Willie Horton
A sandlot star in Detroit, Willie Horton was the youngest of 19 children, a four-time All-Star and a fan favorite for the Tigers in the 1960s and 1970s. He drew attention when at the age of 16 he blasted a home run into Tiger Stadium's right field stands in an All-City game. A tremendously strong man, Horton was the big power threat on Detroit's 1968 World Series Championship team. Horton hit 325 homers in his career, combining strength with quick wrists. After his playing career, Horton worked briefly for the Yankees under Billy Martin as baseball's first "harmony coach." His role was essentially to make sure Martin wasn't undermined by clubhouse politics, and to tutor young players on how to stay out of trouble.
| Career Batting Stats |
| G |
AB |
H |
R |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
AVG |
SLG |
OBP |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 2028 |
7298 |
1993 |
873 |
325 |
1163 |
20 |
.273 |
.457 |
.332 |
.789 |
112.8 |
|
Where does Willie Horton rank among baseball greats?
Willie Horton ranks #38 among the Top 50 all-time at LF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1968
Horton's career numbers appear modest because he toiled during the low-scoring 1960s and early 1970s. In 1968 he was second in the American League in slugging, OPS, total bases and homers (36). He was fourth in RBI (85) and batted .285, which was also fourth in the league. In the World Series he hit .304 with six runs scored, a homer and three RBI. In addition, his assist that nabbed Lou Brock at home in Game Five helped turn the series in Detroit's favor.
Factoids
After three teams had given up on his the previous year, in 1979 with the Mariners, Willie Horton was named the American League's Outstanding Designated Hitter and Comeback Player of the Year.
Willie Horton used the same batting helmet his entire career, having it painted to match his new teams after leaving Detroit.
Description
Horton was a poor Detroit kid who made it big with his hometown team. As a boy he would sneak into Tiger Stadium to watch his heroes. In 1999 Tiger Stadium closed it's gates for good. When Horton ran onto the field for the post-game festivities after the final game, he was greeted with a tremendous ovation from fans who appreciated his 15 seasons and 262 home runs with Detroit. Willie Horton, the slugger who starred on the '68 World Champions, the little kid from the streets of Detroit, the strong man who shattered bats with brute strength, broke down and cried like a baby.
Where He Played
Left field through 1974, and designated hitter after that.
Born
William Wattison Horton was born on October 18, 1942, in Arno, VA.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Major League Debut
9 10,
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1963
Pete Rose
Rusty Staub
Joe Morgan
Willie Horton
Jose Cardenal
Jimmy Wynn
Dick Allen
Tommy John
Mickey Lolich
Uniform Numbers
#48 (1963, 1978 Blue Jays), #23 (1964-1978), #53 (1979-1980)
When Tiger manager Charlie Dressen died in the middle of the 1966 season, Horton was devastated. "I want to wear that man's number," Horton said, "and do things for him on the field." Horton never did wear #7 in honor of Dressen, choosing to stick with his #23 instead.
Similar Players
Joe Adcock, Roy Sievers
Related Players
Lou Brock, who failed to slide in Game Five of the 1968 World Series and was gunned down by Horton's throw from left field.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1986 |
BBWAA |
4 |
.9% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1968 World Series
1972 American League Championship Series
Batting Feats
- June 9, 1970: 3 HR...
- May 15, 1977: 3 HR...
Injuries and Explanation for Missed Playing Time
On May 10, 1973, Horton jammed his right hand into the outfield wall at Kansas City, and was placed on the 15-day disabled list.
Hitting Streaks
16 games (1970)
15 games (1979)
15 games (1971)
Transactions
August 7, 1961: Signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent; April 12, 1977: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the Texas Rangers for Steve Foucault; February 28, 1978: Traded by the Texas Rangers with David Clyde to the Cleveland Indians for Tom Buskey and John Lowenstein; July 3, 1978: Released by the Cleveland Indians; July 13, 1978: Signed as a Free Agent with the Oakland Athletics; August 15, 1978: Traded by the Oakland Athletics with Phil Huffman to the Toronto Blue Jays for Rico Carty; December 2, 1978: Granted Free Agency; January 27, 1979: Signed as a Free Agent with the Seattle Mariners; December 1, 1979: Granted Free Agency; December 20, 1979: Signed as a Free Agent with the Seattle Mariners; December 12, 1980: Traded by the Seattle Mariners with Larry Cox, Rick Honeycutt, Mario Mendoza, and Leon Roberts to the Texas Rangers for Richie Zisk, Rick Auerbach, Ken Clay, Jerry Don Gleaton, Brian Allard, and Steve Finch (minors); April 1, 1981: Released by the Texas Rangers; May 4, 1981: Signed as a Free Agent with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Home Run Facts
Horton hit two homers in a game 30 times during his career... On June 9, 1970, Horton hit three homers against the Brewers... On May 15, 1977, a month after Detroit traded him to Texas, Horton hit three homers against the Royals.
All-Star Selections
1965 AL
1968 AL
1970 AL
1973 AL
Replaced
George Thomas, a journeyman outfielder.
Replaced By
Richie Zisk became the M's DH in 1981.
Best Strength as a Player
Strength
Largest Weakness as a Player
Foot speed, though very early in his career, Willie was a better-than-average baserunner.
Learn More about Willie Horton
Search Amazon.com for Books about Willie Horton ⇒
Search for Willie Horton at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
Sources used for the Willie Horton Player Page:
Research by SABR member Herm Krabbenhoft; The Sporting News, August 27, 1966, p. 44