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{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Rocky Bridges
|name=Rocky Bridges
⚫
|image=Rocky Bridges 1953.jpeg
| position = [[Infielder]]
|position=[[Infielder]]
⚫
| bats = Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1927|8|7}}
⚫
| throws = Right
⚫
|birth_place=[[Refugio, Texas]]
⚫
| image = Rocky Bridges 1953.jpeg
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|8|7}}
|death_date={{death date and age|2015|1|27|1927|8|7}}
⚫
|death_place=[[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho]]
⚫
| birth_place = [[Refugio, Texas]]
⚫
|bats=Right
| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|1|27|1927|8|7}}
⚫
|throws=Right
⚫
| death_place = [[Coeur d'Alene, Idaho]]
|debutleague = MLB
|debutleague=MLB
| debutdate = April 17
|debutdate=April 17
| debutyear = 1951
|debutyear=1951
| debutteam = Brooklyn Dodgers
|debutteam=Brooklyn Dodgers
|finalleague = MLB
|finalleague=MLB
| finaldate = October 1
|finaldate=October 1
| finalyear = 1961
|finalyear=1961
| finalteam = Los Angeles Angels
|finalteam=Los Angeles Angels
|statleague = MLB
|statleague=MLB
| stat1label = [[Batting average]]
|stat1label=[[Batting average]]
| stat1value = .247
|stat1value=.247
| stat2label = [[Home run]]s
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
| stat2value = 16
|stat2value=16
| stat3label = [[Runs batted in]]
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
| stat3value = 187
|stat3value=187
| teams =
|teams=
* [[History of the Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1951}}–{{mlby|1952}})
* [[Brooklyn Dodgers]] ({{mlby|1951}}–{{mlby|1952}})
* [[Cincinnati Reds]] ({{mlby|1953}}–{{mlby|1957}})
* [[Cincinnati Reds]] ({{mlby|1953}}–{{mlby|1957}})
* [[History of the Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1957}}–{{mlby|1958}})
* [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]] ({{mlby|1957}}–{{mlby|1958}})
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1959}}–{{mlby|1960}})
* [[Detroit Tigers]] ({{mlby|1959}}–{{mlby|1960}})
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1960}})
* [[Cleveland Indians]] ({{mlby|1960}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1960}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1960}})
* [[Los Angeles Angels]] ({{mlby|1961}})
* [[Los Angeles Angels]] ({{mlby|1961}})
| highlights =
|highlights =
* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1958 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1958]])
* [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1958 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1958]])
}}
}}


'''Everett Lamar "Rocky" Bridges''' (August 7, 1927 – January 27, 2015) was a [[middle infielder]] and [[third baseman]] with an 11-year career in [[United States|American]] [[Major League Baseball]] from 1951 to 1961. Bridges played for the [[History of the Brooklyn Dodgers|Brooklyn Dodgers]], [[Cincinnati Reds]] and [[St. Louis Cardinals]] of the [[National League]], and the [[History of the Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]], [[Detroit Tigers]], [[Cleveland Indians]] and [[Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim|Los Angeles Angels]] of the [[American League]]. He also appeared occasionally in the outfield.<ref name="Rocky">Schudel, Matt (February 8, 2015) "A career bench warmer with a flair for repartee" ''The Washington Post'', page C8 [http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/rocky-bridges-journeyman-ballplayer-with-colorful-quips-dies-at-87/2015/02/07/0718fb96-aef0-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html]</ref>
'''Everett Lamar Bridges''' (August 7, 1927 – January 27, 2015) was a former [[professional baseball]] [[infielder]]. He played eleven seasons in [[Major League Baseball]] from 1951 to 1961 to [[Brooklyn Dodgers]], [[Cincinnati Reds]], [[Washington Senators (1901–60)|Washington Senators]], [[Detroit Tigers]], [[Cleveland Indians]], [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and the [[Los Angeles Angels]]. He also appeared occasionally in the outfield.<ref name="Rocky">Schudel, Matt (February 8, 2015) "A career bench warmer with a flair for repartee" ''The Washington Post'', page C8 [http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/rocky-bridges-journeyman-ballplayer-with-colorful-quips-dies-at-87/2015/02/07/0718fb96-aef0-11e4-ad71-7b9eba0f87d6_story.html]</ref><ref name="statistics">[http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bridgro01.shml "Rocky Bridges Statistics and History"]. "baseball-reference.com. Accessed 2017-06-01.</ref>


