| Position | Catcher |
|---|---|
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | May 30, 1946 |
| Birth place | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Death date | January 20, 2021 (aged 74) |
| Death place | San Andreas, California, U.S. |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | April 13 |
| Debutyear | 1973 |
| Debutteam | San Francisco Giants |
| Finalleague | MLB |
| Finaldate | June 10 |
| Finalyear | 1981 |
| Finalteam | San Francisco Giants |
| Statleague | MLB |
| Stat1label | Batting average |
| Stat1value | .226 |
| Stat2label | Home runs |
| Stat2value | 5 |
| Stat3label | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value | 74 |
| Teams |
|
Michael George Sadek (May 30, 1946 – January 20, 2021) was an American baseball player who was a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1969, he spent his entire major league career with the San Francisco Giants. He was a backup throughout his eight-year major league career, which spanned the years and through . Sadek's nickname was "The Sheik" which was coined by Giants teammate Craig Robinson who, upon seeing the name Mohammed Ahmed Sadek, declared to the catcher, "Hey, you’re a sheik."[1][2] During his time in MLB, he was known as one of the most funny jokesters.[2][3]
In the 1996 film The Fan, Sadek served as Robert De Niro's body double in scenes where DeNiro's character was throwing a baseball.[4]
Sadek died on January 20, 2021, in San Andreas, California, at the age of 74.[2] He was survived by his son, Mike Jr., along with Mike's wife Melanie and their three children, Mike Sr.'s grandchildren. A daughter, Nicole, had died at age 25 in a parachuting accident.[5][6]
References
- ^ '"Giants Trounce Reds," Ukiah Daily Journal (July 15, 1980), p. 23.
- ^ Shea, John (January 21, 2021). "Popular Giants catcher Mike Sadek, known as the 'Sheik,' dies at 74". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived January 21, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- ^ "MLB.TV". MLB.com. 2 Apr 2023. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
- ^ Sadek profile, Internet Movie Database. Accessed June 4, 2016.
- ^ "Mike Sadek, former Giants catcher, dies at 74 after illness". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ "Popular Giants catcher Mike Sadek, known as the 'Sheik,' dies at 74". January 21, 2021. Retrieved 2023-07-10.