Major League Baseball Player, Coach, Manager. Born Roy Thomas Hartsfield, he attended West Fulton High School (Georgia) and began his lengthy career in baseball as a player with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in 1943. Following service with the US Navy during World War II, he resumed his Minor League career and marked his Major League debut on April 28th, 1950 with the Boston Braves. For three seasons (1950 to 1952), he played at the second-base position with the Braves (two years as their starting second-baseman, 1950 and 1951); he compiled 266 hits with a .273 lifetime batting average, in 265 career games. His playing career ended prematurely due to his proneness to heatstroke. He served as a Minor League manager for twelve seasons (1956, 1958 to 1968), before returning to the Major League level as part of Walter Alston's coaching staff with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969 to 1972). After a stint on the Atlanta Braves' coaching staff (1973), he resumed his Minor League managerial career (1973 to 1976), before being hired as the first manager of the Toronto Blue Jays; he served at that capacity for three seasons (1977 to 1979) and compiled a 166 win 318 loss record. He died of complications from liver cancer.
Major League Baseball Player, Coach, Manager. Born Roy Thomas Hartsfield, he attended West Fulton High School (Georgia) and began his lengthy career in baseball as a player with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in 1943. Following service with the US Navy during World War II, he resumed his Minor League career and marked his Major League debut on April 28th, 1950 with the Boston Braves. For three seasons (1950 to 1952), he played at the second-base position with the Braves (two years as their starting second-baseman, 1950 and 1951); he compiled 266 hits with a .273 lifetime batting average, in 265 career games. His playing career ended prematurely due to his proneness to heatstroke. He served as a Minor League manager for twelve seasons (1956, 1958 to 1968), before returning to the Major League level as part of Walter Alston's coaching staff with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1969 to 1972). After a stint on the Atlanta Braves' coaching staff (1973), he resumed his Minor League managerial career (1973 to 1976), before being hired as the first manager of the Toronto Blue Jays; he served at that capacity for three seasons (1977 to 1979) and compiled a 166 win 318 loss record. He died of complications from liver cancer.
Bio by: C.S.
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