James Leo Breazeale (born October 3, 1949) is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman. Standing 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighing 210 pounds (95 kg), he batted left-handed, and threw right-handed.
Breazeale was a highly regarded amateur player at Sam Houston High School in Houston and drew comparisons to fellow Houstonian Rusty Staub.[1]
Breazeale was drafted by the Atlanta Braves with the eighth pick of the first round of the January 1968 Major League Baseball Draft. He played four seasons in the Major Leagues, three with the Braves (1969; 1971–1972), and one for the Chicago White Sox (1978).
Breazeale began the 1973 season on the injured list until early-June because of an ankle fracture resulting from a December 20, 1972 traffic collision near Uvalde, Texas.[2] The automobile carrying Breazeale and teammate Mike McQueen was struck head-on by a car with a driver who attempted to pass a semi-trailer truck. Prior to the accident, he had been expected to become the starting first baseman, allowing Hank Aaron to play the outfield again.[3]
In his MLB career, Breazeale played 89 games with 179 at bats and 40 hits. He had three home runs, 33 RBIs, 20 runs, and a .223 batting average. He played his final game on July 19, 1978 with the White Sox.
References
- ^ Ballenger, Frank (25 May 1968). "Breazeale Better Than Staub". The Index-Journal. p. 6. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
- ^ "Sports News Briefs," United Press International (UPI), Thursday, December 21, 1972. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
- ^ "Two Atlanta players injured in accident". The Tribune. Associated Press. 22 December 1972. p. 6. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet