Gail Harris

Boyd Gail Harris Jr. (October 15, 1931 – November 14, 2012) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played for the New York Giants and Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB) during all or part of six seasons between and . In , Harris hit a career high 20 home runs with the Tigers. Harris batted and threw left-handed and was listed as tall and . Baseball career Early life Harris was born in Abingdon, Virginia, and was an athletic standout at now-defunct William King High School in Abingdon. New York Giants He signed with Giants at age 18 in 1950 and spent 5 seasons in their farm system before making his debut on June 3, 1955. With Whitey Lockman shifting to left field, Harris became the Giants' starting first baseman for the rest of the season. But he batted only .232 in 79 games played, and lost the starting job to future eight-time National League All-Star Bill White. Harris hit only .132 with the 1956 Giants and spent most of the season at Triple-A. In , the Giants' last season in New York City, White entered the military and opened up a spot for Harris as the team's backup first baseman. On September 21, Harris hit the last homer by a New York Giants player, off Red Witt of the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field, part of a four-hit, seven-RBI day. He appeared as a pinch hitter in Giants' penultimate game at the Polo Grounds on September 28, fouling out in the eighth inning of a 1–0 defeat. For the season, Harris hit .240 with nine home runs in 90 games played. On January 28, 1958, he was traded by the relocated San Francisco Giants to the Detroit Tigers with third baseman Ozzie Virgil for third baseman Jim Finigan and cash.