Tony Fernández facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Fernández |
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: June 30, 1962 San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic |
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| Died: February 16, 2020 (aged 57) Weston, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1983, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 7, 2001, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .288 | ||
| Hits | 2,276 | ||
| Home runs | 94 | ||
| Runs batted in | 844 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2008 | ||
Octavio Antonio Fernández Castro (born June 30, 1962 – died February 16, 2020), known as Tony Fernández, was a famous baseball player from the Dominican Republic. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for many teams between 1983 and 2001. He is best known for his time with the Toronto Blue Jays.
Tony was chosen to be an All-Star five times. He was also famous for his amazing defensive skills, winning four Gold Glove Awards in a row from 1986 to 1989. He was a great hitter too, with a batting average over .300 four times. In 1990, he led all major league players with 17 triples. He also helped the Blue Jays win the 1993 World Series championship.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Tony Fernández was born in San Pedro de Macorís, a city in the Dominican Republic. He was first noticed by a scout from the Toronto Blue Jays named Epy Guerrero. Tony signed with the Blue Jays in 1979 as a free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the draft.
Tony's MLB Career Highlights
Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays
Tony joined the Blue Jays in 1983. By 1985, he became their main shortstop. That year, he helped the team win its first division title. Tony continued to be a star player for the Blue Jays for several years. In 1986, he got 213 hits, which was a record for a shortstop at that time.
Moving to Other Teams
Before the 1991 season, Tony was traded to the San Diego Padres. He played for the Padres for two years. After the 1992 season, he was traded again, this time to the New York Mets.
Returning to the Blue Jays and World Series Win
Tony had a tough start with the Mets in 1993. But then, he was traded back to the Blue Jays during the season! He played very well for the rest of 1993. He was a huge part of the Blue Jays winning the 1993 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. In that World Series, Tony got nine runs batted in, which was a record for a shortstop.
Time with the Yankees and Indians
Before the 1995 season, Tony signed with the New York Yankees. He got hurt early that season, which led to another famous player, Derek Jeter, getting his first chance in the major leagues. Tony missed the entire 1996 season because of an elbow injury.
In 1997, Tony joined the Cleveland Indians. He hit a game-winning home run in the 1997 American League Championship Series. This helped the Indians reach the 1997 World Series. In Game 7 of that World Series, Tony got two runs batted in for the Indians. However, the Indians lost that game in extra innings.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1998, Tony returned to the Blue Jays again. He started hitting very well, with a batting average over .300 in two seasons. In 2000, he played baseball in Japan for the Seibu Lions. He came back to MLB in 2001, playing briefly for the Milwaukee Brewers. He then returned to Toronto one last time before retiring at the end of the season.
Tony was known for his unique batting stance. He was also a very fit person.
Tony's Amazing Defensive Skills
Early in his career, Tony was famous for his incredible defensive plays at shortstop. People said he had amazing "range," meaning he could cover a lot of ground to catch balls. He was especially known for jumping in the air and throwing the ball underhand to first base, even when the ball was hit far to his right.
Tony won four Gold Glove Awards in a row for his defense, from 1986 to 1989. These awards are given to the best defensive players in baseball. He was also chosen for five All-Star teams.
He ended his career with a .288 batting average in 2,158 games. In playoff games, he was even better, with a .327 batting average. On September 3, 1995, while playing for the New York Yankees, Tony achieved a rare feat: he hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game! He also set a record for shortstops in 1989 with a .992 fielding percentage.
In 2016, Tony was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada. He thanked his fans there for their support.
Illness and Passing
In 2017, Tony Fernández shared that he had been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, a serious kidney condition. On February 16, 2020, he passed away at a hospital in Weston, Florida. He had complications from a stroke, pneumonia, and was in an induced coma.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
