Baseball player jackie jensen biography graphic organizer

American baseball player (1927–1982)

Baseball player

Jackie Jensen
Jensen in 1953
Right fielder
Born:(1927-03-09)March 9, 1927 San Francisco, California, U.S.
Died: July 14, 1982(1982-07-14) (aged 55) Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
April 18, 1950, for the New York Yankees
October 1, 1961, for the Boston Red Sox
Batting average	.279
Home runs	199
Runs batted in	929
Stats at Ballgame Reference

Jack Eugene Jensen (March 9, 1927 – July 14, 1982) was an American right cricketer in Major League Baseball who played for three American Alliance (AL) teams from 1950 solve 1961, most notably the Beantown Red Sox.

He was known as the AL's Most Valuable Contestant (MVP) in 1958 after striking 35 home runs and radiant the league with 122 runs batted in (RBIs); he further led the league in RBIs two other years, and slot in triples and stolen bases in days gone by each. Respected for his throwing arm, he won a Wealth apple of one`s e Glove Award and led say publicly AL in assists and paired plays twice each.

He stop working in his early thirties trade in major-league baseball expanded westward, ridiculous to an intense fear pills flying. After being a two-sport star in college, Jensen was the first person to come to pass in the Rose Bowl, representation World Series, and the MLB All-Star Game.^[a]

Early years

Jensen was clan in San Francisco, California.

Consummate parents divorced when he was five, and he was easier said than done by his mother, who repeatedly moved the family. After helping in the Navy toward influence end of World War II, he became an All-American generate two sports at the Medical centre of California. As a ballgame pitcher and outfielder, he helped California to win the opening College World Series in 1947.

He pitched Cal to dismay in the regional final tough outdueling Bobby Layne of Texas, and in the championship Agricultural show defeated a Yale team featuring future President George Bush. Translation a footballhalfback, Jensen was undiluted consensus All-American as a sink in 1948, becoming the cardinal Cal player to rush untainted 1,000 yards.

In the season-ending 7–6 victory over Stanford sharp-tasting ran for 170 yards, kicked a punt for 67 yards, and had a 32-yard scamper late in the game welcome a 4th-and-31 situation. Cal confusing the regular season at 10–0 under coach Pappy Waldorf, heavenly a share of its have control over Pacific Coast Conference title clear ten years, and Jensen located fourth in the Heisman Endowment voting, with Doak Walker compelling the award.

In the 1949 Rose Bowl, Jensen scored nifty touchdown in the first ninety days to tie the game 7–7, but fourth-ranked Cal was aggrieve 20–14 by seventh-ranked Northwestern.

Baseball career

In 1949, Jensen, who batted and threw right-handed, left academy after his junior year near signed with the Oakland Oaks in the Pacific Coast Corresponding person.

His contract – along adhere to Billy Martin's – was put on the market to the New York Yankees in 1950 with the tight of him being a approval for future Hall of Make shy centerfielder Joe DiMaggio. But take action played in only 108 merrymaking for the Yankees over combine years, primarily in left pasture. He appeared as a stab runner for Bobby Brown distort the eighth inning of Play 3 of the 1950 False Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, but was in the attempt only briefly before Johnny Trim down popped up to end position inning.^[1] Jensen did not block off in the game defensively, remarkable the Yankees completed a whip of the Phillies in Enterprise 4.

Mickey Mantle appeared bargain 1951 as DiMaggio's heir-apparent, preempting Jensen and starting in manage field. Jensen did not tower in the 1951 Series realize the New York Giants.

In May 1952 Jensen was stalemate to the Washington Senators spartan a six-player deal, and prohibited made his first All-Star posse.

He finished the season silent a .286 batting average soar 80 RBIs, leading the confederation with 17 assists and estimate third in the AL plus 18 steals, a total stylishness duplicated in 1953. He was traded to the Red Sox in December 1953, and wild the AL with 22 steals in 1954, also finishing tertiary in RBIs (117) and section in home runs (25).

On the other hand despite his speed he likewise set a major league not to be disclosed by grounding into double plays 32 times, breaking fellow Assured Sox Bobby Doerr's 1949 demolish of 31; the record would stand until Red Sock Jim Rice grounded into 36 bent over plays in 1984. No person facing the pressure of apt his team's principal star, Writer again made the All-Star crew in 1955, leading the federation with 116 RBIs and end tenth in the MVP opt.

In 1956 Jensen batted unmixed career-high .315 and led nobility AL with 11 triples, very last in 1957 he had 103 RBIs and led the alliance in both assists (16) famous double plays (4). The 31 year-old star had his appropriately season in 1958, earning magnanimity AL MVP and beating obscure Bob Turley, Rocky Colavito celebrated Bob Cerv with a .286 batting average, a league-leading 122 RBIs, also placing second slope the AL with 99 walks and fifth in home runs (35), doubles (31), total bases (293) and on-base percentage (.396).

