July 22, 1959: Bobby Ávila blasts thrilling walk-off homer in Milwaukee Braves debut

The underachieving Milwaukee Braves were on the verge of losing their eighth consecutive game and falling further behind in the pennant race. They trailed by a run in the bottom of the ninth of their July 22, 1959, contest against the Cincinnati Reds. Second baseman Roberto “Bobby” Ávila, acquired one day earlier and in the twilight of his career, stepped into the batter’s box for Milwaukee with one out and a runner on base. Ávila launched a stunning walk-off homer, sending the fans at County Stadium into a state of delirium and, according to the sports editor of the Milwaukee Journal, helping the Braves untie “the knot of their own hangman’s noose.”1

The Braves had been World Series champions in 1957 and they were favored to win their third consecutive National League pennant when the 1959 season began.2 They boasted an explosive offense led by Henry Aaron and Eddie Mathews – both in the prime of Hall of Fame careers – and first baseman Joe Adcock. Milwaukee also had an outstanding pitching staff that included quality starters like Warren Spahn, Bob Buhl, and Lew Burdette, and a reliable bullpen anchored by Don McMahon and Bob Rush.

But their Achilles’ heel was at second base, where they struggled to find a capable replacement for 10-time All-Star Red Schoendienst, who was expected to miss the entire season after being diagnosed with tuberculosis.3 An early contender, rookie Chuck Cottier,4 was demoted to the American Association on May 4 after batting just .125 in his first nine big-league games, and the revolving door at second began to spin.

Over the first half of the season, six Braves infielders had a shot at second base; none of them panned out.5 Still, Milwaukee held the top spot in the NL standings until the All-Star break in early July. When they returned from the break, the Braves were knocked out of first place by dropping a pair of games to the upstart Los Angeles Dodgers. A seven-game losing streak from July 14 to July 21 pushed them down to fourth place, 3½ games behind the first-place San Francisco Giants.

Milwaukee caught a break on July 21: The Boston Red Sox, under mounting pressure to integrate their roster, were calling up Pumpsie Green, requiring them to free up a roster spot.6 The last-place Red Sox placed the infrequently-used Ávila on waivers and the Braves happily claimed the 1954 American League batting champion.7 The 35-year-old was thrilled to be headed to Milwaukee, which he believed still had a good shot at the pennant. “I’ll get a chance to play,” he said.8

Ávila had broken in with the Cleveland Indians in 1949, becoming the fourth Mexican-born player to appear in the big leagues.9 The Veracruz native earned three All-Star selections in his 10 seasons with Cleveland, and in 1954 he led the Indians to the pennant with an AL-record 111-win season.10 Ávila paced the AL with a .341 batting average, played solid defense, and won The Sporting News’ AL Player of the Year Award.11

Ávila made the All-Star team for the final time in 1955 and then his production dropped off significantly over the next three years. Eventually the Indians decided to make a change at second base, and in November 1958 they acquired the pugnacious Billy Martin in a trade.12 Two weeks later, Cleveland dealt Ávila to the Baltimore Orioles for a minor-league pitcher and $30,000.13

Ávila soon got into a contract dispute with the Orioles, and by the time the issue was resolved he had missed close to a month of spring training.14 Perhaps because of his abbreviated spring, he fell into a slump early in the season and couldn’t get back on track.15

On May 21 the Red Sox selected Ávila off the waiver wire. He began to show signs of improvement in his two months with Boston, although his playing time was limited. In just 45 at-bats, Ávila hit .244 with 3 homers and 6 RBIs.

Milwaukee turned to its ace, 38-year-old Spahn, in hopes of ending its losing skid on July 22. Spahn came into his start against the seventh-place Reds with an 11-10 record and a 2.95 ERA. Cincinnati countered with rookie southpaw Jim O’Toole (2-2, 6.02), a former University of Wisconsin hurler who was in his second season of professional baseball.

Ávila, batting in the leadoff spot, was given an enthusiastic welcome by the Milwaukee fans when he came to the plate in the bottom of the first.16

The Reds drew first blood in the second inning. Frank Robinson led off with a double. One out later, third baseman Willie Jones homered on a belt-high fastball from Spahn, giving the Reds a 2-0 lead.17

Spahn helped his own cause with a solo homer in the bottom of the third. It was the 23rd round-tripper of his career, extending his NL record for most home runs by a pitcher in the twentieth century.18

Spahn recorded his second consecutive hit when he looped an opposite-field single with one out in the fifth.19 After Ávila walked for the second time in the game, Mathews’ single scored Spahn and the game was tied, 2-2.

In the sixth, Reds right fielder Gus Bell continued his hot hitting by reaching on a one-out single.20 After Robinson struck out, Frank Thomas slammed his seventh homer of the season, giving Cincinnati a 4-2 lead.

The Braves cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning. Johnny Logan reached on a one-out single. After O’Toole wild-pitched him to second, left fielder Lee Maye – playing in his fourth major-league game − singled Logan home for his first career RBI.

