Roger Hambright

Roger Dee Hambright

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.
• High School Columbia River High School
• Debut July 19, 1971
• Final Game September 25, 1971
• Born March 26, 1949 in Sunnyside, WA USA
• Died April 15, 2023 in Vancouver, WA USA

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Biographical Information

Roger Hambright pitched 18 games in relief for the New York Yankees in 1971, posting a record of 3-1 with 2 saves. His WHIP was 1.200. He was 22 years old at the time.

Roger was born in Sunnyside, WA, in south-central Washington. His hometown was Vancouver, WA, as stated on his 1972 Topps Yankee Rookies card. He attended Columbia River High School in Vancouver, a school later attended by pitcher Stan Spencer. Roger was picked in the 67th round - yes, the 67th round - of the 1967 Amateur Draft.

He was in the Yankees organization during all of his seven seasons in pro ball, and was always primarily a reliever. He moved up the levels of the minors, posting good ERA's most years, and came to the majors in July, 1971 after having a 1.55 ERA in A level ball in 1970 and a 2.08 ERA posted during his time in AA ball in 1971. He was not in AAA until the year after his major league time. Later, in 1973, he had a 2.51 ERA in AA ball.

In the first of Hambright's two career saves, he had an RBI, singling in Ron Swoboda. It would be 38 years before another New York Yankees pitcher had an RBI in a save, when Mariano Rivera saved his 500th game.