William Joseph Connors (November 2, 1941 – June 18, 2018) was an American player, coach and front office official in professional baseball. A pitcher born in Schenectady, New York, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 220 pounds (100 kg) in his playing days.
During 1966, a season in which he compiled the fourth-lowest ERA in the Pacific Coast League, Connors was recalled by the Cubs, pitching in 16 innings over 11 games, but he failed to stick with Chicago and was sent back to the PCL for 1967. His contract was purchased by the New York Mets in August of that year, and he spent the remainder of his active career with the Mets (27 innings pitched in 1967–1968) and their farm teams. In his 26 Major Leaguegames, Connors worked in 43 innings and posted an 0–2 won/lost mark and an ERA of 7.53.[3]
Coach and front-office executive
Connors' off-field career began in 1971 as the Mets' batting practice pitcher. He then became a minor league pitching instructor for the Mets (1972–76) and Philadelphia Phillies (1977–79) before embarking on a 17-year career as a pitching coach in Major League Baseball. He served with the Kansas City Royals (1980–81), Cubs (1982–86; 1991–93), Seattle Mariners (1987–88), and three terms with the New York Yankees (1989–90; 1994–95; 2000). His brief term in 2000 came on an interim basis during the medical leave of absence of longtime Yanks' coach Mel Stottlemyre.[4]
From 1996 to 2012, as vice president, player personnel, Connors was a member of the Yankees' front office, holding a senior position in the Bombers' player development system and based in the team's Tampa, Florida, minor league headquarters, working alongside Mark Newman, the club's longtime player development boss, and in close proximity to the team's owners, the George Steinbrenner family.[5] He was reassigned by the Yankees in September 2012.[6]
^"Yankees rainout gives Jeter a rest". 19 September 2012.
^"Yankees' pitching whisperer Billy Connors dead at 76". 20 June 2018.
External links
Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)
billy, connors, comics, character, comics, jazz, musician, bill, connors, william, joseph, connors, november, 1941, june, 2018, american, player, coach, front, office, official, professional, baseball, pitcher, born, schenectady, york, threw, batted, right, ha. For the comics character see Billy Connors comics For the jazz musician see Bill Connors William Joseph Connors November 2 1941 June 18 2018 was an American player coach and front office official in professional baseball A pitcher born in Schenectady New York he threw and batted right handed stood 6 feet 1 8 m tall and weighed 220 pounds 100 kg in his playing days Billy ConnorsConnors in 1980PitcherBorn 1941 11 02 November 2 1941Schenectady New York U S Died June 18 2018 2018 06 18 aged 76 Safety Harbor Florida U S Batted RightThrew RightMLB debutMay 3 1966 for the Chicago CubsLast MLB appearanceAugust 28 1968 for the New York MetsMLB statisticsWin loss record0 2Earned run average7 53Strikeouts24TeamsAs Player Chicago Cubs 1966 New York Mets 1967 1968 As Coach Kansas City Royals 1980 1981 Chicago Cubs 1982 1986 Seattle Mariners 1987 1988 New York Yankees 1989 1990 Chicago Cubs 1991 1993 New York Yankees 1994 1995 Contents 1 Playing career 2 Coach and front office executive 3 References 4 External linksPlaying career EditWhen he was 12 Connors was a member of the Schenectady All Star team that won the 1954 Little League World Series beating the team from Colton California 7 5 1 He graduated from Linton High School in Schenectady in 1959 and attended Syracuse University for two years He signed with the Chicago Cubs as a pitcher infielder in 1961 During a season split between the Class B Northwest League and the Class D Sophomore League Connors batted only 226 with no home runs and 32 runs batted in while hurling 29 innings as a pitcher In 1962 in the Class D Florida State League Connors was converted to pitcher catcher and improved his batting mark to 296 with two homers and 35 RBI He also increased his pitching load to 64 innings and posted a 2 64 earned run average In 1963 back in the Northwest League he became a full time pitcher winning 12 games and notching 138 strike outs 2 During 1966 a season in which he compiled the fourth lowest ERA in the Pacific Coast League Connors was recalled by the Cubs pitching in 16 innings over 11 games but he failed to stick with Chicago and was sent back to the PCL for 1967 His contract was purchased by the New York Mets in August of that year and he spent the remainder of his active career with the Mets 27 innings pitched in 1967 1968 and their farm teams In his 26 Major League games Connors worked in 43 innings and posted an 0 2 won lost mark and an ERA of 7 53 3 Coach and front office executive EditConnors off field career began in 1971 as the Mets batting practice pitcher He then became a minor league pitching instructor for the Mets 1972 76 and Philadelphia Phillies 1977 79 before embarking on a 17 year career as a pitching coach in Major League Baseball He served with the Kansas City Royals 1980 81 Cubs 1982 86 1991 93 Seattle Mariners 1987 88 and three terms with the New York Yankees 1989 90 1994 95 2000 His brief term in 2000 came on an interim basis during the medical leave of absence of longtime Yanks coach Mel Stottlemyre 4 From 1996 to 2012 as vice president player personnel Connors was a member of the Yankees front office holding a senior position in the Bombers player development system and based in the team s Tampa Florida minor league headquarters working alongside Mark Newman the club s longtime player development boss and in close proximity to the team s owners the George Steinbrenner family 5 He was reassigned by the Yankees in September 2012 6 Connors died June 18 2018 7 References Edit Ralbovsky Martin Destiny s Darlings Hawthorne Books Inc 1974 p 23 Chicago Cubs 1985 Organization Book Boston Howe News Bureau 1985 Bill Connors Stats Baseball Reference com Baseball Reference com retrosheet org Baseball America Annual Directory 1997 2008 Yankees rainout gives Jeter a rest 19 September 2012 Yankees pitching whisperer Billy Connors dead at 76 20 June 2018 External links EditCareer statistics and player information from Baseball Reference or Baseball Reference Minors or Retrosheet or Pura Pelota Venezuelan Winter League Preceded byGalen Cisco Kansas City Royals pitching coach1980 1981 Succeeded byCloyd BoyerPreceded byLes MossDick Pole Chicago Cubs pitching coach1982 19861991 1993 Succeeded byHerm StarretteMoe DrabowskyPreceded byPhil Regan Seattle Mariners pitching coach1987 1988 Succeeded byMike PaulPreceded byClyde KingMark ConnorMel Stottlemyre New York Yankees pitching coach1989 19901994 19952000 interim Succeeded byMark ConnorNardi ContrerasMel Stottlemyre Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Billy Connors amp oldid 1116300080, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
