|
|
Nick Testa |
 |
|
Full Name: Nicholas Testa
Bats: Right Throws: Right
Height: 5-8 Weight: 180
Born: Jun 29, 1928 in New York, New York
College: None
Major League Debut: Apr 23, 1958
|
|
CAREER BATTING STATISTICS
|
| | BATTING |
| YEAR |
TEAM |
LG |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
K |
OBP |
SLG |
1958
|
SF
|
NL
|
-.---
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-.---
|
-.---
|
|
Totals
|
AVG
-.--- |
G
1 |
AB
0 |
R
0 |
H
0 |
2B
0 |
3B
0 |
HR
0 |
RBI
0 |
BB
0 |
K
0 |
OBP
-.--- |
SLG
-.--- |
| | BATTING | BASERUNNING | MISC |
| YEAR |
TEAM |
LG |
HBP |
GDP |
TB |
IBB |
SH |
SF |
SB |
CS |
SB% |
AB/HR |
AB/K |
1958
|
SF
|
NL
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
-.---
|
--.-
|
--.-
|
|
Totals
|
HBP
0 |
GDP
0 |
TB
0 |
IBB
0 |
SH
0 |
SF
0 |
SB
0 |
CS
0 |
SB%
-.--- |
AB/HR
--.- |
AB/K
--.- |
|
CAREER FIELDING STATISTICS
|
| YEAR |
TEAM |
LG |
POS |
G |
Ch |
PO |
A |
E |
DP |
FPCT |
1958
|
SF
|
NL
|
C
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0.000
|
|
Totals
|
G
1 |
Ch
1 |
PO
0 |
A
0 |
E
1 |
DP
0 |
FPCT
0.000 |
Nick Testa played professional baseball in the Giants' farm system
from 1946 through 1957 as a C-3b, but never hit as many as 10 HR, nor ever batted above .300. He made the major league roster
as 3rd string catcher at the start of 1958, after projected regular Bill
Sarni had a heart attack. He was on deck to hit in his one major league
game, an extra-inning defensive stint, when Daryl Spencer ended it with a
home run. Testa was then taken off the active roster and was made a coach
for the balance of the 1958 season. He returned to the minors and caught
and managed at various levels until 1963, when he became the
first and for more than 20 years the only American to catch in Japan.
Unfortunately, Testa didn't hit Japanese pitching any better than
he'd hit in the U.S. From Japan, Testa drifted to the Quebec Provincial League, where
he suddenly did start hitting with authority. He was player/manager for
Granby, 1965-1966-1967-1968, but in those three years he was the all-star
catcher each year, twice hit over .340, and in the odd year hit .293--in
a league which was well-known as a pitcher's league.
After leaving Granby, Testa caught for many years for the semi-pro
New Rochelle Robins, and was strength-and-conditioning instructor for the
New York Yankees. One day Dave Winfield yelled at Testa, "Hey, I'd like
to be in your kind of shape when I'm 65." Returned Testa, "What's wrong with being in my kind of shape now?"