Ellis Valentine
{{short description|American baseball player (born 1954)}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Ellis Valentine
|image=Ellis Valentine Montreal Expos.jpg
|position=Right fielder
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1954|7|30}}
|birth_place=Helena, Arkansas, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 3
|debutyear=1975
|debutteam=Montreal Expos
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=October 2
|finalyear=1985
|finalteam=Texas Rangers
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Batting average
|stat1value=.278
|stat2label=Home runs
|stat2value=123
|stat3label=Runs batted in
|stat3value=474
|teams=
- Montreal Expos ({{Baseball year|1975}}–{{Baseball year|1981}})
- New York Mets ({{Baseball year|1981}}–{{Baseball year|1982}})
- California Angels ({{Baseball year|1983}})
- Texas Rangers ({{Baseball year|1985}})
|highlights=
- All-Star (1977)
- Gold Glove Award (1978)
}}
Ellis Clarence Valentine (born July 30, 1954) is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder. He is remembered for having one of the all-time great throwing arms. "There's a plateau where you can't throw the ball any harder and you can't be any more accurate", said former Montreal manager Felipe Alou. "That was Ellis Valentine."{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1022090/index.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006132553/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1022090/index.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 6, 2009|author=Jeff Pearlman|date=March 26, 2001|title=Launchpad|magazine=Sports Illustrated}}
Montreal Expos
=Early years=
Valentine played football and baseball at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. He was the first professional athlete ever signed out of Crenshaw when the Montreal Expos selected him in the second round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=http://www.bad.org/profile/ellis.html|title=This Valentine is a Heart of Gold... and a Pillar of Character|publisher=Baseball Against Drugs|access-date=2013-01-13|archive-date=2013-08-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130808083407/http://bad.org/profile/ellis.html|url-status=dead}} He was quickly recognized as one of the top prospects in the Expos' lauded farm system.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MvQiAAAAIBAJ&pg=4401,7121820&dq|author=Larry Mlynczak|date=May 29, 1974|title=McHale: Montreal's System Came of Age|newspaper=The Palm Beach Post}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He batted .289 with 27 home runs and 195 runs batted in over four different levels in four seasons to earn a September call up to Montreal at the end of the {{mlby|1975}} season. In his fifth major league at-bat, he hit his first major league home run off the Pittsburgh Pirates' Jim Rooker.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hiJXAAAAIBAJ&pg=5740,5342556&dq|title=Pirates Split With Montreal|newspaper=Westmoreland County News-Dispatch|date=September 6, 1975}} He remained in the Expos' line-up semi-regularly through the end of the season, posting a .364 batting average.
Gary Carter, who was an All-Star and finished second in National League Rookie of the Year balloting as the right fielder for the Expos in 1975, was shifted back to his natural position behind the plate for the {{mlby|1976}} season to make room for Valentine in right field.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yRMyAAAAIBAJ&pg=1022,2587154&dq|author=Ian MacDonald|date=January 26, 1976|title=Expos' Owner Urges Caution Over Tickets|newspaper=The Gazette|location=Montreal}} After batting just .238 with two home runs and six RBIs through the middle of May, he was shipped back to the Triple-A Denver Bears for more seasoning.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=z-9gAAAAIBAJ&pg=3408,3668386&dq|title=Jim Lyttle Looms as Expos' Hero|newspaper=The Evening News|date=May 24, 1976}} He rejoined the Expos in mid-July, and batted .285 with five home runs and 33 RBIs the rest of the way.
