#277 Elliott Maddox

Aspiring prospect who was well traveled…Native and draftee of Detroit the product of U of Michigan…Big Ten Batting champ…After two years in low minors took a huge jump to Tigertown…fared OK but could not break the veteran laden roster…tagged as promising but shipped off to Washington in the Denny McClain trade…Washington/Texas stretch was a mixed bag....sold to NYY 1974 in a minor transaction…Began to reach his potential hitting .304 making his mark as a line drive hitting and an amazing fielder…garnered some MVP votes….Good stuff continued into mid 1975….hitting .307…On June 13^th slipped on a rain slicked field…out for season with knee tear and Maddox was never the same player…in the questionable effort sued the city of New York for Shea stadium conditions….suit was torn out of court….never the less a comeback was long and extended…barely played in 1976 and 1977 when Elliott donned an Oriole uniform…Return to NY was by way of joining the Mets…odd in that the Mets were also named in his lawsuit against the NYC….regained more playing time for three years averaging 112 games per season and pulling down a .255 BA…career consisted of three quarters time in outfield one quarter in infield…Oh what could have been.