Ron Samford

Ronald Edward Samford

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 156 lb.
• High School W. H. Adamson High School
• Debut April 15, 1954
• Final Game September 23, 1959
• Born February 28, 1930 in Dallas, TX USA
• Died January 14, 2021 in Dallas, TX USA

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Biographical Information

Ronald Edward Samford was a former righthanded-hitting infielder who played from 1954 to 1959 with the New York Giants, Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators.

Originally signed by the Giants in 1948, he made his Major League debut on April 15, 1954 at the age of 24. He pinch-ran for Ebba St. Claire in his debut game. He was used as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in his first three appearances in the majors, so he had to wait until his fourth game in the big leagues to get an actual at-bat. He went 0 for 3 in that game, striking out once. He played a total of 12 games that season, collecting no hits in five at-bats. He wore number 17.

A small man at 5'11", 156 pounds, he played in only one game in 1955 with the Tigers, stepping up to the plate once. He failed to get on base - in fact, he struck out.

He didn't play any major league ball in 1956, so he had to wait until 1957 to collect his first big league hit, which came on April 30th against the New York Yankees and pitcher Duke Maas. He singled to center, but it was a bittersweet success - the Tigers (who had selected him off waivers from the Giants in 1955) lost to Maas in a 10-inning match, 2-1. Maas pitched the entire game. Samford ended up hitting .220 in 54 games for the Tigers that year. He wore number 27 in 1957.

Again, he failed to make the majors in 1958. On December 6th, he was sent from the Tigers with Reno Bertoia and Jim Delsing to the Senators for Eddie Yost, Rocky Bridges and Neil Chrisley.

1959, a year in which he wore number 32, ended up being his final season in the majors. Although his .224 batting average did not reflect this, it was the most important season of his career: not only did he hit his first career home run (off Ray Herbert on April 28th), he also hit a game winning home run in extra innings that season. It came on June 2nd against the Cleveland Indians. The game was tied 2-2 going into the top of the 10th inning, and the batter before him, Hal Naragon, had grounded out. Samford stepped up to the plate with no one on and one out and hit a solo shot off pitcher Bud Podbielan to put the Senators ahead, 3-2. The Indians tried to muster a rally in the bottom of the 10th with a Jim Baxes single, but it was futile. They were soundly shut down by Senators pitcher Pedro Ramos, who actually pitched all 10 innings for the complete game. The next night, he hit a homer off Herb Score, to help the Sens beat the Indians, 4-0.

He hit his final home run in his final big league at-bat off Ernie Johnson on September 7th against the Baltimore Orioles. It was a three-run shot to cap off a Senators seven-run rally at the top of the 10th inning; it was the "icing on the cake", so to speak. The Senators won the game, 8 to 1.

He played his final big league game on September 23rd. He finished his career with a .219 batting average, 5 home runs and 27 RBI. In a total of 158 games, he had 334 official at-bats, walking 11 times and striking out 46. He had a .954 fielding percentage, and was involved in 62 double plays in his career. The teammate he spent the most major league seasons with was Bertroia: he spent a total of three seasons as his teammate.

Although his major league career ended in 1959, he was still playing pro ball until 1963. On April 3, 1960, he was sent with Clint Courtney from the Senators to the Baltimore Orioles in return for Billy Gardner, but he never played for the Birds.

At last check, he lived in Dallas, Texas.