Bubba Trammell

Thomas Bubba Trammell (born November 6, 1971) is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and designated hitter who played for the Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Mets, San Diego Padres, and the New York Yankees.

During his seven Major League seasons, he batted .261 and hit 82 home runs.

Trammell was born on November 6, 1971, in Knoxville, Tennessee.

He grew up with his mother, Brenda Graves, father, Clarence L. “Buddy” Trammell, and older sister, Kimberely Diane Trammell.

He was named after Bubba Wyche, a Tennessee football quarterback.

Trammell attended Central High School in Knoxville, where he played baseball and golf.

He went on to attend and play baseball at Cleveland State Community College and the University of Tennessee.

During his two years at U.T. (1993–1994), he had a .368 batting average, and hit 22 home runs and 105 RBIs.

He would later be named to the school's "All-Century Team."

At the age of 21, Trammell was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles, but he did not sign.

He was drafted again two years later for the Detroit Tigers in the 11th round of the 1994 MLB amateur draft, but this time, he did sign a contract.

He played on Detroit’s Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens, for three years.

By this time, he was 6’2”, weighed 220 pounds, hit right, and batted right.

Trammell made his Major League Baseball debut when he was 25 years old.

His first game was on April 1, 1997, with the Detroit Tigers.

He played in the majority of the Tigers’ opening games.

He mostly played as the designated hitter, but also played several games in left field and right field.

In his 44 games, he batted .228.

He was sent back to the Triple-As by May and finished the season there.

After his stint with the Tigers, Trammell was drafted by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

He pinch-hit in the team’s first game on March 31, 1998, against Detroit.

Over the next two and a half years with the Devil Rays, Trammell had limited play; he played in 59 games in 1998, 82 games in 1999, and 66 games in 2000.

He mostly played left field, but also made appearances as a right fielder and designated hitter.

He batted .286 in 1998, .290 in 1999, and .275 in 2000.

Trammell has been described as a fan favorite.

One sports columnist wrote: “[H]e was the kind of guy you wanted to see achieve great things.

He was a hustler and a gambler on the field, and carried a big bat into the box with him nightly”.

Notably, there was a group of fans who sat in section 142 of the Devil Ray’s stadium— Tropicana Field— and called themselves the “142 Crew.” They were led by fan Ted Fleming, who would go on to work for The Examiner and host his own sports radio show.

The “142 Crew” became known for their "Bubba" signs and enthusiastic cheering, which included a “Bu-bba!” chant.

This section was so loud that the Devil Rays sometimes timed their stadium music around its chanting.

Trammell appeared in the 2000 World Series as a member of the Mets.

Trammell played for the Devil Rays until July 2000, when he was traded to the New York Mets.

He hit a home run in his first game on July 30, becoming the seventh player to hit a home run in his first Mets at-bat.

He continued to play as a left fielder and right fielder for 36 games.

He batted .232.

The Mets won the 2000 National League pennant, then played and lost in the 2000 World Series against the New York Yankees.

Of the five games in this series, Trammell played two games as a right fielder and two games as a designated hitter.

He hit two home runs and batted .400.

Trammell was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2001.

He later reported that, “At the time I was ready to sign my contract [with the Padres], I told them, ‘Hey, I'll play for free if you give me 500 at-bats!’ I was kidding, but I would have”.