Don Zimmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don Zimmer
Zimmer as he appeared in a Bowman trading card, 1955
Infielder / Manager
Born: (1931-01-17)January 17, 1931 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Died: June 4, 2014(2014-06-04) (aged 83) Dunedin, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
July 2, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Last appearance
October 2, 1965, for the Washington Senators
MLB statistics
Batting average	.235
Home runs	91
Runs batted in	352
Managerial record	885–858
Winning %	.508
Teams
As player Brooklyn / Los Angeles Dodgers (1954–1959) Chicago Cubs (1960–1961) New York Mets (1962) Cincinnati Reds (1962) Los Angeles Dodgers (1963) Washington Senators (1963–1965) Toei Flyers (1966) As manager San Diego Padres (1972–1973) Boston Red Sox (1976–1980) Texas Rangers (1981–1982) Chicago Cubs (1988–1991) As coach Montreal Expos (1971) San Diego Padres (1972) Boston Red Sox (1974–1976) New York Yankees (1983) Chicago Cubs (1984–1986) New York Yankees (1986) San Francisco Giants (1987) Boston Red Sox (1992) Colorado Rockies (1993–1995) New York Yankees (1996–2003) Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays (2004–2014)
Career highlights and awards
2× All-Star (1961, 1961²) 6× World Series champion (1955, 1959, 1996, 1998–2000) NL Manager of the Year (1989) Tampa Bay Rays No. 66 retired Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame

Donald William Zimmer (January 17, 1931 – June 4, 2014) was a famous American baseball player, manager, and coach. He was involved in professional baseball for an amazing 65 years, from 1949 until he passed away.

Zimmer started his career by signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1949. He played in the major leagues for the Dodgers (1954–1959, 1963), Chicago Cubs (1960–1961), New York Mets (1962), Cincinnati Reds (1962), and Washington Senators (1963–1965). He also played in Japan for the Toei Flyers in 1966.

Before playing in the major leagues, Zimmer spent 18 seasons in the minor leagues. He also played winter baseball in Cuba and Puerto Rico. In 1955, he led his team, the Cangrejeros de Santurce, to a championship in the 1955 Caribbean Series. He was even named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the series.

During a minor league game in 1953, Zimmer was hit in the head by a pitch. This serious injury led to Major League Baseball making it mandatory for players to wear batting helmets for safety. After his playing days, Zimmer became a coach and manager for many different teams.

Playing Baseball: Don Zimmer's Career

Zimmer had a few nicknames, like "Zim" and "Popeye," because he looked a bit like the cartoon character. In other countries, he was called "El Galleguito" (The little Galician) and "El Soldadito" (The little soldier).

He started his professional career in 1949 in the minor leagues. He played for several teams before making his major league debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954. Zimmer played in the big leagues for 12 seasons, mostly as a utility infielder, meaning he could play many different positions in the infield.

A highlight of his playing career was being part of the 1955 World Series champion Brooklyn Dodgers team. He also played for the 1962 New York Mets, a team that lost a record 120 games.

Overcoming Injuries to Play in MLB

In 1953, while playing in the minor leagues, Zimmer was hit in the head by a pitch. He was unconscious for 13 days and needed two operations on his brain. Doctors had to drill holes in his skull to relieve pressure. He lost a lot of weight and had trouble walking and talking.

Doctors thought his career was over, but Zimmer worked hard to recover. The very next year, he made it to the Major Leagues! In 1956, he was hit by a pitch again, which broke his cheekbone. Despite these serious injuries, he kept playing. It was rumored he had a steel plate in his head, but this wasn't true. However, the holes from his 1953 surgery were filled with special metal "buttons."

Zimmer in 1959

Zimmer stayed with the Dodgers when they moved to Los Angeles in 1958. Later, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1960. In 1961, the new New York Mets team chose him in a special draft. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds and returned briefly to the Dodgers before finishing his MLB career with the Washington Senators in 1965. After that, he played one season in Japan.

