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{{short description|American baseball player}}
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1961)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Jim Traber
|name=Jim Traber
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|throws=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1961|12|26}}
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1961|12|26}}
|birth_place=[[Columbus, Ohio]]
|birth_place=[[Columbus, Ohio]], U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 21
|debutdate=September 21
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|finalyear=1989
|finalyear=1989
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|finalteam=Baltimore Orioles
|debut2league = NPB
|debut2date=April 8
|debut2year=1990
|debut2team=Kintetsu Buffaloes
|final2league = NPB
|final2date=October 10
|final2year=1991
|final2team=Kintetsu Buffaloes
|statleague = MLB
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
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|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=117
|stat3value=117
|stat2league = NPB
|stat21label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat21value=.287
|stat22label=[[Home run]]s
|stat22value=53
|stat23label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat23value=184
|teams=
|teams=
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1984}}, {{mlby|1986}}, {{mlby|1988}}–{{mlby|1989}})
* [[Baltimore Orioles]] ({{mlby|1984}}, {{mlby|1986}}, {{mlby|1988}}–{{mlby|1989}})
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Traber was born in [[Columbus, Ohio]], but grew up in [[Columbia, Maryland]].<ref name="About">[http://jimtraber.com/about.htm About Jim] at jimtraber.com</ref> While attending [[Wilde Lake High School]] in Columbia, he was an All-American — playing [[American football|football]], baseball, and other sports. Traber attended [[Oklahoma State University]] in the early 1980s, where he played both baseball (appearing twice in the [[College World Series]])<ref name="About"/> and football.<ref name="Mexico"/>
Traber was born in [[Columbus, Ohio]], but grew up in [[Columbia, Maryland]].<ref name="About">[http://jimtraber.com/about.htm About Jim] at jimtraber.com</ref> While attending [[Wilde Lake High School]] in Columbia, he was an All-American — playing [[American football|football]], baseball, and other sports. Traber attended [[Oklahoma State University]] in the early 1980s, where he played both baseball (appearing twice in the [[College World Series]])<ref name="About"/> and football.<ref name="Mexico"/>


Traber was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 21st round (544th overall) of the [[1982 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref name="Reference">[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trabeji01.shtml Jim Traber Stats] at [[Baseball-Reference.com]]</ref> and played parts of four seasons for the Orioles between 1984 and 1989,<ref name="Reference"/> where his nickname was "'''The Whammer'''".<ref name="Rosenthal">[http://articles.latimes.com/1990-04-19/sports/sp-2185_1_jim-traber?pg=1 "Jim Traber Finds Comfort a Long Way From Home"] by [[Ken Rosenthal]] at [[latimes.com]]. Retrieved August 3, 2009</ref> During the biggest slump of his career for Baltimore, Traber found success by switching to a V-neck jersey. He soon found himself on a career-best hot streak that saw him crank out six [[Home run|homers]] and 17 [[runs batted in]] (RBI), while [[Batting average (baseball)|hitting]] .340, in his first 13 games, after being recalled in the summer of 1986.<ref name="Post">{{cite web|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1986/08/02/dodd-traber-hit-home-runs-in-orioles-7-3-win/d0380c1c-78d2-43b6-af3a-92c7d398121f|title=Dodd, Traber Hit Home Runs in Orioles' 7-3 Win|date=August 2, 1986|last=Justice|first=Richard|work=Washington Post|access-date=March 8, 2020}}</ref> Traber's success with Baltimore was hindered by unfortunate timing — as veteran first baseman, [[Eddie Murray]], wasn't ready to retire and Traber was anxious to play in that position — and he had not received any instruction as an [[outfielder]] in [[Minor League Baseball]] (MiLB), as his [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Earl Weaver]] lamented.<ref name="Post"/> Thus, Traber’s options were limited to being a [[Substitution (sport)|reserve]]-first baseman, [[Designated hitter|DH]], and [[pinch hitter]].
Traber was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 21st round (544th overall) of the [[1982 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref name="Reference">[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trabeji01.shtml Jim Traber Stats] at [[Baseball-Reference.com]]</ref> and played parts of four seasons for the Orioles between 1984 and 1989,<ref name="Reference"/> where his nickname was "'''The Whammer'''".<ref name="Rosenthal">[https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-04-19-sp-2185-story.html "Jim Traber Finds Comfort a Long Way From Home"] by [[Ken Rosenthal]] at [[latimes.com]]. Retrieved August 3, 2009</ref> He soon found himself on a career-best hot streak that saw him crank out six [[Home run|homers]] and 17 [[runs batted in]] (RBI), while [[Batting average (baseball)|hitting]] .340, in his first 13 games, after being recalled in the summer of 1986.<ref name="Post">{{cite news|url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1986/08/02/dodd-traber-hit-home-runs-in-orioles-7-3-win/d0380c1c-78d2-43b6-af3a-92c7d398121f|title=Dodd, Traber Hit Home Runs in Orioles' 7-3 Win|date=August 2, 1986|last=Justice|first=Richard|newspaper=Washington Post|access-date=March 8, 2020}}</ref> Traber's success with Baltimore was hindered by unfortunate timing — as veteran first baseman, [[Eddie Murray]], wasn't ready to retire and Traber was anxious to play in that position — and he had not received any instruction as an [[outfielder]] in [[Minor League Baseball]] (MiLB), as his [[Manager (baseball)|manager]] [[Earl Weaver]] lamented.<ref name="Post"/> Thus, Traber's options were limited to being a [[Substitution (sport)|reserve]]-first baseman, [[Designated hitter|DH]], and [[pinch hitter]].


