Defensive stalwart Spencer won two Gold Gloves and might have been entitled to be named in several other years. He lacked the bat consistency that could have ranked him among the top first basemen, but he had good home run power, twice slugging 18 in a season and getting 23 in only 295 at-bats for the Yankees in 1979. Two years earlier with the White Sox, on May 14 and again on July 2, he drove home eight runs with two homers in a single game.
Spencer moved eastward through most of his career, starting in California, moving to Texas, then on to Illinois and New York, before a final return to California. His time with the Yankees was a homecoming of sorts: He'd first caught the attention of scouts by slugging a home run as a high schooler in the annual Hearst sandlot game held at Yankee Stadium.
»May 14, 1977:
Jim Spencer ties the club mark of eight RBI as the White Sox scalp the Indians 18–2 at Comiskey Park. Four come home on a grand slam,
»July 2, 1977: The White Sox Jim Spencer clubs two home runs—one a grand slam—against the Twins and ties the club record of eight RBI. Spencer also had eight RBI on May 14th. Chicago wins, 13–8.
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