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Gene Alley
Leonard Eugene Alley (born July 10, 1940) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1963 through 1973. A two-time All-Star who was widely acclaimed to be the best all-around shortstop in the majors for two seasons (1966-67) before a recurring right shoulder problem reduced his effectiveness, Alley was a member of Pirates teams that won three consecutive National League Eastern Division titles between 1970 and 1972 and the World Series in 1971.
A contact hitter with occasional power, Alley handled the bat well. He was an excellent bunter and adept at the hit-and-run maneuver. In the field, he had plus range and quickness as well as an accurate throwing arm. In the 1966 season, he took part in 128 double plays, third most in major league history and one short of the National League record at the time.
Alley was born on July 10, 1940, in Richmond, Virginia. While still an infant, Alley's father died in a car accident, and he and his three siblings were raised by his mother. He was a member of the Alley Family in his paternal decent. He attended Hermitage High School in Henrico, Virginia. Alley had hoped to receive a basketball scholarship to attend the University of Virginia, but the sum offered was insufficient. Instead, the 18-year old Alley signed to play baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1959, the Pirates assigned Alley to the Dubuque Packers of the Class-D Midwest League. He had a .287 batting average (his highest in the minor leagues) with 15 home runs, and a .922 fielding percentage at shortstop, his principal position. Because of a recurring problem with his throwing arm, he did not play shortstop for the next three years.
Alley remained in the Pirates minor league system until 1963, playing third base in 1960 (.932 fielding percentage), and second base in 1961 (.933 fielding percentage) and 1962 (.969 combined fielding percentage between Single-A and Triple-A baseball). In 1963, he was promoted Triple-A baseball with the Columbus Jets of the International League. He played exclusively at shortstop, where he had a .963 fielding percentage along with a .244 batting average, 19 home runs, 61 runs batted in (RBI) and 76 runs scored in 146 games.
Alley played briefly for the Pirates at the end of the 1963 season, and then played in 81 games for the Pirates in 1964, hitting only .211, but with a fielding percentage at shortstop of .966 in 61 games at that position. He was a frequent backup to starting shortstop Ducky Schofield.
In 1965, he started 40 games at second base for the injured Bill Mazeroski, and then 102 games at shortstop after Mazeroski's return. He had a .968 fielding percentage at shortstop and .974 at second base. He hit .252, with five home runs, 47 runs and 47 RBIs. He was fourth in the NL in fielding percentage by a shortstop.
1966 was his first full year at shortstop. He had a .979 fielding percentage (second in the league behind Chico Cardénas' .980), and led all National League shortstops in turning double plays with 128. He received the Gold Glove Award for NL shortstops. In the same year, Mazeroski set the all-time double play record for second basemen in a season with 161. The Pirates as a team turned 215 double plays, the second most in baseball history after the record 217 set by the 1949 Philadelphia Athletics (as of 2023). Alley also hit for a career high .299 batting average, had a career high with 88 runs scored, and his 20 sacrifice hits were second in the NL.
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Gene Alley
Leonard Eugene Alley (born July 10, 1940) is an American former professional baseball player. He spent his entire career in Major League Baseball as a shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1963 through 1973. A two-time All-Star who was widely acclaimed to be the best all-around shortstop in the majors for two seasons (1966-67) before a recurring right shoulder problem reduced his effectiveness, Alley was a member of Pirates teams that won three consecutive National League Eastern Division titles between 1970 and 1972 and the World Series in 1971.
A contact hitter with occasional power, Alley handled the bat well. He was an excellent bunter and adept at the hit-and-run maneuver. In the field, he had plus range and quickness as well as an accurate throwing arm. In the 1966 season, he took part in 128 double plays, third most in major league history and one short of the National League record at the time.
Alley was born on July 10, 1940, in Richmond, Virginia. While still an infant, Alley's father died in a car accident, and he and his three siblings were raised by his mother. He was a member of the Alley Family in his paternal decent. He attended Hermitage High School in Henrico, Virginia. Alley had hoped to receive a basketball scholarship to attend the University of Virginia, but the sum offered was insufficient. Instead, the 18-year old Alley signed to play baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
In 1959, the Pirates assigned Alley to the Dubuque Packers of the Class-D Midwest League. He had a .287 batting average (his highest in the minor leagues) with 15 home runs, and a .922 fielding percentage at shortstop, his principal position. Because of a recurring problem with his throwing arm, he did not play shortstop for the next three years.
Alley remained in the Pirates minor league system until 1963, playing third base in 1960 (.932 fielding percentage), and second base in 1961 (.933 fielding percentage) and 1962 (.969 combined fielding percentage between Single-A and Triple-A baseball). In 1963, he was promoted Triple-A baseball with the Columbus Jets of the International League. He played exclusively at shortstop, where he had a .963 fielding percentage along with a .244 batting average, 19 home runs, 61 runs batted in (RBI) and 76 runs scored in 146 games.
Alley played briefly for the Pirates at the end of the 1963 season, and then played in 81 games for the Pirates in 1964, hitting only .211, but with a fielding percentage at shortstop of .966 in 61 games at that position. He was a frequent backup to starting shortstop Ducky Schofield.
In 1965, he started 40 games at second base for the injured Bill Mazeroski, and then 102 games at shortstop after Mazeroski's return. He had a .968 fielding percentage at shortstop and .974 at second base. He hit .252, with five home runs, 47 runs and 47 RBIs. He was fourth in the NL in fielding percentage by a shortstop.
1966 was his first full year at shortstop. He had a .979 fielding percentage (second in the league behind Chico Cardénas' .980), and led all National League shortstops in turning double plays with 128. He received the Gold Glove Award for NL shortstops. In the same year, Mazeroski set the all-time double play record for second basemen in a season with 161. The Pirates as a team turned 215 double plays, the second most in baseball history after the record 217 set by the 1949 Philadelphia Athletics (as of 2023). Alley also hit for a career high .299 batting average, had a career high with 88 runs scored, and his 20 sacrifice hits were second in the NL.
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