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Ray Fosse
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Raymond Earl Fosse (April 4, 1947 – October 13, 2021) was an American professional baseball player and television sports color commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a catcher from 1967 to 1979, most prominently as an All-Star player for the Cleveland Indians, and then as a two-time World Series champion with the Oakland Athletics dynasty of the early 1970s.[1] He also played for the Seattle Mariners and the Milwaukee Brewers.[1] After his playing career, Fosse was a popular television and radio color commentator for the Athletics.
Key Information
Fosse was selected by the Indians to become the team's first draft pick when MLB implemented its first amateur draft in 1965. Fosse was a two-time All-Star and won two Gold Glove Awards in a playing career that was marred by numerous injuries.[2] In 2001, Fosse was voted one of the 100 greatest players in Cleveland Indians' history by a panel of veteran baseball writers, executives and historians.[3] He was named to the Oakland Athletics' 50th-anniversary team in 2018.[3] In 2022, Fosse was inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame.[4]
Early life and career
[edit]Fosse was born in Marion, Illinois, where he grew up listening to the St. Louis Cardinals on the radio.[5] He considered Stan Musial to be his favorite player.[5] Fosse played as a catcher for the Marion High School baseball team and was named the team's Most Valuable Player three consecutive years.[1][2] He also played football and basketball in high school.[2] After high school, Fosse attended Southern Illinois University.[3]
Professional career
[edit]Cleveland Indians
[edit]The Cleveland Indians selected Fosse in the first round of the 1965 MLB draft.[6] Fosse played three seasons in the minor leagues before making his major-league debut with the Indians on September 8, 1967, at the age of 20.[1][7] He returned to the minor leagues for the 1968 season, where he posted a .301 batting average in 103 games for the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League.[7]
Returning to the Indians in 1970, he platooned alongside Duke Sims.[2] In the first half of 1970, he posted a .313 batting average with 16 home runs and 45 runs batted in.[2] He hit in 23 consecutive games beginning June 9, the longest American League (AL) hitting streak since 1961,[2] and was chosen as a reserve for the 1970 All-Star Game by Earl Weaver, the American League manager.[2]
In the final play of the 1970 All-Star Game, Fosse was injured in a collision with Pete Rose at home plate.[8][9] Initial X-rays revealed no fractures or other damage, although a re-examination the following year found Fosse had sustained a fractured and separated shoulder, which healed incorrectly, causing chronic pain that was never entirely resolved.[10] Rose asserted that he was simply trying to win the game, and that Fosse — who had moved a few feet up the third-base line to receive the throw[10] — was blocking the plate, but Rose was widely criticized for over-aggressive play in an exhibition game.[10] Fosse went on to play 42 games in the second half of the season, hitting .297 and winning the AL Gold Glove Award,[1] but said that he was never as good a batter after the injury.[11][12]
Fosse continued to be plagued by injuries in 1971 when he was kicked in his right hand during a brawl against the Detroit Tigers on June 18,[13] sustaining a gash that required five stitches and sidelined him for more than a week.[1][2] When he returned, he tore a ligament in his left hand during an at-bat against Denny McLain, forcing him to miss the 1971 All-Star Game.[2] Despite these injuries, Fosse appeared in 133 games and led the league's catchers in assists and in double plays to win his second consecutive Gold Glove Award.[14][15] He also posted a .276 batting average and contributed 12 home runs and a career-high 62 runs batted in for the last place Indians.[1]
Fosse's contributions at calling pitches was evident when Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry won the American League Cy Young Award in 1972. Perry gave Fosse credit for his success: "I've got to split it up and give part, a big part, to my catcher, Ray Fosse. He kept pushing me in games when I didn't have good stuff. He'd come out and show me that big fist of his when I wasn't bearing down the way he thought I should."[2]
Oakland Athletics
[edit]Fosse was acquired along with Jack Heidemann by the Oakland Athletics from the Indians for Dave Duncan and George Hendrick on March 24, 1973.[16] He played in 143 games that season, the most of his career, on a team with three 20-game-winning pitchers: Ken Holtzman, Vida Blue, and Catfish Hunter.[17] Fosse guided the Athletics pitching staff to the second best team earned run average as well the second most shutouts in the American League as, the Athletics won the AL Western Division pennant by six games over the Kansas City Royals.[18] The Athletics then defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Championship Series.[19][20] Fosse made his mark in the series, throwing out five would-be base stealers.[2] The Athletics went on to win the World Series against the New York Mets.[21]
The Athletics repeated as world champions in 1974, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, but injuries once again plagued Fosse.[2][22] On June 5, he suffered a crushed disc in his neck attempting to break up a locker room fight between teammates Reggie Jackson and Billy North, and spent three months on the disabled list.[2] The Athletics won a fifth consecutive division title in 1975, but by then, Gene Tenace had replaced Fosse as the starting catcher.[2] Fosse did participate in a combined no-hitter in the final game of the season, catching for Paul Lindblad and Rollie Fingers in the final three innings.[23]
Later career
[edit]Fosse returned to the Indians when his contract was sold by the Athletics at the Winter Meetings on December 9, 1975.[24] He again became the starting catcher, only to return to the disabled list after a home-plate collision with Jim Rice.[2] When he returned he was platooned with Alan Ashby.[2] Fosse ended the year with a .301 batting average.[1] On May 30, 1977, he caught Dennis Eckersley's no-hitter versus the California Angels.[25][26] Eckersley acknowledged Fosse's contribution to the no-hitter: "Give Fosse a lot of credit too," he said. "He called a helluva game. I think I only shook him off three times."[2] When Jeff Torborg replaced Frank Robinson as manager of the Indians in June 1977, he again placed Fosse in a platoon role with Fred Kendall. In September, he was traded to the new Seattle Mariners.[2][27]
After finishing the year with the Mariners, he signed a contract to play for the Milwaukee Brewers,[27] but during spring training, he tripped in a hole while running down the first base line and sustained injuries to his right leg.[2] The most serious injury required the reconstruction of a knee ligament, forcing him to miss the entire season.[2] He came back in 1979, but played in only 19 games; in 1980, he was released at the close of spring training.[2]
Career statistics
[edit]In a 12-year MLB career, Fosse played in 924 games, accumulating 758 hits in 2,957 at bats for a .256 career batting average along with 61 home runs, 324 runs batted in, and a .301 on-base percentage.[1] He ended his career with a .986 fielding percentage.[1] Fosse led AL catchers in 1970 with 854 putouts and 48 baserunners caught stealing, and in range factor (7.81).[1] In 1971 he led the league with 73 assists, and in 1973, he led AL catchers in baserunners caught stealing and in caught stealing percentage.[1]
Fosse was a member of two World Series Champion clubs: the 1973 and 1974 A's, and also a member of the inaugural Seattle Mariners team of 1977.[21][22][28] He won Gold Glove Awards in 1970 and 1971.[15] Fosse was named to the 100 Greatest Cleveland Indians in 2001.[29]

Television and radio career
[edit]From 1986 to 2021, Fosse was a color commentator for the Oakland Athletics on NBC Sports California and occasionally on Athletics radio broadcasts when a game was not on local television.[3] In 2004, he was nominated for a Ford C. Frick Award.[30]
Personal life and death
[edit]Fosse married his wife Carol in April 1970.[31] They maintained residences in Oakland, California, and Scottsdale, Arizona.[10]
On August 5, 2021, Fosse revealed that he had been battling cancer for the past 16 years, and needed to step away from his job as an announcer to focus on his treatment.[32] Fosse died of cancer on October 13, 2021, at the age of 74.[33]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Ray Fosse at Baseball Reference". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Wancho, Joseph. "The Baseball Biography Project: Ray Fosse". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved July 13, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Oakland Athletics Broadcasters". mlb.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
- ^ "Athletics Hall of Fame". mlb.com. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
- ^ a b "Ray Fosse at the St. Louis Hall of Fame". stlshof.com. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
- ^ "1965 First Round Draft at mlb.com". mlb.com. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
- ^ a b "Ray Fosse minor league statistics at Baseball Reference". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
- ^ "1970 All-Star Game at Baseball Almanac". Baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ Ron Kroichick (July 10, 1999). "Kroichick, Ron, Bowled Over, 10 July 1999, San Francisco Chronicle; accessed 28 September 2009". Sfgate.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Miller, Scott (July 11, 2013). "Fosse still aching, but not bitter 43 years after All-Star Game collision". CBS Sports. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ Mychael Urban (May 22, 2002). "Where have you gone, Ray Fosse?". The Official Site of the Oakland Athletics. MLB. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
- ^ Kroichick, Ron, Bowled Over, 10 July 1999, San Francisco Chronicle; accessed 28 September 2008
- ^ "Retrosheet Boxscore: Cleveland Indians 7, Detroit Tigers 0".
