Ted Savage

{{For multi|the English soccer player|Ted Savage (footballer)|the Canadian Olympic hurdler|Ted Savage (athlete)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Ted Savage

|image=Ted Savage in 2017 - 1967 St.Louis Cardinals Reunion team (cropped).jpg

|caption=Savage in 2017

|position=Outfielder

|birth_date={{Birth date|1937|02|21}}

|birth_place=Venice, Illinois, U.S.

|death_date={{Death date and age|2023|01|12|1937|02|21}}

|death_place=St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=April 9

|debutyear=1962

|debutteam=Philadelphia Phillies

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 3

|finalyear=1971

|finalteam=Kansas City Royals

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=.233

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=34

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=163

|teams=

Philadelphia Phillies ({{mlby|1962}})
Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1963}})
St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1965}}–{{mlby|1967}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1967}}–{{mlby|1968}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1968}})
Cincinnati Reds ({{mlby|1969}})
Milwaukee Brewers ({{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1971}})
Kansas City Royals ({{mlby|1971}})

}}

Theodore Savage Jr. (born Ephesian Savage; February 21, 1937 – January 12, 2023) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1962 to 1971. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, and Kansas City Royals.

Early life

Savage was born in Venice, Illinois, in 1937. He graduated from East St. Louis Lincoln High School in East St. Louis, Illinois, where he starred in baseball, basketball, and football. Savage then attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, before serving for three years in the U.S. Army.

Major league career

Savage signed as an amateur free agent in 1960 with the Philadelphia Phillies. He played for the Buffalo Bisons of the International League in 1961, batting .325, which led the league. He won the International League Most Valuable Player Award.{{cite web |date=July 6, 2016 |title=Bisons' greats Ted Savage, Alex Ramirez elected to Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-188272324 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |publisher=Minor League Baseball |archive-date=January 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116001431/https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-188272324 |url-status=live }}

Savage made his major league debut with the Phillies on April 9, 1962, in a 12–4 road win over the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Pinch-hitting for Wes Covington against Bob Miller, he grounded out but stayed in the game, playing left field. After grounding out again, in the seventh inning he notched his first major league hit and RBI with a single off pitcher Dave Hillman that drove in Tony Gonzalez. He later had another RBI single that scored Gonzalez again, off pitcher Jim Brosnan.{{cite web |date=April 9, 1962 |title=Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds Box Score, April 9, 1962 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN196204090.shtml |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-date=June 24, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624043215/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CIN/CIN196204090.shtml |url-status=live }}

On November 28, 1962, Savage was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates along with Pancho Herrera in exchange for Don Hoak.{{cite web |last=Bostrom |first=Don |date=December 17, 1986 |title=LOOKING BACK AT TRADES |url=https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1986-12-17-2546442-story.html |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=The Morning Call |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115190022/https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-1986-12-17-2546442-story.html |url-status=live }} In 85 games with the Pirates, he batted .195 with five home runs and 14 runs batted in (RBI).{{cite web |title=Ted Savage Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/savagte01.shtml |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-date=April 1, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401052123/https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/savagte01.shtml |url-status=live }} After the 1964 season, the Pirates traded Savage and Earl Francis to the St. Louis Cardinals for Jack Damaska and Ron Cox.{{cite web |date=December 16, 1964 |title=The News Journal 16 Dec 1964, page Page 45 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/162324728/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22earl%20francis%22%20%22jack%20damaska%22&match=1 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |website=The News Journal |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115221831/https://www.newspapers.com/image/162324728/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22earl%20francis%22%20%22jack%20damaska%22&match=1 |url-status=live }}

