Birdie Tebbetts
| Birdie Tebbetts | |||
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| Catcher / Manager | |||
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Born: November 10, 1912 Burlington, Vermont |
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Died: March 24, 1999 (aged 86) Bradenton Beach, Florida |
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| MLB debut | |||
| September 16, 1936, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 14, 1952, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .270 | ||
| Home runs | 38 | ||
| Runs batted in | 469 | ||
| Managerial record | 748–705 | ||
| Winning % | .515 | ||
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As player As manager |
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
As player
As manager
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians from 1936 to 1952. Tebbets was regarded as the best catcher in the American League in the late 1940s.
Although he lacked speed and didn't hit for power, Tebbetts was an exceptional defensive catcher and intelligent player who capably directed his pitchers. These traits served him well later in his career, as he became the manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Braves and the Cleveland Indians. His major league career encompassed 14 years as a catcher, 11 as a manager and 28 as a scout.
Tebbetts was born in Burlington, Vermont, but his family moved to Nashua, New Hampshire a few months after he was born. Shortly thereafter, his father died, leaving his mother to raise the family. Some reports state that Tebbetts acquired his nickname as a boy after an aunt observed that his voice sounded like a bird chirping, while other reports state the nickname was acquired while attending Providence College.
Tebbetts was a star athlete at Nashua High School where he attained All-State status as a football quarterback and as a baseball catcher. He signed a contract with the Detroit Tigers after they agreed to pay his college tuition. He attended Providence College where he became an All-American in baseball before graduating with a degree in philosophy in 1934.
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Wikipedia