Norm Siebern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norm Siebern |
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| First baseman / Left fielder | |||
| Born: July 26, 1933 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Died: October 30, 2015 (aged 82) Naples, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 15, 1956, for the New York Yankees | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 30, 1968, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 132 | ||
| Runs batted in | 636 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Norm Siebern (born July 26, 1933 – died October 30, 2015) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for 12 years, from 1956 to 1968. Norm was a first baseman and left fielder. He played for teams like the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, and Boston Red Sox.
Norm was a two-time World Series champion. He was also chosen as an All-Star four times. His best season was in 1962 with the Kansas City Athletics. That year, he hit 25 home runs and had a .308 batting average. Many people remember him as one of the players the Yankees traded to get Roger Maris in 1959.
Siebern was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He went to Wellston High School and later attended Missouri State University. A scout for the Yankees signed him in 1951. Norm batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg).
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Baseball Career Highlights
Starting with the Yankees
Norm Siebern's early baseball career was paused for two years (1954–1955) while he served in the military. He first joined the New York Yankees in 1956. He played in 54 games as a left fielder.
In 1956, the Yankees won the 1956 World Series. Norm played in one game as a pinch hitter. Even though he didn't get a hit, he earned his first World Series championship ring. In 1957, he played in the minor leagues. He had a great year, leading his league in batting average (.349).
Becoming a Major League Star
In 1958, Norm Siebern became a full-time player in the major leagues. He was the Yankees' main left fielder. He batted .300, which is a very good average. He also won his only Gold Glove Award for being an excellent fielder.
However, the 1958 World Series was tough for him. The sun made it hard to see fly balls in left field at Yankee Stadium. Norm had trouble with some plays, even though he wasn't charged with an error. Because of this, his manager, Casey Stengel, benched him for the rest of the Series. The Yankees still won the World Series that year.
The Roger Maris Trade
In 1959, Norm's performance dropped a bit. On December 11, 1959, he was part of a big trade. The Yankees sent him and three other players to the Kansas City Athletics. In return, the Yankees got a 25-year-old outfielder named Roger Maris. This trade became very famous because Roger Maris later broke the home run record.
Success with the Kansas City Athletics
Norm Siebern played four seasons with the Kansas City Athletics. He played in about 153 games each year. He averaged 162 hits and 92 runs batted in. His batting average was .289. He hit 78 home runs while playing for Kansas City.
In 1961, he permanently moved to playing first base. He was chosen for the American League All-Star team three times while with the Athletics.
His best season ever was in 1962. He played in all 162 games that year. He finished second in the American League for runs batted in. He also set personal bests for hits (185) and runs scored (114). His hitting was a bright spot for the Kansas City team during those years. In 1963, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles.
Time with the Baltimore Orioles
In 1964, Norm Siebern became the regular first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles. He played in 138 games and was selected for his final All-Star team. His batting average was .245, with 12 home runs. However, he led the American League in bases on balls (walks) with 106. The Orioles had a great season, winning 97 games.
In 1965, he started sharing first base duties with a younger player named Boog Powell. Norm batted .256 with eight home runs that year.
Later Career and Final Years
Norm Siebern spent his last three seasons in Major League Baseball with three different teams. In 1966, he played for the California Angels as their main first baseman. He batted .247 with five home runs.
In 1967, he was traded to the San Francisco Giants. He played a limited role, mostly as a pinch hitter. Later that year, the Giants sold his contract to the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were having an amazing season, known as the "Impossible Dream" team.
Norm was mostly used as a pinch hitter for the Red Sox. He had a key three-run triple on August 19, helping the Red Sox win a close game. He played in his third and final World Series in 1967 against the St. Louis Cardinals. He got one hit in three tries during the Series. The Cardinals won the championship.
Norm Siebern stayed with the Red Sox into the 1968 season. He played his last game on August 7, 1968, and then retired.
Career Statistics and Beyond
During his Major League Baseball career, Norm Siebern had a .272 batting average. He collected 1,217 hits, including 206 doubles, 38 triples, and 132 home runs. He also had 636 runs batted in. He was a very good fielder, with a .991 fielding percentage overall.
After his playing career, Norm Siebern worked as a scout for the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.
Before his baseball career, Norm Siebern also played basketball. He played for Missouri State University (then called Southwest Missouri State). His team won two national championships in 1952 and 1953. He even had to miss some basketball tournament games to go to baseball spring training with the Yankees!