==Playing career==
==Playing career==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Baseballstats |mlb=111456 |espn= |br=b/bridgro01 |fangraphs= |cube= |brm=bridge001eve }}
{{Baseballstats |br=b/bridgro01 |fangraphs=|cube=|brm=bridge001eve }}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Rocky}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bridges, Rocky}}

Revision as of 15:20, 1 June 2017

Rocky Bridges
Infielder
Born: (1927-08-07)August 7, 1927
Refugio, Texas
Died: January 27, 2015(2015-01-27) (aged 87)
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 17, 1951, for the Brooklyn Dodgers
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1961, for the Los Angeles Angels
MLB statistics
Batting average.247
Home runs16
Runs batted in187
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Everett Lamar Bridges (August 7, 1927 – January 27, 2015) was a former professional baseball infielder. He played eleven seasons in Major League Baseball from 1951 to 1961 to Brooklyn Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Angels. He also appeared occasionally in the outfield.[1][2]

Playing career

Bridges was native Texan who attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School in California. He became a journeyman ball player who made his big-league debut in 1951 with the Brooklyn Dodgers. As a utility infielder, he backed up two future Hall of Famers, Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson and as a result, saw little playing time.[1]

Subsequently, he was traded to Cincinnati Reds and then eventually to the last place Washington Senators, where he obtained a starting position as a shortstop. In 1958, his first full season with the Senators, he was selected by New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel to the 1958 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, one of the few highlights of his career.[1] Bridges career continued until 1961, playing for several American League teams. His final career batting average was .247 with 16 home runs.[1] Despite his unimpressive career statistics, Bridges became a well known and respected ball player because of his hard work, hustle, spirit, and sense of humor. In 1964, Sports Illustrated described him as "...one of the best stand up comics in the history of baseball." [1] Among his most famous quotes:

"It took me that long to learn how to spell it." -- after being traded from the Cincinnati Reds, where he played for four years. [1]

"That surprised everybody. They were close to launching an investigation." -- after being selected to the 1958 All-Star Team. [1]

"I'm in the twilight of a mediocre career ....I've had more numbers on my back than a bingo board." --- after being traded to the Detroit Tigers. [1]

Coaching career

Following his active playing career, he served two terms (1962–63; 1968–71) as the third base coach of the Angels and one year (1985) in that role with the San Francisco Giants. Bridges also had a long career as a minor league manager in the Angels, Giants, San Diego Padres and Pittsburgh Pirates organizations. Over 21 seasons stretched between 1964 and 1989, Bridges' teams won 1,300 games and lost 1,358 (.489). His minor league managerial career is profiled in Jim Bouton's collection of baseball articles and essays entitled I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad.[3] Bridges also managed the Leones de Ponce to the pennant title of the Puerto Rico Baseball League in the 1968–69 season.[4]

Legacy

The title of Bouton's book was reportedly based on a quote from Bridges.[3] The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book", said "Rocky Bridges looked like a ballplayer. In fact, he may have looked more like a ballplayer than any other ballplayer who ever lived."[5]

"Rocky Bridges undoubtedly has been one of the most popular men ever to wear the Washington uniform. He's an example of what 'hustle', 'desire', and 'spirit' will do." -- Washington Post sports columnist Bob Addie, 1958 [1]

Bridges died of natural causes January 27, 2015, aged 87, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Schudel, Matt (February 8, 2015) "A career bench warmer with a flair for repartee" The Washington Post, page C8 [1]
  2. ^ "Rocky Bridges Statistics and History". "baseball-reference.com. Accessed 2017-06-01.
  3. ^ a b Bouton, Jim and Offen, Neil. (1973) I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad. New York; Dell Publishing, pages 2-16
  4. ^ Leones de Ponce Campeón de la PRBL – Campeonatos de Ponce (Spanish)
  5. ^ Boyd, Brendan C. and Harris, Fred C. (1973) The Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book, Boston: Little Brown and Company
  6. ^ Lee, Greg (January 29, 2015). "Former Dodger, Rocky Bridges, dies in Coeur d'Alene". spokesman.com. Spokane, WA: The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved January 30, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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