Charlie Moore Was a Stalwart For The Milwaukee Brewers

Former MLB catcher & outfielder Charlie Moore, who played 14 of his 15 big-league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, has passed away. The announcement was made by the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame which inducted him last year. Moore was 72.

Moore was a fifth-round draft pick by the Brewers in 1971 out of high school. His MLB debut came as a September call up in 1973. From 1974 through 1976, Moore was the team's backup catcher to Darrell Porter. In 1977, Moore would get the opportunity to be the number one catcher after the Brewers traded Porter to the Kansas City Royals. This would be Moore's job for most of the next five seasons (save for some time in 1978 when he platooned with Buck Martinez). 

Although Moore was not a power hitter, he had a decent bat hitting a career high .300 in 1979. On October 1, 1980, Moore had the greatest game of his career when he became the only player in MLB history to hit for the cycle and steal two bases. 

Prior to the 1981 season, the Brewers acquired future Hall of Fame catcher Ted Simmons from the St. Louis Cardinals. Moore graciously accepted a move to right field:

I had always done what the organization told me to do. Whatever I can do to help the team win, that’s what I try to do, in whatever role they want me to play.

The Brewers would make the post-season for the first time in 1981 and then win the AL pennant in 1982. Moore hit .354 (17 for 48) across two post-seasons with 3 RBI. Yet Moore's most memorable post-season moment came with the glove, or more precisely, his throwing arm. During the deciding Game 5 of the 1982 ALCS against the California Angels, Moore threw out future Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson at third base. Mr. October should have thought twice about running on Moore who had 13 outfield assists in the regular season.

Although the Brewers could not replicate their winning form in 1983, Moore had a career high 150 hits and 49 RBI. In 1985, Moore was again the team's number one catcher although by 1986 he would be platooning with veteran catcher Rick Cerone.

Moore would finish his big-league career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1987 as a backup to Ernie Whitt. In 15 MLB seasons, Moore played in 1334 games collecting 1052 hits for a lifetime batting average of .261 with 36 HR and 408 RBI. He also had 51 career stolen bases which is pretty decent for a player who sent most of his career crouched down behind the plate,

Yet what is most impressive are his contributions to the Brewers. His 1283 games played in Milwaukee is sixth on the team's all-time list while his 1029 hits is 11th in team history with Christian Yelich only having passed him into the Top 10 late last season. Moore has a place on the team's Wall of Honor at Miller Park.

Charlie Moore will be remembered as a stalwart of the Milwaukee Brewers of the 1970s and 1980s. R.I.P.