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Gene Clines

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Gene Clines
Clines in 1972
Outfielder
Born: (1946-10-06)October 6, 1946
San Pablo, California, U.S.
Died: January 27, 2022(2022-01-27) (aged 75)
Bradenton, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
June 28, 1970, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
May 8, 1979, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Batting average.277
Home runs5
Runs batted in187
Teams
As player
As coach
Career highlights and awards

Eugene Anthony Clines (October 6, 1946 – January 27, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1970 to 1979, most prominently as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won four National League Eastern Division titles in five seasons between 1970 and 1974, and won the World Series in 1971. He also played for the New York Mets, Texas Rangers, and Chicago Cubs. He batted and threw right-handed.

After his playing career, Clines served as a coach for various clubs, including the Cubs, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Milwaukee Brewers, and San Francisco Giants, and an advisor with the Los Angeles Dodgers later in his career.

Playing career

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Clines attended Harry Ells High School in Richmond, California.[1] The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Clines in the sixth round of the 1966 MLB draft.[2]

A fast runner with excellent defensive skills, Clines debuted in 1970 with the Pirates as a reserve outfielder, hitting .405 (15-for-37) in 31 games in his rookie year. On September 1, 1971, Clines played in MLB's first-ever all-minority batting lineup.[3]

Clines went to the postseason with Pittsburgh in the 1971, 1972, and 1974 National League Championship Series, winning a World Series ring with the Pirates in 1971. His most productive season came in 1972, when he posted career-highs in average (.334), doubles (15), and triples (6) in 107 games.[2]

Clines was traded from the Pirates to the New York Mets for Duffy Dyer on October 22, 1974.[4] After the 1975 season, the Mets traded him to the Texas Rangers for Joe Lovitto.[5] Before the 1977 season, the Rangers sent Clines to the Chicago Cubs as the player to be named later in the earlier trade for Darold Knowles.[6] The Cubs released Clines in May 1979.[7] He batted .277 in 10 MLB seasons.[8]

Coaching career

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Clines remained with the Cubs as a coach.[9] He stayed on Chicago's coaching staff until 1981, and then joined the Houston Astros organization as a roving minor league hitting instructor, a position he held through 1987. Later, he worked as a hitting coach for Houston in 1988. The Seattle Mariners hired Clines as their hitting coach before the 1989 season.[10] He spent four seasons as a hitting coach for the Mariners, and was fired after the 1992 season.[11] He was the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers in 1993 and 1994[12] before joining the San Francisco Giants as a minor league hitting coordinator. After the 1996 season, the Giants promoted him to be their major league hitting coach.[13]

After the 2002 season, Giants' manager Dusty Baker was hired to manage the Cubs. Baker brought Clines to Chicago with him as his first base coach.[14] He was named hitting coach prior to the 2005 season.[15] Baker was fired after the 2006 season, and his coaching staff was dismissed with him.[16]

The Los Angeles Dodgers hired Clines as their roving outfield and base-running instructor in October 2006; he convinced Juan Pierre to sign with the Dodgers the next month.[17] After the 2011 season, he was promoted to the position of senior advisor for player development with the Dodgers.[18]

Personal life

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Clines had three children by his ex-wife, Fay,[19] and two children with his wife of 27 years, Joanne. Clines died at his residence in Bradenton, Florida, on January 27, 2022, at the age of 75.[20][21]

References

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  1. ^ Ben Enos (September 6, 2007). "Harry Ells High stood for unity, excellence – East Bay Times". Eastbaytimes.com. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Gene Clines, part of Pirates' 1971 World Series winner and MLB's first all-minority lineup, dies at 75". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  3. ^ "The day the Pirates fielded the first all-Black and Latino lineup". MLB.com.
  4. ^ "Mets Get Clines in Dyer Trade". The New York Times. October 23, 1974. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  5. ^ Durso, Joseph (December 13, 1975). "Mets Trade Staub to Tigers for Lolich". The New York Times. p. 33. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  6. ^ "Baseball trading open again". Newspapers.com. February 15, 1977. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Cubs Release Gene Clines". Newspapers.com. May 11, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  8. ^ "Gene Cline, World Series Winner With Pirates, Dies at 75".
  9. ^ "8 Jul 1979, 33 - The Berkeley Gazette at". Newspapers.com. July 8, 1979. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  10. ^ "24 Dec 1988, 27 - Longview Daily News at". Newspapers.com. December 24, 1988. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  11. ^ "14 Oct 1992, Page 10 - Longview News-Journal at". Newspapers.com. October 14, 1992. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  12. ^ "28 Sep 1994, 15 - The Reporter at". Newspapers.com. September 28, 1994. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  13. ^ "8 Oct 1996, Page 22 - The Times at". Newspapers.com. October 8, 1996. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  14. ^ "27 Nov 2002, 66 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram at". Newspapers.com. November 27, 2002. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  15. ^ "Cubs wave goodbye to Kim – Chicago Tribune". Chicagotribune.com. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  16. ^ "10 Oct 2006, Page 4-4 - Chicago Tribune at". Newspapers.com. October 10, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  17. ^ "Pierre, Dodgers make deal official". Los Angeles Times. November 23, 2006.
  18. ^ "23 Dec 2011, Z8 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram at". Newspapers.com. December 23, 2011. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  19. ^ "21 Oct 2002, 2 - The York Dispatch at". Newspapers.com. October 21, 2002. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  20. ^ "Gene Clines, part of 1st MLB all-minority lineup, dies at 75". Associated Press. January 27, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  21. ^ Mackey, Jason (January 27, 2022). "Gene Clines, part of Pirates' 1971 World Series winner and MLB's first all-minority lineup, dies at 75". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Houston Astros hitting coach
1988 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Seattle Mariners hitting coach
1989–1992 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach
1993–1994 		Succeeded by
Preceded by San Francisco Giants hitting coach
1997–2002 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chicago Cubs first base coach
2003–2004 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chicago Cubs hitting coach
2005–2006 		Succeeded by
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