# Ty Cline

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{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1939)}}
{{Use MDY dates|date=January 2021}}
{{multiple issues|
{{BLP sources|date=December 2014}}
{{No footnotes|date=December 2014}}
}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Ty Cline
|position=[Center fielder](/source/Center_fielder)
|image=Ty Cline 1971.jpg
|bats=Left
|throws=Left
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1939|6|15}}
|birth_place=[Hampton, South Carolina](/source/Hampton%2C_South_Carolina), U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 14
|debutyear=1960
|debutteam=Cleveland Indians
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 26
|finalyear=1971
|finalteam=Cincinnati Reds
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
|stat1value=.238
|stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s
|stat2value=6
|stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/Run_batted_in)
|stat3value=125
|teams=
* [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) ({{mlby|1960}}–{{mlby|1962}})
* [Milwaukee Braves](/source/Milwaukee_Braves_(1953%E2%80%9369)) ({{mlby|1963}}–{{mlby|1965}})
* [Chicago Cubs](/source/Chicago_Cubs) ({{mlby|1966}})
* [Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) ({{mlby|1966}}–{{mlby|1967}})
* [San Francisco Giants](/source/San_Francisco_Giants) ({{mlby|1967}}–{{mlby|1968}})
* [Montreal Expos](/source/Montreal_Expos) ({{mlby|1969}}–{{mlby|1970}})
* [Cincinnati Reds](/source/Cincinnati_Reds) ({{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1971}})
|medaltemplates=
{{MedalSport | Men's [baseball](/source/baseball)}}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition | [Pan American Games](/source/Pan_American_Games)}}
{{MedalBronze | [1959 Chicago](/source/Baseball_at_the_1959_Pan_American_Games) | [Team](/source/United_States_national_baseball_team)}}
|caption=Cline c. 1971}}

'''Tyrone Alexander Cline''' (born June 15, 1939) is an American former professional [baseball](/source/baseball) player, primarily a reserve [outfielder](/source/outfielder) and [pinch hitter](/source/pinch_hitter), who played  in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) (MLB) for the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) (1960–62), [Milwaukee / Atlanta Braves](/source/Atlanta_Braves) (1963–65, 1966–67), [Chicago Cubs](/source/Chicago_Cubs) (1966), [San Francisco Giants](/source/San_Francisco_Giants) (1967–68), [Montreal Expos](/source/Montreal_Expos) (1969–70) and [Cincinnati Reds](/source/Cincinnati_Reds) (1970–71). He threw and batted left-handed and was listed as {{convert|6|ft}} tall and {{convert|170|lb}}.

==Early life==
Cline was born in [Hampton, South Carolina](/source/Hampton%2C_South_Carolina), graduated from [Charleston's](/source/Charleston%2C_South_Carolina) St. Andrew's Parish High School,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clinety01|title=Ty Cline Baseball Stat|publisher=[Baseball Almanac](/source/Baseball_Almanac)|work=baseball-almanac.com|access-date=September 14, 2018}}</ref> and went on to play [college baseball](/source/college_baseball) for [Clemson University](/source/Clemson_University) in the [Atlantic Coast Conference](/source/Atlantic_Coast_Conference) for three seasons. Cline attained [All-American](/source/All-American) status during his college career, while appearing as both an outfielder and a [starting pitcher](/source/starting_pitcher).

==Baseball career==
In {{mlby|1960}}, following his junior year, he left Clemson, signing a professional baseball contract with the Cleveland Indians. He spent his first season at [Double-A](/source/Double-A_(baseball)) [Mobile](/source/Mobile_Bears) of the [Southern Association](/source/Southern_Association), [batting](/source/batting_average_(baseball)) .311 with 118 [hits](/source/hit_(baseball)). Recalled by Cleveland in September, he debuted in [MLB](/source/MLB) on September 14 by [singling](/source/single_(baseball)) off veteran [Frank Sullivan](/source/Frank_Sullivan_(baseball)) and later [tripling](/source/triple_(baseball)) off southpaw [Ted Wills](/source/Ted_Wills), scoring two [runs](/source/run_(baseball)) in an 11–7 win over the [Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox).<ref>[https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1960/B09140CLE1960.htm "Cleveland Indians 11, Boston Red Sox 7"], [Retrosheet](/source/Retrosheet) [box score](/source/box_score_(baseball)) (14 September 1960)</ref> He had another strong [minor-league](/source/minor_leagues) season in {{mlby|1961}} at [Triple-A](/source/Triple-A_(baseball)) [Salt Lake City](/source/Salt_Lake_City_Bees), followed by a September audition with the Indians. In {{mlby|1962}}, he became the Indians' regular [center fielder](/source/center_fielder) in a platoon with right-handed hitter [Willie Tasby](/source/Willie_Tasby), batting .248 in 118 games with 93 hits.

