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Gates Brown

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Baseball Player

The Resume

    (May 2, 1939-September 27, 2013)
    Born in Crestline, Ohio
    Birth name was William James Brown
    Outfielder/first baseman/pinch hitter/designated hitter for the Detroit Tigers (1963-75)
    .257 batting average
    84 home runs
    322 RBIs
    Holds AL records for most pinch hits (107) and most pinch-hit home runs (16)
    Hitting coach for the Tigers (1978-84)

Why he might be annoying:

    Reminiscing about high school, he said, 'I took a little English, a little math, some science, a few hubcaps and some wheel covers.'
    He served two years in prison for armed robbery (1958-59).
    He had mediocre fielding skills, which kept him out of the everyday lineup for most of his career.
    The Tigers tried to trade him after his weight passed 220 pounds and kept him only because no other team made an offer (1968).
    During one game (August 7, 1968), he snuck out of the dugout, bought two hot dogs and was preparing to eat them, when he was called on to pinch hit much earlier than usual. He hid the dogs in his jersey, got a hit, had to slide head first into second, and came up covered in mustard and ketchup.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He had a reputation as a clutch hitter.
    Denny McLain said, 'He loved to be the guy who could make a difference in a ballgame.'
    He hit the game-winning RBIs in both games of a doubleheader (August 11, 1968).
    Several members of the 1984 World Series Champion Tigers credited their success at the plate to Gates's tutoring, such as Lou Whitaker, who said Gates gave him his power swing.
    Asked by the coach why he was eating on the bench, he replied, 'I was hungry. Besides, where else can you eat a hot dog and have the best seat in the house?'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 44.44% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 11 Votes: 27.27% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 83 Votes: 55.42% Annoying