Jim Essian
From Sports Library
James Sarkis Essian, Jr. (born January 2, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan) was a catcher and occasional infielder for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Oakland Athletics, Seattle Mariners, and the Cleveland Indians. He was signed by the Phillies at age 18, but he only amassed 24 at-bats over three seasons. In 1975, he was traded to the Braves for Dick Allen and Johnny Oates, but in May, he was sent to the White Sox to complete a trade the Braves made for Allen. In 1978, he was traded to the Athletics, where his playing time diminished. After brief stints in Cleveland and Seattle, he retired in 1985 after being cut in spring training by the A's.
Essian later became a coach for the Chicago Cubs, and in 1991 he became manager for the Cubs after Don Zimmer was fired. He finished that year 59-63. Essian was the first ever manager in baseball of Armenian heritage.
Facts
- Essian goes by the nickname "Skip."
- While coaching the Iowa Cubs in 1991, Essian was suspended for three games for charging the mound from the third-base coaching box.
- Essian's first home run in Major League Baseball was hit off Hall-of-Famer Ferguson Jenkins.
- Essian was a highly recruited halfback in high school, taking five official visits to the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, the University of Notre Dame, Miami University, and Ohio State University.
- On June 10, 1979, Essian hit the only inside-the-park grand slam in Oakland Athletics history off Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Mike Willis.
- Essian plays hockey with Kirk Gibson. At one point, the two got into a fistfight, which Essian won.
