tony cloninger obituary
A farming family blessed with considerable baseball genes - an older brother passed on a potential professional career, and two of Tony's sons . He earned four World Series rings with the Yankees. After leaving the majors, Cloninger was a big hitter for a nationally recognized softball team in North Carolina. He became Boston's pitching coach in 2002 and took a medical leave in 2003 because of bladder cancer. Leave your condolences to the family on this memorial page or send flowers to show you care. The Red Sox on Saturday announced that they are sending along condolences for former player and player development consultant Tony Cloninger, who passed away on Tuesday. His most successful season came in 1965, when he set career bests in wins (24-11), ERA (3.29), innings pitched (279), complete games (16), and strikeouts (211). He was a star player for Rock Springs High School in Denver, about 25 miles north of Charlotte, pitching two no-hitters in his senior year, one of them a perfect game. Milwaukee Braves Manager. Light a candle Illuminate their memory Ann H. Cloninger Obituary We are sad to announce that on April 10, 2023 we had to say goodbye to Ann H. Cloninger (Lincolnton, North Carolina). August 13, 1940 Pitching coach Tony Cloninger of the Boston Red Sox walks off the field during the MLB game against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 13, 2002 at Safeco Field in Seattle, Washington. After leaving the Yankees, Cloninger was Bostons pitching coach for a year before he was forced to take a medical leave in 2003 because of bladder cancer. Data Provided By Tony Lee Cloninger was the fourth child born to Carl E. Cloninger and his wife, Edna (ne Lynch) on August 13, 1940, in the rolling terrain of Lincoln County, North Carolina, northwest of Charlotte. Cloninger enjoyed his best season on the mound in 1965, when he won 24 games and posted a 3.29 ERA in the club's final season in Milwaukee. Tony Cloninger was born on Tuesday, August 13, 1940, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Cloninger was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 15, 1961, with the Milwaukee Braves. Create an obituary. He was 77. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. DENVER, N.C. Former major league pitcher Tony Cloninger, perhaps best known for hitting two grand slams in a game, has died. He had worked as a. Bob Lynn and Pastor Mike Devine officiating. Cloninger finished up as a reliever with St. Louis in 1972. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. A 12-year Major League veteran pitcher and member of the Red Sox organization from 2002-18, Cloninger spent more than 40 years in professional baseball, including the past 14 as a player development consultant for Boston. Tony Cloninger, who assured himself a page in the rich lore of Major League Baseball when he became the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in a game, died on July 24 in Denver, N.C., where he. It was the first year the Braves played in Atlanta, having decamped from Milwaukee. Pitching at what was then called Atlanta Stadium, he started on Opening Day and tossed all 13 innings in a 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh -- a home run by Willie Stargell broke the tie. He became Boston's pitching coach in 2002 and took a medical leave in 2003 because of bladder cancer. So many of them.". Tell their story, and publish it online for free. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. He was 77. He became Boston's pitching coach in 2002 and took a medical leave in 2003 because of bladder cancer. Her. Playing at Candlestick Park, Cloninger became the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in the same game. He went 24-11 with a 3.29 ERA in 1965 and was 14-11 with a 4.12 ERA in 1966 while also hitting .261with five home runs and 23 RBIs. Warlick Funeral Home is serving the family. Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. Nicknamed the "Rock Springs Rifle" by late Gazette sports reporter Dwight Frady when Cloninger was a basketball andbaseball star at Rock Springs and a baseball star for Cherryville American Legion Post 100, Cloninger would eventuallybecome one of the first players that led to the region's ongoing embrace of the Atlanta Braves. His next career as a standout athlete came on the softball diamond as he played for national power Howard's Furnitureof Denver that was owned by softball Hall of Famer Richard Howard and coached by softball Hall of Famer Bobby Lutz, Sr. Hear your loved one's obituary Send flowers Let the family know you are thinking of them age 97 passed away peacefully in her home where she lived for 75 years on Saturday, August 27, 2022. All rights reserved. When the first Braves season in Atlanta was complete, Tony-C had "thrown" twenty-seven wild pitches, a