Tony Conigliaro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Conigliaro |
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Conigliaro in 1966
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| Right fielder | |||
| Born: January 7, 1945 Revere, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Died: February 24, 1990 (aged 45) Salem, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 16, 1964, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 12, 1975, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .264 | ||
| Home runs | 166 | ||
| Runs batted in | 516 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Anthony Richard Conigliaro (born January 7, 1945 – died February 24, 1990) was a famous American baseball player. People called him "Tony C" or "Conig". He played as an outfielder for teams like the Boston Red Sox and California Angels. Tony was born in Revere, Massachusetts.
He started his Major League Baseball (MLB) career when he was still a teenager. In 1964, he hit a home run in his very first game at his home stadium. During the Red Sox's amazing 1967 season, he was hit in the face by a baseball. This caused a serious eye injury. Even though he tried to come back, his baseball career was never quite the same after that.
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Tony's Baseball Journey
Tony Conigliaro signed with the Red Sox in 1962. He was only 17 years old then. In 1963, he played for a minor league team. He hit the ball really well, with a .363 batting average and 24 home runs. Soon after, he was called up to play in the major leagues.
Rookie Season and Early Success
In his first year, 1964, Tony played in 111 games. He hit .290 with 24 home runs and 52 RBI (Runs Batted In). RBI means he helped his teammates score runs. During a game at Fenway Park, he hit a huge home run in his first time at bat.
In 1965, Tony hit 32 home runs. This made him the youngest player to lead the American League in home runs. He was chosen to play in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in 1967. That year, at just 22 years old, he hit his 100th career home run. He was the youngest American League player to reach this milestone.
The Injury and Comeback
On August 18, 1967, something very serious happened. The Red Sox were playing the California Angels. Tony was at bat when a pitcher hit him in the face with a baseball. He was carried off the field. The hit broke his left cheekbone and hurt his left eye very badly. The batting helmet he wore did not have a protective ear-flap. Because of this incident, ear-flaps became a standard part of helmets later on.
About a year and a half later, Tony made an amazing return to baseball. He hit 20 home runs and had 82 RBI in 141 games. He even won the MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 1970, he had his best year, hitting 36 home runs and 116 RBI. That season, he and his brother, Billy, played together in the Red Sox outfield.
After playing for the Angels in 1971, Tony came back to the Red Sox briefly in 1975. He played as a designated hitter. But his eye injury had caused permanent damage to his eyesight. This forced him to stop playing baseball for good.
Tony played 802 games for the Red Sox. He had a .267 batting average, with 162 home runs and 501 RBI. With the Angels, he hit .222 with 4 home runs and 15 RBI in 74 games. He was one of the youngest players ever to hit 100 home runs.
Later Life and Legacy
After leaving baseball, Tony Conigliaro faced more health challenges. On January 9, 1982, when he was 37, he had a serious heart problem. Soon after, he had a stroke and went into a coma. Tony never fully recovered from the stroke. He passed away in February 1990, at the age of 45. The Red Sox wore black armbands on their uniforms that season to remember him. He is buried in Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts.
Since 1990, there has been a special award called the Tony Conigliaro Award. The Red Sox created this award after he died. It is given every year to an MLB player. This player must show great spirit, determination, and courage to overcome difficulties. These were all qualities Tony was known for.
Conigliaro's Corner
In 2007, the Red Sox added a new seating area at Fenway Park. It was a section of 200 seats on the right field roof. They named it "Conigliaro's Corner" to honor Tony. These seats were meant for families. For a while, they were reserved for special fan club members on weekends. However, these seats were removed before the 2009 season.