=Cromartie & Dawson=
On April 15, {{mlby|1977}}, Valentine hit the first ever home run at Olympic Stadium.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ONwhAAAAIBAJ&pg=4095,3079096&dq|author=Ken Rappoport|date=April 16, 1977|title=Phillies Jump on Don Stanhouse|newspaper=Reading Eagle}} He also hit two inside-the-park home runs for the home crowd during the Expos' inaugural season in their new stadium.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=IA8gAAAAIBAJ&pg=4741,269992&dq|title=Expos Hang On|newspaper=Lewiston Daily Sun|date=July 2, 1977}}
Joining him in Montreal's outfield for the 1977 season would be 22-year-old center fielder Andre Dawson and 23-year-old left fielder Warren Cromartie. Their youth, speed and power soon made them the talk of the baseball world.{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/vault/1977/08/08/626359/a-bargain-and-byebye-basement|author=Bob Dunn|date=August 8, 1977|title=A Bargain, And Bye-bye Basement|magazine=Sports Illustrated}} Valentine was the first to emerge as a star; he was the Expos' sole representative at the 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. Already recognized for his exceptional arm by this point in his career, he engaged in a throwing contest before the game with the Pittsburgh Pirates' Dave Parker, Los Angeles Dodgers' Reggie Smith and San Diego Padres' Dave Winfield, who were also recognized as having the finest throwing arms in the National League. For the season, he batted a team leading .293, and finished second to Gary Carter with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs.
He, Cromartie and Dawson turned it up a notch in {{mlby|1978}}. Valentine led the major leagues with 25 assists from the outfield to receive a Gold Glove Award as one of the National League's top three defensive outfielders. Meanwhile, Cromartie and Dawson also led their respective positions in outfield assists to give the Expos the unquestionable top defensive outfield in the major leagues. With their bats, Valentine and Dawson tied for the team lead with 25 home runs apiece, Valentine had a team leading 76 RBIs, Dawson scored a team leading 84 runs and Cromartie had a team leading .297 batting average.
=Suspension=
The Expos were in a pennant race for the entire {{mlby|1979}} season, however, Valentine's 1979 season got off to a bumpy start. He was one-for-three with an RBI in the Expos' match-up with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 21, but that only brought his batting average up to an even .200, and his RBI total to four. In the eighth inning, with two outs and a runner on second, Valentine drew a walk, bringing future Hall of Famer Tony Pérez to the plate.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN197904210.shtml|title=Chicago Cubs 4, Montreal Expos 3|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=April 21, 1979}}
Bruce Sutter induced a ground ball to short; Cubs shortstop Iván DeJesús flipped the ball to second baseman Ted Sizemore to force Valentine at second, and end the threat. Valentine disagreed with the call, and tossed his batting helmet into short right field in frustration. Believing that the helmet was tossed at him, second base umpire Steve Fields ejected Valentine from the game. Outraged, Valentine charged the umpire and bumped him.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YJcuAAAAIBAJ&pg=6481,2660998&dq|title=Verdict on Valentine Coming by Game Time|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=April 24, 1979}} Valentine received a three-game suspension and $500 fine for his actions.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YpcuAAAAIBAJ&pg=6996,1702404&dq|author=Randy Phillips|date=April 26, 1979|title=Feeney Levels Fine, Suspension for Umpire 'Bumping' Incident|newspaper=Montreal Gazette}}
The controversy seemed to do him some good, as he started hitting right after the incident occurred. Valentine hit a pinch hit three-run home run to carry the Expos to a 7–5 victory over the San Francisco Giants in his first game back,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lXVQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6249,5887042&dq|title=Expos Streak to 5|newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel|date=April 30, 1979}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} and went 12-for-33 with ten RBIs in his first ten games back from his suspension. In the first game of a May 27 doubleheader with the St. Louis Cardinals, he drove in six runs to carry the Expos to an 8–3 victory. In the second game, he drove in a seventh run to establish a club record for RBIs in a doubleheader.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=s90yAAAAIBAJ&pg=794,4244663&dq|title=Valentine's Bat Hot as Expos, Cards Split|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen|date=May 28, 1979}} The next day, he drove in four runs against the Philadelphia Phillies.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QZJVAAAAIBAJ&pg=2463,6098228&dq|title=Expos Flog Phils, Lead by One Game|newspaper=Reading Eagle|date=May 30, 1979}} The Expos won a franchise best 95 games in 1979 to finish two games back of the Pittsburgh Pirates. For his part, Valentine batted .276 with 21 home runs and a career high 82 RBIs.
=Shattered cheekbone=
On May 30, {{mlby|1980}} Valentine was hit in the face with a pitch by Roy Thomas of the St. Louis Cardinals. His cheekbone cracked in six places, and he was forced to miss over a month of action. At the time of the incident, Valentine was leading his team with 27 RBIs, and was batting just under .300.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=HIkxAAAAIBAJ&pg=1913,253720&dq|title=Long Healing Period For Ellie|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=June 2, 1980}} With slugging third baseman Larry Parrish also out of the line-up with a wrist injury, the Expos did surprisingly well in Valentine's absence; they went 21–16 to take a half-game lead in the National League East over the Phillies.