- ^ "1971 American League Fielding Leaders". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "American League Gold Glove Award Winners". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "A's Land Fosse in a Trade," United Press International (UPI), Saturday, March 24, 1973. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ^ "1973 Oakland Athletics season". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "1973 American League pitching statistics". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "1973 American League standings". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "1973 American League Championship Series". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "1973 World Series". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ a b "1974 World Series". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ Shayna Rubin (August 5, 2021). "Ray Fosse steps back from Oakland Athletics games for cancer treatment". Mercurynews.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ Durso, Joseph. "Veeck Has Funds to Pay White Sox Price Today," The New York Times, Wednesday, December 10, 1975. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ^ "May 30, 1977 Angels-Indians Box Score". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 8, 2021.
- ^ "May 30, 1977 Angels-Indians Box Score at Baseball Almanac". Baseball-almanac.com. May 30, 1977. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ a b "Ray Fosse Trades and Transactions at Baseball Almanac". Baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ "Ray Fosse at Baseball almanac". Baseball-almanac.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ "Top 100 Greatest Indians". mlb.com. 2016. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
- ^ "2004 Hall of Fame Inductions: Frick Award | MLB.com". Mlb.mlb.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
- ^ "Fosse still feels effects from 1970 All-Star Game collision". Associated Press. July 9, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
- ^ Matthew Tom, SFGATE (August 5, 2021). "A's broadcaster Ray Fosse reveals he has cancer, will step away from the booth". Sfgate.com. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
- ^ "Former All-Star, A's broadcaster Fosse dies". MLB.com. October 13, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from MLB · Baseball Reference · Baseball Reference (Minors) · Retrosheet · Baseball Almanac
- Ray Fosse biography at The Society for American Baseball Research
Ray Fosse
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Childhood and high school
Raymond Earl Fosse was born on April 4, 1947, in Marion, Illinois, to parents Wayne and Pauline Fosse.[7] He grew up in a modest family with an older brother, Jerry, and a younger brother, Jim, in the small southern Illinois town known for its coal mining heritage.[7] From a young age, Fosse developed a passion for baseball, often riding his bicycle to Little League games during the summers.[8] He idolized St. Louis Cardinals legend Stan Musial, listening to Cardinals broadcasts on the radio and attending games at Sportsman's Park whenever possible.[8] In third grade, Fosse boldly told his teacher that he aspired to become a professional baseball player, a dream that shaped his early years.[8] Fosse attended Marion High School, where he excelled as a three-sport athlete, lettering in football as a fullback, basketball as a forward, and baseball as a catcher.[7] He began playing infield as a freshman before switching to catcher in his sophomore year, earning Most Valuable Player honors for the baseball team in each of his final three seasons (1963–1965).[7] His standout performances included batting averages of .475 as a sophomore, .535 as a junior, and .465 as a senior, with four home runs in his final year; he led the team to the Illinois Regional Finals that season.[7]College and amateur career
Following his graduation from Marion High School, where he earned MVP honors as a three-sport athlete, Fosse enrolled at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois, in 1965.[6] While pursuing his education, he entered professional baseball directly from high school via the inaugural Major League Baseball amateur draft on June 8, 1965, when the Cleveland Indians selected him seventh overall in the first round.[9] Scouts praised his strong throwing arm and defensive prowess as a catcher, which had been evident in high school showcases and all-star games that elevated his draft stock.[9] Fosse signed with the Indians for a $28,000 bonus and reported immediately to their Double-A affiliate, the Reading Indians of the Eastern League, for his professional debut in 1965.[9] In 55 games as the primary catcher, he batted .219 with solid defensive play, including a low passed-ball rate that highlighted his handling of pitchers.[10] In 1966, Fosse was assigned to the Class A Reno Silver Sox in the California League, where he flourished offensively and defensively.[10] Appearing in 116 games, primarily behind the plate, he hit .304 with 1 home run and 54 RBIs, demonstrating improved plate discipline and power while throwing out 42% of attempted base stealers.[9] Fosse's rapid progression continued in 1967 with the Triple-A Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League, missing the first part of the season while attending Southern Illinois University.[11] In 75 games, he batted .261 with 2 home runs and 28 RBIs, earning praise for his game-calling and arm strength that limited runners to a 35% success rate on stolen base attempts.[9] This positioned him for a late-season call-up to the majors.[9]Professional playing career
