Los Angeles Dodgers star Wally Moon passes away at 87 years old
Former Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals star Wall Moon passed away on Friday. He was 87 years old.
When former Los Angels Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Wally Moon comes to mind these day, it is generally due to his impressive unibrow. His baseball cards showed those impressive eyebrows in all their glory, making Moon one of the more recognizable players from his era.
And yet, his eyebrows came to overshadow the player he was. He was a solid ballplayer from the start, his presence leading to the Cardinals trading Hall of Fame outfielder Enos Slaughter. Moon would show that was the right move, as he won the Rookie of the Year that season, beating out players like Hank Aaron and Ernie Banks. That year, he had a solid .304/.371/.435 batting line, hitting 29 doubles, nine triples and 12 homers, while stealing 18 bases. He showed the potential to be an incredible all around talent.
The trade that allowed Moon to join the Cardinals was not popular. He was booed during the pre-game parade before Opening Day, and again before his first plate appearance. Those boos ended when he sent the third pitch he saw over the fence for a home run, making Moon a fan favorite until he was traded to the Dodgers after the 1958 campaign for Gino Cimoli.
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While Moon never really progressed beyond his showing as a rookie, he was a solid player during his career. Moon was a three time All Star, and won two Gold Glove awards. Over the course of his 12 year career, Moon produced a solid .289/.371/.445 batting line, hitting 212 doubles, 142 homers, and stealing 89 bases.
His greatest contribution to the game, however, may have come from his time with the Dodgers. Left field was only 251 feet from home plate when the Dodgers moved into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, leading to a 40 foot screen being placed in the outfield. Moon developed an inside out swing, allowing him to pop the ball high in the air to clear that wall. Those home runs were called Moon Shots, a name that has stuck with high, arcing homers ever since.
After his playing days, Moon remained active in the game. He was a coach on the expansion Padres team in 1969, and later was a minor league hitting instructor for the Orioles. In between, Moon was the athletic director and head baseball coach at John Brown University. Later, he owned the Dodgers AA franchise in San Antonio, helping to mold players like Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser.
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Former Los Angeles Dodgers All Star Wally Moon passed away on Friday at 87 years old. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends in their time of mourning.