William Alfred Hands, Jr. (May 6, 1940 – March 9, 2017) was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1965 to 1975. His best season came in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs, when he won 20 games.
Hands, whose nickname was "Froggy," signed as an amateur free agent with the San Francisco Giants in 1959, made his major league debut with them in 1965, pitching in four games that season. After the 1965 season, Hands was traded to the Chicago Cubs with catcher Randy Hundley for outfielder Don Landrum and reliever Lindy McDaniel,[4] a trade regarded at the time as a success for the Giants,[5] and which went on to be viewed as one of the best in Cubs history.[6]
In 1966 with the Chicago Cubs, he started 26 games and relieved 15, going 8-13 with a 4.58 ERA. By 1968, at age 28, he went 16-10 with a 2.89 ERA, followed up in 1969 by his best season, as he went 20-14 with a 2.49 ERA. He threw 18 complete games and pitched 300 innings, while pitching in a rotation along with Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins.[3]
Of Hands, Ferguson Jenkins said, "Hands was an 'even-tempered guy' with a good sinking fastball and sharp slider who did his job and never complained about being underappreciated on a team full of stars."[6]
He finished his career with a record of 111-110 and an ERA of 3.35.[4]
After retiring from baseball, Hands was a salesman for an oil company on Long Island. He later opened up a service station, the Orient Service Center, in Orient, New York, where he lived for many years with his wife Sandy; his son (Bill) and grandchildren also lived in Orient.[8]
^Durso, Joseph. "Cubs Crush Mets, 9–3; Hands Is Winner", The New York Times, April 27, 1969. Accessed March 6, 2011. "Last season he beat the Mets four straight times without a loss, and allowed them about half a run a game. No other graduate, of Rutherford High School has harassed them more."
^ abIseman, Chris (March 10, 2017). "Bill Hands, Rutherford native, former MLB pitcher, dies". northjersey.com. North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
^ ab"Bill Hands Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
^Bergman, Ron (August 23, 1966). "'Giants' Best Trade Was Lindy McDaniel'". newspapers.com. The Napa Valley Register. p. 8. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
^ abSullivan, Paul (March 10, 2017). "Ex-Cub Bill Hands, 20-game winner in 1969, dies at 76". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
^Manas, Steve. "Show Of Hands Dominates Baseball Camp", Daily Record, July 9, 1975. Accessed April 22, 2021, via Newspapers.com. "That means Bill Hands, as he had done so often during the past 17 years, must once again leave his family and go on the road. The Rangers' 35-year-old righthander, born in Rutherford and a resident of Parsippany since 1965, paid a visit to the Jack Mott-Fred Leeney Baseball Camp at Smith Field yesterday and spoke to more than 130 boys, aged 7-15, and 22 instructors, former high school players, college players and coaches, about what else? baseball."
^After retiring from baseball, Hands was a salesman for an oil company on Long Island. He later opened up a service station in Orient, N.Y.
^"Orient resident, MLB 20-game winner Bill Hands dies at 76 - Suffolk Times - Suffolk Times". suffolktimes.timesreview.com.
