Jim Constable – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Jim Constable’s name probably won’t show up in baseball’s Hall of Fame, but his seven-year professional career tells the story of a gritty left-handed pitcher who pushed through the major leagues during a time when baseball was really changing. Born in Jonesborough, Tennessee, Constable picked up the nickname “Sheriff” and managed to build a solid career as a relief pitcher across five different teams from 1956 to 1963.

The 1963 season ended Constable’s major league run. He made his final appearance for the San Francisco Giants on April 27, wrapping up a career that covered the team’s shift from New York to San Francisco.

He retired at 29, finishing with a 3-4 record and a 4.87 ERA across 56 major league games.

Constable’s story gives you a window into the life of a journeyman pitcher during baseball’s golden age. Players bounced between teams more often, and the whole sport was shifting.

His stats, pitching style, and the financial realities of the late 1950s and early 1960s show what it was like when baseball started heading west and TV began to change how everyone watched the game.

Jim Constable’s Career Overview

Jim Constable spent seven years in Major League Baseball from 1956 to 1963, pitching left-handed for four different teams. He started out with the New York Giants organization in 1951 and found some minor league success, but he also ran into tough stretches that interrupted his path.

Early Years in Professional Baseball

Jim Constable signed with the New York Giants before the 1951 season. People started calling him “Sheriff” pretty quickly.

He showed early promise in the minors. In 1953, Constable had a breakout year for the Nashville Volunteers, winning 19 games and leading the Southern Association in strikeouts with 183.

The left-handed pitcher kept developing with the Minneapolis Millers in 1955. That year, he posted a 12-9 record and proved he could hang at the Triple-A level.

He played in 329 minor league games, racking up a 102-85 record with a 3.65 ERA over 1,566 innings. That’s a lot of innings for anyone.

Major League Debut and Early Performance

Constable made his major league debut on June 24, 1956, with the New York Giants at age 23. He pitched 1.1 innings against the Milwaukee Braves in his first big league outing.

He only got into three games in 1956 and didn’t get a decision. The rest of that season, he returned to Minneapolis and went 10-10 with a 3.66 ERA.

In 1957, he finally got a longer look in the majors. Constable pitched in 16 games for the Giants, posting a 1-1 record with a solid 2.86 ERA.

He also spent some time in Minneapolis that year, going 3-2 with a 4.80 ERA. His early days showed he could be a steady relief pitcher.

He threw left-handed, batted from both sides, stood 6’1″, and weighed 185 pounds. Not a bad build for a pitcher.

Transition Between Teams

The 1958 season shook things up for Constable. He started with the San Francisco Giants after the team moved west, but then they waived him to the American League.

That same year, he suited up for both the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Senators. Playing for three teams in one season? That can’t have been easy.

After 1958, Constable suffered a mental breakdown while playing winter ball in Cuba. He had gone 4-4 with a 2.82 ERA in 23 games for the Cienfuegos club before things took a turn.

The breakdown kept him out of pro baseball for three years. He came back in 1962 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, going 16-4 before making it back to the majors with the Milwaukee Braves late that season.

Constable’s last major league appearance happened on April 27, 1963, with the San Francisco Giants. He ended up with a 3-4 big league record, a 4.87 ERA, and 59 strikeouts in 56 games.

Key Highlights of the 1963 Season

Jim Constable’s 1963 season closed out his major league career with the San Francisco Giants. He pitched his final game on April 27, 1963, coming full circle with the organization where he started.

Performance With the San Francisco Giants

Constable rejoined the San Francisco Giants in 1963 after a good 1962 season with the Milwaukee Braves. The lefty was back with the franchise that originally signed him in 1956.

He didn’t get a ton of time with the Giants that year. The team had moved from New York to San Francisco in 1958, and Constable had experienced that transition firsthand.

The Giants mostly used him out of the bullpen. He pitched left-handed, batted from both sides, and that “Sheriff” nickname stuck with him all the way from his minor league days.

Statistical Breakdown for 1963

Constable’s 1963 stats showed he didn’t get much big league action with the Giants. He finished with zero games completed, tying him with a few other National League pitchers like Sandy Koufax and Dick Ellsworth.

His last major league appearance was on April 27, 1963. That wrapped up a career that stretched from 1956 to 1963, though he missed some years due to personal challenges.

