Richie Zisk: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1949)}}

{{Mlbretired

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

|bgcolor1=#bd5d29

{{Infobox baseball biography

|bgcolor2=#003366

|textcolor1=white

|textcolor2=white

|name=Richie Zisk

|position=[[Outfielder|Corner outfielder]] / [[Designated hitter]]

|image=Richie Zisk - Seattle Mariners - 1981.jpg

|birthdate={{birth date and age|1949|2|6}}

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{birth date and age|1949|2|6}}

|debutdate=[[September 8]]

|birth_place=[[Brooklyn, New York]], U.S.

|debutyear=[[1971]]

|debutleague = MLB

|debutteam=[[Pittsburgh Pirates]]

|finaldatedebutdate=[[September 21]]8

|debutyear=1971

|finalyear=[[1983]]

|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalteam=[[Seattle Mariners]]

|finalleague = MLB

|stat1label=[[Batting average]]

|finaldate=September 21

|finalyear=1983

|finalteam=Seattle Mariners

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]

|stat1value=.287

|stat2label=[[Home run]]s

|stat2value=207

|stat3label=[[RunRuns batted in|RBI]]

|stat3value=792

|teams=

|teams=<nowiki></nowiki><!--This forces MediaWiki to recognize the first bullet. Kind of a workaround to a bug.-->

* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ([[1971{{baseball in baseballyear|1971]]-[[1976}}–{{baseball in baseballyear|1976]]}})

* [[Chicago White Sox]] ([[1977{{baseball in baseballyear|1977]]}})

* [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]] ([[1978{{baseball in baseballyear|1978]]-[[1980}}–{{baseball in baseballyear|1980]]}})

* [[Seattle Mariners]] ([[1981{{baseball in baseballyear|1981]]-[[1983}}–{{baseball in baseballyear|1983]]}})

|highlights=<nowiki></nowiki>

* 2× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] (AL):[[1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1977]], [[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1978]])

*[[MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award]] (AL): 1981

}}

'''Richard Walter Zisk''' (born [[February 6, 1949) is an American former professional [[baseball]] player, [[1949Coach (baseball)|coach]] inand [[Brooklyn, NewScout York(sport)|scout]]). wasHe aplayed in [[Major League Baseball]] player(MLB) as an [[outfielder]] and [[designated hitter]] for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]], [[Chicago White Sox]], [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], and [[Seattle Mariners]]. fromA [[1971]] totwo-time [[1983]].Major ZiskLeague wasBaseball extremelyAll-Star good at driving in [[runsGame|All-Star]]. In 1974player, heZisk hadwas 100named [[runsthe battedAmerican in]]League’s while1981 onlyComeback hittingPlayer 17of [[homethe run]]sYear.<ref>{{cite web His| besturl=https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/short-stops/zisks-star-trident-comeback season| howevertitle=Zisk's wasStar inTrident [[1977]],Comeback his| lonepublisher=baseballhall.org year| withaccessdate=January the White Sox20, when2024 he}}</ref> hitHe 30was homethe runsfirst andposition hadplayer 101in RBIsmajor inleague additionhistory to sign a .290 batting10-year averagecontract.<ref Hename="longest">{{cite retiredweb after|last1=Langs the|first1=Sarah 1983|author1-link=Sarah seasonLangs with 207 home runs, 792|title=The runslongest battedcontracts in andbaseball ahistory |url=https://www.287mlb.com/news/longest-contracts-in-baseball-history batting average|website=[[MLB.com]] |access-date=April He16, currently2024 serves|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226011245/https://www.mlb.com/news/longest-contracts-in-baseball-history as|archive-date=February the26, hitting2024 coach|language=en for|date=February the5, [[Daytona2024 Cubs]].|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Career==

{{start box}}

===Pittsburgh Pirates===

{{succession box | before = [[Matt Keough]] | title = [[MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award|AL Comeback Player of the Year]]| years = [[1981]]| after = [[Andre Thornton]]}}

Zisk was drafted by the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] out of [[Seton Hall University]] in the third round of the [[1967 Major League Baseball draft]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=3rd Round of the 1967 MLB June Amateur Draft |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=1967&draft_round=3&draft_type=junreg&query_type=year_round |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref> He made his major league debut on September 8, 1971, replacing [[Roberto Clemente]] in [[right fielder|right field]] in the eighth inning of Pittsburgh's 10–1 victory over the [[Chicago Cubs]], and got a [[single (baseball)|single]] in his first major league at-bat.<ref>{{cite web |date=September 8, 1971 |title=Pittsburgh Pirates 10, Chicago Cubs 1 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PIT/PIT197109080.shtml |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> Zisk also appeared in 17 games with the [[1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1972 Pirates]], however, he was not on either team's post-season roster.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Richie Zisk Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/z/ziskri01.shtml |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref>

