Frank Malzone, American baseball player, Died at 85

  Sports

Frank James Malzone was born on February 28, 1930 and died on December 29, 2015.

He was an American baseball player.

He was a former Major League Baseball third baseman and right-handed slugger.

He played for the Boston Red Sox from 1955 to 65 and for the California Angels in 1966.

Malzone had 11 seasons with Boston.

Frank has batted .276 with 131 home runs and 716 runs batted in a total of 1359 games.

He ended up a free agent at the end of 1965, he ended up with the Angels playing 82 games in 1966.

Frank Malzone debut for Boston in 1955, going 6-for-10 in a doubleheader against Baltimore.

In his first full season with the Red Sox in 1957, he did very well with a season high 103 RBI and tied an American League record for a third baseman with 10 assists in a game.

Frank became the first player to lead the league at his position in games played, putouts, errors, assists, double plays and fielding percentage.

Frank Malzone the season with 627 at-bats and hit a career-high .295 in 1958.

During 1961, Frank tied a record by leading AL third basemen in double plays five straight seasons.

Frank enjoyed his best season in 1962, batting .283 with 21 home runs and 95 RBI.

Malzone was a resident of Needham, Massachusetts.

Frank Malzone was an All-Star eight times (1957,1958,1959,1960,1963 to 64.

The MLB had All-Star games twice a season from 1959–1962) and won three straight Gold Glove Awards (1957–59); including the first Gold Glove for a third basemen in MLB history.

Malzone was the last American League third baseman to win a Gold Glove prior to Brooks Robinson’s 16-year run.

In his career Malzone compiled a record of .274 BA, 133 home runs, 728 RBI, 647 runs, 239 doubles, 21 triples, and 14 stolen bases in 1441 games.

After 35 years as a Boston scout, Malzone served as a player development consultant for the Red Sox.

He was inducted to the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame inaugural class in 1995.

Frank James Malzone passed away at 85 yrs old.