When Valentine finally returned on July 10, he began wearing part of a football face mask on his helmet. Though it looked strange, it briefly caught on with other players who were worried about similar injuries.{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/2012/12/31/exblue_jay_ryan_freels_death_cautionary_tale_on_concussions_griffin.html|author=Richard Griffin|date=December 31, 2012|title=Ex-Blue Jay Ryan Freel's Death Cautionary Tale on Concussions|work=TheStar.com}}
He batted .331 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs over the rest of the season, as the Expos found themselves in a three-way race with the Pirates and Phillies in the NL East. Valentine played hurt through much of his team's stretch drive toward the pennant, but he was sidelined for much of it with a pinched nerve,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=vDMyAAAAIBAJ&pg=2170,1585668&dq|title=Expos, 'Rednecks and Militants' Laugh Together|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=September 6, 1980|page=2}} a hip injury{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4kVNAAAAIBAJ&pg=2042,5356758&dq|title=Gullickson Hurls Expos Past Pirates|newspaper=Lakeland Ledger|date=September 15, 1980}} and a hand injury. On September 21, Valentine injured his wrist, ending his season.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RNAyAAAAIBAJ&pg=968,142634&dq|author=Bob Ferguson|date=September 22, 1980|title=Valentine Comes Home With Sprained Wrist|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen}} The Expos surrendered first place in the division to the Phillies on the second to last day of the season.
New York Mets
Valentine got off to a slow start in {{mlby|1981}}. He was batting .211 with three home runs and fifteen RBIs when he was sidelined by a pulled hamstring in his left leg on May 19.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FPlVAAAAIBAJ&pg=6747,5933680&dq|title=Not a Secret Now|newspaper=The Register-Guard|date=May 21, 1981}} He was still on the disabled list when the Expos dealt him to the New York Mets for Jeff Reardon, Dan Norman and a player to be named later.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=DolVAAAAIBAJ&pg=5622,4406139&dq|title=Expos Send Mets an Early Valentine|newspaper=Leader-Post|date=May 30, 1981}}
Valentine's first season at Shea did not go as well as planned. It did, however, have an interesting side effect on the Mets' line-up. Dave Kingman, who batted fourth in the Mets' line-up, began seeing better pitches with Valentine behind him. Over the first sixteen games in which Kingman and Valentine batted fourth and fifth in the line-up, Kingman clubbed seven home runs with sixteen RBIs.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3thQAAAAIBAJ&pg=4721,4049485&dq|author=William R. Barnard|date=August 19, 1981|title=Christmas Valentine in May Helped Put Mets' Dave Kingman Back in Power|newspaper=Portsmouth Daily Times}} Valentine, meanwhile, batted just .176 over that stretch with one home run and seven RBIs. Almost as if National League pitchers realized they had nothing to fear from Valentine's bat, Kingman began seeing tougher pitching again, and hit just three more home runs over the rest of the season.
With new manager George Bamberger and George Foster added to their line-up for {{mlby|1982}}, the Mets went into Spring training with high hopes.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0U80AAAAIBAJ&pg=6736,2093310&dq|author=Jack Gurney|date=March 20, 1982|title=Mets' Big Guys Fall to Pirates|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune}} As things turned out, the Mets narrowly avoided losing one hundred games, and finished last in their division. Valentine went 31 games to start the season without driving in a single run.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t41iAAAAIBAJ&pg=4175,3903162&dq|title=Valentine Unloads on Braves|newspaper=Observer–Reporter|date=May 25, 1982}} From there, Valentine put up respectable numbers, seven home runs and 33 RBIs, through the Mets' 6–4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on August 13.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NYN/NYN198208130.shtml|title=New York Mets 6, Chicago Cubs 4|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|date=August 13, 1982}} After which, Valentine called the New York Mets "the worst organization in baseball" to New York reporters.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XxBWAAAAIBAJ&pg=5056,3420649&dq|title=Valentine Upset; Now So Are Mets|newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard|date=August 15, 1982}}
As one might imagine, this charge did not sit well with Mets management. Bamberger{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QcIqAAAAIBAJ&pg=6728,7087162&dq|title=Valentine Tells Mets He Desires to Leave|newspaper=Sarasota Herald-Tribune|date=August 15, 1982}} and Mets GM Frank Cashen met with Valentine on August 15, and offered to try to trade the disgruntled outfielder.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YBBWAAAAIBAJ&pg=6647,3657437&dq|title=Detroit Owner 'Baffled' By Sims|newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard|date=August 16, 1982}} They were unable to find a taker despite the impressive .327 batting average Valentine put up over the rest of the season.
