Hawk Taylor facts for kids

Robert Dale "Hawk" Taylor (born April 3, 1939 – died June 9, 2012) was an American professional baseball player. He played for 11 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher and outfielder. Hawk Taylor played for the Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals. He was known for batting and throwing with his right hand.

A Young Star's Start in Baseball

Hawk Taylor was born in Metropolis, Illinois. He was the nephew of another major league player, Ben Taylor. Hawk was an amazing player in high school. In his senior year (1957), he had a very high batting average of .650.

Because he was so good, the Milwaukee Braves signed him to a special contract. This contract was worth $119,000, which was the most money ever given to a young player at that time. A special rule back then meant he had to spend his first two years on the Braves' main team.

He made his MLB debut in June 1957 when he was only 18 years old. He mostly played as a pinch runner, which means he ran the bases for another player. In 1958, the rule changed, and the Braves could send him to a minor league team. This helped him get more playing time and improve his skills. He later returned to the Braves and got his first MLB hit.

He spent 1959 and 1960 playing in the Braves' farm system, which are their minor league teams. In 1960, he was even chosen for the All-Star team in the Triple-A league, which is just below the major leagues.

Playing for Four MLB Teams

Hawk Taylor was on the Milwaukee Braves' main team from 1961 to 1963. However, he didn't play much because of injuries and time spent in the United States Army. Another talented catcher, Joe Torre, became the Braves' main catcher. So, Hawk started playing more in the outfield.

He hit his first MLB home run in 1961. It was a special hit that helped the Braves tie a game and eventually win in extra innings. In 1963, he broke his collarbone, which limited his playing time even more. Later that year, he was traded to the New York Mets.

The Mets gave Hawk Taylor his best chance to play regularly. In 1964, he played in 92 games as a catcher and outfielder. He had his best year for hits (54) and runs batted in (23). In 1966, he hit the first grand slam home run in Mets' history as a pinch-hitter. A grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases loaded, scoring four runs.

In 1967, he joined the California Angels. The Angels' general manager, Fred Haney, had been Hawk's first manager. Hawk played well for the Angels in a limited role. After spending 1968 in the minor leagues, he was chosen by a new team, the Kansas City Royals, in a special draft.

He was part of the very first Royals team in 1969. He played well as a utilityman, meaning he could play many different positions. He played one more season with the Royals in 1970. Before the 1971 season, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox organization. A back injury ended his playing career when he was 32 years old.

During his 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, Hawk Taylor played in 394 games. He had 158 hits, 25 doubles, 16 home runs, and 82 runs batted in. His overall batting average was .218. He played catcher in 131 games, outfielder in 63 games, and first baseman in 15 games.

After his baseball career, Hawk Taylor became a coach. He coached at Murray State University, Lambuth University, and Paducah Community College. He was married to Marie Holifield Taylor for 49 years and had two sons and two grandsons.

Hawk Taylor passed away on June 9, 2012, in Paducah, Kentucky, at the age of 73.

Sources

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)