Bailey signed with the Pirates for what was believed to be a record bonus of $175,000
in 1961. He was TSN Minor League Player of the Year in 1962 and the regular Pirate third baseman for the next four
years. The Dodgers traded Maury Wills for Bailey and Gene
Michael in December 1966, but Bailey hit only .227 for two consecutive years, and
Los Angeles sold him to the expansion Expos.
Bailey hit well for the Expos. Manager
Gene Mauch often said: "Bailey means wood. Bailey doesn't mean leather." An opponent
added: "They called him Beetle, after the comic strip character. He fielded like
a comic strip character." As the starting third baseman in 1972-73, he made 39 errors.
Mauch also tried him at 1B and OF.
The Montreal fans developed a love-hate relationship
with the slow-footed streak hitter who grounded into 216 lifetime double plays. In
1970 Bailey hit .287 with 28 homers, including one of the longest shots in Astrodome
history on August 16. When he was traded in December 1975, he was the leader in nine
of ten Expo career batting categories.
(JCA)
FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY
»July 31, 1964: The Giants take advantage of three errors by Bill Mazeroski and two by Bob Bailey to tip the bumbling Bucs, 8–6. Maz's last error, on a potential DP ball in the 9th, helps the Giants score three runs. Willie Mays has three singles and three runs to lead the attack. The Giants remain one 1/2 games in back of the Phils, but learn that Juan Marichal has back spasms and will not pitch again until August 25th.
»August 12, 1966: At Crosley Field, long-ball lovers enjoy 11 home runs in one game, tying the most in any contest and setting a major-league record for an extra-inning contest. Art Shamsky hits three for Cincinnati, including two in extra innings. But Pittsburgh prevails 13–11, scoring three in the 13th inning. Shamsky, who did not enter the game until the 8th, when he hits a 2-run homer to put the Reds up 8–7. His solo homer in the 9th ties the score at 9-9, as does his 2-run homer in the 11th. Shamsky's pair of extra-inning homers is a first in the National League, and just the 3rd time ever in the Majors (Vern Stephens, 1943: Willie Kirkland, 1963). Also going deep are Rose, Deron Johnson, Bob Bailey (2), Clemente, Jesse Gonder, and Jerry Lynch. For Lynch, it is his 18th pinch-hit home run, a ML record.
»December 1, 1966: Dodgers SS Maury Wills is traded to the Pirates for SS Gene Michael and 3B Bob Bailey. A deal has been expected since he bolted the Los Angeles trip to Japan.
»October 21, 1968: The Expos purchase 3B Bob Bailey from the Dodgers.
»August 16, 1970:
In a 5–3 Montreal win over the Astros, Bob Bailey hits one of the longest home runs in Astrodome history.
»August 3, 1978: Boston and New York pick up where they left off last night, and the Red Sox score two runs in the 17th to win, 7–5, on RBIs by Rick Burleson and Jim Rice. Ex-Yankee Mike Torrez then stops New York, 8–1, in a rain-shortened game. Jim Rice, with only one homer in his last 33 games, hits a 3-run shot off Jim Beattie. Fred Lynn cracks a three run homer in the 7th and Bob Bailey follows with a shot off the upper deck facade in LF. Boston now leads Milwaukee by six games and the Yankees by eight 1/2 games.
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