Jim Norris

James Francis Norris

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 10", Weight 175 lb.
• School University of Maryland
• High School Seaford (NY) High School
• Debut April 7, 1977
• Final Game October 5, 1980
• Born December 20, 1948 in Brooklyn, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Jim Norris played four seasons in the American League, appearing in at least 113 games each year in spite of suffering a variety of injuries.

Both he and Gene Hiser were at the University of Maryland from 1968-1970. Hiser came up much earlier but Norris ultimately had many more at-bats. Norris also played in the collegiate Cape Cod Baseball League in 1969-1970 and was inducted into the CCBL Hall of Fame in 2004. He was league MVP in 1969.

Norris was drafted in the Secondary Phase of the January 1971 amateur draft, and worked his way through the Cleveland Indians' minor league system from 1971 to 1976. He started out hitting .382 in the rookie league and then years later hit .320 for the Toledo Mud Hens in 1976.

In 1977 he was a 28-year-old rookie with the Indians, for whom he became a regular, appearing in slightly more games in center field than anyone else and also appearing in slightly more games in right field than anyone else. He hit .270 and stole 26 bases. In 1978 he hit .283 but appeared in fewer games.

He finished up his minor league career in 1981.