⚫
Traber sang the [[national anthem]] at [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]] the night of his MLB debut.<ref name=":0">1987 Topps baseball card # 484</ref>
⚫
After his MLB career, Traber played baseball in [[Japan]] for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1990 and 1991, and one season for [[Sultanes de Monterrey|Monterrey]] of the [[Mexican League (baseball)|Mexican League]] in 1993.<ref name="Mexico">{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okst/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/08mediaguide-sectionA.pdf|title=Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame Bios|access-date=March 1, 2010|author=Oklahoma State University}}</ref> His time in Japan is perhaps most memorable for an incident in which Traber rushed the mound subsequent to being hit by a pitch, chasing the retreating [[pitcher]] into the outfield at the [[Sakigake Yabase Baseball Stadium|Akita Yabase Baseball Stadium]]. After charging the pitcher a second time, he was knocked off balance by the [[catcher]] while running and was kicked in the face on the way down by the manager, [[Masaichi Kaneda]]. Grainy footage of this incident is still widely distributed on the Internet.<ref name="Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSrRxHhfHKc Traber Charging Mound] at youtube.com</ref>


⚫
After his MLB career, Traber played baseball in [[Japan]] for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1990 and 1991, and one season for [[Sultanes de Monterrey|Monterrey]] of the [[Mexican League (baseball)|Mexican League]] in 1993.<ref name="Mexico">{{cite web|url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okst/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/08mediaguide-sectionA.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112102103/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/okst/sports/m-basebl/auto_pdf/08mediaguide-sectionA.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 12, 2012|title=Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame Bios|access-date=March 1, 2010|author=Oklahoma State University}}</ref> His time in Japan is perhaps most memorable for an incident in which Traber rushed the mound subsequent to being hit by a pitch, chasing the retreating [[Lotte Orions]] [[pitcher]] [[Kazumi Sonokawa]] into the outfield at the [[Sakigake Yabase Baseball Stadium|Akita Yabase Baseball Stadium]]. After charging the pitcher a second time, he was knocked off balance by the [[catcher]] while running and was kicked in the face on the way down by the [[Chiba Lotte Marines|Orions]]' manager, [[Masaichi Kaneda]]. Grainy footage of this incident is still widely distributed on the Internet.<ref name="Video">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSrRxHhfHKc Traber Charging Mound] at youtube.com</ref>
⚫
Traber’s involvement with sports talk radio began after his retirement from professional sports. He served as a television [[color analyst]] for [[Fox Sports (USA)|Fox Sports]]' regional coverage of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] during the team's World Series victory season of 2001, for which he was awarded a [[Championship ring|World Series ring]]. Traber was also part-time color analyst for the [[2001 World Series]] radio broadcast. He can be heard cheering in celebration behind [[Greg Schulte]] during the famous play-by-play call of "A little blooper... Base hit! Diamondbacks Win!" for [[Luis Gonzalez (outfielder, born 1967)|Luis Gonzalez's]] game-winning hit. Traber continued announcing in 2002 and 2003.<ref name="About" /> Currently, Traber hosts "The Afternoon Sports Beat" and "Total Dominance Hour," shows on [[WWLS-FM]] radio station in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]].<ref name="Schedule">[http://jimtraber.com/schedule.htm Radio Schedule], at jimtraber.com</ref> He sometimes refers to callers as Yardbirds.