California Angels
Valentine was selected by just one team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in the MLB re-entry draft when he became a free agent at the end of the season. When the California Angels' Bobby Clark suffered a back injury playing Winter ball in the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, it opened up a vacancy in the Angels' outfield. Valentine signed with his home team on January 21, {{baseball year|1983}}.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BX4xAAAAIBAJ&pg=1673,2630313&dq|author=Ian MacDonald|date=January 25, 1983|title=Valentine Goes to Angels with Expos' Blessing|newspaper=Montreal Gazette}}
After straining his Achilles tendon during Spring training,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n4xKAAAAIBAJ&pg=6903,4317906&dq|author=Ross Newhan|date=March 22, 1983|title=Leg Problems are Driving Poor Reggie Jackson Crazy|newspaper=The Telegraph (Nashua)}} he failed to make it onto the field for his new club until their 25th game. He appeared in 86 games for the Angels in {{mlby|1983}}, batting .240 with thirteen home runs and 43 RBIs. At the end of the season, he signed a multi-year deal with the Angels,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=D6AkAAAAIBAJ&pg=4261,139992&dq|title=Veteran Carew, Oriole Ford Bring Free-Agent Total to 46|newspaper=Montreal Gazette|date=November 1, 1983}} however, a bruised heel kept him off the field for the entire {{mlby|1984}} season. He logged just four plate appearances on a rehab assignment with the Edmonton Trappers,{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GyhlAAAAIBAJ&pg=5450,2151556&dq|title=Islanders Stage a Late Awakening|newspaper=Edmonton Journal|date=August 26, 1984}} and was released at the end of the season.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4cVFAAAAIBAJ&pg=3544,944196&dq|title=Angels Waive Valentine|newspaper=The Telegraph-Herald|date=November 8, 1984}}
Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers, who were in last place in the American League West and in dire need of offense, signed Valentine to a minor league pact on July 6, {{baseball year|1985}}.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=R50RAAAAIBAJ&pg=4904,2102013&dq|title=Ellis Valentine Signs Pact with Rangers' Farm Team|newspaper=Gainesville Sun|date=July 7, 1985}} He played well, batting .314 with ten home runs and 33 RBIs in 46 games for the triple A Oklahoma City 89ers, but it did not translate to major league success when he joined the Rangers in September. He was not offered a contract for {{mlby|1986}},{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=skFHAAAAIBAJ&pg=1299,3838565&dq|title=Pro Tennis Council Suspends John McEnroe for 6 Weeks|newspaper=The Day (New London)|date=December 17, 1985}} but received an invitation to Spring training that he declined, retiring instead.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pY1HAAAAIBAJ&pg=2663,146422&dq|title=Valentine Declines|newspaper=The Victoria Advocate|date=February 28, 1986}}
Career stats
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
class="wikitable"
|Games |PA |AB |Runs |Hits |2B |3B |HR |RBI |SB |BB |SO |Avg. |OBP |Slg. |OPS |Fld% |OA |
894
|3392 |3166 |380 |881 |169 |15 |123 |474 |59 |180 |462 |.278 |.315 |.458 |.773 |.972 |85 |
Alongside Steve Garvey, George Brett, Ken Brett, Tommy Lasorda and Fred Lynn, Valentine appeared in the "Superstar/Salem" episode of Fantasy Island during the series' first season (original air date: March 25, 1978). Gary Burghoff plays an accountant with the fantasy of being a Major League Baseball pitcher.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=950&dat=19780325&id=DWFQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6832,2655170|title=Saturday Preview|newspaper=St. Petersburg Independent|date=March 25, 1978}} Valentine is one of his strikeout victims.
