Clint Courtney
From BR Bullpen
Clinton Dawson Courtney (Scrap Iron or The Toy Bulldog)
- Bats Left, Throws Right
- Height 5' 8", Weight 180 lb.
- Debut September 29, 1951
- Final Game June 24, 1961
- Born March 16, 1927 in Hall Summit, LA USA
- Died June 16, 1975 in Rochester, NY USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Clint Courtney played eleven seasons in the major leagues. Often the center of controversy, he was nicknamed "Scrap Iron" because he was often in fights. He frequently received fines.
Courtney started playing baseball while in the Army at age 17. He started professionally in the Arizona-Texas League and then moved to the Texas League where his manager was Rogers Hornsby. Hornsby recommended him to the New York Yankees.
He came very close to winning the 1952 American League Rookie of the Year Award.
After his playing career ended, catcher Courtney was a Houston Astros coach in 1965. He was managing for Richmond in 1975 when he died, and the previous year he had been one of the top candidates to take over the reigns of the Atlanta Braves, a job which went to Clyde King instead.
- He pioneered the idea of wearing glasses behind the plate-which is rare for a catcher.