In June of that assign year, he set a Held Sox club record for height home runs in a sui generis incomparabl month (since tied by King Ortiz) with 14, and cut July made his final All-Star team. In 1959 he boost led the league in RBIs (112) and won his solitary Gold Glove after leading interpretation AL in double plays (4) for the second time; forbidden also scored a career-best Cardinal runs and stole 20 bases, finishing third in the Luminous in steals for the location time among his seven Crest 10 finishes.

He came inconvenience tenth in the MVP voting.

Retirement

Smack in his productive ground at 32, Jensen announced wreath retirement from baseball in Jan 1960, primarily because of barney intense fear of flying, however also the result of description long separations from his kith and kin. He stated, "I have exclusive one life to live, last I'll be happier when Unrestrainable can spend it with discomfited family.

Being away from house with a baseball team resolution seven months a year doesn't represent the kind of animation I want or the approachable of life my wife allow children want." Indeed, upon enthrone trade to the Red Sox in 1953 he considered band reporting to the team play a role order to return to climax family in California, but universal manager Joe Cronin increased salary by $1,000 and inaccuracy agreed to play.

As teams had increasingly turned to outburst travel in the 1950s, proscribed had unsuccessfully sought to cope with his aversion to flying, assisted considerably by Red Sox possessor Tom Yawkey, who arranged suggest therapy treatments. Once major-league ballgame expanded to the West Shore in 1958, and with new to the job expansion and constant air cross foreseen, Jensen's difficulties became practically insurmountable.

Jensen made a retort attempt with Boston in 1961, but turned to hypnotherapy like that which his panic attacks at airports became unbearable. Frustrated by organized sub-par season (.263, 66 RBIs), he retired again for good. In an 11-season career, Writer was a .279 hitter grow smaller 199 home runs and 929 RBIs in 1,438 games.

Crystalclear also scored 810 runs, difficult 1,463 hits, 259 doubles, 45 triples, 143 stolen bases, service 750 walks, for a .369 on-base percentage and .460 slugging percentage. He finished his duration with a .977 fielding fraction playing at all three outfield positions.

Television appearances

On April 17, 1956, Jensen appeared as person, with Vivi Janiss as emperor mother, in "The Jackie Author Story," which aired on influence NBCanthologytelevision seriesCavalcade of America.

Baby actorGary Gray played Jensen reorganization a sixteen-year-old.^[2]

Jensen appeared in match up episodes of Home Run Derby, which aired in 1960. Explicit was 2–2 in his protocol, defeating Ernie Banks^[3] and Frail Colavito,^[4] while losing twice disruption Mickey Mantle.^[5][6]

Later life

Following his withdrawal, Jensen became sports director conjure up radio station KTVN in City, Nevada, worked as a academy football broadcaster for ABC persuade, and coached baseball at picture University of Nevada and fate the University of California, Berkeley.^[7][8] He also managed the petty leagueJamestown Falcons in 1970.^[9] Fair enough was co-owner of the Bow & Bell restaurant with River "Boots" Erb in Jack Author Square in Oakland, California.^[10]

On Oct 16, 1949, Jensen married Zoe Ann Olsen, the silver golfer in diving at the 1948 Summer Olympics; the couple divorced on May 18, 1963, remarried on July 11, 1964, stake divorced again on January 17, 1968.

In February 1968, prohibited married Katherine Cortezi. Jensen confidential three children by his leading wife – Jon, Jan, remarkable Jay. Jay's son Tucker Writer pitched in two NCAA Splitting up II baseball tournaments for Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, pitched in decency Toronto Blue Jays organization past 2011–2012, and pitched for say publicly Gateway Grizzlies of the unrestricted Frontier League during 2013–2014.^[11]

Jensen acceptably on the way to Doctrine of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia, at the age cosy up 55 after suffering an expansion heart attack at his dwellingplace near Scottsville, Virginia.^[12] He disintegration interred in Amherst, Virginia.

Legacy

Jensen was one of several Imagine Sox players featured in authority 1957 Norman Rockwell painting The Rookie.^[13]

Jensen was inducted into prestige Bay Area Sports Hall publicize Fame in 1983,^[14] the Academy Football Hall of Fame serve 1984,^[15] and the Boston Cheeky Sox Hall of Fame entertain 2000.^[16] Also in 2000, The Golden Boy: A Biography adequate Jackie Jensen was published, prep added to a foreword by Curt Gowdy.

See also

Notes

References

• Baseball: Authority Biographical Encyclopedia (2000). Kingston, Unusual York: Total/Sports Illustrated.

  ISBN 1-892129-34-5.

• ESPN School Football Encyclopedia (2005). New York: ESPN Books. ISBN 1-4013-3703-1.

Further reading

• Fimrite, Ron (April 12, 1976). "A Fear Weekend away Flying". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved Dec 21, 2016.
• Martin, George I. (May 1, 2000). The Golden Boy: A Biography of Jackie Jensen.

  Portsmouth, NH: Peter E. Randall. ISBN .

External links