# Ron Samford > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ron_Samford > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ron_Samford.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Samford > Source revision: 1266283523 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American baseball player (1930–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2021}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Ron Samford |image=Ron Samford - Washington Senators - 1959.jpg |caption=Samford in 1959 |position=[Shortstop](/source/Shortstop) |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date|1930|2|28|}} |birth_place=[Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas%2C_Texas), U.S. |death_date={{Death date and age|2021|1|14|1930|11|20}} |death_place=Dallas, Texas, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 15 |debutyear=1954 |debutteam=New York Giants |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 23 |finalyear=1959 |finalteam=Washington Senators |statleague = MLB |stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)) |stat1value=.219 |stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s |stat2value=5 |stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/Run_batted_in) |stat3value=27 |teams= *[New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants_(NL)) ({{mlby|1954}}) *[Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) ({{mlby|1955}}, {{mlby|1957}}) *[Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)) ({{mlby|1959}}) }} '''Ronald Edward Samford''' (February 28, 1930 – January 14, 2021) was an American [shortstop](/source/shortstop) in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) who played from {{Baseball year|1954}} to {{Baseball year|1959}} with the [New York Giants](/source/New_York_Giants_(NL)), [Detroit Tigers](/source/Detroit_Tigers) and [Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)).{{cite web |title=Ron Samford |publisher=Major League Baseball |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=121647&c_id=sf |access-date=2011-06-07}} ==Biography== Samford was born in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas%2C_Texas). Originally signed by the Giants in 1948, he made his major league debut on April 15, 1954, at the age of 24. He pinch ran for [Ebba St. Claire](/source/Ebba_St._Claire) in his debut game. He was used as a pinch runner/defensive replacement in his first three appearances in the majors, so he had to wait until his fourth game to get an actual [at bat](/source/at_bat). He went 0 for 3 in that game, [striking out](/source/strikeout) once. He played a total of twelve games that season, collecting no hits in five at bats. He wore number 17 in 1954. At {{convert|5|ft|11|in|abbr=on}}, {{convert|156|lb}}, he played in only one game in 1955, stepping up to the plate once. He failed to get on base—in fact, he struck out. He wore two numbers in 1955, according to Baseball-Almanac—25 and 37.{{Cite web | url=http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=samforo01 |title = Ron Samford Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac}} Samford did not play any major league ball in 1956, so he had to wait until 1957 to collect his first major league hit, which he got on April 30 against the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) and pitcher [Duke Maas](/source/Duke_Maas). He singled to center field, but the Tigers (who selected him off waivers from the Giants in 1955) lost to Maas in a 10-inning game, 2–1. Maas pitched the entire game. Samford ended up hitting .220 in 54 games for the Tigers that year. He wore 27 in 1957. Again, he failed to make the majors in 1958. On December 6, he was sent from the Tigers with [Reno Bertoia](/source/Reno_Bertoia) and [Jim Delsing](/source/Jim_Delsing) to the Senators for [Eddie Yost](/source/Eddie_Yost), [Rocky Bridges](/source/Rocky_Bridges) and [Neil Chrisley](/source/Neil_Chrisley).{{cite news |title=Senators And Tigers Make Six-Player Swap |work=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |agency=Associated Press |date=1958-12-07 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QnYsAAAAIBAJ&pg=7142,904975|access-date=2011-06-07}} The 1959 season, in which he wore number 32, would end up being Samford's final season in the majors. He had a .224 batting average, and hit his first career home run (off [Ray Herbert](/source/Ray_Herbert) on April 28).{{cite news |last=Wilkes |first=Ed |title=Nats Vault to Fifth Slot |work=The Windsor Daily Star |agency=Associated Press |date=1959-04-29 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7C0_AAAAIBAJ&pg=4130,3273320 |access-date=2011-06-07}} He also hit an extra-inning game-winning home run that season. It came on June 2 against the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians). The game was tied 2–2 going into the top of the tenth inning, and the batter before him, [Hal Naragon](/source/Hal_Naragon), had grounded out. Samford stepped up to the plate with no one on and one out and hit a solo shot off pitcher [Bud Podbielan](/source/Bud_Podbielan){{cite news |title=Lavagetto Says Samford Almost Didn't Bat In 10th |work=Toledo Blade |date=1959-06-03 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mL1OAAAAIBAJ&pg=4186,5101307 |access-date=2011-06-07}} to put the Senators ahead 3–2. The Indians tried to muster a rally in the bottom of the tenth with a [Jim Baxes](/source/Jim_Baxes) single, but were unable to. They were shut down by Senators pitcher [Pedro Ramos](/source/Pedro_Ramos), who pitched all 10 innings for the complete game. The next night, Samford hit a home run off [Herb Score](/source/Herb_Score) to help the Senators beat the Indians 4–0.{{cite news |last=Wilks |first=Ed |title=A.L. Race Tighter Still As Tribe Whipped Again |work=The Windsor Daily Star |agency=Associated Press |date=1959-06-04 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GTY_AAAAIBAJ&pg=5645,2917043 |access-date=2011-06-07}} Samford hit his final home run in his last major league at bat off [Ernie Johnson](/source/Ernie_Johnson_(pitcher)) on September 7 against the [Baltimore Orioles](/source/Baltimore_Orioles). It was a three-run shot to cap off a seven-run rally by the Senators in the top of the tenth inning. The Senators won the game 8–1.{{cite news |title=Orioles Split With Senators |work=The Washington Observer |agency=Associated Press |date=1959-09-08 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sN5dAAAAIBAJ&pg=3682,768611 |access-date=2011-06-07}} He played his final major league game on September 23, 1959. He finished his career with a .219 batting average, 5 home runs and 27 [runs batted in](/source/run_batted_in). In a total of 158 games, he had 334 official at bats, [walking](/source/base_on_balls) 17 times and striking out 46 times. He had a .954 [fielding percentage](/source/fielding_percentage), and was involved in 62 [double play](/source/double_play)s in his career. Samford died on January 14, 2021, at the age of 90.{{cite web |url=https://obits.dallasnews.com/obituaries/dallasmorningnews/obituary.aspx?n=ronald-edward-samford&pid=197570497 |title=Ronald Edward Samford |website=dallasnews.com |date=January 23, 2021 |access-date=January 23, 2021}} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb=121647 |espn= |br=s/samforo01 |fangraphs= |brm=samfor001ron |retro=S/Psamfr101}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Samford, Ron}} Category:1930 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Baseball players from Dallas Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Category:Charleston Senators players Category:Detroit Tigers players Category:Fort Smith Giants players Category:Hawaii Islanders players Category:Knoxville Smokies players Category:Lawton Giants players Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Miami Marlins (International League) players Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Category:New York Giants (baseball) players Category:Oakland Oaks (baseball) players Category:Rochester Red Wings players Category:San Diego Padres (minor league) players Category:Sioux City Soos players Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) players Category:20th-century American sportsmen --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ron Samford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Samford) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Samford?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.