Billy Consolo – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Billy Consolo’s name doesn’t pop up in the Hall of Fame, but if you look at his journey through Major League Baseball, you’ll find a story full of talent, grit, and the bumpy road that young players traveled in the 1950s.

He was born in Cleveland, grew up in Los Angeles, and jumped right from high school to the Boston Red Sox in 1953. That big bonus contract he signed? It set him up for his baseball dreams and, oddly enough, a handful of headaches.

William Angelo Consolo played ten seasons in Major League Baseball from 1953 to 1962. He appeared in 603 games across six teams and finished with a .221 batting average. The Red Sox signed him for $60,000 when he was just 18, making him a “bonus baby,” but the league’s rules forced him to spend his first two years on the major league roster instead of getting time to develop in the minors.

Consolo spent most of his career as a shortstop and second baseman. He suited up for the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Minnesota Twins, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Angels, and Kansas City Athletics.

His story really shows how tough it was for young players back then to reach their potential when the system worked against them. After he hung up his cleats in 1962, Consolo moved into coaching and kept baseball close to his heart.

Billy Consolo’s Baseball Career Overview

Billy Consolo played ten seasons in the majors, from 1953 to 1962, and took the field in 603 games for six teams. His “bonus baby” status kept him stuck on a major league roster for two years, even though everyone probably knew he needed more time in the minors.

MLB Debut and Teams

Consolo made his MLB debut on April 20, 1953, with the Boston Red Sox. He came into the second game of a doubleheader against Washington, pinch-ran for Mickey McDermott, and then grounded out in his first at-bat.

The Red Sox picked him up straight out of Dorsey High School in Los Angeles, handing him a $60,000 bonus on February 2, 1953. That big signing made him a “bonus baby,” which meant he had to stay on the major league roster for two full years.

Teams Consolo played for:

• Boston Red Sox (1953-1959)
• Washington Senators (1959-1960)
• Minnesota Twins (1961)
• Philadelphia Phillies (1962)
• Los Angeles Angels (1962)
• Kansas City Athletics (1962)

He spent most of his career in Boston, playing seven seasons there. In 1962, he bounced around between teams, which really showed how much of a journeyman he was in his last year.

Career Timeline and Key Moments

Consolo’s early years saw him riding the bench a lot because of the bonus baby rules. In 1953, he played in just 47 games and had 65 at-bats, mostly coming in as a pinch-hitter.

He started his first major league game on May 30, 1953, in a doubleheader against Washington. In that game, he smashed a 400-foot drive off the left-center field wall at Griffith Stadium.

The Red Sox finally sent him to the minors in 1955. He played 159 games for Oakland and hit .276, and that experience in the minors helped him grow as a player.

Career highlights:

• Best season: 1957 with Boston, hitting .270 in 68 games
• Career stats: .221 batting average, 9 home runs, 83 RBI
• Total games: 603 over 10 seasons

He mostly worked as a utility infielder, getting time at second base, shortstop, and third base.

Retirement in 1962

In his last MLB season in 1962, Consolo played for three teams. The Phillies, Angels, and Athletics all tried to get something out of his veteran presence.

He wrapped up his career after the 1962 season at just 28 years old. In ten years, he totaled 1,178 at-bats, 260 hits, and scored 158 runs.

By the time he retired, the bonus baby rule that had slowed his development was gone. Still, he never quite became the star scouts thought he’d be when he was tearing it up in Los Angeles high school ball.

After his playing days, Consolo jumped into coaching and spent fifteen seasons mentoring players from 1979 on. He stuck with baseball, even after all the ups and downs of his own playing career.

Statistical Highlights and Performance

Billy Consolo posted a .221 career batting average over 10 seasons in the majors. He played in 605 games for six teams.

He collected 260 hits, 9 home runs, and 83 RBIs, and he kept a .315 on-base percentage.

Career Stats and Records

Consolo’s career ran from 1953 to 1962. He logged 1,178 at-bats, scored 158 runs, struck out 297 times, and drew 161 walks.

