Amalfitano signed with the Giants as an twenty-year-old bonus baby in 1954, and under the rule of the time had to be kept on the ML roster, hindering both the Giants' pennant chances and his own development. After finally receiving some minor league training (1956-59), he returned to the Giants as a utility infielder, never hitting enough to hold a regular position. He coached for several ML teams, and in 1979-82 he was one of the Cubs' "rotating" managers. (JD)
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FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»April 13, 1961: Alvin Dark pulls all the right strings to give the Giants a 6–5 win over the Pirates. Joey Amalfitano, hitting for cleanup man Willie McCovey in the 8th, singles in Willie Mays for a 4-4 tie; new catcher Hobie Landrith homers in the 11th to tie at five apiece, and Harvey Kuenn's single in the 12th wins it.
»April 30, 1961:
Using Joey Amalfitano's bat, Willie Mays becomes the 9th player in ML history to enjoy a 4-HR game, and his eight RBI pace the Giants to a 14–4 win at Milwaukee's County Stadium. Led by Willie's 4, the Giants total a record tying eight homers (and 13 in two games) as Orlando Cepeda (2), Felipe Alou, and Jose Pagan also homer. Willie's 6th inning homer clears the LF bleachers at County Stadium. Hank Aaron collects a pair for the Braves for all the scoring. Billy Loes is the winning pitcher, and it marks the 4th time he has been in uniform at a game where a player has hit four homers: Loes was with the Dodgers in '50 and '54 when Gil Hodges and the Braves Joe Adcock connected, and with the Orioles in '59 when Rocky Colavito collected four.
»July 25, 1980: The Cubs fire manager Preston Gomez and replace him with Joey Amalfitano. Chicago is 38-52, last in the National League East.
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