| Birdie Tebbetts | |
|---|---|
 Tebbetts in 1947 | |
| Catcher / Manager | |
| Born: November 10, 1912 Burlington, Vermont, U.S. | |
| Died: March 24, 1999 (aged 86) Bradenton Beach, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 16, 1936, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 14, 1952, for the Cleveland Indians | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .270 |
| Home runs | 38 |
| Runs batted in | 469 |
| Managerial record | 748–705 |
| Winning % | .515 |
| Teams | |
| As player
As manager | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
George Robert "Birdie" Tebbetts (November 10, 1912 – March 24, 1999) was an American professional baseball player, manager, scout and front office executive.[1][2] He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians from 1936 to 1952. Tebbetts was regarded as the best catcher in the American League in the late 1940s.[3][4]
Although he lacked speed and did not hit for power, Tebbetts was an exceptional defensive catcher and intelligent player who capably directed his pitchers.[3] These traits served him well later in his career, as he became the manager for the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Braves and the Cleveland Indians. His major league career encompassed 14 years as a catcher, 11 as a manager and 28 as a scout.[5]
- ^ "Birdie Tebbetts at Baseball Reference". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ Birdie Tebbetts at the SABR Baseball Biography Project , by Tom Simon, Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ a b McNeil, William (2006). Backstop: a history of the catcher and a sabermetric ranking of 50 all-time greats. McFarland. ISBN 9780786421770. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ Richman, Milton (February 1949). Behind Plate or At It – Catchers Lag. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Litsky, Frank (March 26, 1999). "Birdie Tebbetts, Plain Speaker With 53-Year Baseball Career". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2011.