Jimmie Ronald Schaffer (born April 5, 1936, at Limeport, Pennsylvania) is an American former Major League Baseball catcher with an eight-year career from 1961 to 1968. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds all of the National League and the Chicago White Sox of the American League.[1]
| Jimmie Schaffer | |
|---|---|
| Catcher | |
| Born: (1936-04-05) April 5, 1936 (age 86) Limeport, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 20, 1961, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 11, 1968, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .223 |
| Home runs | 11 |
| Runs batted in | 56 |
| Teams | |
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Schaffer attended Coopersburg High School in Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1954.
He was signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1955 and spent six seasons in the minor leagues before making his major league debut at age 25 on May 20, 1961. In that game, he started at catcher and batted eighth for the Cardinals, and in his first major league at bat, he recorded his first career major league hit, a third-inning single off the Cubs' Dick Ellsworth in a 1-0 loss.[2]
In his major league career, Schaffer played in 304 games with 11 home runs, 56 runs batted in and a .223 batting average.[3]
Schaffer also managed in the Baltimore Orioles' farm system, spent one season (1978) as the bullpen coach of the Texas Rangers, and played a similar role for the Kansas City Royals from 1980 to 1988, serving on the Royals' 1980 AL champion and 1985 world champion coaching staffs.
After retiring from coaching professional baseball in 1989, Schaffer returned to live in his hometown of Limeport, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Jeanne have five adult children and a 12-year-old grandson.[4]
Kansas City Royals 1985 World Series champions | |
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