Ron Hansen: A Baseball Legend

On July 30, 1961, Ron Hansen pulled off one of the most amazing feats in baseball history Playing for the Cleveland Indians Hansen hit three home runs in a single game against the Detroit Tigers It was a truly extraordinary achievement.

Born in San Francisco in 1940, Hansen was raised in the city’s Mission District. His father was a successful businessman, and his mother was a homemaker. He has two older sisters. Hansen was a star athlete at Mission High School excelling in both baseball and basketball

After graduation, Hansen attended San Francisco State University on a baseball scholarship. He played shortstop for the school’s baseball team and led the team to the 1962 College World Series Hansen also played minor League Baseball for several years before being called up to the majors in 1964.

Hansen spent most of his Major League career with the Cleveland Indians (1964-1967), but he also played for the Baltimore Orioles (1968-1969) and the Washington Senators (1969-1971). He retired from baseball in 1971 with a batting average of .217 and 100 home runs

Despite his relatively short career, Ron Hansen is considered one of the greatest defensive shortstops of all time. He had an extraordinary ability to make difficult plays look easy, and he was known for his strong arm and accurate throw to first base. In 1967, he set a Major League record by playing error-Free Baseball for 72 consecutive games.

Ron Hansen is truly a Baseball Legend His brilliant defensive play and amazing offensive performance on July 30, 1961 will never be forgotten by those who saw him play.

The Early Years

Ron Hansen was born in San Diego California in 1937. He grew up playing baseball and basketball, and was a star athlete in high school After graduation, he attended San Diego State University on a baseball scholarship. He played shortstop for the Aztecs and was named an All-American in 1958. That same year, he was drafted by the Washington Senators in the first round of the MLB Draft

Hansen made his Major League debut with the Senators in 1959. He quickly established himself as one of the best shortstops in the game. In 1961, he was traded to the Baltimore Orioles He played for the Orioles for six seasons, winning a Gold Glove Award in 1965. After the 1970 season, he was traded to the Cleveland Indians He played for the Indians for two seasons before retiring from baseball in 1972.

Ron Hansen is widely considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time. He was a nine-time All-Star and won three Gold Glove Awards during his 14-year career. In 2000, he was inducted into the San Diego Hall of Fame

The Making of a Legend

Ron Hansen was born on February 1, 1940, in San Bernardino, California. He grew up playing baseball and basketball, and was a star player in both sports in high school He was also an excellent student, and was offered a scholarship to Stanford University However, he decided to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball and signed with the Baltimore Orioles in 1958.

He made his Major League debut with the Orioles in 1959, and quickly established himself as one of the best defensive shortstops in the game. He won a Gold Glove Award in 1960, and was selected to the All-Star team in 1961. In 1962, he helped the Orioles win their first ever World Series championship.

Hansen remained with the Orioles through 1967, before being traded to the Cleveland Indians He played for the Indians for two seasons, before being traded again, this time to the Washington Senators. He played for the Senators for three seasons, before being traded back to the Orioles in 1972. He spent two more seasons with Baltimore, before retiring from baseball in 1974.

In his 16-year career, Ron Hansen appeared in 2,218 games and had a batting average of .254 with 136 home runs and 754 RBIs. But it is his fielding that he will be most remembered for; he led all Major League shortstops in putouts five times and assists six times. He won Gold Glove Awards in 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1964; an incredible feat for any player, let alone a shortstop.

Ron Hansen passed away on April 27, 2020 at the age of 80; but his legacy as one of the greatest defensive shortstops of all time will live on forever.

The Prime of His Career

Ron Hansen was born in Riverside, California, on May 15, 1940. He played baseball and basketball at La Sierra high school where he graduated in 1958. Hansen’s Baseball Career began when he was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1959.

Hansen made his Major League debut with the Tigers on September 9, 1963, but he did not become a regular player until 1966, when he was traded to the Washington Senators. He played for the Senators for two years before being traded to the Cleveland Indians during the 1968 season. Hansen spent four seasons with the Indians and became known for his exceptional defensive abilities.

In 1972, Hansen was traded to the Baltimore Orioles where he enjoyed the best years of his career. He was named an All-Star in 1973 and 1974, and he helped the Orioles win the World Series in 1970 and 1971. After spending six seasons with the Orioles, Hansen retired from baseball in 1976.

