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Pete Ward
Peter Thomas Ward (July 26, 1937 – March 16, 2022) was a Canadian-born professional baseball player who appeared in 973 games over nine seasons in Major League Baseball as a third baseman, outfielder and first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles (1962), Chicago White Sox (1963–1969) and New York Yankees (1970).
Ward was the runner-up for the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award (to pitcher and teammate Gary Peters) in 1963, but was named that season's AL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. He finished in the Top 10 in the AL's Most Valuable Player poll in both 1963 (ninth) and 1964 (sixth).
Ward was born in Montréal, on July 26, 1937. Ward's family moved to Portland, Oregon when Ward was eight years old. He was the son of former National Hockey League forward Jimmy Ward, who played 11 seasons for the Montreal Maroons and Montreal Canadiens. Jimmy had been hired to coach the Portland Eagles of the Western Hockey League, and became a longtime coach in professional and amateur hockey in Portland. While Ward's brother continued on in hockey (playing at Michigan State University from 1951 to 1955), Ward discovered baseball in Portland.
Ward attended Portland's Jefferson High School, graduating in 1955. He was an All-State shortstop at Jefferson. In 1986, he was inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. He starred in college baseball at Lewis & Clark College of the Northwest Conference located in Portland, also playing shortstop. Ward was a member of the Northwest Conference All-Star teams in 1957 and 1958. He was the first Lewis & Clark player to play in major league baseball.
Ward batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg) (13 stone, 3 pounds).
Ward signed with the Orioles in 1958, as a shortstop.[citation needed] In 1959, he was assigned to the Stockton Ports of the Class C California League, where he played principally at third base (63 games), but also at shortstop (36 games), and second base (15 games). In 1960, playing Class B baseball for the Fox City Foxes of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (the Three-I League), he played 114 games at third base and 21 in the outfield. In 1961, he played for two different Double-A teams, playing only 10 games at third base and 109 games among the three outfield positions. In 1962, his last year of minor league baseball, he played 80 games at third base and 83 in the outfield for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He joined the Orioles at the end of the 1962 season, playing solely in the outfield.
Ward batted over .300 at three levels of minor league baseball and won the batting title in the Three-I League in 1960 with a .345 mark.[citation needed] In 1962 at Rochester, he hit .328, with 22 home runs, 114 runs scored and 90 runs batted in (RBI). After he was selected to the International League All-Star Team in 1962 as an outfielder,[citation needed] Ward received a September trial with Baltimore, where he hit .143 with two doubles in 21 at bats.
Although he would be known in the major leagues as a third baseman, the big-league Orioles possessed future Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, only two months older than Ward (May 18, 1937), at the position. By the time Ward was called up in 1962, Robinson had been the Orioles starting third baseman for years, was an All-Star (1960–1962) and was about to win his third Gold Glove Award at third base. Ward knew he would not be playing third base for the Orioles, and the plan was to move Boog Powell from the outfield to first base, and then play Ward in the outfield.
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Pete Ward
Peter Thomas Ward (July 26, 1937 – March 16, 2022) was a Canadian-born professional baseball player who appeared in 973 games over nine seasons in Major League Baseball as a third baseman, outfielder and first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles (1962), Chicago White Sox (1963–1969) and New York Yankees (1970).
Ward was the runner-up for the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award (to pitcher and teammate Gary Peters) in 1963, but was named that season's AL Rookie of the Year by The Sporting News. He finished in the Top 10 in the AL's Most Valuable Player poll in both 1963 (ninth) and 1964 (sixth).
Ward was born in Montréal, on July 26, 1937. Ward's family moved to Portland, Oregon when Ward was eight years old. He was the son of former National Hockey League forward Jimmy Ward, who played 11 seasons for the Montreal Maroons and Montreal Canadiens. Jimmy had been hired to coach the Portland Eagles of the Western Hockey League, and became a longtime coach in professional and amateur hockey in Portland. While Ward's brother continued on in hockey (playing at Michigan State University from 1951 to 1955), Ward discovered baseball in Portland.
Ward attended Portland's Jefferson High School, graduating in 1955. He was an All-State shortstop at Jefferson. In 1986, he was inducted into the Portland Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. He starred in college baseball at Lewis & Clark College of the Northwest Conference located in Portland, also playing shortstop. Ward was a member of the Northwest Conference All-Star teams in 1957 and 1958. He was the first Lewis & Clark player to play in major league baseball.
Ward batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg) (13 stone, 3 pounds).
Ward signed with the Orioles in 1958, as a shortstop.[citation needed] In 1959, he was assigned to the Stockton Ports of the Class C California League, where he played principally at third base (63 games), but also at shortstop (36 games), and second base (15 games). In 1960, playing Class B baseball for the Fox City Foxes of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League (the Three-I League), he played 114 games at third base and 21 in the outfield. In 1961, he played for two different Double-A teams, playing only 10 games at third base and 109 games among the three outfield positions. In 1962, his last year of minor league baseball, he played 80 games at third base and 83 in the outfield for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. He joined the Orioles at the end of the 1962 season, playing solely in the outfield.
Ward batted over .300 at three levels of minor league baseball and won the batting title in the Three-I League in 1960 with a .345 mark.[citation needed] In 1962 at Rochester, he hit .328, with 22 home runs, 114 runs scored and 90 runs batted in (RBI). After he was selected to the International League All-Star Team in 1962 as an outfielder,[citation needed] Ward received a September trial with Baltimore, where he hit .143 with two doubles in 21 at bats.
Although he would be known in the major leagues as a third baseman, the big-league Orioles possessed future Baseball Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, only two months older than Ward (May 18, 1937), at the position. By the time Ward was called up in 1962, Robinson had been the Orioles starting third baseman for years, was an All-Star (1960–1962) and was about to win his third Gold Glove Award at third base. Ward knew he would not be playing third base for the Orioles, and the plan was to move Boog Powell from the outfield to first base, and then play Ward in the outfield.
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