⚫
Traber's involvement with sports talk radio began after his retirement from professional sports. He served as a television [[color analyst]] for [[Fox Sports (USA)|Fox Sports]]' regional coverage of the [[Arizona Diamondbacks]] during the team's World Series victory season of 2001, for which he was awarded a [[Championship ring|World Series ring]]. Traber was also part-time color analyst for the [[2001 World Series]] radio broadcast. He can be heard cheering in celebration behind [[Greg Schulte]] during the famous play-by-play call of "A little blooper... Base hit! Diamondbacks Win!" for [[Luis Gonzalez (outfielder, born 1967)|Luis Gonzalez's]] game-winning hit. Traber continued announcing in 2002 and 2003.<ref name="About" /> Currently, Traber hosts "The Afternoon Sports Beat" and "Total Dominance Hour," shows on [[WWLS-FM]] radio station in [[Oklahoma City, Oklahoma]].<ref name="Schedule">[http://jimtraber.com/schedule.htm Radio Schedule], at jimtraber.com</ref> He sometimes refers to callers as Yardbirds.
Traber is most well-known for losing to "Radio Legend", "World Champion at FreeCell" and "King of the midgets" Al Eschbach every Friday at music.


Traber has two sons with his ex-wife, and three daughters with his second wife Julie.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |title=Jim Traber – Society for American Baseball Research |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/jim-traber/ |access-date=November 11, 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Traber had a long standing bet with other Sports Animal hosts that [[Tiger Woods]] will never win another major, which he would end up losing when Woods won the [[2019 Masters Tournament]] on April 14, 2019.

List of known arch enemies:
Those Pigs in the Morning (The Morning Animals),
Danica Patrick

==Trivia==
⚫
Traber sang the [[National Anthem]] at [[Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)|Memorial Stadium]] the night of his MLB debut.<ref>1987 Topps baseball card # 484</ref>
Also famous for losing the judges vote to Morning Animals co-host Phil Inzinga in the great Oklahoma lasagna bake off of 2017


==References==
==References==
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[[Category:Arizona Diamondbacks announcers]]
[[Category:Arizona Diamondbacks announcers]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Baltimore Orioles players]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Ohio]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Kintetsu Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:Kintetsu Buffaloes players]]
[[Category:Hagerstown Suns players]]
[[Category:Hagerstown Suns players]]
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[[Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys baseball players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players]]
[[Category:Oklahoma State Cowboys football players]]
[[Category:People from Columbia, Maryland]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Columbia, Maryland]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Players of American football from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Bluefield Orioles players]]
[[Category:Charlotte O's players]]
[[Category:Rochester Red Wings players]]
[[Category:Sultanes de Monterrey players]]
[[Category:American expatriate baseball players in Mexico]]

Latest revision as of 22:42, 13 August 2024

Jim Traber
First baseman
Born: (1961-12-26) December 26, 1961 (age 63)
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
Professional debut
MLB: September 21, 1984, for the Baltimore Orioles
NPB: April 8, 1990, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes
Last appearance
MLB: October 1, 1989, for the Baltimore Orioles
NPB: October 10, 1991, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes
MLB statistics
Batting average.227
Home runs27
Runs batted in117
NPB statistics
Batting average.287
Home runs53
Runs batted in184
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

James Joseph Traber (born December 26, 1961)[1] is an American former professional baseball first baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Baltimore Orioles and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Kintetsu Buffaloes. After retiring from baseball, he pursued a career in broadcast media.