External links
Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
January 31, 2023
bill, hands, william, alfred, hands, 1940, march, 2017, american, professional, baseball, player, pitched, major, leagues, from, 1965, 1975, best, season, came, 1969, with, chicago, cubs, when, games, hands, 1969pitcherborn, 1940, 1940hackensack, jersey, died,. William Alfred Hands Jr May 6 1940 March 9 2017 was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1965 to 1975 His best season came in 1969 with the Chicago Cubs when he won 20 games Bill HandsHands in 1969PitcherBorn 1940 05 06 May 6 1940Hackensack New Jersey U S Died March 9 2017 2017 03 09 aged 76 Orlando Florida U S Batted RightThrew RightMLB debutJune 3 1965 for the San Francisco GiantsLast MLB appearanceAugust 10 1975 for the Texas RangersMLB statisticsWin loss record111 110Earned run average3 35Strikeouts1 128TeamsSan Francisco Giants 1965 Chicago Cubs 1966 1972 Minnesota Twins 1973 1974 Texas Rangers 1974 1975 Contents 1 Early life 2 Major Leagues 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External linksEarly life EditA native of Rutherford New Jersey 1 Bill Hands played baseball at Rutherford High School 2 Hands pitched at Fairleigh Dickinson University and Ohio Wesleyan University before signing with the San Francisco Giants He was later inducted into the Rutherford Hall of Fame 3 Major Leagues EditHands whose nickname was Froggy signed as an amateur free agent with the San Francisco Giants in 1959 made his major league debut with them in 1965 pitching in four games that season After the 1965 season Hands was traded to the Chicago Cubs with catcher Randy Hundley for outfielder Don Landrum and reliever Lindy McDaniel 4 a trade regarded at the time as a success for the Giants 5 and which went on to be viewed as one of the best in Cubs history 6 In 1966 with the Chicago Cubs he started 26 games and relieved 15 going 8 13 with a 4 58 ERA By 1968 at age 28 he went 16 10 with a 2 89 ERA followed up in 1969 by his best season as he went 20 14 with a 2 49 ERA He threw 18 complete games and pitched 300 innings while pitching in a rotation along with Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins 3 The right hander spent seven seasons with the Cubs two with the Minnesota Twins and two with the Texas Rangers Of Hands Ferguson Jenkins said Hands was an even tempered guy with a good sinking fastball and sharp slider who did his job and never complained about being underappreciated on a team full of stars 6 He finished his career with a record of 111 110 and an ERA of 3 35 4 Personal life EditDuring his professional career he had been a resident of Parsippany Troy Hills New Jersey 7 After retiring from baseball Hands was a salesman for an oil company on Long Island He later opened up a service station the Orient Service Center in Orient New York where he lived for many years with his wife Sandy his son Bill and grandchildren also lived in Orient 8 Hands died in Florida on March 9 2017 9 References Edit Adamek Steve Where are they now Rutherford s Bill Hands Archived July 14 2011 at the Wayback Machine The Record Bergen County May 31 2010 Accessed March 6 2011 Durso Joseph Cubs Crush Mets 9 3 Hands Is Winner The New York Times April 27 1969 Accessed March 6 2011 Last season he beat the Mets four straight times without a loss and allowed them about half a run a game No other graduate of Rutherford High School has harassed them more a b Iseman Chris March 10 2017 Bill Hands Rutherford native former MLB pitcher dies northjersey com North Jersey Media Group Retrieved October 4 2020 a b Bill Hands Stats Baseball Reference com Retrieved October 4 2020 Bergman Ron August 23 1966 Giants Best Trade Was Lindy McDaniel newspapers com The Napa Valley Register p 8 Retrieved October 4 2020 a b Sullivan Paul March 10 2017 Ex Cub Bill Hands 20 game winner in 1969 dies at 76 chicagotribune com Chicago Tribune Retrieved October 4 2020 Manas Steve Show Of Hands Dominates Baseball Camp Daily Record July 9 1975 Accessed April 22 2021 via Newspapers com That means Bill Hands as he had done so often during the past 17 years must once again leave his family and go on the road The Rangers 35 year old righthander born in Rutherford and a resident of Parsippany since 1965 paid a visit to the Jack Mott Fred Leeney Baseball Camp at Smith Field yesterday and spoke to more than 130 boys aged 7 15 and 22 instructors former high school players college players and coaches about what else baseball After retiring from baseball Hands was a salesman for an oil company on Long Island He later opened up a service station in Orient N Y Orient resident MLB 20 game winner Bill Hands dies at 76 Suffolk Times Suffolk Times suffolktimes timesreview com External links EditCareer statistics and player information from MLB or Baseball Reference or Fangraphs or Baseball Reference Minors Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bill Hands amp oldid 1133943180, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
