Feb. 27, 2002
McALLEN, Texas - McAllen High School has renamed its baseball field in honor of Ted Uhlaender, an MHS graduate who played baseball at Baylor before beginning a successful career in major league baseball.
Uhlaender graduated from high school in 1957 and played freshman baseball for Baylor in the spring of 1958. He joined the varsity in 1959, lettering that year and also in 1960 and 1961.
The Bears tied for second in the Southwest Conference in 1960 with a record of 10-5 and again in 1961, going 10-4-1.
According to Dutch Schroeder, his Baylor coach, Uhlaender was primarily an outfielder for the Bears, but occasionally worked as a catcher.
"He was noted for his great speed on the bases and a quick bat," Schroeder said. "But nothing served him better than the aggressive manner in which he pursued all aspects of the game."
Uhlaender signed with the Minnesota Twins in 1961 and worked through their minor league system until he joined the major league club in 1965. He finished his career with the Twins in 1969, moving over to Cleveland for the next two years. His last year in the majors was 1972 when he played for the Cincinnati Reds.
In 1969 he appeared with the Twins in the first American League Championship Series, but the team failed to make it to the World Series. In 1972, while with the Reds, Ted participated in the World Series, but his team lost to Oakland.
Schroeder says that Uhlaender is only one of the two former Baylor players to appear in a World Series. The other was Dave Danforth, who pitched for the Chicago White Sox in the 1917 Fall Classic.
After his retirement as a player, Ted worked for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Francisco Giants and Cleveland Indians. This season he again will be employed by the Giants
"I would like to thank Ted for coming to Baylor and giving us four wonderful years," Schroeder said. "And he also has our congratulations for the 40 years he has devoted to professional baseball. And now we salute him over the honor his hometown of McAllen has bestowed upon him."
For additional information on Uhlaender and McAllen High School, click here.