{{end box}}

In Zisk's rookie season, 1973, he [[batting average (baseball)|batted]] .324 with 10 [[home run]]s and 54 [[Run batted in|RBI]] in 103 games.<ref name=":0" /> On June 9, 1974, he [[hitting for the cycle|hit for the cycle]] in a 14–1 victory over the [[San Francisco Giants]] at [[Candlestick Park]].<ref>{{cite web |date=June 9, 1974 |title=Pittsburgh Pirates 14, San Francisco Giants 1 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SFN/SFN197406090.shtml |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref> For the season, he hit .313 with 17 home runs and a team-high 100 RBI in 149 games.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=1974 Pittsburgh Pirates Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/1974.shtml |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref> He made his only post-season appearances with the 1974 and 1975 Pirates. While batting an impressive .400 in the post-season, Zisk only scored one [[run (baseball)|run]] and had no RBI as the Pirates lost in four games to the Dodgers in the [[1974 National League Championship Series|1974 NLCS]] and were swept by the Reds in the [[1975 National League Championship Series|1975 NLCS]].<ref name=":0" />

==External link==

*{{baseball-reference|id=z/ziskri01}}

[[Category:===Chicago White Sox players|Zisk, Richie]]===

[[File:Richie Zisk - Chicago White Sox.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Zisk with 1977 White Sox]]

[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players|Zisk, Richie]]

Zisk was acquired along with [[Silvio Martinez]] by the [[1977 Chicago White Sox season|Chicago White Sox]] from the [[1976 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]] for [[Goose Gossage]] and [[Terry Forster]] at the [[Winter Meetings]] on December 10, 1976.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chass |first=Murray |date=December 11, 1976 |title=White Sox Acquire Zisk from Pirates |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/12/11/archives/white-sox-acquire-zisk-from-pirates.html |access-date=October 22, 2022 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> His best season was in 1977, his lone year with the White Sox, when he hit 30 home runs and had 101 RBI, both career highs, in addition to a .290 batting average in 141 games.<ref name=":0" /> He started in [[left field]] for the [[American League]] in the [[1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1977 All-Star Game]], going 2-for-3 with a [[double (baseball)|double]] and two RBIs.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 19, 1977 |title=1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS197707190.shtml |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]]}}</ref>

[[Category:Seattle Mariners players|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Texas Rangers players|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Major league left fielders|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Major league right fielders|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:American League All-Stars|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Major league players from New York|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:1949 births|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Living people|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Polish-Americans|Zisk, Richie]]

[[Category:Baseball players who have hit for the cycle|Zisk, Richie]]

===Texas Rangers===

Zisk became a [[free agent]] at the end of the [[1977 Major League Baseball season|1977 season]]. On November 9, 1977, he signed a 10-year, $2.75 million contract with the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chass |first=Murray |date=November 9, 1977 |title=Zisk Lured by Rangers' Offer: $2.75 Million, 10-Year Contract |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/09/archives/zisk-lured-by-rangers-offer-275-million10year-contract-zisk-is.html |access-date=May 15, 2023 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> This made him the first major league position player to sign a 10-year contract.<ref name="longest"/> He batted clean-up, and started in right field at the [[1978 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1978 All-Star Game]] at [[San Diego Stadium]] in [[San Diego]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 11, 1978 |title=1978 All-Star Game Box Score, July 11 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1978-allstar-game.shtml |access-date=May 15, 2023 |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |language=en}}</ref> For the season, Zisk batted .262 with 22 home runs and 85 RBI in 140 games while splitting time between left field, right field and [[designated hitter]].<ref name=":0"/>

===Seattle Mariners===

{{Baseball-right-fielder-stub}}

[[File:SEA1983R22ZISK.jpg|thumb|left|200px|1983 Seattle Mariners #22 Richie Zisk road jersey]]

After three seasons in Texas, Zisk was traded along with [[Jerry Don Gleaton]], [[Rick Auerbach]], [[Ken Clay]], [[Brian Allard]] and minor-league right-handed pitcher Steve Finch from the [[1980 Texas Rangers season|Rangers]] to the [[1981 Seattle Mariners season|Mariners]] for [[Willie Horton (baseball)|Willie Horton]], [[Rick Honeycutt]], [[Leon Roberts]], [[Mario Mendoza]] and [[Larry Cox (baseball)|Larry Cox]] in an 11-player blockbuster deal on December 18, 1980.<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 18, 1980 |title=The Texas Rangers Thursday completed an 11-player trade with... |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1980/12/18/The-Texas-Rangers-Thursday-completed-an-11-player-trade-with/4772345963600/ |access-date=October 22, 2022 |website=[[United Press International]] |language=en}}</ref> His first season in [[Seattle]], he batted .311 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI in 94 games to earn 1981 [[MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award|AL Comeback Player of the Year]] honors.<ref name=":0"/> After three seasons as the Mariners' designated hitter, he retired after the 1983&nbsp;season.