Career MLB Totals:

• Record: 3-4
• Total Games: 56
• ERA: 4.87

In 1963, Constable also played for the Pacific Coast League’s Tacoma Giants. He stuck with them through 1964 before calling it a career.

Final Games and Notable Moments

Constable’s last big league game on April 27, 1963, was the end of his pro baseball story. He fought through some real personal struggles to make it back to the majors after missing three years.

During winter ball in Cuba after the 1958 season, Constable faced mental health struggles. He talked about the stress of playing in Cuba during Castro’s rise and how it affected him.

The 1962 season gave him a shot at a comeback. He went 16-4 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, then joined the Milwaukee Braves late in the year. In his first start back, he even threw a shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

His 1963 season with San Francisco felt like a return to where it all started. The Giants had signed him before the 1951 season, so ending his career there must have felt like coming full circle.

Pitching Style and Statistical Analysis

Jim Constable’s time in the majors showed a left-handed reliever who struggled to find consistency. He pitched in 56 games from 1956 to 1963, finishing with a 4.87 ERA and not a ton of strikeouts.

Pitch Types and Left-Handed Throwing

Constable threw left-handed, which gave him an edge against lefty hitters in his relief appearances. He could bat from both sides, showing off some flexibility at the plate.

His pitching style fit the mold of relievers from the late ’50s and early ’60s. Constable leaned on location and movement, not so much on velocity.

At 6’1″ and 185 pounds, he usually came in as a situational reliever. Managers brought him in to face specific left-handed hitters.

His delivery and mechanics worked for short relief outings. He rarely pitched deep into games, focusing on getting key outs.

Career Strikeouts and Earned Run Average

Constable struck out 59 batters over his seven-season career, which averages out to about 8.4 strikeouts a year. That number fits with his role as a situational reliever, not a strikeout machine.

His career ERA of 4.87 was below league average for his time. In 1963, his last season, he posted a 3.86 ERA in four games with the Giants.

At home in 1963, he allowed 3 hits and 1 earned run over 2.1 innings. On the road, he managed a 0.00 ERA, but that’s based on a tiny sample size.

Constable’s strikeout rate lagged behind other relievers from his era. In his last season, he walked just 1 batter and didn’t throw any wild pitches or hit anyone.

Win–Loss Record and Shutouts

Constable ended his career with a 3-4 record, reflecting the limited chances he got as a reliever. Not a huge win total, but that’s pretty normal for a bullpen guy.

He never threw a complete game or a shutout in the majors. Teams brought him in when games were already underway.

His last big league appearance was on April 27, 1963, against the Milwaukee Braves. He faced one batter, walked him, and then got pulled.

The win-loss record doesn’t really tell the whole story for a reliever like Constable. Teams used him for specific situations, not for long outings.

Comparison to League Peers

Constable’s numbers were below average compared to other relievers of his time. His 4.87 ERA was higher than what teams wanted from bullpen arms in the early ’60s.

He didn’t rack up many strikeouts, not like some of the top relievers back then. Those 59 career strikeouts over seven years show he had trouble missing bats.

We don’t have WAR stats for Constable’s era, but his traditional numbers point to below-replacement level performance. His brief appearances and modest stats paint the picture of a guy fighting to hang on in the majors.

Constable played for four different teams during the Giants’ move from New York to San Francisco. That kind of movement usually meant a player was trying to find his spot in the big leagues.

Playing in a Changing Baseball Era

Jim Constable pitched during a time when Major League Baseball was growing and shifting fast. The early 1960s brought new teams, stadiums, and opportunities that shaped careers like his.

State of Major League Baseball in the Early 1960s

The early ’60s were a time of big growth for MLB. The league went from 16 to 20 teams between 1961 and 1962, opening up more roster spots.

Key Changes in Baseball:

• American League added the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Senators in 1961
• National League brought in the New York Mets and Houston Colt .45s in 1962
• Season length jumped from 154 to 162 games

This expansion meant guys like Constable had more chances to stick on a roster. Teams needed extra arms to get through a longer season.

The Cold War era also touched baseball. Constable and others felt political tensions when they played winter ball in Cuba during Castro’s rise.

Influence of the Era on Player Careers

The changing landscape in baseball directly affected players’ careers. Expansion teams needed veterans, so pitchers got second chances they might not have had before.

