Amos Otis

Center Fielder
Chicago Colts (WAS, BOS, MAN, LA, DEN)
1970-1985

There is a  line from the 1955 Treniers song "Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)": "Willie plays all fields." Amos Otis played all fields, too. Only eight players in UL history have won five Gold Glove Awards, but Amos is not only the sole primary center fielder in that elite club, but he won hardware in all fields.

You don’t have to look far to see what drew former Chicago Colts GM Lance Mueller to the lean and lanky Amos Joseph Otis during the 1970 UL rookie draft. A toolsy outfielder with speed and range, Otis made perfect sense both as a leadoff hitter and to patrol the wide centerfield expanses of Comiskey Park. Selected #2 overall, Amos had a solid first season stealing 64 bases and scoring 98 runs.

Amos spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Colts, making the postseason three times (1970, 1972, and 1973) with the Southsiders. 1973 was his banner year while in Chicago. Not only did he make the first of three All-Star appearances that year, he was also awarded the first of his five Gold Gloves. The highlight of 1973 for Amos came in Game 7 of the World Series. With the game tied 3-3 in the bottom of the 13th inning Otis singled off of Cleveland’s Steve Mingori to drive in Toby Harrah for a 4-3 win that sent Chicago fans into a frenzy and notched the team’s second championship.

Amos was traded to the Washington Monuments prior to the 1977 season, a campaign that marked the apex of Otis’ defensive prowess as he not only won his second Gold Glove in centerfield but was also awarded the Willie Mays Award as the best overall defensive player in the UL. Amos flashed the leather for another season and a half in Washington before being traded to the Boston Federals prior to the 1979 trade deadline. He went on to have a stellar second half (.970 OPS with Boston, .878 overall for the 1979 season) and contributed immensely to the Fed’s deep playoff run (they lost the World Series in seven games to the Gray Sox). 1979 turned out to be a highlight year for Amos as he notched an impressive 8.6 WAR, was awarded his fourth Gold Glove, and was named World Series MVP in a losing cause.

The 1979 off-season saw Otis without a team for the first time in his career. Signed by the Gray Sox to a one year deal prior to the 1980 season (and then a six year extension), Amos spent four seasons in Manhattan before wrapping up his career with Los Angeles and Denver. When it was all said and done, Otis tallied some impressive numbers over his 17-year career: 54.2 WAR, 405 stolen bases, 2326 hits (20th overall in UL history and ahead of HOFers like Ernie Banks, Lou Brock, Bernie Allen, and Rocky Colavito), 417 doubles (21st overall), and 5 Gold Gloves. (TJS)