Tony Phillips
From BR Bullpen
Keith Anthony Phillips
- Bats Both, Throws Right
- Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.
- School New Mexico Military Institute
- High School Roswell (GA) High School
- Debut May 10, 1982
- Final Game August 15, 1999
- Born April 25, 1959 in Atlanta, GA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
When Albert Belle was acquired by the Chicago White Sox in 1997, he requested to wear Tony Phillips' uniform number, # 8. Phillips then stated that he was going to switch to a number that nobody would ever ask for again, and wore # 73 that season, even after being traded to the Anaheim Angels.
Phillips was the 4th major leaguer to homer on his 40th birthday, following Bob Thurman (1957), Joe Morgan (1983) and Wade Boggs (just a year before Phillips). It was 13 years until Chipper Jones became the 5th.
In 2011, at the age of 52, Phillips was still active in professional baseball, playing 3B for the Yuma Scorpions of the independent North American League. He made national news on August 9th for starting a brawl with another former major leaguer, Chico Outlaws manager Mike Marshall. When order was restored, Yuma manager Jose Canseco decided to forfeit the game, fearing for his players' safety, he claimed. Phillips was handed a three-game suspension for his actions, as was Marshall.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- AL Runs Scored Leader (1992)
- 2-time AL Bases on Balls Leader (1993 & 1996)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1995)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 4 (1992, 1993, 1995 & 1996)
- Won a World Series with the Oakland Athletics in 1989