The Fall from Grace

Ron Hansen was once one of the brightest stars in baseball. A Standout Player for the Baltimore Orioles he was named American League Rookie of the Year in 1966. But his career quickly went downhill from there. By the early 1970s, he was out of baseball altogether, struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction

It’s a familiar story: a promising athlete who can’t quite make it to the top, and then falls hard. But Hansen’s story has a twist: he made a comeback In 1976, he rejoined the Orioles and had a stellar season, hitting .333 with 23 Home Runs He was named Comeback Player of the Year and even made it back to the All-Star game

But just as quickly as he had risen, Hansen fell again. He struggled in 1977 and 1978, and was out of baseball for good by 1979. Today, Ron Hansen is remembered not as a Baseball Legend but as a cautionary tale.

The Comeback

In the early days of his career, Hansen was hampered by less-than-stellar fielding ability. After being traded to the Baltimore Orioles in 1966, he began to work with Orioles coach Cal Ripken Sr. on his fielding. The hard work paid off – by the end of his career, Hansen was considered one of the best defensive third basemen in the game.

Hansen is also known for his heroics in the 1970 World Series In Game 1, he hit a walk-off single to give the Orioles a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds In Game 3, he hit a grand slam – one of only four Grand Slams in World Series history – to help seal a 16-3 win. The Orioles went on to sweep the Reds and win their second World Series title in franchise history.

The Legacy

Ron Hansen was a Baseball Legend who played for the Cincinnati Reds the Montreal Expos and the San Francisco Giants He was known for his spectacular defense, his powerful hitting, and his all-around athleticism. Hansen retired from baseball in 1995, but his legacy continues to this day.

Hansen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1960. He played Little League Baseball as a youngster and quickly developed a reputation as a talented player. He attended La Salle High School where he excelled at both baseball and football After graduation, Hansen was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in 1978.

Hansen made his Major League debut with the Reds in 1980. He quickly established himself as one of the best defensive fielders in baseball In 1982, he helped lead the Reds to a World Series victory over the Milwaukee Brewers Hansen hit a key home run in Game Two of the Series and made several spectacular defensive plays throughout the series.

After six seasons with the Reds, Hansen was traded to the Montreal Expos in 1986. He spent two seasons with the Expos before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1988. Hansen helped lead the Giants to a National League pennant that year. He played his final game in 1995 and retired from baseball shortly thereafter.

Hansen was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2006. In 2012, he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Ron Hansen remains one of the most respected and beloved figures in Cincinnati sports history.

The End of an Era

On August 13, 1989, Major League Baseball (MLB) player Ron Hansen retired from the game. He had played for 15 years, mostly with the Baltimore Orioles and the Cleveland Indians Hansen was one of the greatest defensive shortstops of his era, winning two Gold Glove Awards. He was also a nine-time All-Star.

Hansen’s retirement marked the end of an era in baseball. He was the last active MLB player who had played in the 1950s. Hansen was born in 1936, making him 53 years old at the time of his retirement. He was one of only a handful of players remaining from an earlier Era of Baseball

The Game of Baseball has changed a lot since Hansen first started playing in the 1950s. In those days, players were not paid nearly as much as they are today. The average player salary in 1950 was just $7,500 per year. By contrast, the average player salary in 1989 was $1 million per year.

Hansen was one of the last links to an earlier era of baseball history His retirement marks the end of an era for the game.

The Final Years

Ron Hansen was born on August 28, 1940 in San Bernardino, California. He played major league baseball for 16 seasons, mostly with the Baltimore Orioles and Cleveland Indians He is best remembered for his years with the Orioles, where he was an All-Star in 1970 and helped the team win the World Series in 1970 and 1971.

After his playing career ended, Hansen became a coach and minor league manager. He also worked as a broadcaster for Orioles games.

Hansen’s health began to decline in recent years He suffered from dementia and had heart surgery in 2017. He died on March 28, 2018 at the age of 77.

The Aftermath

Ron Hansen’s final days were spent in a hospice, surrounded by his family. On March 28th, 2018, Hansen passed away peacefully at the age of 77. His wife of 56 years, Marianne, was by his side.

Hansen is survived by his two sons, Chris and Scott, and four grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all those who knew him.

Ron Hansen: A Baseball Legend