The following March, Cline was the "player to be named later" in a swap that had occurred the previous November 21, when the Indians obtained veteran [first baseman](/source/first_baseman) [Joe Adcock](/source/Joe_Adcock) in a five-player trade with the Milwaukee Braves.  Cline then spent the rest of his career in the [National League](/source/National_League_(baseball)) in part-time and backup outfielder roles with five clubs over nine years. He was acquired by the [Reds](/source/1970_Cincinnati_Reds_season) from the [Expos](/source/1970_Montreal_Expos_season) for [Clyde Mashore](/source/Clyde_Mashore) before the trade deadline on June 15, 1970.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/1970/06/17/archives/drabowsky-back-in-oriole-fold-royals-obtain-floyd-from-baltimore.html Durso, Joseph. "Drabowsky Back in Oriole Fold," ''The New York Times'', Wednesday, June 17, 1970.] Retrieved March 4, 2023.</ref>

===1970 NLCS and World Series===
Cline was instrumental in helping the Reds defeat the [Pittsburgh Pirates](/source/Pittsburgh_Pirates) in the [1970 National League Championship Series](/source/1970_National_League_Championship_Series), [tripling](/source/Triple_(baseball)) and scoring the winning [run](/source/Run_(baseball)) in the 10th [inning](/source/inning) of the first game. He went on to score the game-winning and pennant-clinching run, after an eighth-inning [walk](/source/Base_on_balls) in game three.

Cline appeared as a pinch hitter in each of the first three games of the [1970 World Series](/source/1970_World_Series) against the [Baltimore Orioles](/source/Baltimore_Orioles), his lone [hit](/source/Hit_(baseball)) being a leadoff [single](/source/Single_(baseball)) off [reliever](/source/Relief_pitcher) [Moe Drabowsky](/source/Moe_Drabowsky), in the seventh inning of Game 2 at [Cincinnati](/source/Cincinnati)’s [Riverfront Stadium](/source/Riverfront_Stadium). Cline also set into motion the most controversial play of the Series in Game 1. He pinch hit for [Woody Woodward](/source/Woody_Woodward) with [Tommy Helms](/source/Tommy_Helms) at first, [Bernie Carbo](/source/Bernie_Carbo) at third, one out, and the score tied at three in the sixth linning. Cline reached safely on a [Baltimore chop](/source/Baltimore_chop). Orioles’ starter [Jim Palmer](/source/Jim_Palmer), while running toward home plate, immediately signaled to [catcher](/source/catcher) [Elrod Hendricks](/source/Elrod_Hendricks) that Carbo was trying to score from third. Hendricks fielded the ball barehanded, spun around to his left and lunged toward an oncoming Carbo in an attempt to tag him out but collided with [umpire](/source/Umpire_(baseball)) [Ken Burkhart](/source/Ken_Burkhart) who, while positioning himself to judge whether the batted ball was [fair](/source/Fair_ball), accidentally blocked the runner's path to [home plate](/source/Baseball_field). Carbo slid around Burkhart on the outside but missed touching the plate. With his back to the play and after being knocked down, Burkhart ruled Carbo out even though Hendricks made the tag with his mitt while holding the ball in his bare hand.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/11/archives/umpire-disputed-knocked-down-in-play-at-plate-he-calls-reds-carbo.html?_r=0|title=Umpire Disputed|date=October 11, 1970|last=Durso|first=Joseph|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|access-date=May 2, 2017}}</ref> Having not been properly tagged out, Carbo unknowingly stepped on the plate as he was arguing, but the play was dead once Burkhart made his call.

Cline officially retired from baseball following the 1971 season. In retirement, he owned and managed a [Baskin-Robbins](/source/Baskin-Robbins) ice cream restaurant franchise.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1876&dat=19740221&id=gEAsAAAAIBAJ&pg=5824,3570513|title=Ty Cline – Baseball Mogul|date=February 21, 1974|page=D1|last=Timms|first=Leslie|publisher=[Spartanburg Herald-Journal](/source/Spartanburg_Herald-Journal)|work=news.google.com|access-date=September 14, 2018}}</ref>

==Career stat line==
In 12 big league seasons, Cline played in 892 games, had 1,834 [at bats](/source/at_bats), scored 251 runs, posted 437 hits, 53 [doubles](/source/Double_(baseball)), 25 triples, six [home runs](/source/home_runs), 125 [runs batted in](/source/runs_batted_in) (RBI), 22 [stolen bases](/source/stolen_bases), 153 walks, a .238 [batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)), a .304 on-base percentage, a .304 slugging percentage, 558 total bases, 27 sacrifice hits, four sacrifice flies, and was issued five intentional walks.<ref name="bbrefclinemaj">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clinety01.shtml|title=Ty Cline Stats|date=2021|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=[Baseball-Reference.com](/source/Baseball-Reference.com)|access-date=January 23, 2021}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{baseballstats|mlb=112407|espn=20230|br=c/clinety01|fangraphs=1002355|brm=cline-001tyr|retro=C/Pclint101}}
*[https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ty-cline Ty Cline] at SABR (Baseball BioProject)

{{1960 College Baseball All-Americans}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cline, Ty}}
Category:1939 births
Category:Living people
Category:All-American college baseball players
Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Category:Atlanta Braves players
Category:Baseball players from South Carolina
Category:Chicago Cubs players
Category:Cincinnati Reds players
Category:Clemson Tigers baseball players
Category:Cleveland Indians players
Category:Major League Baseball center fielders
Category:Major League Baseball left fielders
Category:Baseball players at the 1959 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 1959 Pan American Games
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in baseball
Category:Milwaukee Braves players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen
Category:Mobile Bears players
Category:Montreal Expos players
Category:People from Hampton County, South Carolina
Category:Richmond Braves players
Category:Salt Lake City Bees players
Category:San Francisco Giants players
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ty Cline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Cline) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ty_Cline?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.