York Yankees in the1962 World Series in seven games. Haller collected four hits in 14at-bats, with a home run, and three RBI, during the Series.[9]
Haller continued to platoon with Bailey through the1963 season, finishing the year second toJohnny Edwards among National League catchers infielding percentage.[10] In December 1963, the Giants traded Bailey to theMilwaukee Braves for veteran catcherDel Crandall, and Haller became their undisputed starting catcher. He was a solid defensive catcher for the Giants from1964 to1967. In his book,The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, baseball historianBill James said the decision to giveJoe Torre a1965 National LeagueGold Glove Award was absurd, stating that Torre was given the award because of his offensive statistics and that either Haller orJohn Roseboro was more deserving of the award.[2] Haller also helped offensively in1965, hitting two home runs and driving in five runs during a game on September 27 to put the Giants in first place with one week left in the season.[11] However, the Giants faltered and ended the season two games behind theLos Angeles Dodgers.[12]
The following season, Haller earned his first All-Star berth when he was named as a reserve player for the National League team in the1966 All-Star Game.[13] He was the catcher for two twenty-game winners in 1966, asJuan Marichal won 25 games andGaylord Perry won 21 games.[14] Haller finished the season with career-highs of 27 home runs and 67 runs batted in, as the Giants once again finished second to theDodgers, by a game and a half.[1][15] He earned his second consecutive All-Star berth in 1967 when he was named as a reserve for the National League team in the1967 All-Star Game.[16] Haller ended the 1967 season second toTim McCarver among NL catchers inassists and in fielding percentage, and guided the Giants' pitching staff to the lowest teamearned run average (ERA) in the National League, as Giants pitcher,Mike McCormick, won the National LeagueCy Young Award, with a 22-10 record.[17][18][19] The Giants finished in second place for a third consecutive season, this time to theSt. Louis Cardinals.[20]
In February 1968, the Giants were in need of goodinfielders, and with four young catching prospects, includingDick Dietz andDave Rader, club presidentChub Feeney decided to trade Haller along with a player to be named later, to the Dodgers, for infieldersRon Hunt andNate Oliver.[21][22] The trade was the first between the two teams since their move to the West Coast in1958, and also the first since the one that would have sentJackie Robinson from the Dodgers to the Giants after the1956 season.[22] Haller played well in 1968, posting a .285batting average, in 144 games, and earned his third consecutive All-Star berth.[1] He also played well defensively with career-highs in assists (83) and in double plays (23).[1] He guided the Dodgers' pitching staff to the second best team earned run average in the league, although the team finished the season in seventh place.[23]
After spending four seasons with the Dodgers, Haller was traded to the Detroit Tigers, in December 1971.[21] He batted .207 with two home runs and 12 runs batted in during the1972 season as a backup catcher forBill Freehan, when the Tigers won theAmerican League Eastern Division championship.[1][24] Haller was the younger brother ofAmerican League (AL)umpireBill Haller and in July 1972, the two men appeared in the same game with Tom catching for the Tigers while Bill stood behind him as the home plateumpire.[25] His playing time was reduced when the Tigers acquired catcherDuke Sims in August.[26] In the1972 American League Championship Series against theOakland Athletics, Haller made only one appearance as apinch hitter in Game 2, as the Tigers lost the series in five games.[27][28] In October 1972, the Tigers sold Haller to thePhiladelphia Phillies along with pitcherDon Leshnock.[29] Haller then made the decision to retire at the age of 35.[30]
In a twelve-year major league career, Haller played in 1,294games, accumulating 1,011hits, in 3,935at bats, for a .257 career batting average, along with 134 home runs, 504 runs batted in, and anon-base percentage of .340.[1] A three-timeAll-Star, he was a more-than-capable defensive catcher, ending his career with a respectable .992fielding percentage which, at the time of his retirement, was second only to the .993 career record ofElston Howard.[1] Haller led National League catchers inputouts in1965, and in baserunnerscaught stealing in1968.[1] He set the NL single-season record fordouble plays by a catcher with 23 in 1968.[31] Haller led the NL insacrifice flies, in 1968, with 9.[32] Haller caught for six pitchers who would eventually be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.[33] He caught 107shutouts during his career, ranking him 23rd all-time among major league catchers.[34] Baseball historian Bill James ranked Haller 26th all-time among major league catchers.[2]
After his playing career ended, Haller worked for the Giants as a coach (1977–1979), and was their vice president of baseball operations (1981–1985).[35] He was named to the Giants' 25th anniversary team, in 1982.[36] Early in the1986 baseball season, Haller served as themanager of theminor leagueDouble-ABirmingham Barons, of theSouthern League (an affiliate of theChicago White Sox).[37] On June 9, 1986, Haller was named as theGeneral Manager of the White Sox, but disagreements with executiveKen Harrelson led to Haller resigning at the end of the season.[35]
After a long illness, Haller died, inLos Angeles, on November 26, 2004, at the age of 67.[36]
