Garry Hancock

Ronald Garry Hancock (January 23, 1954 – October 10, 2015) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox and Oakland Athletics in parts of six seasons spanning 1978–1984, primarily as a reserve outfielder. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches (1.83 m) and 175 pounds (79 kg), he batted and threw left-handed.^[1]

Upon graduation from Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida, Hancock was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 22nd round of the 1972 MLB draft, but chose instead to play ball at the University of South Carolina. He was drafted again in the secondary phases of 1973, 1974 and 1975 by the Cleveland Indians, Rangers and California Angels, respectively, but did not signed and remained in school. He finally was signed when the Indians made him the number seventeen overall selection of the 1976 MLB draft's January secondary phase.

Hancock batted .302 in two seasons in the Cleveland organization before being dealt to the Red Sox in exchange for Jack Baker following the 1977 season.

After hit a .303 average for the Pawtucket Red Sox through July 1978, Hancock was called up to Boston. He remained with the club for the rest of the season as a fourth outfielder and pinch hitter, batting .225 with four runs batted in and ten runs scored.

Hancock spent all of 1979 at Pawtucket and hit .325 to win the International League batting title.^[2] He received his second call up to the majors in June 1980 and remained with the Bosox through 1981. His most productive season for Boston came in 1980, when he hit a slash line of .287/.300/.443 with four home runs and 19 RBI in 46 games.

Hancock bateó .294 con un récord personal de 21 jonrones en Pawtucket en 1982 , y fue llamado nuevamente a las Grandes Ligas a finales de septiembre. En quince apariciones al plato con los Boston Red Sox, solo obtuvo una base por bolas. Ese invierno, Boston lo canjeó junto con el tercera base Carney Lansford y un jugador de ligas menores a Oakland a cambio del jardinero Tony Armas y el receptor Jeff Newman .

Hancock bateó .273 con nueve jonrones y 30 carreras impulsadas en 101 juegos, la mayor cantidad en su carrera, con los Athletics en 1983. Tuvo un desempeño deficiente la temporada siguiente y fue despedido, para luego retirarse del béisbol.

Hancock fue residente durante mucho tiempo de Valrico, Florida , donde murió en 2015 a la edad de 61 años. ^{[ 3 ]}

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