Tex Clevenger
{{Short description|American baseball player (1932–2019)}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Tex Clevenger
|image=Truman Clevenger.jpg
|position=Pitcher
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1932|7|9}}
|birth_place=Visalia, California, U.S.
|death_date={{Death date and age|2019|8|24|1932|7|9}}
|death_place=Porterville, California, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=April 18
|debutyear=1954
|debutteam=Boston Red Sox
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 30
|finalyear=1962
|finalteam=New York Yankees
|stat2label=Earned run average
|stat2value=4.18
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=Win–loss record
|stat1value=36–37
|stat3label=Strikeouts
|stat3value=361
|teams=
- Boston Red Sox ({{mlby|1954}})
- Washington Senators ({{mlby|1956}}–{{mlby|1960}})
- Los Angeles Angels ({{mlby|1961}})
- New York Yankees ({{mlby|1961}}–{{mlby|1962}})
|highlights=
- 2× World Series champion ({{wsy|1961}}, {{wsy|1962}})
}}
Truman Eugene "Tex" Clevenger (July 9, 1932 – August 24, 2019) was an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher and spot starter who played for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels and New York Yankees from 1954 to 1962. He was {{height|ft=6|in=1}} tall and {{convert|180|lb}}, and threw and batted right-handed. He attended Fresno State University.
Career
Clevenger began his pro career in the Red Sox organization in 1953. In the minors that year, he went 16–2 for the Class C San Jose Red Sox, which was good enough to earn him the 1953 California League MVP Award.
On April 18, 1954, at the age of 21, Clevenger made his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox. His first season was no more than mediocre, as he went 2–4 with a 4.79 earned run average. Overall in his career, he compiled a 36–37 record with a 4.18 ERA, 298 walks and 361 strikeouts. Oddly enough, perhaps his best season was his last—in 21 games with the American League champion Yankees in 1962, he had an ERA of 2.84 and a record of 2–0. As a hitter, he hit .157, with the highlight of his hitting career being a triple in 1958. He had a .961 career fielding percentage. He did not appear for the Yankees in either the 1961 or 1962 World Series.{{cite web |title=Tex Clevenger Stats |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clevete01.shtml |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}
After baseball
After leaving baseball, Clevenger worked as an insurance underwriter and owner of a car dealership.{{cite web |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/tex-clevenger/ |title=Tex Clevenger |first1=Bill |last1=Nowlin |website=sabr.org |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research |access-date=August 24, 2019}} In 1987, he was inducted into the Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |url=http://www.fresnoahof.org/current-past-inductees |title=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame |website=www.fresnoahof.org |publisher=Fresno County Athletic Hall of Fame |access-date=February 2, 2017}} He was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2008, and died August 24, 2019.{{cite web |title=Tex Clevenger, former Fresno State pitcher and Fresno Co. Athletic Hall of Famer, dies at 87 |url=https://abc30.com/sports/fresno-co-athletic-hall-of-famer-tex-clevenger-dies-at-87/5490897/ |website=ABC30 Fresno |accessdate=August 25, 2019 |language=en |date=August 25, 2019}}
Transactions
- On November 8, 1955, Clevenger was sent with Al Curtis (a minor leaguer), Dick Brodowski, Neil Chrisley, and Karl Olson from the Red Sox to the Washington Senators for Bob Porterfield, Mickey Vernon, Johnny Schmitz and Tom Umphlett.
- On December 14, 1960, the Los Angeles Angels drafted Clevenger in the expansion draft.
- On May 8, 1961, Clevenger was traded with Bob Cerv by the Angels to the New York Yankees for Ryne Duren, Lee Thomas and Johnny James.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats |mlb=112401 |espn= |br=c/clevete01 |fangraphs= |brm=cleven001tru |retro=C/Pclevt101}}
- [https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=clevete01 Tex Clevenger] at Baseball Almanac
{{1961 New York Yankees}}
{{1962 New York Yankees}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clevenger, Tex}}
Category:Baseball players from Visalia, California
Category:Boston Red Sox players
Category:Fresno State Bulldogs baseball players
Category:Los Angeles Angels players
Category:Louisville Colonels (minor league) players
Category:Major League Baseball pitchers
Category:New York Yankees players
Category:Richmond Virginians (minor league) players
Category:San Jose Red Sox players