Traber was born in Columbus, Ohio, but grew up in Columbia, Maryland.[2] While attending Wilde Lake High School in Columbia, he was an All-American — playing football, baseball, and other sports. Traber attended Oklahoma State University in the early 1980s, where he played both baseball (appearing twice in the College World Series)[2] and football.[3]

Traber was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 21st round (544th overall) of the 1982 Major League Baseball draft.[4] and played parts of four seasons for the Orioles between 1984 and 1989,[4] where his nickname was "The Whammer".[5] He soon found himself on a career-best hot streak that saw him crank out six homers and 17 runs batted in (RBI), while hitting .340, in his first 13 games, after being recalled in the summer of 1986.[6] Traber's success with Baltimore was hindered by unfortunate timing — as veteran first baseman, Eddie Murray, wasn't ready to retire and Traber was anxious to play in that position — and he had not received any instruction as an outfielder in Minor League Baseball (MiLB), as his manager Earl Weaver lamented.[6] Thus, Traber's options were limited to being a reserve-first baseman, DH, and pinch hitter.

Traber sang the national anthem at Memorial Stadium the night of his MLB debut.[7]

After his MLB career, Traber played baseball in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in 1990 and 1991, and one season for Monterrey of the Mexican League in 1993.[3] His time in Japan is perhaps most memorable for an incident in which Traber rushed the mound subsequent to being hit by a pitch, chasing the retreating Lotte Orions pitcher Kazumi Sonokawa into the outfield at the Akita Yabase Baseball Stadium. After charging the pitcher a second time, he was knocked off balance by the catcher while running and was kicked in the face on the way down by the Orions' manager, Masaichi Kaneda. Grainy footage of this incident is still widely distributed on the Internet.[8]

Traber's involvement with sports talk radio began after his retirement from professional sports. He served as a television color analyst for Fox Sports' regional coverage of the Arizona Diamondbacks during the team's World Series victory season of 2001, for which he was awarded a World Series ring. Traber was also part-time color analyst for the 2001 World Series radio broadcast. He can be heard cheering in celebration behind Greg Schulte during the famous play-by-play call of "A little blooper... Base hit! Diamondbacks Win!" for Luis Gonzalez's game-winning hit. Traber continued announcing in 2002 and 2003.[2] Currently, Traber hosts "The Afternoon Sports Beat" and "Total Dominance Hour," shows on WWLS-FM radio station in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.[9] He sometimes refers to callers as Yardbirds.

Traber has two sons with his ex-wife, and three daughters with his second wife Julie.[10]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Jim Traber at thebaseballcube.com
  2. ^ a b c About Jim at jimtraber.com
  3. ^ a b Oklahoma State University. "Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame Bios" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2012. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
  4. ^ a b Jim Traber Stats at Baseball-Reference.com
  5. ^ "Jim Traber Finds Comfort a Long Way From Home" by Ken Rosenthal at latimes.com. Retrieved August 3, 2009
  6. ^ a b Justice, Richard (August 2, 1986). "Dodd, Traber Hit Home Runs in Orioles' 7-3 Win". Washington Post. Retrieved March 8, 2020.
  7. ^ 1987 Topps baseball card # 484
  8. ^ Traber Charging Mound at youtube.com
  9. ^ Radio Schedule, at jimtraber.com
  10. ^ admin. "Jim Traber – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved November 11, 2022.
[edit]
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