Jim Spencer | |||
---|---|---|---|
First baseman | |||
Born: Hanover, Pennsylvania |
July 30, 1946|||
Died: February 10, 2002 Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
(aged 55)|||
|
|||
MLB debut | |||
September 7, 1968, for the California Angels | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
June 20, 1982, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Batting average | .250 | ||
Home runs | 146 | ||
Runs batted in | 599 | ||
Teams | |||
Career highlights and awards | |||
|
James Lloyd Spencer (July 30, 1946 – February 10, 2002) was a Major League Baseball first baseman. Born in Hanover, Pennsylvania, the left-handed Spencer was recognized for his excellent fielding ability, but also served in later years as a designated hitter.
Spencer was drafted by the California Angels in the first round (11 overall) of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft upon graduation from Andover High School in Linthicum, Maryland. After batting .292 with 28 home runs and 96 runs batted in for the El Paso Sun Kings in 1968, Spencer earned a September call-up to the Angels. In nineteen games, he batted .191 with no home runs and five RBIs.
Spencer began the 1969 season assigned to the Hawaii Islanders, but with former All-Star Dick Stuart not panning out at first base, he was back with the Angels by May. In just his second start of the season, he went four-for-five against the Baltimore Orioles. For the season, he batted .254 with ten home runs and 31 RBIs.
While Spencer's offensive numbers improved in 1970, his fielding improved more-so, as he led the American League with 1212 put-outs at first and a .995 fielding percentage to win the Gold Glove award.