After retiring from baseball, Valentine took a job with Avis Rent-a-Car earning $4.25 per hour.{{cite web|url=http://z.lee28.tripod.com/sbnsforgottenintime/ellisvalentine.html|author=David Zingler|date=October 2002|title=Ellis Valentine|publisher=Simply Baseball Notebook's Forgotten In Time}} In his first baseball-related job since retirement, Valentine managed Antelope Valley in the short-lived Golden State League in {{baseball year|1995}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-01-07-sp-17378-story.html|author=Steve Elling|date=January 7, 1995|title=No Players Yet, but Six Teams Set to Play Ball: Baseball: Golden State League is ready to throw its first pitch in May with a franchise in the Antelope Valley.|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}} His tenure with the financially doomed league lasted just a week, as the league would fold.{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-08-11-sp-34104-story.html|author=Rob Fernas|date=August 11, 1995|title=For Rosamond, It Was Only Another Mirage: Baseball: Desert town might have taken to the Ravens, but some citizens just feel taken by Golden State League|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}
Post-playing career
Valentine fought drug and alcohol addiction throughout his career.{{cite web|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ELLIS+SEES+THE+LIGHT+AFTER+HELPING+HIMSELF,+VALENTINE+HELPS+OTHERS...-a080264747|title=Ellis Sees the Light After Helping Himself, Valentine Helps Others Now|newspaper=Daily News (Los Angeles)|date=November 23, 2001|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-date=March 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305060104/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ELLIS+SEES+THE+LIGHT+AFTER+HELPING+HIMSELF,+VALENTINE+HELPS+OTHERS...-a080264747|url-status=dead}} In September 1986, a year after retiring, he moved from Southern California, and immediately entered drug rehab in Phoenix, Arizona. After cleaning up, he took a position as a drug counselor with St. Luke's Hospital, and began helping others overcome similar issues. He holds certificates in behavioral-health and chemical dependency counseling.
Valentine currently lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, where he works as a counselor at a local church and is a member of the Texas Rangers Alumni Association.{{cite web |url=http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ellis-valentine/1a/151/35b |title=Ellis Valentine |website=LinkedIn}} He is the co-founder and president of PastPros, a web-based service that allows sports fans to purchase memorabilia directly from retired athletes.{{cite web |url=https://pastpros.com/pages/about-us |title=About Us |website=pastpros.com |access-date=May 17, 2017}}
Also, 2014 Valentine founded RAFT Recovery inc. A 501 c 3 non profit that coaches individuals struggling with addictive behaviors. His charitable work does not stop there. The program also provides a lawn service for disabled seniors in the Dallas, Fort Worth area and surrounding communities.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=123611|espn=310|br=v/valenel01|fangraphs=1013326|brm=valent001ell}}, or [http://ultimatemets.com/profile.php?PlayerCode=0315 Ultimate Mets Database]
- [http://ellisvalentine.com/ Ellis Valentine's Official Website]
- [http://www.centerfieldmaz.com/2012/09/early-eighties-mets-outfielder-ellis.html Centerfield Maz]
- [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=zP0hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a6QFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1630,1260363&dq The Joy of being Ellis Valentine: 'If You Don't Like it, You Can Move to Toronto]
- {{YouTube|Mxty8xnRchQ|Ellis Valentine Baseball Clips}}
{{NL OF Gold Glove Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valentine, Ellis}}
Category:Baseball players from Arkansas
Category:African-American baseball players
Category:California Angels players
Category:Cocoa Expos (baseball) players
Category:Edmonton Trappers players
Category:Major League Baseball right fielders
Category:Memphis Blues players
Category:Montreal Expos players
Category:National League All-Stars
Category:New York Mets players
Category:Oklahoma City 89ers players
Category:Québec Carnavals players
Category:Texas Rangers players
Category:West Palm Beach Expos players
Category:People from Helena, Arkansas
Category:Sportspeople from Phillips County, Arkansas
Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Category:Baseball players from Los Angeles
Category:Crenshaw High School alumni