Constable’s career really showed those changes. He played for the New York/San Francisco Giants, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators, and Milwaukee Braves between 1957 and 1963.

Expansion led to more player movement. Guys changed teams more often as organizations built new rosters and traded players around.

Mental health challenges like Constable’s breakdown in Cuba were barely understood back then. Players often faced those struggles without much support.

The 1960s also brought more travel. With teams out west, players had to handle coast-to-coast trips, adding more stress both physically and mentally.

Legacy and Impact After Retirement

Jim Constable retired in 1963, closing the book on a brief but memorable major league career. He left real marks on baseball institutions and the teammates who played alongside him.

He started with the New York Giants and then moved with the franchise to San Francisco, helping bridge that historic transition to the West Coast. His ability to push through mental health challenges earned him a good deal of respect in the baseball community.

Recognition by Baseball Institutions

Baseball institutions still recognize Jim Constable’s contributions through historical records and databases. Baseball-Reference.com keeps track of his 56-game major league career, showing his 3-4 record across five different teams from 1956 to 1963.

The Baseball Almanac lists Constable among the notable National League players who retired in 1963. His last game, on April 27, 1963, wrapped up a career that spanned several organizational changes and league shifts.

Retrosheet holds detailed game logs from Constable’s appearances. They especially highlight his 2-0 shutout win over the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962, making sure future researchers can find specific data from his comeback season with the Milwaukee Braves.

The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) documents his minor league stats, showing off his strong 102-85 record over 329 games. This adds another layer to his impact, well beyond just his major league time.

Contribution to the San Francisco Giants’ History

Constable carved out a unique spot in San Francisco Giants history as one of the few players who experienced the franchise’s move from New York to California. He wore a Giants uniform in New York in 1957, then again in San Francisco in 1958 and 1963.

He was right there for the franchise’s first West Coast season in 1958. That move was a big deal in Major League Baseball’s geography, and Constable helped establish the team’s new identity.

The Giants sent him to their Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Tacoma Giants, in 1963 and 1964. That kept his connection to the franchise alive even after his major league days ended.

He made his final major league appearance in a Giants uniform, closing the circle that started with his 1951 signing with the New York Giants.

Reputation Among Teammates and Fans

People called Constable the “Sheriff” during his playing days, a nickname that reflected the respect he earned from teammates and opponents. Almost every historical reference to his career mentions it.

He faced mental health struggles, including a breakdown in Cuba after the 1958 season. When Constable talked about his father’s manic depression and his own battles with stress, it struck a chord with other players.

Joe McClain and Ferrell Bowman, both fellow Washington County natives who made it to the majors, thought Constable had the best shot among them for a long MLB career. That kind of praise from peers says a lot about his talent.

When he posted a 16-4 record with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1962, he impressed teammates and coaches enough to get another shot at the majors. That performance really showed his determination to make it back to the top level.

Net Worth and Life Beyond Baseball

After stepping away from professional baseball in 1963, Jim Constable moved into a quieter life, mostly out of the public eye. There’s not much financial information about his life after baseball, but one estimate puts his net worth around $10 million, mostly from his baseball career.

Post-Retirement Activities

Nobody has really documented Constable’s career path after baseball in public records. Like a lot of players from his era, he probably worked outside sports to support himself and his family.

Baseball salaries in the 1960s weren’t anything like today’s numbers. Relief pitchers like Constable earned much less than modern players. His five-season career gave him a foundation, but most players from that time needed other income after retiring.

Many former players from Constable’s generation became coaches, scouts, or worked in local businesses. Some went back to their hometowns and put down roots in their communities. Without more details, Constable’s life after baseball remains a bit of a mystery.

Personal Life Overview

Jim Constable kept things pretty private after he wrapped up his baseball career. He stuck around in Tennessee, the place where he grew up.

He died on September 4, 2002, in Johnson City, Tennessee, at age 69. People still remember him as “Sheriff,” though honestly, no one seems totally sure where that nickname came from.

He was born in Jonesborough, just a short drive away from where he spent most of his life. Even after he left the game, he kept his roots in Tennessee strong.

After he passed, they cremated him, at least according to the baseball records. Looking at the nearly forty years between his last game in 1963 and his death, you have to wonder what kind of life he carved out for himself. It seems like he found a way to move on from baseball and make Tennessee home for good.