Walt Hriniak

Walter John Hriniak (pronounced RIN-ee-ack) (born May 22, 1943) is an American former catcher in American Major League Baseball who—despite a very brief MLB playing career and a batting average of only .253 —became one of the most prominent batting coaches in the game during the last two decades of the 20th century. As a player, he stood tall, weighed , batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Natick, Massachusetts.

Three-sport high school star Hriniak was a three-sport star at Natick High School where he was a first-team All-State selection in all three sports: as quarterback in football, center in hockey, and shortstop in baseball. He was also voted the outstanding hockey player in eastern Massachusetts and some speculated that he could have pursued a career in professional hockey. Instead, he chose baseball and signed a $75,000 bonus contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1961.

Professional baseball playing career Initially a shortstop in the pros, Hriniak batted over .300 in each of his first two professional seasons, but in 1964, while playing for the Austin Senators in the Double-A Texas League, he was seriously injured in a car accident that took the life of a teammate (pitcher Jerry Hummitzsch) and was on the disabled list for nearly three months.

It would take Hriniak almost four years to regain his batting stroke. By then, 1968, he had become a catcher and utilityman, and was no longer a top prospect. But during that season, with the Shreveport Braves of the Texas League, Hriniak was managed by Charley Lau, who soon would become the most celebrated batting instructor in Major League Baseball of the 1970s. Hriniak hit .313 and was promoted to the MLB Braves that September; more important, he adopted Lau's theories about hitting and would use them as the basis for his instruction after his playing career had ended. He also became Lau's close friend.

Hriniak would play only those few weeks in 1968 plus the 1969 season at the Major League level, for the Braves (by then based in Atlanta) and the San Diego Padres. He appeared in 47 games, batted 99 times, and hit .253 with no home runs, no extra base hits, and four runs batted in. , his 25 singles is the post-1900 record for all non-pitchers with no extra base hits. By 1972, he had become a minor league manager in the Montreal Expos organization.

Becoming a batting coach At age 30, Hriniak became a Major League coach for the first time, coaching first base for Gene Mauch's Expos in 1974–75. After Mauch's firing, Hriniak was reassigned to the minor leagues by Montreal in 1976, then was hired as bullpen coach by the Boston Red Sox for the 1977 season. He earned a reputation as a tireless worker, especially as a batting practice pitcher. He threw so many innings of "BP", he damaged his right shoulder permanently. In 2004, he was also elected to his high school's Wall of Achievement which honors alumni for their exceptional achievements and contributions to society.