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Ernie Whitt
Leo Ernest Whitt (born June 13, 1952) is an American professional baseball manager and former player. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher, including twelve for the Toronto Blue Jays, and was the last player from the franchise's inaugural season of 1977 to remain through 1989. He is the longtime manager of the Canada national baseball team, having served in the role since 2004.
Whitt made his MLB debut for the Boston Red Sox in 1976. For eight consecutive seasons from 1982 to 1989, he reached double figures in home runs and 100 hits in each of five consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1989. He was selected as an All-Star in 1985.
As manager for Canada’s senior national team, his competitions include the 2004 Summer Olympics, six World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments, and the Pan Am Games, where they won two gold medals in 2011 and 2015. Whitt was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Whitt was selected in the 15th round of the 1972 amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox, and he made his major league debut on September 12, 1976, pinch hitting for Carlton Fisk in the seventh inning, grounding out. He finished the game as the Red Sox catcher, as Boston defeated the Cleveland Indians 11–3. Whitt recorded his first career hit on September 21, hitting a home run off Jim Colborn of the Milwaukee Brewers in a 3–1 loss. He appeared in eight games with Boston, batting .222 with a home run and 3 RBI. With his path to the majors blocked by future Hall-of-Famer Fisk, he was left unprotected during the expansion draft held after the 1976 season and selected by the Blue Jays.
Whitt began the 1977 season in the minors, but after an injury to Rick Cerone, he was called up to the Blue Jays in May to serve as the second-string catcher behind Alan Ashby. However, Whitt saw very little playing time with the Blue Jays in 1977. Appearing in 23 games, he hit .171 with no home runs and 6 RBI. Whitt's major league season ended on August 16, when Cerone was reinstated from the disabled list and resumed working in tandem with Ashby. Whitt was sent back to the minors and was not recalled in September.
In 1978, he spent most of the year in triple-A. Called up in September to Toronto, he played in just two games, going hitless in four at-bats. In 1979, Whitt spent the entire season with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Blue Jays AAA affiliate in the International League. Whitt speculated in his autobiography that Blue Jays manager Roy Hartsfield had a low opinion of his potential, as most of the catching duties went to Alan Ashby and Rick Cerone. With Hartsfield's departure prior to the 1980 season, new manager Bobby Mattick expanded Whitt's role as a player, and Whitt remained with the club for the next ten years.
In 1980, Whitt became the Blue Jays starting catcher, as he appeared in 106 games, hitting .237 with six home runs and 34 RBI. He saw his numbers slip in 1981, as Whitt hit .236 with a home run and 16 RBI in 74 games during the strike-shortened season. On May 15 of the latter year, his fly ball was caught by Cleveland Indian outfielder Rick Manning for the final out of Len Barker's perfect game.
Whitt broke out offensively in 1982. Throughout 105 games, he hit .261 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI for the Blue Jays. His 11 home runs ranked third on the team.
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Ernie Whitt
Leo Ernest Whitt (born June 13, 1952) is an American professional baseball manager and former player. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher, including twelve for the Toronto Blue Jays, and was the last player from the franchise's inaugural season of 1977 to remain through 1989. He is the longtime manager of the Canada national baseball team, having served in the role since 2004.
Whitt made his MLB debut for the Boston Red Sox in 1976. For eight consecutive seasons from 1982 to 1989, he reached double figures in home runs and 100 hits in each of five consecutive seasons from 1985 to 1989. He was selected as an All-Star in 1985.
As manager for Canada’s senior national team, his competitions include the 2004 Summer Olympics, six World Baseball Classic (WBC) tournaments, and the Pan Am Games, where they won two gold medals in 2011 and 2015. Whitt was inducted into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009.
Whitt was selected in the 15th round of the 1972 amateur draft by the Boston Red Sox, and he made his major league debut on September 12, 1976, pinch hitting for Carlton Fisk in the seventh inning, grounding out. He finished the game as the Red Sox catcher, as Boston defeated the Cleveland Indians 11–3. Whitt recorded his first career hit on September 21, hitting a home run off Jim Colborn of the Milwaukee Brewers in a 3–1 loss. He appeared in eight games with Boston, batting .222 with a home run and 3 RBI. With his path to the majors blocked by future Hall-of-Famer Fisk, he was left unprotected during the expansion draft held after the 1976 season and selected by the Blue Jays.
Whitt began the 1977 season in the minors, but after an injury to Rick Cerone, he was called up to the Blue Jays in May to serve as the second-string catcher behind Alan Ashby. However, Whitt saw very little playing time with the Blue Jays in 1977. Appearing in 23 games, he hit .171 with no home runs and 6 RBI. Whitt's major league season ended on August 16, when Cerone was reinstated from the disabled list and resumed working in tandem with Ashby. Whitt was sent back to the minors and was not recalled in September.
In 1978, he spent most of the year in triple-A. Called up in September to Toronto, he played in just two games, going hitless in four at-bats. In 1979, Whitt spent the entire season with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Blue Jays AAA affiliate in the International League. Whitt speculated in his autobiography that Blue Jays manager Roy Hartsfield had a low opinion of his potential, as most of the catching duties went to Alan Ashby and Rick Cerone. With Hartsfield's departure prior to the 1980 season, new manager Bobby Mattick expanded Whitt's role as a player, and Whitt remained with the club for the next ten years.
In 1980, Whitt became the Blue Jays starting catcher, as he appeared in 106 games, hitting .237 with six home runs and 34 RBI. He saw his numbers slip in 1981, as Whitt hit .236 with a home run and 16 RBI in 74 games during the strike-shortened season. On May 15 of the latter year, his fly ball was caught by Cleveland Indian outfielder Rick Manning for the final out of Len Barker's perfect game.
Whitt broke out offensively in 1982. Throughout 105 games, he hit .261 with 11 home runs and 42 RBI for the Blue Jays. His 11 home runs ranked third on the team.
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