Richie Ashburn
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Don Richard Ashburn (March 19, 1927 - September 9, 1997) was an American player in Major League Baseball player, born in Tilden, Nebraska. From his youth on a farm, he grew up to become a professional baseball outfielder and veteran broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies, and one of the most beloved sports figures in Philadelphia history.
Ashburn spent 12 of his 15 major league seasons as the Phillies' center fielder (from 1948 through 1959), during which he led the National League twice in batting average and routinely led the league in fielding percentage. Upon his retirement from playing in 1962, he became a radio/TV announcer for the Phillies, where he was paired for 27 seasons with legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas. Ashburn also regularly wrote for the Philadelphia Bulletin and, later, the Philadelphia Daily News.
During an August 17, 1957 game, Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands and struck spectator Alice Roth, wife of Philadelphia Bulletin sports editor Earl Roth, breaking her nose. After play was resumed, Ashburn hit a ball which struck Roth again while she was being carried away in a stretcher.
In 1995 Ashburn was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Hall's Veterans Committee, and was inducted with Phillies great Mike Schmidt. Over 25,000 fans, mostly from Philadelphia, traveled to Cooperstown for the ceremony.
Richie Ashburn died unexpectedly of a heart attack in New York City. A large crowd of fans paid tribute to him, passing by his coffin in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park. He is interred in the Gladwyne Methodist Church Cemetery, Gladwyne, Pennsylvania.
External links
- Richie Ashburn at:
- Baseball Hall of Fame (http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/ashburn_richie.htm)
- Baseball Library (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/A/Ashburn_Richie.stm)
- Baseball Reference (http://www.baseball-reference.com/a/ashburi01.shtml)
Categories: Baseball Hall of Fame | 1948 National League All-Stars | 1951 National League All-Stars | 1953 National League All-Stars | 1958 National League All-Stars | 1962 National League All-Stars | Chicago Cubs players | New York Mets players | Philadelphia Phillies players | Major league center fielders | 1927 births | 1997 deaths | People from Nebraska