Elmer Valo

Elmer William Valo (March 5, 1921 - July 19, 1998) was a Major League Baseball player, coach and scout, making his debut on September 22, 1940. He batted left handed and threw right handed.

Related Topics:
March 5 - 1921 - July 19 - 1998 - Major League Baseball - Coach - Scout - 1940

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Playing in the major leagues for 20 years, Valo was a .282 hitter with 58 home runs and 601 RBI in 1806 games, with most of his time spent as a member of the Philadelphia Athletics (1940-43, 1946-54).

Related Topics:
Home run - RBI - Games - Philadelphia Athletics

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Valo also played with the Kansas City Athletics (1955-56), Philadelphia Phillies (1956, 1961), Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers (1957-58), Cleveland Indians (1959), New York Yankees (1960), Washington Senators (1960) and Minnesota Twins (1961). His last game was on October 1, 1961, with the Phillies.

Related Topics:
Kansas City Athletics - Philadelphia Phillies - Brooklyn & Los Angeles Dodgers - Cleveland Indians - New York Yankees - Minnesota Twins - 1961

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A native of Ribnik, Czechoslovakia, Valo was a hustling player and an aggressive line-drive hitter who hit .300 or better five times, with a high-career .364 in 1955. As a right fielder, he was noted for his fearless manner in challenging fences, and usually crashed through an outfield wall in pursuit of a ball.

Related Topics:
Ribnik, Czechoslovakia - Right fielder

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On May 1, 1949, Valo became the first player in the American League to hit two bases-loaded triples in a game. He added a third bases-loaded triple in the same season, to tie the mark set by Shano Collins in 1918. Years later, the mark of two bases-loaded triples in a game has been matched only by Bill Bruton (NL, 1979) and Duane Kuiper (AL, 1978). He also hit for the cycle in 1950, and belted three home runs in a game a year later, but as Valo's career moved into its final phase, he became an outstanding pinch-hitter. He used his strike zone judgment to post an on base percentage over .400 in eight of the ten seasons (.414 from 1946-55).

Related Topics:
1949 - American League - Triples - Shano Collins - 1918 - Bill Bruton - NL - 1979 - Duane Kuiper - 1978 - Hit for the cycle - 1950 - Pinch-hitter - On base percentage

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In 1960, Valo set a major league pinch-hitting season-records for games, walks and times on base. He also set a major league career-record with 91 walks for a pinch-hitter.

Related Topics:
1960 - Walks - Times on base

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Following his retirement as a player, Valo worked with the Indians' organization as a minor league manager, and served as a scout for the Phillies for 13 years, until the time of his death.

Related Topics:
Minor league - Manager - Scout

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Elmer Valo passed away at Palmerton Hospital in Palmerton, Pennsylvania, at age of 77. He was inducted into the Phillies Wall of Fame, at Veterans Stadium, in 1990.

Related Topics:
Palmerton, Pennsylvania - Veterans Stadium - 1990

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