Major League Baseball Player. A member of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1946 until his retirement in 1960, Furillo played in 1,806 games with 1,910 hits, 192 home runs and 1,058 runs batted in (RBIs). He had a career batting average of .299 and was a right fielder who was known for having a strong arm (he was nicknamed "The Reading Rifle"). He had a career fielding percentage of .979. Furillo was a two-time All-Star, being chosen in both 1952 and 1953. He did not play in either game, however. In 1953, he led the National League (NL) in batting average with a .344 mark. The Dodgers were a very successful team while he played, and he appeared in seven World Series, winning twice (1955 and 1959). He played in 40 World Series games with 34 hits, two home runs, 13 runs batted in, and a .266 batting average. The Dodgers released Furillo after he tore a calf muscle in 1960. He claimed that the release was invalid due to his injury being baseball related. He filed a lawsuit and was eventually awarded back pay. He was subsequently blackballed from coaching jobs, and he felt that this was the result of the lawsuit that he had filed. After baseball, Furillo worked installing elevators. He also owned a deli and worked as a security guard. He died at his home in 1989 at age 66 from an apparent heart attack.
Major League Baseball Player. A member of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1946 until his retirement in 1960, Furillo played in 1,806 games with 1,910 hits, 192 home runs and 1,058 runs batted in (RBIs). He had a career batting average of .299 and was a right fielder who was known for having a strong arm (he was nicknamed "The Reading Rifle"). He had a career fielding percentage of .979. Furillo was a two-time All-Star, being chosen in both 1952 and 1953. He did not play in either game, however. In 1953, he led the National League (NL) in batting average with a .344 mark. The Dodgers were a very successful team while he played, and he appeared in seven World Series, winning twice (1955 and 1959). He played in 40 World Series games with 34 hits, two home runs, 13 runs batted in, and a .266 batting average. The Dodgers released Furillo after he tore a calf muscle in 1960. He claimed that the release was invalid due to his injury being baseball related. He filed a lawsuit and was eventually awarded back pay. He was subsequently blackballed from coaching jobs, and he felt that this was the result of the lawsuit that he had filed. After baseball, Furillo worked installing elevators. He also owned a deli and worked as a security guard. He died at his home in 1989 at age 66 from an apparent heart attack.
Bio by: Reddfamilyhistory
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