All-Time Indians: Tony Horton

Tony Horton played half of his career short, astounding yet tumultuous career with the Cleveland Indians including all of his great seasons. While he should still be remembered as one of the Indians best first basemen ever, he could have been much more if not for a devastating incident that ended his career far too early.

Horton was signed as an amateur free agent by the Red Sox out of USC in 1963 at the age of 18. After batting .283 with 25 home runs in his first professional season, he was advanced to AA Reading in 1964, ultimately making his Major League debut at the end of the year. While he played just 36 games for the Red Sox that year, he made the roster again during 1965, batting .294 in 60 games. He then spent almost all of 1966 in AAA Toronto, but the next year he caught on the Indian RADAR and was acquired during the 1967 campaign along with Don Demeter for one of the greatest relievers in Indians history, Gary Bell.

Horton would replace the light hitting Fred Whitfield and in his first 106 games he blasted ten home runs with 44 RBI and a .281 average. Whitfield had batted just .241 in 1966 and batted just .218 in 1967, ultimately leading to a trade at the end of the year that sent him to Cincinnati. As for his replacement, Horton would be one of the top two hitters on the team along with Max Alvis, despite playing just 123 games during parts of four seasons in Boston.

After his early success, Horton was unquestionably the Indians starting first baseman going into the 1968 season. Although Cleveland was still reeling from their 75 win, eighth place finish the year before and the second trade of fan favorite Rocky Colavito, there were some positives to note going into 1968, particularly the starting rotation of Sam McDowell, Luis Tiant and Sonny Siebert and the corner power combo of Alvis and Horton. Despite playing in just 133 games, Horton lead the team with 14 home runs, 59 RBI and 29 doubles. While these numbers may not be all that impressive on their own, the fact that the Indians had no others with at least 50 RBI and just one more with double digit home runs (Duke Sims had 11) made Horton’s production all that more important. With the rotation mentioned before (Tiant won 21 games with a 1.60 ERA and a team record .164 average against, McDowell held a 1.81 ERA with a .183 BAA and Siebert a 2.97 with a .190 BAA) the Indians should have been among the best teams in baseball, but with only Jose Cardenal (40 steals and 78 runs scored) and Horton providing offense, the Indians finished just third in the American League with 86 wins.

The Indians wouldn’t win 86 games again until they won 100 in 1995, but Horton himself would hit a peak the very next season. At 24 years old, he was already entering into his prime and he hit 27 home runs with 77 runs scored and a .780 OPS, all career highs. Ken Harrelson joined the lineup that year to provide some power and speed in addition to Cardenal, the two of whom combined for 53 steals. Horton took advantage with a team (and career) high 93 RBI. In all, between a lowered mound and expansion, offense increased dramatically all around the league and the Indians incredible trio was not enough to take advantage of the improved offense.

The 1970 season should have been the best yet for Horton, now with the respect of a Major League star, but it ended up being his final year in baseball. He began the year as the starter at first again and with the expectation of being the team’s top power hitter. Unfortunately by the end May, he was batting just .238 and he was hearing it from the fans. By July, things started to turn around for Horton and he did have one more high point before his career ended, hitting for the cycle on July 2nd against the Orioles. Through August, Horton batted .269 with 17 home runs and 59 RBI. This gave him 68 home runs and 255 RBI in his career as an Indian, impressive numbers considering his short, four year run. He was also a solid fielder at the first sack, recording a .992 fielding percent as an Indian in almost 500 games.

On August 28th, Horton played in both games of a double header against the Angels and despite going 5/15 on the home stand, the boos of the home town fans were more than he could take and he removed himself from the second game after two at bats. After the game, Horton attempted suicide and although he survived, the stress of baseball was too much and he retired for good at the age of 25. When most players would have just been starting off, Horton was already finished. He was an unfair recipient of the fan’s disdain as they were most likely angry with the management that dismantled the teams of the 1950’s and with the rest of the offense that didn’t support Horton, Vada Pinson and Graig Nettles. Even if the boos weren’t directed at him, Horton took personal offense and it was enough to end his very promising career.

Even though his 1969 season was more impressive, one baseball writer gave Horton an MVP vote in 1970 for his efforts. While Horton’s replacement, Chris Chambliss, would win the Rookie of the Year in 1971 and go on to have a fine career of his own, there is no question that everyone would have been better off if Horton had been able to play even a few more seasons.