The score was still 4-3 when Milwaukee came to bat in the bottom of the ninth. After falling behind 1-and-2, pinch-hitter Stan Lopata battled back to draw a walk off O’Toole. Burdette ran for him. The next batter, Spahn, failed to advance Burdette with a sacrifice; he was retired when his two-strike bunt went foul.

With Ávila due up next, Cincinnati manager Fred Hutchinson went out for a mound conference with his 22-year-old hurler.21 O’Toole’s first pitch to Ávila was a waist-high fastball that the veteran pounded to left field for a two-run homer.22 Spahn and the rest of the Braves spilled out of the dugout to greet Ávila as he crossed home plate with the winning run.

“I damn near went through the dugout roof,” said Spahn. “I never wanted to win one so badly.”23 Spahn was so excited, he planted a kiss on Ávila’s forehead in the locker room. Ávila’s homer had snapped Milwaukee’s losing streak and handed Spahn his 258th career victory, moving him to within eight wins of tying Eppa Rixey as the winningest southpaw in NL history.24

“Right now, this is the biggest thrill of my life,” said Ávila. “It was − it was wonderful.” The newest Brave had enjoyed a spectacular debut: a walk-off homer, three walks, and flawless defense at second base. “Two days ago, Ávila was a bench-warmer on a Boston Red Sox team floundering in last place,” wrote Earl Lawson of the Cincinnati Post.25 “Today, he is the hero of all Milwaukee.” The Milwaukee Journal was equally effusive, labeling Ávila’s debut “the most memorable in Milwaukee baseball history.”26

Ávila’s steady – and occasionally spectacular − presence helped the Braves claw back into the pennant race. On September 9 he came to the plate with the bases loaded and Milwaukee trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Ávila worked his magic again, blasting a walk-off grand slam to give Spahn career win number 265.27

With eight games left in the regular season, the Braves were tied for second place with the Dodgers, two games behind the Giants. But San Francisco collapsed, losing seven of its final eight games, while the Braves and Dodgers each went 6-2 to finish in a dead heat. Los Angeles swept the best-of-three tiebreaker from Milwaukee before going on to defeat the Chicago White Sox in the World Series.

Ávila hit .238 with 3 homers, 19 RBIs, and 3 stolen bases in 172 at-bats with the Braves.

In the offseason, Milwaukee general manager John McHale tried to impose a 25 percent pay cut on Ávila, resulting in his refusal to report to spring training.28 “I won’t take that,” Ávila said.29 Contract negotiations reached an impasse, and on April 11 the Braves placed him on the restricted list, ending his big-league career.30

Ávila finished his 11-year career in the majors with a .281 batting average, 80 home runs, 467 RBIs, and 78 stolen bases. As the first big-league star from México, Ávila’s legacy transcended those statistics. “Everybody knows who Ávila was in México,” said the legendary Fernando Valenzuela. “He was an inspiration, of course, for Mexican ballplayers to follow to the States and play in the major leagues.”31 As of the end of the 2023 season, Ávila was still the big-leagues’ most successful Mexican-born position player.32

Acknowledgments

This article was fact-checked by Bruce Slutsky and copy-edited by Len Levin.

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author consulted Baseball-Reference.com, Stathead.com, Retrosheet.org, and The Sporting News contract cards. The author also reviewed John Stahl’s SABR biography of Roberto “Bobby” Ávila. Unless otherwise noted, all play-by-play information for this game was taken from the article “Avila’s Ninth Inning Homer Halts Braves’ Losing Streak,” on page 2-13 of the July 23, 1959, edition of the Milwaukee Journal.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MLN/MLN195907220.shtml

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1959/B07220MLN1959.htm

Photo credit

Photo of Roberto “Bobby” Ávila courtesy the Trading Card Database.

Notes

1 Oliver E. Kuechle, “Time Out for Talk,” Milwaukee Journal, July 23, 1959: 2-13.

2 According to a preseason poll of writers published in The Sporting News, the Braves were the overwhelming favorite to win the pennant in 1959, although not as many writers picked them to win as in the previous season. The reduced support was “mainly because the NL champs have not succeeded in the difficult task of landing the equal of Red Schoendienst, their incapacitated sparkplug.” Joe Coppage, “Braves Lose Ground in Writers’ Poll − But Keep Majority Vote,” The Sporting News, April 8, 1959: 18.

3 Schoendienst made only three plate appearances for the Braves in 1959. Herbert Kamm, “Cheerful Red Schoendienst Calls Himself ‘Luck Guy,’” Milwaukee Journal, April 2, 1959: 2-15.

4 Bob Wolf, “It’s Braves to Win Again!” Milwaukee Journal, April 5, 1959: 3-1.

5 The six players to appear at second base before Ávila was acquired were Félix Mantilla, Chuck Cottier, Joe Morgan, Johnny O’Brien, Casey Wise, and Mel Roach.

