Jeff Torborg: Former New Jersey Born Mets Manager (1992-1993) Who Caught Three Career No Hitters
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After attending Westfield high school, he went to nearby Rutgers University.
Rutgers University: In 1963 he was an All-American baseball player, setting a school record & NCAA record batting an incredible .537. Only two other college players have ever hit for a higher batting average. Torborg also set Rutgers school records for slugging.
The Rutgers Knights baseball team posted a .741 winning percentage during his time there.
Rutgers University: In 1963 he was an All-American baseball player, setting a school record & NCAA record batting an incredible .537. Only two other college players have ever hit for a higher batting average. Torborg also set Rutgers school records for slugging.
The Rutgers Knights baseball team posted a .741 winning percentage during his time there.
In 1992 he became the first baseball player to have his uniform number retired by the school, as he entered into the Rutgers Olympic Sports Hall of Fame.
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In 1963 Torborg was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent. He spent just 64 games at AA Albuquerque in 1963 before making the Dodgers team the next year.
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In 1963 Torborg was signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers as an amateur free agent. He spent just 64 games at AA Albuquerque in 1963 before making the Dodgers team the next year. MLB Career: Torborg was a member of the Dodgers from 1964-1970, winning pennants there in both 1965 & 1966 with a World Series Championship win over the Minnesota Twins in 1965.
Throughout the sixties he would be the Dodgers backup catcher, first to Johnny Roseboro (1964-1967) then to Tom Haller (1968-1970). He was batterymate to great pitchers like Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton, as well as Phil Regan, Claude Osteen & Bill Singer.
At the plate Torborg was never the same hitter in the majors like he was in college, but he was a fine defensive catcher.
No Hitters: Jeff Torborg has the honor of catching three career no hitters, to some of the best pitchers of that era.
Koufax Perfect Game: On September 9th, 1965, Torborg was behind the plate for Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. In that game Koufax struck out fourteen Cubs batters. Torborg went 0-3 at the plate that night.
Five years later, on July 20th, 1970, he was behind the plate for Dodger pitcher, Bill Singer’s no hitter. It came against the Philadelphia Phillies also at Dodger Stadium. Singer struck out ten batters that night, in a 5-0 Dodger win.
With Torborg's strong throwing arm, he threw out 48% of would-be base stealers three straight years (1966-1968).
In 1967 his 51% his 51% of caught stealing was third best in the National League.
At the plate Torborg was never the same hitter in the majors like he was in college, but he was a fine defensive catcher.
No Hitters: Jeff Torborg has the honor of catching three career no hitters, to some of the best pitchers of that era.
Koufax Perfect Game: On September 9th, 1965, Torborg was behind the plate for Sandy Koufax’s perfect game against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium. In that game Koufax struck out fourteen Cubs batters. Torborg went 0-3 at the plate that night.
Five years later, on July 20th, 1970, he was behind the plate for Dodger pitcher, Bill Singer’s no hitter. It came against the Philadelphia Phillies also at Dodger Stadium. Singer struck out ten batters that night, in a 5-0 Dodger win.
With Torborg's strong throwing arm, he threw out 48% of would-be base stealers three straight years (1966-1968).
In the Dodgers Championship year of 1965, he had his best year at the plate, batting .240 with 3
HRs & 13 RBIs in 150 at bats. In his last two years in L.A., he never batted above .185.
HRs & 13 RBIs in 150 at bats. In his last two years in L.A., he never batted above .185.
In March of 1971, the cross-town California Angels purchased his contract. Torborg would spend the next three seasons playing in Orange County. In his first two years he primarily backed up former Met, John Stephenson behind the plate.
In 102 games played behind the plate Torborg, threw out 27% of base stealers & posted a .991 fielding % (third best in the AL). That season his former Dodger teammate Bill Singer joined the Angels staff & won 20 games for the second time in his career.
Nolan Ryan's First No Hitter: On May 15th, 1973, at Royals Stadium in Kansas City, Torborg was behind the plate as young fireballer Nolan Ryan tossed his first of a record seven no hitters. That night Ryan struck out twelve Royals.
