Gerald Duane Willard (born March 14, 1960) is an American former professional
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
catcher
Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the catc ...
. He played in
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
(MLB) from 1984 to 1994 for the
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...
,
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
,
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
,
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
,
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos () were a Canadian professional baseball team based in Montreal. The Expos were the first Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located outside the United States. They played in the National League (baseball), National League ...
, and
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. The Mariners compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, West Division. The team joined the American ...
. He currently works as a Campus Supervisor for the Oxnard Union High School District and coaches baseball at Adolfo Camarillo High School.
Career
A 1978 graduate of
Hueneme High School in
Oxnard, California
Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County in the U.S. state of California, United States. On California's Central Coast (California), Central Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the List of largest California cities by populati ...
, Willard was signed by the
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...
as an amateur free agent in 1979. He was one of five Phillies along with
Manny Trillo
Jesús Manuel Marcano Trillo (born December 25, 1950), nicknamed "Indio", is a Venezuelan people, Venezuelan former professional baseball second baseman, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, Philade ...
,
George Vukovich,
Julio Franco
Julio César Franco Robles (born August 23, 1958)Franco's birth date is in question. Many of his early bios and cards have his birthday listed in 1954, and on the roster of the Quintana Roo Tigres, his birthday is listed in 1961. is a Dominic ...
and
Jay Baller who were traded to the Cleveland Indians for
Von Hayes at the
Winter Meetings
Representatives of all 30 Major League Baseball teams and their 120 Minor League Baseball affiliates convene for four days each December in the Winter Meetings to discuss league business and conduct off-season trades and transactions. Attendees in ...
on December 9, 1982. Willard would make his
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
debut with the
Indians on April 11, 1984, and appeared in his final game on May 19, 1994.
Willard's career was spent mostly in obscurity. However, he did experience one significant moment of fame. On October 23, 1991, playing for the
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Eas ...
in the
1991 World Series
The 1991 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1991 season. The 88th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Minnesota Twins (95–67) an ...
against the
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...
, Willard made his only series plate appearance in the bottom of the ninth in a 2–2 game. He was pinch-hitting for
Francisco Cabrera after a Minnesota pitching change with
Mark Lemke on third Base. Facing reliever
Steve Bedrosian
Stephen Wayne Bedrosian (born December 6, 1957), nicknamed "Bedrock", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who played 14 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), primarily with the Atlanta Braves. He also played for the Philadelphia ...
with one out, Willard lofted a high fly out to right fielder
Shane Mack that proved to be deep enough to score Lemke with the winning run.
Willard's catching career came to an abrupt end on May 10, 1994, when a foul tip off the bat of Julio Franco struck his right shoulder, causing a fracture and damaged cartilage. He was catching for the Seattle Mariners versus the Chicago White Sox. Unable to complete a throw, he spent the rest of the season between the DL, the minors, and pinch hitting. He was forced to retire at the end of the 1994 season. Today, the piece of padding attached to a catcher's chest protector for extra coverage of his throwing-side's shoulder is called a 'Willard' due to this incident.
See also
*
Montreal Expos all-time roster
The following is a list of players, both past and current, who appeared at least in one game for the Washington Nationals National League (baseball), National League franchise (2005–present), also known previously as the Montreal Expos (1969–20 ...
*
Chicago White Sox all-time roster
Chicago is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los ...
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Willard, Jerry
1960 births
Living people
Águilas del Zulia players
American expatriate baseball players in Canada
Atlanta Braves players
Birmingham Barons players
Calgary Cannons players
Central Oregon Phillies players
Charleston Charlies players
Chicago White Sox players
Cleveland Indians players
Indianapolis Indians players
Maine Guides players
Major League Baseball catchers
Montreal Expos players
Navegantes del Magallanes players
American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela
Oakland Athletics players
Oklahoma City 89ers players
Peninsula Pilots players
Reading Phillies players
Richmond Braves players
Seattle Mariners players
Baseball players from Oxnard, California
Tacoma Rainiers players
Tacoma Tigers players
Vancouver Canadians players