Champ Summers
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Champ Summers | |
|---|---|
 Summers in 1983 | |
| Outfielder / Designated hitter | |
| Born: June 15, 1946 Bremerton, Washington, U.S. | |
| Died: October 11, 2012 (aged 66) Ocala, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 4, 1974, for the Oakland Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 1984, for the San Diego Padres | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .255 |
| Home runs | 54 |
| Runs batted in | 218 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
As player
As coach | |
John Junior "Champ" Summers (June 15, 1946 – October 11, 2012) was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and first baseman for six teams during his eleven-year career that spanned from 1974 to 1984. Summers played with the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres.
Summers, who was born in Bremerton, Washington, served in the United States Army in the Vietnam War and was a recipient of the Purple Heart, did not play his first Major League Baseball game until he was 28 years old. He was signed by the Oakland Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1971, after being discovered in a men's softball league following his service in Vietnam.
Summers came from a family of athletes, with a father who was a prizefighter in the United States Navy and a mother who was a pro bowler. Summers received his nickname "Champ" from his father: "Dad took one look at me when I was born and said, 'He looks like he's just gone 10 rounds with Joe Louis.'"[1]
Summers played two years of basketball and one of baseball at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville before leaving for his professional baseball career. He is a member of SIUE's Athletics Hall of Fame.[2]
