Cot Deal facts for kids

Ellis Ferguson "Cot" Deal was a famous American baseball player and coach. He was born on January 23, 1923, in Arapaho, Oklahoma. People called him "Cot" because his hair was very light, like cotton. He was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB).

Cot Deal had a very long career in baseball. It lasted for 48 years, from 1940 to 1989. He played, managed teams, coached, and even worked as an executive. His career was only paused for a short time when he served in the military during World War II. Cot Deal passed away on May 21, 2013, in Oklahoma City.

Cot Deal's Baseball Journey

Cot Deal started playing baseball at a young age. When he was just sixteen, the Pittsburgh Pirates invited him to try out. He signed with them and began his professional career in 1940. He played in the minor leagues, first as an outfielder and third baseman. He even had a good average of .312.

Later, he became a pitcher. In 1945, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs as a pitcher. Then, in 1947, the Boston Red Sox bought his contract. He made his big league debut on September 11, 1947. In his very first time at bat, he hit a single that won the game! This was a great start to his MLB career.

Playing in the Major Leagues

In 1948, Cot Deal tried to become a starting pitcher for the Red Sox. However, he hurt his arm. He still pitched in four games that year. He had a perfect 0.00 ERA in those games. In 1949, he moved to the St. Louis Cardinals. He played for their minor league team, the Columbus Red Birds.

He pitched for the Cardinals in 1950 and again in 1954. During his four seasons in Major League Baseball, Cot Deal had a record of 3 wins and 4 losses. His earned run average was 6.55. He also had 34 strikeouts. As a hitter, he got 4 hits in 24 tries. One of his hits was a home run! He also had one double and four RBI.

Minor League Achievements

Cot Deal also had a great career in the minor leagues. He won 108 games as a pitcher. One amazing game was in 1949. He pitched a complete twenty-inning game for Columbus! He also got four hits in that game.

From 1951 to 1959, he played mostly for the Rochester Red Wings. This was a top minor league team for the Cardinals. He had a great record of 61 wins and 38 losses as a pitcher for Rochester. He also played other positions, like outfielder and catcher. He was a valuable player who could hit from both sides of the plate. In 1952, he even hit a home run in the 1952 Caribbean Series while playing for Puerto Rico.

Coaching and Managing Teams

After his playing days, Cot Deal became a manager and coach. In 1957, he became the manager for the Rochester Red Wings. He managed them until 1959. Because of his great work, he was added to the Red Wings' Hall of Fame in 1994.

Coaching in the Big Leagues

Cot Deal also coached for many Major League Baseball teams. He was a pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds (1959–60). He also coached for the Houston Colt .45s (1962–64) and the New York Yankees (1965). Other teams he coached for include the Kansas City Athletics (1966–67), Cleveland Indians (1970–71), and Detroit Tigers (1973–74).

He also worked as an outfield coach for the Houston Astros (1983–85). Later, he helped with minor league players for the Chicago White Sox (1986) and the San Francisco Giants (1987–89).

Managing Minor League Teams

Cot Deal also managed several minor league teams. In 1961, he led the Indianapolis Indians to win the American Association championship. He also managed the Oklahoma 89ers in 1968 and 1969. He coached and managed the Toledo Mud Hens in 1972 and 1973. He returned to the Oklahoma team as a coach and interim manager from 1979 to 1982.

Cot Deal's long career shows his dedication to baseball. He made a big impact as both a player and a coach.