Bill Singer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bill Singer | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pitcher | ||
| Born: April 24, 1944 | ||
| Batted: Right | Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | ||
| September 24, 1964 for the Los Angeles Dodgers |
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| Final game | ||
| July 16, 1977 for the Toronto Blue Jays |
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| Career statistics | ||
| Win-Loss | 118-127 | |
| ERA | 3.39 | |
| Strikeouts | 1515 | |
| Teams | ||
| Career highlights and awards | ||
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William Robert Singer (born April 24, 1944 in Los Angeles, California) is a former baseball pitcher with a 14-year career from 1964 to 1977. He played primarily for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1964-72) and the California Angels (1973-75), spending his final two seasons with the Texas Rangers (1976), Minnesota Twins (1976) and Toronto Blue Jays (1977).
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[edit] Major League Career
Singer won 20 games for the Dodgers in 1969, and again for the Angels in 1973, and was an All-Star both years. He threw a no-hitter on 20 July 1970, blanking the Phillies 5-0. He was the starting pitcher for the expansion Toronto Blue Jays in their first game in the American League in April 1977.
[edit] First Save
Singer is credited as the first pitcher to earn a save after the statistic was made official in 1969.[1] Singer earned the save on April 7, 1969, in a season-opening National League game at Cincinnati, working three scoreless innings after taking over for Los Angeles Dodgers starting and winning pitcher Don Drysdale. Singer did not allow a hit, walking one batter and striking out one, as the Dodgers beat the Reds, 3-2. [2]
[edit] Post-Playing Career
After retirement he held various scouting and consulting positions with Florida, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles teams.
[edit] Racist Remarks Controversy
In 2003, he was terminated from his position as special assistant to General Manager Jim Duquette of the New York Mets following racially insensitive remarks made to Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng[3] in which he mocked Ng's Chinese heritage. As widely reported by ESPN and the Los Angeles Times the exchange went as follows:
Singer: What are you doing here?
Ng: I'm working.
Singer: What are you doing here?
Ng: I'm working. I'm the Dodger assistant general manager.
Singer: Where are you from?
Ng: I was born in Indiana and grew up in New York.
Singer: Where are you from?
Ng: My family's from China.
Singer: Nonsensically mock Chinese, then "What country in China?" [4]
He later apologized and blamed the Atkins diet and being drunk as the reasons for his remarks.[5]
He was later hired by the Arizona Diamondbacks as a Major League scout in February of 2005, with the Diamondbacks GM Joe Garriagola Jr stating "We satisfied ourselves by talking to him, to other people about him and doing a thorough background check."[6]. In November, 2006, he was added to the Washington Nationals' scouting roster where he coordinates scouting operations in Asia.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Charlton, James. Bill Singer from the Chronology. BaseballLibrary.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-05.
- ^ (1992) Baseball A Doubleheader Collection of Facts, Feats, & Firsts. St. Louis, Mo.: The Sporting News Publishing Co.. ISBN 0-88365-785-6..
- ^ http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/nym/news/nym_press_release.jsp?ymd=20031118&content_id=605478&vkey=pr_nym&fext=.jsp&c_id=nyn].
- ^ ESPN - Report: 'No way' Singer can save job - MLB
- ^ Boston.com / News / Boston Globe / Living / Arts / Baseball executive strikes out; ballet receives a lift
- ^ ESPN - Report: 'No way' Singer can save job - MLB
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Tommie Agee |
Major League Player of the Month July, 1970 |
Succeeded by Bob Gibson |
| Preceded by Claude Osteen |
Los Angeles Dodgers Opening Day Starting pitcher 1971 |
Succeeded by Don Sutton |
| Preceded by None |
Toronto Blue Jays Opening Day Starting pitcher 1977 |
Succeeded by Jerry Garvin |
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