Billy Hitchcock Dies At Age 89
4/10/06 – Billy Hitchcock, a former Montreal Expos
scout who spent over 40 years in professional
baseball in various capacities, died on Sunday at
the age of 89.
Hitchcock led Auburn University to its first football
bowl game and served as the shortstop and
captain on the school’s baseball team that won its
first Southeastern Conference title in 1937. He was
signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free
agent two years later and made his major league
debut with the Detroit Tigers in 1942.
He compiled a .243 lifetime average with five home runs and 257 RBI over a
nine-year career that also included stints with the Senators, Browns Red Sox
and Athletics. He concluded his career with a second stop in Detroit in 1953.
Hitchcock managed one game for the Tigers in 1960 and was the Baltimore
Orioles skipper in 1962 and 1963. He took over as the Atlanta Braves pilot in
1966 and managed them through the conclusion of the 1967 season. Hitchcock
had a lifetime managerial record of 274-261.
A lieutenant in the Army reserves during World War II, Hitchcock earned the
Bronze Star for service in the Pacific as well as three battle stars.
He retired from baseball in 1967 but reappeared two years later when John
McHale left Atlanta to take over as president of the expansion Expos. McHale
hired Hitchcock as a special assignment scout and director of minor league
instruction. He left the Expos in 1970 to serve as president of the Southern
League, a position he would hold until retiring in 1980.
(JM)
scout who spent over 40 years in professional
baseball in various capacities, died on Sunday at
the age of 89.
Hitchcock led Auburn University to its first football
bowl game and served as the shortstop and
captain on the school’s baseball team that won its
first Southeastern Conference title in 1937. He was
signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free
agent two years later and made his major league
debut with the Detroit Tigers in 1942.
He compiled a .243 lifetime average with five home runs and 257 RBI over a
nine-year career that also included stints with the Senators, Browns Red Sox
and Athletics. He concluded his career with a second stop in Detroit in 1953.
Hitchcock managed one game for the Tigers in 1960 and was the Baltimore
Orioles skipper in 1962 and 1963. He took over as the Atlanta Braves pilot in
1966 and managed them through the conclusion of the 1967 season. Hitchcock
had a lifetime managerial record of 274-261.
A lieutenant in the Army reserves during World War II, Hitchcock earned the
Bronze Star for service in the Pacific as well as three battle stars.
He retired from baseball in 1967 but reappeared two years later when John
McHale left Atlanta to take over as president of the expansion Expos. McHale
hired Hitchcock as a special assignment scout and director of minor league
instruction. He left the Expos in 1970 to serve as president of the Southern
League, a position he would hold until retiring in 1980.
(JM)
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