Buddy Peterson facts for kids

Carl Francis "Buddy" Peterson (born April 23, 1925 – died September 19, 2006) was an American professional baseball player. He also became a manager after his playing days. Buddy spent most of his career playing in the minor leagues. He was known for playing shortstop, a key position in baseball.

Buddy Peterson: A Baseball Story

Buddy Peterson was born in Portland, Oregon. He was a right-handed player. He stood about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed around 170 pounds. Buddy's journey in baseball shows how players can have long careers. This is true even if they spend most of their time in the minor leagues.

Early Career and Major League Dreams

Buddy Peterson played baseball from 1947 to 1960. He had two short chances to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). In September 1955, he played for the Chicago White Sox. In September 1957, he played for the Baltimore Orioles.

During his time in MLB, Buddy had 38 chances to bat. He got 9 hits, including 3 doubles. His batting average was .237. He also had 2 runs batted in (RBI).

Buddy was a regular player in the Pacific Coast League during the 1950s. This was a very strong minor league. He was the main shortstop for three different teams. These teams were the San Diego Padres, Vancouver Mounties, and Sacramento Solons. In over 2,000 minor league games, he batted .280. He also hit 93 home runs.

Playing Baseball in Japan

After his time in American baseball, Buddy Peterson played in Japan. He spent three seasons there, from 1961 to 1963. He played for the Nankai Hawks in the Pacific League. This is part of Nippon Professional Baseball, Japan's top league.

Buddy played in 357 games for the Hawks. He had 344 hits and a batting average of .272. Playing in Japan was a unique experience for American baseball players at that time.

After Playing: Becoming a Manager

After his playing career ended, Buddy Peterson became a manager. He worked in the farm systems of several MLB teams. These included the New York Mets, Kansas City Royals, and Oakland Athletics. His last season as a manager was in 1974. Buddy Peterson passed away in Sacramento, California, when he was 81 years old.