Tony Phillips facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Phillips |
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| Outfielder / Infielder | ||||||||||||||
| Born: April 25, 1959 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Died: February 17, 2016 (aged 56) Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S. |
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| debut | ||||||||||||||
| May 10, 1982, for the Oakland Athletics | ||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | ||||||||||||||
| August 15, 1999, for the Oakland Athletics | ||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .266 | |||||||||||||
| Hits | 2,023 | |||||||||||||
| Home runs | 160 | |||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 819 | |||||||||||||
| Teams | ||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Keith Anthony Phillips (born April 25, 1959 – died February 17, 2016) was an American baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 18 years, from 1982 to 1999. Tony was known as a utility player because he could play many different positions. He often played second base, shortstop, and third baseman. He also spent time in the outfield and as a designated hitter.
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Early Life and School Sports
Tony Phillips played baseball and other sports when he was younger. He went to Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia. He also played basketball for a short time at New Mexico Military Institute. His nephew, Jermaine Phillips, became a professional football player.
Tony Phillips' MLB Career Highlights
Tony Phillips started his MLB career with the Oakland Athletics. On March 27, 1981, he was traded to the Athletics from the Padres.
Making History with the Athletics
Tony made history for the Oakland Athletics on May 16, 1986. He became the first player for the team to hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game! He had a great day, getting 5 hits in 5 tries against the Orioles.
He also tied an American League record on July 6, 1986. He had 12 assists in one game against the Brewers. An assist happens when a fielder helps to get an opposing player out.
World Series Success
In 1988, Tony had a tough year at the plate, but the Athletics made it to the World Series. They lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, in 1989, Tony improved his batting average. The Athletics had an amazing season and swept the San Francisco Giants in the World Series. Tony Phillips made the final out of that World Series. He caught a ground ball and threw it to Dennis Eckersley at first base, winning the championship for his team.
Time with the Detroit Tigers
After 1989, Tony joined the Detroit Tigers. His hitting got even better with Detroit. He became very good at drawing walks. A walk is when a pitcher throws four balls outside the strike zone, and the batter gets to go to first base.
- In 1992, he had 114 walks.
- In 1993, he led the American League with 132 walks.
He also scored a lot of runs. He led the league with 114 runs in 1992 and scored 113 runs in 1993. His great 1993 season earned him a 16th-place finish in the MLB Most Valuable Player Award vote. He was also the first player to have 100 or more hits, walks, runs, and strikeouts in a season while hitting less than 10 home runs.
Moving Around the League
After his time with the Tigers, Tony played for several other teams:
- In 1995, he was traded to the California Angels. He hit a career-high 27 home runs that year.
- In 1996, he played for the Chicago White Sox. He led the league again with 125 walks and scored 119 runs.
- He returned to the Angels in 1997 and continued to draw many walks, with 102 that year.
- In 1998, he played for the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Mets.
- He finished his career back with the Oakland Athletics in 1999.
Career Statistics
Over his 18-year MLB career, Tony Phillips played in 2,161 games.
- He had a batting average of .266.
- He collected 2,023 hits.
- He scored 1,300 runs.
- He hit 360 doubles, 50 triples, and 160 home runs.
- He had 819 runs batted in (RBI).
- He stole 177 bases.
- He drew 1,319 walks.
- His fielding percentage was .968, which means he was a solid defender.
In 13 postseason games in 1988 and 1989, he hit .217 with 1 home run and 4 RBI.
Independent Baseball Leagues
After his MLB career, Tony Phillips continued to play baseball in independent leagues. These leagues are not part of Major League Baseball. He played third base for the Yuma Scorpions until 2012. He even played alongside his former Athletics teammate, Jose Canseco. In 2015, he came out of retirement to play for the Pittsburg Mettle.
Tony Phillips' Passing
Tony Phillips passed away in Arizona on February 17, 2016, from what appeared to be a heart attack.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