Cleveland Indians years
Ray Fosse made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians on September 8, 1967, at age 20, in a 6-3 victory over the Kansas City Athletics at Cleveland Stadium.[7] Batting eighth and catching for starter Sonny Siebert, Fosse went 0-for-3 at the plate, grounding out in his first at-bat, but handled the defensive duties capably behind the plate during Siebert's complete game.[1] His brief appearance that September included just seven games and a .063 batting average over 16 at-bats, signaling the start of a promising career for the first-round draft pick from 1965.[1] After limited action in 1968 and 1969—appearing in 37 games with a .172 average in the latter year—Fosse emerged as the Indians' primary catcher in 1970, starting on Opening Day and solidifying his role through consistent performance.[7] That season, he achieved a career-high .307 batting average with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs over 120 games, earning his first All-Star selection as a reserve behind starting catcher Bill Freehan.[1] His offensive breakout, combined with strong defensive play, positioned him as one of the American League's top backstops early in the year. Fosse's All-Star appearance on July 14, 1970, at Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium became a defining and tragic moment in a 5-4 National League victory that extended to 12 innings.[12] With two outs in the bottom of the 12th and the score tied, Pete Rose, representing the tying run at third base, barreled toward home on Jim Hickman's single; Fosse, positioned to receive the throw, braced for a tag but was leveled by Rose's lowered shoulder, which dislodged Fosse's mitt and sent him somersaulting backward in agony before 51,838 fans.[12] The collision scored the winning run but inflicted a separated right shoulder on Fosse—initially diagnosed as a bruise, later revealed as a fracture—that caused persistent pain and diminished power for the remainder of his career.[7] Defensively, Fosse excelled during his Indians tenure, winning the first of two consecutive American League Gold Glove Awards in 1970 for his superior handling of pitchers and fielding prowess.[1] That year, he led AL catchers with 854 putouts, showcasing arm strength and accuracy that limited base runners effectively. He repeated as a Gold Glove winner and was selected for the All-Star Game in 1971, batting .276 with 12 home runs amid a 133-game campaign, though the shoulder injury's lingering effects began to impact his durability.[1] As the Indians entered a rebuilding phase following the October 1972 trade of ace pitcher Gaylord Perry to the Texas Rangers, they dealt Fosse to the Oakland Athletics on March 24, 1973, along with infielder Jack Heidemann, in exchange for outfielder George Hendrick and catcher Dave Duncan to bolster their lineup and catching depth.[7]Oakland Athletics tenure
Fosse joined the Oakland Athletics via trade from the Cleveland Indians on March 24, 1973, becoming a key component of the "Swingin' A's" dynasty that captured three consecutive World Series titles from 1972 to 1974.[7] In his first season with Oakland, Fosse appeared in a career-high 143 games, batting .256 with 7 home runs and 52 RBIs while providing steady catching duties behind the plate.[1] His defensive excellence stood out, as he led American League catchers with 52 baserunners caught stealing for a 55.9% success rate, earning Gold Glove-caliber recognition despite not winning the award that year.[13] The Athletics advanced to the 1973 World Series against the New York Mets, prevailing in seven games to claim the championship. Fosse started all seven contests, contributing defensively with a pivotal tag on Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson at home plate in Game 2's 10th inning, a controversial call that helped preserve a tie before Oakland's eventual victory in the series.[14] Offensively, he batted .158 (3-for-19) with 1 RBI across the series.[15] The following year, Oakland repeated as champions by defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-1. Fosse appeared in all five games, delivering a crucial solo home run off Don Sutton in the second inning of Game 5 to extend the A's lead in a 3-2 clincher; he finished 2-for-14 overall in the series.