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Butch Hobson

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Butch Hobson
Hobson as manager of the Chicago Dogs in 2019
Third baseman / Manager
Born: (1951-08-17) August 17, 1951 (age 73)
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 7, 1975, for the Boston Red Sox
Last MLB appearance
August 3, 1982, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average.248
Home runs98
Runs batted in397
Managerial record207–232
Winning %.472
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Non-MLB stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams
As player

As manager

Clell Lavern "Butch" Hobson Jr. (born August 17, 1951) is an American professional baseball manager and former third baseman.

Hobson played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, California Angels, and New York Yankees, and managed for the Red Sox from 1992 to 1994. Listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) and 193 pounds (88 kg), he batted and threw right-handed. Since retiring as an active player, he has managed several Minor League Baseball teams.

Playing career

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Hobson attended Bessemer City High School then University of Alabama, where he played both college football and college baseball. He was a backup quarterback for the Crimson Tide football team, under Bear Bryant, from 1969 through 1972. Hobson appeared in 11 games for Alabama, all during the 1971 season.

College football statistics[1]
Passing Rushing
YEAR COMP ATT COMP% YDS TD INT RAT ATT YDS AVG TD
1971 2 8 25.0 29 0 1 30.5 25 154 6.2 2

Hobson was a standout player for the Crimson Tide baseball program, leading the team in 1973 with 38 hits, 13 home runs, and 37 RBIs in 36 games, along with being named a First Team All-SEC selection.[2] He was named to Alabama's All-Century baseball team in 1993.[2]

Boston Red Sox

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Selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1973 MLB draft, Hobson made his major league debut in 1975. His most productive season came in 1977, when he set team season records for a third baseman with 30 home runs and 112 RBIs. In 1978, Hobson hit 17 home runs with 80 RBIs. However, he posted 43 errors, the most for any American League player in that season, and his .899 fielding average also was the first below .900 by a regular player in 60 years. Hobson hit 28 home runs with 93 RBIs in 1979, but a year later, an injury to his right elbow landed him on the disabled list for major parts of that season and the next.

In parts of six seasons with the Red Sox, Hobson batted .252 with 94 home runs and 358 RBIs.

California Angels

[edit]
Hobson with the California Angels in 1981

Hobson was traded along with Rick Burleson from the Red Sox to the Angels for Carney Lansford, Rick Miller and Mark Clear on December 10, 1980.[3] During the 1981 season, Hobson played 85 games with the Angels, batting .235 with 4 home runs and 36 RBIs.

New York Yankees

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Hobson was dealt from the Angels to the Yankees for Bill Castro during spring training on March 24, 1982.[4] He finished his major league career in 1982, appearing in 30 games while batting .172 with three RBIs. He played with the Yankees' Triple-A affiliate, the Columbus Clippers, through 1985.

Career totals

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In an eight-year MLB career, Hobson had a .248 batting average with 98 home runs and 397 RBI in 738 games. He holds the MLB record for fewest career home runs by a player with a 30 home run season.[5]

In September 2016, at age 65, Hobson had a single at bat for the Lancaster Barnstormers, an independent baseball league team that he was the manager of, so that he could appear in a professional baseball game with his son K. C. Hobson.[6] He struck out swinging.[7]

Managerial career

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Hobson first managed in the New York Mets farm system, leading the Class A Columbia Mets in 1987 and 1988.[8]

Hobson next managed in Boston's minor league system, leading the Double-A New Britain Red Sox in 1989 and 1990. He then managed the Pawtucket Red Sox for the 1991 season and posted a 79–64 record to lead his team to a first-place finish in the International League,[8] and was named the International League Manager of the Year.[9] After losing the Governors' Cup to the Columbus Clippers, he was hired to manage the parent club in MLB. Hobson managed the Boston Red Sox from 1992 to 1994, posting an overall 207–232 record.[8]

Hobson next managed the Mobile BaySharks in the independent Texas–Louisiana League for the 1995 season.[8]

In May 1996, while managing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons, then a Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, Hobson was arrested for possession of cocaine—he was placed on leave, and subsequently fired in August.[10] His record during his brief stint with the Red Barons was 13–14.[8]

After not managing during the 1997 and 1998 seasons, Hobson returned to managing in 1999, leading the Sarasota Red Sox.[8]

Hobson managed the Nashua Pride for the 2000 through 2007 seasons with a record of 508–456.[8] The team won the Atlantic League Championship in 2000, and the Can-Am League Championship in 2007. On rare occasions when an umpire ejected Hobson from a game for arguing a baserunning decision, Hobson would remove one of the bases and deliver it to a young fan before leaving the stadium.[11] This signature move was one of the meanings of Stolen Bases, a movie the Pride commissioned in 2000.[12] For example, Hobson "stole" first base on July 27, 2007, when a baserunner for the North Shore Spirit was called out at first base, then ruled safe after a protest by the opposing manager.[11] The base was always retrieved, allowing the game to resume.