After the 1973 season, Torborg finished his playing career & switched to a coaching position.Career Stats: In his ten-year playing career, he batted .214 with 297 hits 8 HRs 42 doubles & 101 RBIs playing in 574 games. Behind the plate in 559 games, he threw out 36% of would-be base stealers, posting a .990 fielding %.
Managerial Career: .gif)
After three years of coaching with the Cleveland Indians, Torborg got his first managerial position in 1977. He replaced Frank Robinson as the Cleveland Indians skipper. finishing in fifth place that year. The Indians then fell to last place in the next two seasons. Torborg was dismissed in late 1979. He then coached with the AL New York team from 1979-1988.
After three years of coaching with the Cleveland Indians, Torborg got his first managerial position in 1977. He replaced Frank Robinson as the Cleveland Indians skipper. finishing in fifth place that year. The Indians then fell to last place in the next two seasons. Torborg was dismissed in late 1979. He then coached with the AL New York team from 1979-1988. In 1989 he accepted a position to manage the Chicago White Sox. In his second year at the helm (1990) he took the White Sox to a second-place finish, an improvement of 25 games, which earned him the Manager of the Year Award.
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In 1991 he finished in second place again winning 87 games with the White Sox. They finished eight games behind the World Champion Minnesota Twins.Mets Manager: In 1992 he came back to the New York area & was close to his New Jersey home once again. He was named the 14th manager in the history of the New York Mets. Torborg replaced interim manager Mike Cubbage, who had replaced Bud Harrelson late in the 1991 season. The 1991 Mets were the first Met team since 1983 to finished with a losing record.
The 1992 Mets were an overpaid high salaried team of overrated free agent players that were past their prime & could never gel together as a team.
Torborg's Mets finished the season in fifth place, going 72-90 (.444%) finishing 24 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates. They were labeled, "The Worst Team Money could buy". The media destroyed the team on the air & in the press. The Shea fans booed them loudly & vented their angers.
The 1992 Mets were an overpaid high salaried team of overrated free agent players that were past their prime & could never gel together as a team.
Torborg's Mets finished the season in fifth place, going 72-90 (.444%) finishing 24 games behind the Pittsburgh Pirates. They were labeled, "The Worst Team Money could buy". The media destroyed the team on the air & in the press. The Shea fans booed them loudly & vented their angers.
In 1993 Torborg’s Mets started at 13-25 before he was fired in May & replaced by Dallas Green.
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| Jeff Torborg & Sandy Koufax Reunite |
Post Mets Career: Torborg would get two more managerial jobs; first with the Montreal Expos in 2001 finishing fifth posting a 47-62 record. This time he was replaced by Frank Robinson whom he had replaced in Cleveland 24 years ago, as the Indians manager.
Torborg then moved on to manage the Florida Marlins in 2002 finishing in fourth place (79-83). Early in 2003 he was fired & replaced by Jack McKeon who went on to win the World Series with the Marlins.
Torborg also appears in the 2022 Netflix documentary: Facing Nolan Ryan.
Family: Jeff & his wife Suzie know each other since the seventh grade. They were married in their college days & have three sons together.
Family: Jeff & his wife Suzie know each other since the seventh grade. They were married in their college days & have three sons together.
Suzie Torborg: At age 18 Suzie won a beauty pageant became Miss New Jersey competing in the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.
Their son Dale Torborg is former pro wrestler known as the Demon, who donned make up in the style of Gene Simmons from the rock band KISS. After his wrestling career he became a baseball strength & conditioning coach. He first coached with the Montreal Expos in 2002 while his father was manager & later went to the Chicago White Sox in that role.
Dale Torborg's wife, Jeff’s daughter in law, is Christie Wolf. She was also a pro wrestler known as Asya.
She also was a model & female body builder. Asya married Dale Torborg in 2000, together they have one child.
New Jersey Home: Jeff & his wife have lived in Mountainside, New Jersey since the middle nineties.
Jeff had developed Parkinson's disease & will no longer participate in signing autographs.
Honors: The Baseball Field in Mountainside New Jersey at Echo Lake Park was named after him in 2019.
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| Jeff & Susan Torborg |
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