6 The Red Sox were the last major-league team to integrate. It had been more than 12 years since Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

7 “Avila Sold to Braves,” Milwaukee Journal, July 22, 1959: 2-13.

8 “Avila Sold to Braves.”

9 Baldomero Melo “Mel” Almada had become the first Mexican-born player to appear in the big leagues when he debuted with the Boston Red Sox on September 8, 1933.

10 Cleveland held the AL record for most regular-season wins until 1998, when the New York Yankees won 114 games. The Seattle Mariners won 116 games in 2001. As of the end of the 2023 season, the 1954 Indians still held the AL record for the best winning percentage (.721).

11 Ávila finished third in voting for the AL MVP Award. He amassed 7.1 Baseball-Reference Wins Above Replacement (bWAR), which was more than the two players who finished ahead of him in voting, Yogi Berra (5.3 bWAR) and Larry Doby (5.7 bWAR). Minnie Miñoso (8.2 bWAR) and Ted Williams (7.5 bWAR) led the AL in bWAR in 1954.

12 Martin played in only 73 games for Cleveland. He suffered a broken jaw on August 5, 1959, when he was hit by a pitch thrown by Washington Senators pitcher Tex Clevenger. Martin missed the remainder of the season. He was traded to the Reds in December 1959. Associated Press, “Billy Martin’s Jaw Broken by Pitch,” Hartford Courant, August 6, 1959: 13.

13 The minor-league pitcher was Russ Heman. He went 0-0 with a 2.70 ERA in 20 career innings in the big leagues.

14 C.M. Gibbs, “Gibberish,” Baltimore Sun, April 7, 1959: 25.

15 The Orioles tried unsuccessfully to convert him into a right fielder. In the first six weeks of the season, Baltimore used him in nine games in right field, eight games at second base, one game at third base, and one game in left field. Ávila hit only .170 in 47 at-bats with Baltimore.

16 Ávila walked in his first at-bat. He was the only Brave to reach base in the frame and the game remained scoreless after one inning. Earl Lawson, “Bobby Avila Is Hero on First Try,” Cincinnati Post, July 23, 1959: 33.

17 Lou Smith, “Braves Edge Reds, 5-4, as Avila Homers in 9th,” Cincinnati Enquirer, July 23, 1959: 1-D.

18 John Clarkson hit 24 home runs in the late 1800s. Spahn finished his career with 35 homers, which was still a NL record as of the end of the 2023 season. Don Drysdale was next with 29 round-trippers.

19 Smith, “Braves Edge Reds, 5-4, as Avila Homers in 9th.”

20 The left-handed hitting Bell had been platooned in the first half of the season by manager Mayo Smith. Bell began playing regularly against southpaws when Fred Hutchinson took over as manager on July 9, which was the start of the second half. Bell finished the first half of the season with a .263 batting average. He went 2-for-4 on July 22 to raise his average to .285; he finished the season batting .293. Jim Ferguson, “Reds Notes,” Dayton Daily News, July 23, 1959: 23.

21 Lawson, “Bobby Avila Is Hero on First Try.”

22 Cleon Walfoort, “‘My Biggest Thrill,’ Says Avila,” Milwaukee Journal, July 23, 1959: 2-13.

23 Walfoort, “‘My Biggest Thrill,’ Says Avila.”

24 Spahn passed Rixey when he won his 21st game of the season on September 26. He eclipsed Eddie Plank to become the winningest southpaw in the majors when he won his 327th game in his final start of 1962. As of the end of the 2023 season, Spahn’s 363 career victories were still the most for a left-handed pitcher. Steve Carlton was second with 329 wins.

25 Lawson, “Bobby Avila Is Hero on First Try.”

26 Walfoort, “‘My Biggest Thrill,’ Says Avila.”

27 It turned out to be the final home run of his big-league career.

28 United Press International, “Ruling Asked in Bobby Avila Case,” Bonham (Texas) Daily Favorite, April 13, 1960: 6.

29 Associated Press, “Avila Still Holding Out,” Eau Claire (Wisconsin) Leader, April 3, 1960: 12.

30 Ávila played his final season of professional ball in the Mexican League in 1960, where he was a teammate of 19-year-old Luis Tiant on Mexico City’s Tigres Capitalinos. Associated Press, “Avila Now Restricted,” (Salem) Oregon Statesman, April 12, 1960: 10.

31 Callum Hughson, “Beto ‘Bobby’ Avila Bio,” Mop-Up Duty, August 10, 2010, http://mopupduty.com/beto-bobby-avila/, accessed November 24, 2023.

32 As of the end of the 2023 season, Ávila’s career 28.4 bWAR was still the most for any Mexican-born position player. Vinny Castilla was second with 19.4 bWAR. Only pitchers Fernando Valenzuela and Teddy Higuera had more bWAR. Although Adrián González amassed 43.5 bWAR, he was born in San Diego.