On November 19, 2007, Hobson was named the first-ever manager of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He won manager of the year for the Atlantic League for the 2008 season,[13] and led the team through the 2010 season.[8]

On October 19, 2010, Hobson was named manager of the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League; he managed the Barnstormers for the 2011 through 2016 seasons, winning the Atlantic League title in 2014.[8]

On January 5, 2017, Hobson was named manager of the Class A Kane County Cougars of the Midwest League; He managed the Cougars during the 2017 season.[8]

On March 19, 2018, Hobson was named the inaugural manager of the Chicago Dogs of the independent American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.[14] He guided the Dogs for six seasons, before departing at the end of the 2023 season.

The 2023 season saw Hobson become the first-ever manager in modern (1993-present) independent baseball to win 1,500 games. He finished the 2023 season with a 1538-1325 (.537) record over 24 seasons in independent baseball, holding records for the most games and wins among Indy ball skippers.

Managerial record

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Major League Baseball

Team Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
BOS 1992 162 73 89 .451 7th in AL East – – – –
BOS 1993 162 80 82 .494 5th in AL East – – – –
BOS 1994 115 54 61 .470 4th in AL East – – – –
Total 439 207 232 .472 0 0 –

Minor League Baseball and Independent Baseball

Team Level Year Regular season Postseason
Games Won Lost Win % Finish Won Lost Win % Result
Columbia A 1987 139 64 75 .460 6th in SAL South – – – –
Columbia A 1988 137 74 63 .494 4th in SAL South – – – –
New Britain AA 1989 136 60 76 .470 8th in EL – – – –
New Britain AA 1990 139 72 67 .518 4th in EL 3 5 .375 Lost Eastern League Finals
Pawtucket AAA 1991 143 79 64 .552 1st in IL North 0 3 .000 Lost Governors' Cup Finals
Mobile Ind. 1995 99 40 59 .404 7th in T-LL – – – –
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre AAA 1996 27 13 14 .481 fired – – – –
Sarasota A+ 1999 139 67 72 .482 6th in FSL – – – –
Nashua Ind. 2000 141 82 58 .586 T-1st in AtL North 5 1 .867 Atlantic League Champions
Nashua Ind. 2001 126 68 58 .540 2nd in AtL North 1 2 .333 Lost Division Finals
Nashua Ind. 2002 126 54 71 .432 3rd in AtL North – – – –
Nashua Ind. 2003 126 71 55 .563 2nd in AtL North 4 4 .500 Lost Atlantic League Finals
Nashua Ind. 2004 126 65 61 .516 T-2nd in AtL North 0 2 .000 Lost Division Finals
Nashua Ind. 2005 140 78 62 .557 1st in AtL North 2 3 .400 Lost Atlantic League Finals
Nashua Ind. 2006 88 40 48 .455 7th in Can-Am – – – –
Nashua Ind. 2007 93 50 43 .538 3rd in Can-Am 6 2 .750 Can-Am League Champions
Southern Maryland Ind. 2008 140 74 66 .529 1st in AtL Liberty – – – –
Southern Maryland Ind. 2009 140 79 61 .564 1st in AtL Liberty 4 5 .444 Lost Atlantic League Finals
Southern Maryland Ind. 2010 139 82 57 .590 2nd in AtL Liberty 1 3 .250 Lost Division Finals
Lancaster Ind. 2011 125 69 56 .552 2nd in AtL Freedom 2 3 .400 Lost Division Finals
Lancaster Ind. 2012 140 88 52 .629 1st in AtL Freedom 5 3 .625 Lost Atlantic League Finals
Lancaster Ind. 2013 139 72 67 .518 3rd in AtL Freedom – – – –
Lancaster Ind. 2014 140 81 59 .579 1st in AtL Freedom 6 2 .750 Atlantic League Champions
Lancaster Ind. 2015 140 75 65 .536 1st in AtL Freedom 1 3 .250 Lost Division Finals
Lancaster Ind. 2016 140 67 73 .479 3rd in AtL Freedom – – – –
Kane County A 2017 137 72 65 .526 3rd in MWL West 0 2 .000 Lost First Round
Chicago Ind. 2018 99 45 54 .455 4th in AA North – – – –
Chicago Ind. 2019 100 59 41 .590 3rd in AA North – – – –
Chicago Ind. 2020 58 26 32 .448 6th in AA – – – –
Chicago Ind. 2021 100 63 37 .630 1st in AA North 2 3 .400 Lost Division Finals
Chicago Ind. 2022 100 54 46 .540 T-1st in AA North 1 2 .333 Lost First Round
Chicago Ind. 2023 100 56 44 .560 T-1st in AA North 5 5 .500 Lost Miles Wolff Cup Finals
Total (Minor League Baseball) 997 501 496 .503 3 8 .273 2 Playoff Appearances
Total (Independent Baseball) 2865 1538 1325 .537 45 43 .511 16 Playoff Appearances