team record for the Atlanta Braves through today, and the most in franchise history since Kid Nichols (1890-1906), who threw thirty wild pitches in 1890! Playing at Candlestick Park, Cloninger became the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in the same game. In this July 3, 1966, file photo, Atlanta Braves right-hander Tony Cloninger hoists an armload of bats after pitching the Braves to a 17-3 victory over the San Francisco Giants in which . The Braves dont tell me how much they give, he said. DENVER, N.C. - Former major league pitcher Tony Cloninger, perhaps best known for hitting two grand slams in a game, has died. They said I could say that., Tony Cloninger, Pitcher Remembered for His Bat, Dies at 77, https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/31/obituaries/tony-cloninger-pitcher-remembered-for-his-bat-dies-at-77.html. Please accept Echovita's sincere condolences. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Cloninger, a right-handed batter, worked Priddy to a full count before stunning the crowd by hammering the ball over the center field fence 410 feet away almost the same spot where Torres blast had gone out. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. After two batters were hit by pitches, fights broke out and benches cleared. He was 77. Cloninger, who went on to have a 12-year major league career, died on Tuesday at age 77. Tony Cloninger Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More | Baseball-Reference.com We've updated our WAR calculations based on new data updates. BOSTON -- Major League Baseball mourns the loss of Tony Cloninger, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 77. "That's his (Tony Cloninger) pitch, the hard one. Denis Menke Bat | Tony Cloninger Two Grand Slams Game | July 3, 1966. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. August 13, 1940 - 1 one month into the season? He hit five of his 11 career home runs that year and batted a respectable .261. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. He went on to have a 113-97 record with 13 shutouts and six saves and 4.07 ERA in 352 appearances (247 starts) over his 12-year career. We are sad to announce that on April 9, 2023, at the age of 70, Teena Katherine Barnes of Campobello, South Carolina passed away. After eight years with the Braves he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds during the 1968 season. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Receive obituaries from the city or cities of your choice. [2], Cloninger finished his career pitching with Cincinnati and St. Louis. DENVER, N.C. (AP) Former major league pitcher Tony Cloninger, perhaps best known for hitting two grand slams in a game, has died. He is survived by three sons, Tony Jr., Darin and Michael; a daughter, Meredith Cloninger Sherrill; a brother, Ray; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. He had worked as a consultant for the Boston Red Sox since 2002, and the team announced his death Saturday. Tony Cloninger, who assured himself a page in the rich lore of Major League Baseball when he became the only pitcher to hit two grand slams in a game, died on July 24 in Denver, N.C., where he had been a high school standout. On April 12, 1966, Cloninger threw the first pitch for the new Atlanta franchise. Many thanks to him. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 12:21AM. Fill in some information about your loved one, and we'll generate some text that you can use as a starting point for your online memorial. Raymond's Obituary . We present them here for purely educational purposes. Mr. Tony Lee Cloninger, Sr., age 77, of Denver, passed away on Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Traded to Cincinnati during the 1968 season, he went to the World Series with the Reds in 1970. ATLANTA Former U.S. Sen. Zell Miller, a lifelong Democrat and the father of Georgia's lottery-funded HOPE scholarship while serving as governor, died Friday. Cloninger was a high school star in the North Carolina community of Denver, then went 113-97 during 12 seasons in the big leagues, mostly with the Braves. At one point, Cloninger, age 61 at the time but not shying away from trouble, grabbed Orioles player Brook Fordyce in a headlock. He drove in nine runs that day, in fact, getting three hits as the Braves routed San Francisco 17-3. Tony Cloninger, who threw the first pitch in Atlanta Braves history and hit two grand slams in one game later that inaugural season, died. - Bragan, Bobby. The right-hander was 24-11 for Milwaukee in 1965, the club's last season before moving to Atlanta. He had worked as a consultant for . Cloninger died Tuesday in Denver, North Carolina at the . Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. The son of the late Carl E. and Edna L. Cloninger, he is survived by three sons Tony, Jr. (Karen), Darin (Angie) and Michael (Kim) and one daughter Meredith Sherrill (Ronnie). Tony 'The Rock Springs Rifle' Cloninger Autograph on a 1962 Topps Baseball Card (#63 | Checklist), Tony Cloninger Miscellaneous Items of Interest. Those performances made him, at 17, a top prospect in 1958, when the Braves signed him to a contract with a $100,000 bonus an exorbitant sum at the time soon after he graduated. BOSTON -- Major League Baseball mourns the loss of Tony Cloninger, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 77. Mr. Tony Lee Cloninger, Sr., age 77, of Denver, passed away on Tuesday, July 24, 2018. Tony Cloninger Baseball Stats by Baseball Almanac Tony Cloninger Stats Tony Cloninger was born on Tuesday, August 13, 1940, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Cloninger went 113-97 during 12 seasons in the big leagues, mostly with the Braves. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. inDenver,NC, Buried: ( Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. Tony Cloninger had 1,120 strikeouts over his career. He was 77. It just didn't work out too good for me. He's also survived by nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was NEW YORK Lucie Brock-Broido, a prize-winning poet and educator, has died at age 61. 'Believe in the power of cheese': How a group of rookies helped give the Brewers the best vibes in baseball, Supplemental Privacy Policy for Singapore. On April 12, 1966, Cloninger threw the first pitch for the new Atlanta franchise. Do you want even more trivia? update=copyright.getFullYear(); us, Died: Write your message of sympathy today. 11,854th in major league history) (Photo by Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images). His best seasons came in 1965 as the Braves were in their final year in Milwaukee and in 1966 in the Braves firstseason in Atlanta. Cloninger also holds the Braves' record for RBIs in a single game by a pitcher game, with nine.Cloninger is survived by his four children, as well as nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. DENVER, N.C. (AP) Former major league pitcher Tony Cloninger, perhaps best known for hitting two grand slams in a game, has died. Or write about sports? He drove in nine runs that day, in fact, getting three hits as the Braves routed San Francisco 17-3. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Traded to Cincinnati during the 1968 season, he went to the World Series with the Reds in 1970. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, July 30, 2018 at Denver United Methodist Church with Rev. vs. SFG 4.0 IP, 6 H, 2 SO, 2 BB, 6 ER, L, Last Game: Cloninger hit five of his 11 career home runs in 1966. Try our free interactive obituary template. In that stretch, Cloninger went 113-97 with a 4.07 ERA over 1,767 2/3 innings across 352 outings, including 247 starts. He also was an accomplished batter with a .192 batting average, 11 home runs and 67 RBIs. His 15-year professional career included 12 seasons in the Major Leagues, as he went 113-97 with a 4.07 ERA in 352 appearances (247 starts) for the Braves (1961-68), Cincinnati Reds (1968-71) and St. Louis Cardinals (1972). Cloninger returned to pro ball was the longtime bullpen coach for the New York Yankees during their championship run. Cloninger died Tuesday. He had worked as a consultant for the Boston Red Sox since 2002 and the team announced his death Saturday. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. A unique and lasting tribute for a loved one. Tony Cloninger was born on August 13, 1940. Cloninger was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on June 15, 1961, with the Milwaukee Braves. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Tony Cloninger played for 4 teams; the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals. He went on to toss all 13 innings in a 3-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, serving up a home run to Willie Stargell to break the tie. The Milwaukee Braves (1953-1965) had three different pitchers who were twenty-game winners; Warren Spahn (23-7 in 1953, 21-12 in 1954, 20-11 in 1956, 21-11 in 1957, 22-11 in 1958, 21-15 in 1959, 21-10 in 1960, 21-13 in 1961 and 23-7 in 1963), Lew Burdette (20-10 in 1958 & 21-15 in 1959) and Tony Cloninger (24-11 in 1965). . It was later that season, with a bat, that Cloninger put himself into the record book. He drove in nine runs that day, getting three hits as the Braves routed San Francisco 17-3. He joined the Red Sox the following year as pitching coach, and remained with the team until his passing, leaving for a period as he recovered from treatment for bladder cancer during the early part of his tenure.Cloninger spent most of his big league career with the Braves, from 1961-68, and was with the club when it moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta.