Elliott Maddox facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elliott Maddox
Maddox in 1977
Outfielder / Third baseman
Born: (1947-12-21) December 21, 1947 (age 77) East Orange, New Jersey, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 7, 1970, for the Detroit Tigers
Last appearance
October 1, 1980, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.261
Home Runs	18
Runs batted in	234
Teams
Detroit Tigers (1970) Washington Senators / Texas Rangers (1971–1973) New York Yankees (1974–1976) Baltimore Orioles (1977) New York Mets (1978–1980)

Elliott Maddox (born December 21, 1947) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He was a talented outfielder and third baseman. In 1968, the Detroit Tigers picked him in the first round of the draft. He played his first MLB game in 1970.

Elliott Maddox's Early Life

Maddox was born in East Orange, New Jersey. He grew up in Vauxhall, New Jersey. He went to Union High School. In 1966, the Houston Astros drafted him. But he chose to go to the University of Michigan instead.

At college in 1968, he was a sophomore. He won the Big Ten batting title. He had a very high batting average of .467. Later that year, the Detroit Tigers drafted him again. In the 1970s, he converted to Judaism.

Playing for the Detroit Tigers

Maddox spent only two years playing in the Tigers' minor league teams. He then joined the main team in 1970 when he was 22. He was a great fielder who could play both in the outfield and at third base.

For the Tigers, he played as an extra outfielder. He also filled in for third baseman Don Wert. In his only season with Detroit, he hit for a .248 average. He also hit three home runs and had 24 runs batted in. He was named "Tigers Rookie of the Year." After the season, Maddox was traded to the Washington Senators.

Time with the Washington Senators

Maddox had a tough start in the 1971 season. His batting average was below .200 for a while. But he improved a lot in August and September. He finished the season with a .217 average.

He started as a utility player, playing different positions. But as he started hitting better, his manager, Ted Williams, used him more. He often played in center field. He was known for his great range factor there. On the last day of the 1971 season, Maddox scored the final run in the Senators' history.

Moving to the Texas Rangers

In 1972, the Senators team moved to Arlington, Texas. They became the Texas Rangers. Maddox continued to share playing time in center field. His managers, Whitey Herzog and Billy Martin, used his speed. He often batted first in the lineup, known as the lead-off spot.

In 1972, he scored 40 runs. He also stole a career-high 20 bases. In 1973, his playing time went down. He had a difficult relationship with manager Billy Martin. In 1974, the New York Yankees bought him from the Rangers.

Years with the New York Yankees

Elliott Maddox started slowly with the Yankees in 1974. But he had a fantastic May, batting .371. He also got on base a lot by drawing walks. This made his on-base percentage very high. His manager, Bill Virdon, moved him to the lead-off spot.

He started playing right field but soon switched to center field. He finished the season with a .303 batting average. This was the sixth best in the American League. He also scored a career-high 75 runs. He led all AL center fielders in assists and double plays.

In 1975, Maddox continued to play well. However, his season was cut short by an injury. On June 13, he slipped on a wet field while chasing a fly ball. He was batting .307 at the time. This injury affected his knee. He had been hit by pitches several times that season.

Maddox did not return to the Yankees until June 1976. He played only a few games before his knee injury came back. He returned in September and was part of the Yankees' team for the post season. This was the only time he reached the post season in his career. He played in the 1976 American League Championship Series and the World Series.

Playing for the Baltimore Orioles

In 1977, Maddox was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. He had a second knee surgery in November 1976. This surgery was more successful. His Orioles debut was delayed because he needed time to recover.

When he joined the Orioles in mid-July, another player, Al Bumbry, was already the starting center fielder. Maddox played a part-time role. He batted .262 with two home runs and nine runs batted in. After this season, he became a free agent. This meant he could choose which team to play for next.

Time with the New York Mets

Maddox signed with the New York Mets in November 1977. He became only the second free agent to join the Mets. The Mets offered him a good contract. His manager, Joe Torre, thought Maddox was their best defensive center fielder. But the Mets already had a star center fielder, Lee Mazzilli. So, Maddox was moved to right field.

His return to New York was delayed by a leg muscle injury. When he started playing, his batting average was low. But he still got on base a lot by drawing many walks. By the end of the season, his average was .257. He also played 43 games at third base. Maddox preferred playing right field.

In 1979, Maddox started the season playing right field. But an ankle injury in April kept him out for 18 games. Another player, Joel Youngblood, played well in his place. Youngblood took over the right field job. Maddox was later sidelined again by a pulled hamstring.

By 1980, the Mets planned for Maddox to play third base. He did a good job at third base. He had a .956 fielding percentage. He also hit a career-high four home runs. This was his first full, healthy season since 1974.

Retirement from Baseball

In 1981, the Mets had young players ready to play. Maddox was released from his contract. He tried to join the Yankees again but did not make the team. He then signed with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played one season with their minor league team, the Oklahoma City 89ers. After that, he retired from baseball.

Career Statistics

Here are some of Elliott Maddox's career statistics:

He also had a very high .989 fielding percentage as an outfielder. This shows he was excellent at catching and throwing the ball.

Lawsuit After Injury

After his injury in 1975, Maddox filed a lawsuit. He sued the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and the City of New York. The lawsuit was about his injury at Shea Stadium. In 1983, a lower court first ruled in his favor. But in 1985, the New York Court of Appeals ruled against him. This was a well-known decision called Maddox v. City of New York.

Elliott Maddox's Personal Life

Elliott Maddox became interested in Judaism in high school. He took Judaic studies classes at the University of Michigan. He officially converted to Judaism in 1975. He also studied pre-med and pre-law. He graduated from college in 1976 while still playing baseball.

After retiring from baseball, Maddox worked as an investment banker. He later returned to baseball as a hitting coach for the Yankees in 1990 and 1991. He also became a foster-care counselor in Broward County, Florida.

Maddox has a son named Jared, born in 1980. He enjoys traveling the world. He has coached baseball and football in Israel. He also helped start the first Little League teams in Poland. In 2004, he was honored in the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. In 2007, he was inducted into the Union County Baseball Hall of Fame.

Images for kids

• 

  Maddox in 1977

See also

• List of Jewish Major League Baseball players