| Rocky Bridges | |
|---|---|
 Bridges in 1959 | |
| Infielder | |
| Born:(1927-08-07)August 7, 1927 Refugio, Texas, U.S. | |
| Died: January 28, 2015(2015-01-28) (aged 87) Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 17, 1951, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 1, 1961, for the Los Angeles Angels | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .247 |
| Home runs | 16 |
| Runs batted in | 187 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Everett Lamar "Rocky" Bridges (August 7, 1927 – January 28, 2015) was an Americanmiddle infielder andthird baseman with an 11-year career inMajor League Baseball from 1951 to 1961. Bridges played for theBrooklyn Dodgers,Cincinnati Redlegs andSt. Louis Cardinals of theNational League, and theWashington Senators,Detroit Tigers,Cleveland Indians andLos Angeles Angels of theAmerican League.[1]
Bridges was a native Texan who attendedLong Beach Polytechnic High School in California. He became a journeyman ball player who made his big-league debut in 1951 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As a utility infielder, he backed up two futureHall of Famers,Pee Wee Reese andJackie Robinson and as a result, saw little playing time.[1]
Subsequently, he was traded to Cincinnati Redlegs (as theReds were known in the mid-1950s) and then eventually to the last place Washington Senators, where he obtained a starting position as a shortstop. In 1958, his first full season with the Senators, he was selected byNew York Yankees managerCasey Stengel to the 1958Major League Baseball All-Star Game, one of the few highlights of his career.[1] Bridges career continued until 1961, playing for several American League teams. His final careerbatting average was .247 with 16home runs.[1]Despite his unimpressive career statistics, Bridges became a well known and respected ball player because of his hard work, hustle, spirit, and sense of humor. In 1964,Sports Illustrated described him as "...one of the best stand up comics in the history of baseball."[1]Among his most famous quotes:
"It took me that long to learn how to spell it."-- after being traded from Cincinnati, where he played for four years.[1]
"That surprised everybody. They were close to launching an investigation."-- after being selected to the 1958 All-Star Team.[1]
"I'm in the twilight of a mediocre career ....I've had more numbers on my back than a bingo board." --- after being traded to the Detroit Tigers.[1]
Following his active playing career, he served two terms (1962–63; 1968–71) as thethird base coach of the Angels and one year (1985) in that role with theSan Francisco Giants. Bridges also had a long career as aminor league manager in the Angels, Giants,San Diego Padres andPittsburgh Pirates organizations. Over 21 seasons stretched between 1964 and 1989, Bridges' teams won 1,300 games and lost 1,358 (.489). His minor league managerial career is profiled inJim Bouton's collection of baseball articles and essays entitledI Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad.[2] Bridges also managed theLeones de Ponce to the pennant title of thePuerto Rico Baseball League in the 1968–69 season.[3]
The title of Bouton's book was reportedly based on a quote from Bridges.[2]The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book", said "Rocky Bridges looked like a ballplayer. In fact, he may have looked more like a ballplayer than any other ballplayer who ever lived."[4]
"Rocky Bridges undoubtedly has been one of the most popular men ever to wear the Washington uniform. He's an example of what 'hustle', 'desire', and 'spirit' will do."--Washington Post sports columnistBob Addie, 1958[1]
Bridges died of natural causes January 27, 2015, aged 87, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[5]
| Preceded by | Los Angeles Angelsthird base coach 1962–1963 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | California Angelsthird base coach 1968–1971 | Succeeded by |
