Willie Horton
From BR Bullpen
Willie Watterson Horton
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 209 lb.
- Debut September 10, 1963
- Final Game October 5, 1980
- Born October 18, 1942 in Arno, VA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Raised in Detroit, MI, the chunky, muscle-bound and much-heralded young phenom Willie Horton grew up playing on the sandlots before signing and playing with the Detroit Tigers for 15 years. A pure slugger by nature and prone to striking out a lot (over 100 times in 7 separate seasons), he became an instant Tiger favorite and remains so today. Because of his long Tiger career and local origins, Horton arguably symbolizes Tiger baseball more than any other player - past or present. A good but not great ballplayer, his statue nonetheless proudly graces Comerica Park among the Tiger greats. Horton serves as a consultant for the Tigers and also helps coordinate annual Fantasy Camp activities.
Horton was also a New York Yankees coach in 1985 and a member of the 1986 Chicago White Sox staff.
- First Baseball Card appearance 1964 Topps
One thing that Horton is famous for is in 1967 during race riots in Detroit Horton, a black Detroit resident who grew up not far from the where the riots were taking place, drove to the riot area after his game and stood on a car in the middle of the crowd while he was still wearing his uniform. However, despite his impassioned pleas, he could not calm the angry mob.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 4-time AL All-Star (1965, 1968, 1970 & 1973)
- 1979 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 7 (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1975 & 1979)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1968)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 3 (1965, 1966 & 1979)
- Won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers in 1968