His .221 average was below league average for his time. But he made up for some of that with his ability to play all over the infield.

He played for the Red Sox, Senators, Twins, Phillies, Angels, and Athletics. Boston was where he spent the most time.

His OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) was .604, which shows he struggled at the plate. He often served as a utility player rather than a regular starter.

Batting and Fielding Analysis

Consolo never really broke through with his bat. That .221 average pretty much stayed the story year after year.

He did show better plate discipline than you might expect from his average. A .315 on-base percentage says he could work a walk and find ways to get on base.

On defense, he played shortstop, second, and third base. His ability to cover multiple spots made him useful, even though detailed fielding stats from that era are hard to come by.

People considered his glove solid enough for the majors. He had the arm and range to handle whatever was thrown at him in the infield.

Home Runs and Grand Slams

Consolo hit just 9 home runs in his ten-year career. He was more of a contact hitter, not a guy you expected to go deep.

He spread those homers out over several seasons and teams. Back then, middle infielders weren’t really known for power, so he fit the mold.

No records show that he ever hit a grand slam. Most of his 83 RBIs came from singles and doubles, not big extra-base hits.

That lack of power definitely limited his playing time. Teams kept him around more for his defensive versatility than his bat.

Notable Games and Memorable Plays

Billy Consolo’s ten years in the majors brought some standout moments, especially on defense, and a few unique challenges as a “bonus baby” player.

His biggest contributions happened early on with the Red Sox, especially in 1954 when he played a career-high 91 games.

Significant MLB Games

Consolo debuted in the majors in 1953 at just 18, making history as one of the first “bonus babies.” He skipped the minors entirely, going straight from Dorsey High to the big leagues.

His best season came in 1954 when he started as the Red Sox Opening Day second baseman. That year, he played all over: 50 games at short, 18 at third, and 12 at second.

The 1954 season was his busiest in the majors. He hit just .227, but you could see flashes of the skill that got him that big signing bonus. His glove work showed he could hang with the best, even if the bonus baby rule kept him from sharpening his bat in the minors.

Unique On-Field Incidents

The “bonus baby” rule put Consolo in some odd spots. Teams had to keep him on the roster for two years after paying his $60,000 to $65,000 bonus, so he spent a lot of time on the bench during years he really should’ve been learning in the minors.

That rule meant he played alongside future Hall of Famers while still figuring out the pro game himself. Sometimes, his raw talent ran headlong into his lack of experience.

Looking back, Consolo once said, “I stayed in baseball as long as I did because I love the game. I’d have given back all the money if I could have played every day.” You can feel the frustration there.

Billy Consolo’s Legacy in Baseball

Billy Consolo left a mark on baseball that went beyond his stats. He influenced teammates and stayed connected to the game for life.

His childhood friendship with Sparky Anderson became one of baseball’s most famous bonds. Later, as a coach, he got to help shape new generations of players.

Influence on Other Players

Probably the biggest impact Consolo had was through his lifelong friendship with Sparky Anderson. They met at age 8 on playgrounds in Los Angeles and stuck together all through their baseball lives.

Anderson went on to become a legendary manager, winning World Series titles with the Reds and Tigers.

Their friendship started when both signed up to play at local parks for 50 cents. They even played games against child actors from the Our Gang series near the Twentieth Century movie studio.

Consolo’s “bonus baby” experience became a warning for other young players. The bonus rule forced guys who got more than $4,000 to stay on major league rosters for two years, which meant they couldn’t develop in the minors.

Impact on Teammates:

• Shared hotel rooms with Harry Agganis during spring training
• Talked baseball with younger players and offered advice
• Kept grinding even when playing time was scarce

Recognition and Contributions

After retiring in 1962, Consolo moved into coaching and spent 15 seasons in the game from 1979 on. He got to pass down what he learned from playing for five different MLB teams.

People still remember him as one of Los Angeles’ best prospects in the early 1950s. He won the Junior American Legion National Championship in 1951 with Crenshaw Legion Post 715, and his high school team at Dorsey won 42 games in a row and a city championship.