On May 14, 1967, the Chicago Cubs acquired Savage from the Cardinals with John Kindl for Don Young and Jim Procopio.{{cite web |date=May 14, 1967 |title=Chicago Tribune 14 May 1967, page 86 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/376560378/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22&match=1 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |website=Chicago Tribune |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115221842/https://www.newspapers.com/image/376560378/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22&match=1 |url-status=live }} On April 23, 1968, the Cubs traded Savage and Jim Ellis to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Phil Regan and Jim Hickman.{{cite web |date=April 23, 1968 |title=Spokane Chronicle 23 Apr 1968, page 19 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/564945466/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22jim%20ellis%22%20%22jim%20hickman%22%20%22phil%20regan%22&match=1 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |website=Spokane Chronicle |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115222659/https://www.newspapers.com/image/564945466/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22jim%20ellis%22%20%22jim%20hickman%22%20%22phil%20regan%22&match=1 |url-status=live }} He batted .209 in 64 games in the 1968 season. Before the 1969 season, the Dodgers traded Savage to the Cincinnati Reds for Jimmie Schaffer.{{cite web |date=March 30, 1969 |title=The Cincinnati Enquirer 30 Mar 1969, page Page 50 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/104595504/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22jimmie%20schaffer%22&match=1 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |website=The Cincinnati Enquirer |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=January 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230115222659/https://www.newspapers.com/image/104595504/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22jimmie%20schaffer%22&match=1 |url-status=live }} The Reds sold Savage to the Milwaukee Brewers before the 1970 season. Savage had perhaps the best season of his career in 1970, playing in 114 games and batting .279 with 12 home runs, 50 RBI and a .402 slugging percentage in 343 plate appearances.

On May 11, 1971, the Brewers traded Savage to the Kansas City Royals for Tommy Matchick.{{cite web |date=May 12, 1971 |title=The Shreveport Journal 12 May 1971, page 33 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/601783158/?terms=%22ted%20savage%22%20%22tommy%20matchick%22&match=1 |accessdate=January 15, 2023 |website=Shreveport Journal |via=Newspapers.com}} Savage's final game was on July 3, 1971, in a 1–0 home loss to the Chicago White Sox. In the game, he recorded his final career hit, a single off Tommy John.{{cite web |date=July 3, 1971 |title=Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals Box Score, July 3, 1971 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA197107030.shtml |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |archive-date=March 6, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306085337/http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/KCA/KCA197107030.shtml |url-status=live }} He ended his playing career with 642 games played, posting a .233 average with 34 home runs and 163 RBI.

Personal life and death

After his baseball career ended, he earned a PhD in urban studies from Saint Louis University and spent nine years as athletic director at Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. In 1987, Savage was hired by the St. Louis Cardinals as assistant director of community relations and a minor-league instructor.{{cite web |last=Ahram |first=Maury |date=January 15, 2023 |title=Ted Savage Passes Away |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/01/ted-savage-passes-away.html |access-date=January 15, 2023 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}

In 2006, Savage was inducted into the Lincoln University Alumni Hall of Fame.{{cite web |title=National Hall of Fame {{!}} Lincoln University of Missouri |url=https://www.lincolnu.edu/about-lincoln/advancement/alumni/national-hall-of-fame.html |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=Lincoln University}} The Buffalo Bisons inducted Savage into their team's hall of fame in 2016.

After a 25-year career with the Cardinals, Savage retired in 2012 as director of target marketing in the Cardinals Care and community relations department.{{cite web |last=Skelton |first=David E. |title=Ted Savage |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/ted-savage/ |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=Society for American Baseball Research}} In 2013, the 24th annual golf Cardinals Care tournament hosted by Savage was renamed the Ted Savage RBI Golf Classic to raise funds for the Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI) program.{{cite web |date=May 17, 2013 |title=Registration underway for Ted Savage RBI Golf Classic June 11th |url=https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/registration-underway-for-ted-savage-rbi-golf-classic-june-11th/c-47786294 |accessdate=September 27, 2021 |website=St. Louis Cardinals |publisher=Major League Baseball |archive-date=September 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927010551/https://www.mlb.com/cardinals/news/registration-underway-for-ted-savage-rbi-golf-classic-june-11th/c-47786294 |url-status=live }}

Savage died on January 12, 2023, at age 85.