Billy Gardner is Dead: A Fond Farewell
Former MLB infielder and manager Billy Gardner, who passed away recently at the age of 96 according to the Hall of Fame (X link), has his obituary published by The Day in his hometown of New London, Connecticut.
Gardner, born in 1927, signed with the then-New York Giants straight out of high school. He spent close to ten years in their minor league system before making his major league debut in 1954. Playing intermittently in the MLB between 1954 and 1955, he participated in 121 games. As a rookie, he earned a championship ring with the Giants in the 1954 Fall Classic, although he didn’t play during the series. In April ’56, the Giants sold his contract to the Orioles, where he became Baltimore’s starting second baseman.
His most productive years as a player unfolded over the following four seasons. In 1957, Gardner led the American League in plate appearances (718) and doubles (36). Despite his batting statistics slightly below the league average at .262/.325/.356, his resilience and defensive skills earned him recognition in the MVP voting. Gardner continued as a regular player for Baltimore until 1959 when he was traded to the Washington Senators. He stayed with them through the 1960 season before the franchise relocated to Minnesota and became the Twins. Gardner was briefly part of the original Twins team before being traded midseason to the Yankees, where he earned a second World Series title.
Finishing his playing career in Boston, Gardner’s ten MLB seasons saw him with a .237/.292/.327 batting line, hitting 41 homers and 159 doubles in almost 3900 plate appearances, while spending most of his time at second base, accumulating over 8000 defensive innings.
After retiring as a player, Gardner moved into coaching with the Red Sox, later joining the Expos’ staff and eventually returning to the Twins in 1981. Shortly after, he took over as manager, leading the Twins for parts of five seasons. Despite a .500 record in 1984, the team’s performance remained inconsistent, leading to his dismissal midway through the ’85 campaign. He managed the 1987 Royals before being replaced, ending his managerial career with a win percentage of 44.2% over 330-417.
We extend our sympathies to Gardner’s family, friends, and loved ones.