Career Statistics:

• 603 major league games over 10 seasons
• .221 lifetime batting average
• 260 hits in 1,178 at-bats
• Played for six different teams

His story really shines a light on how tough it was for bonus babies back then. Even with limited playing time, Consolo kept his love for baseball and gave back to the sport long after he stopped playing.

Life After Retirement from MLB

After his major league career, Billy Consolo joined his father as a barber at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Later, he found his way back to baseball as a coach, spending over a decade with the Detroit Tigers under his old friend Sparky Anderson.

Post-Baseball Career Activities

When he retired from baseball in 1962, Consolo went back to California and worked alongside his father as a barber at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles.

That barber shop was more than just a place for haircuts. George Rosario, a friend of Consolo’s, said, “It wasn’t so much a barber shop as it was a gathering place.” Ballplayers and fans came by to swap stories and talk baseball.

Consolo’s coaching career started in 1979 when Sparky Anderson, his high school teammate and lifelong friend, brought him aboard as an assistant coach for the Detroit Tigers.

He stayed with the Tigers for 13 seasons until 1992. As an assistant coach, he got to share his baseball knowledge and experiences with a new crop of players. Coaching kept him connected to the sport he loved, long after his days on the field were done.

Community and Personal Life

Consolo always kept close ties to his Southern California home after baseball. He lived nearby and stayed connected with his family, especially his brothers Horace and Bobby.

His friendship with Sparky Anderson really stood out in his life. They played together back at Dorsey High School and somehow, that bond lasted for decades. At Consolo’s eulogy, Anderson called him “the finest human being I ever met,” which says a lot.

The barber shop at the Hilton turned into a kind of clubhouse for baseball stories and friendships. Friends would show up often, swapping stories and just hanging out. Rosario remembered, “Mostly, we’d all hang out at his dad’s barber shop at the Hilton. That was a great old place. Lots of great stories, lots of great times.”

Consolo just had a knack for connecting with everyone. One friend put it this way, “it didn’t matter who the baseball player was, from Ted Williams right on down to the minor-league kids, they all loved Billy.”

Billy Consolo’s Net Worth and Personal Life

Billy Consolo’s finances pretty much matched what you’d expect from a ballplayer in the 1950s and 1960s. His personal life? It was all about family and eventually coming back home to Los Angeles.

After his baseball days, he took up work as a barber and also spent time as a sports instructor.

Estimated Net Worth

Nobody really knows what Billy Consolo’s net worth was, since public records don’t say much. He made his living from his 10-year MLB career between 1953 and 1962.

His biggest payday happened right at the start, when he signed with the Boston Red Sox. Reports say he got somewhere between $60,000 and $65,000 as a “bonus baby” in 1953, which was a huge deal back then.

Salaries in baseball during the 1950s and early 1960s were pretty modest. Most guys made between $6,000 and $15,000 a year. Since Consolo mostly played as a reserve, he probably earned toward the lower end.

When he retired in 1962, Consolo started cutting hair at the Statler Hilton Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. He followed in his father’s footsteps there. Later on, he worked as a sports instructor at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

Personal Interests and Family

Billy Consolo always kept close ties with his family. He was born in Cleveland, but his family picked up and moved to Los Angeles when he was still a kid.

His brothers, Horace and Bobby Consolo, were still around after Billy passed away in 2008.

Growing up, Billy formed a close friendship with Sparky Anderson. That bond ended up shaping his career in a big way.

They played side by side at Dorsey High School. They also played for the Crenshaw Post 715 American Legion team, which actually won the national championship in 1951.

Years later, when Anderson took over as the Detroit Tigers manager in 1979, he didn’t forget his old friend. He brought Consolo in as a coach.

Billy stayed on the Tigers’ coaching staff until 1992, and then came back briefly in 1995.

Even though he struggled as a player, Consolo never lost his passion for baseball. In a 1969 interview, he admitted, “I stayed in baseball as long as I did because I love the game. I’d have given back all the money if I could have played every day.”

He passed away from an apparent heart attack on March 27, 2008, at his home in Westlake Village. He was 73.