In his 12 seasons, Zimmer played in 1,095 games. He had 773 hits, 91 home runs, and 352 RBI. He was an All-Star in 1961. Even though his batting average was not very high, he was known as a great infielder who could play third base, shortstop, and second base. He even played catcher for 33 games in his last season.

Coaching and Managing: A Long Career in Baseball

After retiring as a player, Zimmer began his long career as a coach and manager.

Early Coaching and Managing Roles

Zimmer started as a player-manager in the minor leagues for the Cincinnati Reds in 1967. He then managed the Indianapolis Indians in 1968. In 1969, he joined the San Diego Padres organization, managing their minor league teams before moving up to the major league team.

In 1971, he became a third-base coach for the Montreal Expos. The next year, he returned to the Padres as a coach. After only 11 games, he was asked to become the Padres' manager. He managed the Padres for two seasons (1972-1973).

Managing the Boston Red Sox

Zimmer then became the third-base coach for the Boston Red Sox in 1974. During Game 6 of the 1975 World Series, there was a famous play where a Red Sox runner misunderstood Zimmer's shouts and was tagged out at home plate.

In 1976, Zimmer became the manager of the Red Sox. His teams won more than 90 games for three straight seasons (1977–1979), which was a great achievement for the team. However, he is often remembered for the Red Sox's tough season in 1978. They had a big lead over the New York Yankees, but the Yankees caught up, leading to a special playoff game. The Red Sox lost this game, partly due to a home run by Bucky Dent.

During this time, Zimmer made some choices that many fans questioned. He had disagreements with pitcher Bill Lee. He also played his catcher, Carlton Fisk, in almost every game, which was a very heavy workload.

Managing Other Teams and Coaching for the Yankees

After the Red Sox, Zimmer managed the Texas Rangers for less than two years. He was then a coach for the New York Yankees (1983, 1986, 1996–2003), San Francisco Giants (1987), and Chicago Cubs (1984–1986).

Zimmer became the manager of the Cubs in 1988. In 1989, he led the Cubs to win their division and was named Manager of the Year. He was fired as Cubs manager in 1991 after a slow start to the season. Overall, Zimmer won 885 Major League games as a manager.

He also coached for the Colorado Rockies from 1993 to 1995.

Zimmer with the Rays in 2009

In 1996, Zimmer joined the New York Yankees as their bench coach. He was part of the Yankees teams that won four World Series titles. In 1999, he even filled in as manager when Joe Torre was away for health reasons.

In 1999, Zimmer was hit by a foul ball. After that, he wore a special helmet, which led to safety fences being installed in front of dugouts at baseball stadiums. In the 2003 American League Championship Series, Zimmer had a disagreement with player Pedro Martínez. Zimmer later took responsibility for the incident.

Don Zimmer's number 66 was retired by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2015.

From 2004 until his death in 2014, Zimmer was a senior advisor for the Tampa Bay Rays. He helped the team during spring training and home games. Each year, he would increase his uniform number by one to match the number of years he had worked in baseball. In 2014, he wore #66. Zimmer often said that baseball was the only job he ever had.

Zimmer wrote two books about his life in baseball, called Zim: A Baseball Life and The Zen of Zim. He was also a member of the Baseball Assistance Team, which helps former baseball players who are having financial or medical difficulties.

On March 24, 2015, the Rays honored Zimmer by retiring his number 66. This means no other player on the Rays will ever wear that number.

Managerial Record Summary

Don Zimmer's Personal Life

Zimmer shaving in a commercial for Gillette razors, around 1958

Don Zimmer grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father owned a company that sold fruits and vegetables. In 1951, Zimmer married Carol Jean Bauerle, who he had known since 10th grade. They were married until his death in 2014 and lived in Seminole, Florida.

Zimmer's son, Thomas, is a scout for the San Francisco Giants. Don also had a daughter, Donna, and four grandchildren. One of his grandsons, Beau, works as a reporter.

In December 2008, Zimmer had a stroke, which caused him to lose his speech for about a week. On June 4, 2014, Don Zimmer passed away at the age of 83 in Dunedin, Florida, due to heart and kidney problems.