George Theodore

George Basil Theodore (born November 13, 1947) is a retired Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "The Stork", the 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m), 190 lb (86 kg) Theodore played outfield for the New York Mets in 1973 and 1974. He is probably best remembered for a brutal collision in left-center field with Don Hahn in a game against the Atlanta Braves at Shea Stadium on July 7, 1973. As a result of the collision, Ralph Garr scored an inside-the-park home run, and Theodore dislocated his hip and had to be carried off the field on a stretcher.

George Theodore
Outfielder
Born: (1947-11-13) November 13, 1947 (age 76) Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 14, 1973, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
October 2, 1974, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.219
Hits	42
Home runs	2
Teams
New York Mets (1973–1974)

He is also remembered for his offbeat personality and idiosyncratic interviews. For example, he once remarked, "I've been trying transcendental meditation, and that helps me be passive and wait on the curve. I've got to find something else to hit the slider."^[1]

Theodore, circa 1968

Theodore played in 2 games of the 1973 World Series during the Mets' tough loss in 7 games to the Oakland Athletics, where he finished with a .000 batting average in 2 plate appearances. That happened in games 2 and 4, both of which the Mets won.^[2]

After his baseball career, Theodore returned to the University of Utah and earned a Master of Social Work degree in 1978.^[3] He went on to work for 38 years as a counselor to elementary school students. In 2016, South Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce named him Educator of the Year.^[4]

On September 28, 2008, Theodore returned to Shea Stadium for the stadium's closing ceremony. Theodore was interviewed during a game by the TV broadcasters on April 16, 2023, when the Mets played the A's in Oakland for a 1973 World Series reunion segment.

References

1. Zervos, D. (1998) Baseball's Golden Greeks Aegean Books International, pp.247-8
2. Postseason Batting Game Log. Baseball Reference. Retrieved on August 17, 2021.
3. Nozawa, Jennifer (Fall 2016). "The Stork". Continuum. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
4. About Utah: A champion on and off the field. Deseret News. Retrieved on July 21, 2016.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet, or Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Winter League)