[7] Fosse's tenure was marred by injuries, including lingering effects from Pete Rose's infamous collision at the 1970 All-Star Game that contributed to his overall physical decline. On June 5, 1974, during a heated clubhouse altercation between teammates Reggie Jackson and Billy North, Fosse intervened to separate them, resulting in a crushed disc and pinched nerve in his neck that required surgery and sidelined him until August 26.[7] The injury limited him to 69 games in 1974, where he hit .196 with 4 home runs and 23 RBIs, and his caught stealing percentage dropped to 35.2%.[1] By 1975, persistent pain and reduced mobility confined Fosse to 82 games with a .140 average, 0 home runs, and 12 RBIs, as he was increasingly relegated to backup and bullpen roles.[1] The Athletics released him after the season, citing his diminished performance amid ongoing health issues.[7]Later teams and retirement
Fosse returned to the Cleveland Indians prior to the 1976 season when Oakland Athletics owner Charlie Finley sold his contract to the team on December 9, 1975.[9] In 90 games that year, he batted .301 while sharing catching duties with Alan Ashby.[1] The following season, Fosse caught Dennis Eckersley's no-hitter against the California Angels on May 30, 1977, at Cleveland Stadium, a 1-0 victory in which Eckersley struck out 12 batters.[16] On September 9, 1977, the Indians traded Fosse to the Seattle Mariners for pitcher Bill Laxton and cash, marking his brief appearance in the expansion team's inaugural season.[17] He played in 11 games for Seattle, batting .353 in limited action as the third catcher behind the plate.[1] Fosse signed as a free agent with the Milwaukee Brewers on December 31, 1977, but missed the entire 1978 season after suffering knee and hamstring injuries in spring training when he tripped in a hole while running the bases.[9] His cumulative injury history from earlier in his career, including shoulder damage from the 1970 All-Star Game, further limited his mobility and playing time. He appeared in just 19 games for Milwaukee in 1979, batting .231.[1] The Brewers released Fosse during spring training in 1980, effectively ending his playing career after 12 seasons and 924 games, during which he batted .256 with 61 home runs and 324 RBIs.[1] Following retirement, Fosse transitioned into producing instructional baseball videos for TRS Video Sports Productions, collaborating with former teammates to demonstrate techniques, which served as an initial bridge to his later broadcasting work.[9]Career statistics and accomplishments
Playing statistics
Ray Fosse played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1967 to 1979, primarily as a catcher, compiling a career batting average of .256 with 61 home runs and 324 runs batted in over 924 games.[1] His offensive production peaked in 1970 with a .307 average and 18 home runs, but declined in later years due to injuries, including a notable collision during the 1970 All-Star Game that affected his durability.[1] Overall, Fosse's batting contributed to a career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) of 12.8, reflecting solid but not elite production at the plate for a defensively oriented catcher.[1] Defensively, Fosse excelled behind the plate, posting a career fielding percentage of .985 over 7,171.1 innings caught, with 5,616 putouts, 445 assists, and 88 errors.[1] He led the American League in putouts with 854 in 1970 while playing for the Cleveland Indians.[18] In 1971, Fosse topped the AL in assists among catchers with 73.[19] He also paced the league in caught stealing runners with 52 in 1973 during his time with the Oakland Athletics.[20] These defensive contributions underscored his reputation as a reliable handler of pitchers and baserunners, though passed balls occasionally proved a weakness, with a career total of 71.[1] The following table summarizes Fosse's year-by-year batting statistics, highlighting key metrics such as games played (G), at-bats (AB), hits (H), home runs (HR), runs batted in (RBI), and batting average (AVG).[1]| Year | Team | G | AB | H | HR | RBI | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | CLE | 7 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .063 |
| 1968 | CLE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| 1969 | CLE | 37 | 116 | 20 | 2 | 9 | .172 |
| 1970 | CLE | 120 | 450 | 138 | 18 | 61 | .307 |
| 1971 | CLE | 133 | 486 | 134 | 12 | 62 | .276 |
| 1972 | CLE | 134 | 457 | 110 | 10 | 41 | .241 |
| 1973 | OAK | 143 | 492 | 126 | 7 | 52 | .256 |
| 1974 | OAK | 69 | 204 | 40 | 4 | 23 | .196 |
| 1975 | OAK | 82 | 136 | 19 | 0 | 12 | .140 |
| 1976 | CLE | 90 | 276 | 83 | 2 | 30 | .301 |
| 1977 | CLE/SEA | 89 | 272 | 75 | 6 | 32 | .276 |
| 1979 | MIL | 19 | 52 | 12 | 0 | 2 | .231 |
| Career | - | 924 | 2,957 | 758 | 61 | 324 | .256 |