===Career stats===

<div align="left">

{| border="1" cellpadding="2"

|Seasons

|Games

|AB

|Runs

|Hits

|2B

|3B

|HR

|RBI

|SB

|BB

|SO

|HBP

|Avg.

|Slg.

|OBP

|TB

|FLD%

|-

|13

|1,453

|5,144

|681

|1,477

|245

|26

|207

|792

|8

|533

|910

|12

|.287

|.466

|.353

|2395

|.981

|}

</div>

==Personal life==

Married to Barbara Zisk

Zisk was raised in [[Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey]],<ref>{{Cite web |last=Politi |first=Steve |date=May 31, 2017 |title=Ranking N.J.'s 50 all-time greatest baseball players |url=https://www.nj.com/yankees/2017/05/here_are_the_50_greatest_baseball_players_from_new.html |access-date=April 22, 2021 |website=[[NJ.com]] |language=en |quote="Zisk, who grew up in Parsippany and later played at Seton Hall, had 207 home runs and 792 RBI in a 13-year career."}}</ref> and played baseball at [[Parsippany High School]].<ref name="Caprio">{{Cite web |last=Taveras |first=Danny |date=November 9, 2004 |title=Classroom a thrill for teacher: Students say Caprio gives and receives respect, offers encouragement |url=http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/dayinthelife/ph-phs/teacher.htm |access-date=May 14, 2007 |website=[[Daily Record (New Jersey)|Daily Record]] |quote="Caprio fondly recalls some of his former students who achieved success in the world of sports -- Joe Orsulak, the former professional baseball player, and Johnnie Morant, a recent graduate who is now a rookie playing football for the Oakland Raiders. 'My most famous student is Richie Zisk,' he says of the former professional baseball player."}} {{Dead link|date=May 2023}}</ref> The [[Daytona Cubs]] retired Richie's number 22 on July 20, 2007, with his family in attendance and on his [[bobblehead]] day. His younger brother, John, played a season in the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]]' organization, and two for the independent [[Wausau Timbers]] of the [[Midwest League]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=zisk--001joh |title=John Zisk Minor League Statistics & History |website=[[Baseball-Reference.com]] |access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref>

In 2004, Zisk was inducted into the [[National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Richie Zisk |url=https://www.polishsportshof.com/portfolio_page/richie-zisk/ |access-date=November 24, 2017 |publisher=[[National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame]]}}</ref>

During 2011 and 2012, Zisk was in charge of pro [[scout (sport)|scouting]] in Florida for the [[Chicago Cubs]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Timmers |first=Josh |date=April 6, 2011 |title=Get To Know: The 2011 Daytona Cubs |url=http://www.bleedcubbieblue.com/2011/4/6/2095494/get-to-know-the-2011-daytona-cubs |website=Bleed Cubbie Blue |publisher=[[SB Nation]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/12970/change-continues-cubs-fire-six-scouts |title=Change continues: Cubs fire six scouts |first=Doug |last=Padilla |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=August 22, 2012 |access-date=November 24, 2017}}</ref>

==See also==

{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}

* [[List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle]]

==References==

{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

*{{cite web |url=http://www.pittsburghsportsreport.com/2008-Issues/psr0803/08030119.html |title=Where Are They Now? Richie Zisk |first=Doug |last=Kennedy |website=Pittsburgh Sports Report |date=March 2008 }}

*{{cite web |url=http://www.banishedtothepen.com/better-know-a-ballplayer-richie-zisk/ |title=Better Know a Ballplayer: Richie Zisk |first=Seth |last=Moland-Kovash |website=Banished to the Pen |date=February 6, 2017}}

==External links==

{{Baseballstats|mlb=124780|espn=340|br=z/ziskri01|fangraphs=1014455|brm=zisk--001ric|retro=Z/Pziskr101}}

*[https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=ziskri01 Richie Zisk] at Baseball Almanac

{{s-start}}

{{s-ach|ach}}

{{Succession box | before = [[Joe Torre]] | title = [[Hitting for the cycle]]| years = June 9, 1974 | after = [[Lou Brock]]}}

{{s-end}}

{{AL Comeback Players of the Year|state=collapsed}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zisk, Richie}}

[[Category:1949 births]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:American League All-Stars]]

[[Category:American people of Polish descent]]

[[Category:Baseball players from Morris County, New Jersey]]

[[Category:Baseball players from Brooklyn]]

[[Category:Charleston Charlies players]]

[[Category:Chicago Cubs scouts]]

[[Category:Chicago White Sox players]]

[[Category:Gastonia Pirates players]]

[[Category:Major League Baseball left fielders]]

[[Category:Major League Baseball right fielders]]

[[Category:Parsippany High School alumni]]

[[Category:Sportspeople from Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey]]

[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players]]

[[Category:Salem Rebels (baseball) players]]

[[Category:Seattle Mariners players]]

[[Category:Texas Rangers players]]

[[Category:Waterbury Pirates players]]

[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]