3 League Championships

Total (All Minor Leagues) 3862 2039 1821 .528 48 51 .484 18 Playoff Appearances

3 League Championships

Personal life

[edit]

Following his May 1996 arrest in Rhode Island for cocaine possession, Hobson faced up to three years in jail and a $5,000 fine.[15] He pleaded innocent, and in December 1996 was placed in a diversion program for first-time offenders after acknowledging past use of the drug.[10]

Hobson's son K. C. played baseball for Stockdale High School where the elder Hobson was an assistant baseball coach in 2008 and 2009, helping the Mustangs win two CIF section championships.[16] Later, K. C. was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB draft. He played in Minor League Baseball for Toronto and San Francisco Giants organizations as a first baseman, reaching the Double-A level. He most recently played in 2022 for the independent American Association Chicago Dogs managed by Butch Hobson.[17]

Sources

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  • The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia – Gary Gillette, Peter Gammons, Pete Palmer. Publisher: Sterling Publishing, 2005. Format: Paperback, 1824pp. Language: English. ISBN 1-4027-4771-3

References

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  1. ^ "Butch Hobson Collete Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Blume, Andrew (October 28, 2014). "Butch Hobson". SABR. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  3. ^ "Sox Trade Burleson, Hobson For Lansford, Clear, Miller," The Harvard Crimson (Harvard University), Thursday, December 11, 1980. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "The New York Yankees Wednesday acquired third baseman Butch...," United Press International (UPI), Wednesday, March 24, 1982. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
  5. ^ Spatz, Lyle (2007). TheSABR Baseball List & Record Book – Baseball's Most Fascinating Records and Unusual Statistics. United States: Simon & Schuster. p. 496. ISBN 9781416532453.
  6. ^ "Butch Hobson Activated for Sunday's Game". atlanticleague.com. September 17, 2016. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  7. ^ "Butch Hobson, former Red Sox, bats for Lancaster Barnstormers vs Bridgeport Bluefish". September 18, 2016. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via YouTube.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Butch Hobson Minor & Independent Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  9. ^ "International League Award Winners | Triple-A East". July 6, 2021. Archived from the original on July 6, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  10. ^ a b Baker, Frank (December 19, 1996). "Hobson avoids jail time on cocaine possession charge". North Adams Transcript. North Adams, Massachusetts. AP. p. 20. Retrieved September 21, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b "Pride Manager Butch Hobson Gets Ejected & Throws Tantrum". July 27, 2007. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ Crossley, Drew (August 10, 2011). "Nashua Pride". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  13. ^ "Atlantic League Professional Baseball: Atlantic League Awards". www.atlanticleague.com. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
  14. ^ "Dogs Name Butch Hobson Team Manager". thechicagodogs.com. March 19, 2018. Retrieved September 21, 2019.
  15. ^ "Hobson admits using cocaine". The News Leader. Staunton, Virginia. AP. August 4, 1996. p. 13. Retrieved September 22, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ Ewing, Zach (June 22, 2008). "Hobson lived up to reputation, led Mustangs to title". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved August 23, 2018.
  17. ^ "K.C. Hobson Minor, Winter & Independent League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 21, 2019.

Further reading

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[edit]
Sporting positions
Preceded by Columbia Mets Manager
1987–1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Dave Holt
 New Britain Red Sox Manager
1989–1990 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Pawtucket Red Sox Manager
1991 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons Manager
1996 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Sarasota Red Sox Manager
1999 		Succeeded by
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