Tom Haller, 67; Catcher Was All-Star for Giants, Dodgers

Tom Haller, an All-Star catcher who was the centerpiece in a rare trade between the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants, has died. He was 67.

Haller, who had been hospitalized in Los Angeles since August with a viral infection, died Friday.

Haller came to the Dodgers before the 1968 season in a deal for infielders Ron Hunt and Nate Oliver. It was the first trade between the National League archrivals since Dodger icon Jackie Robinson was dealt to the Giants in 1956 and retired rather than join the team.

Dodger Manager Walter Alston was thrilled to get Haller, who was widely regarded as an intelligent leader, power hitter and sound defender.

“I wanted the guy,� Alston said at the time. “He can hit the long ball.�

During his first Dodger season, Haller batted .285 and was named to the All-Star team for the third year in a row. But he hit only four home runs that year and had just 25 in four years as a Dodger after hitting 105 in six seasons with the Giants. He was a left-handed batter whose ability to pull the ball was better suited for San Francisco’s Candlestick Park than spacious Dodger Stadium.

His greatest value was on defense. Pitchers considered him excellent at calling pitches and directing the team.

“Tom knew me as well as I knew myself,� right-hander Juan Marichal, a Hall of Famer who spent most of his career with the Giants, once said. “I used to like to throw every pitch I knew, but there were some days when some of them didn’t work. Tom always knew by the second or third inning which pitches were giving me trouble and he made sure I didn’t throw them again.�

Born June 23, 1937, in Lockport, Ill., Haller was quarterback of the University of Illinois football team and a teammate of legendary linebacker Ray Nitschke. He left college during his junior year to sign with the Giants in 1958.

“I always had a strong desire to play professional baseball, and there was some money on the table,� Haller said years later.

Haller might be best remembered for a game he caught for the Detroit Tigers in 1972, his last season. The plate umpire that day was his older brother, Bill Haller, marking what is believed to be the only time brothers have worked as a catcher-umpire combination.

After his 12-year playing career ended, Haller became a Giant coach before moving to the front office. He became the general manager before the 1982 season and triggered criticism in the Bay Area by trading nearly the entire Giant starting rotation -- including fan favorite Vida Blue -- and bringing in outfielder Reggie Smith. Nevertheless, the Giants finished 87-75.

A year later, he shipped second baseman Joe Morgan to the Philadelphia Phillies in a deal that brought pitcher Mike Krukow to the Giants. Haller was fired in 1985 but less than a year later became general manager of the Chicago White Sox.

“He’s a hell of a baseball man,� White Sox operations chief Ken Harrelson said of Haller upon hiring him.

That was the enduring perception of Haller -- a sound tactician and student of the game, on and off the field.

“He was the smartest catcher I ever worked with,� said Gaylord Perry, another Hall-of-Fame pitcher who played with the Giants. “You could say he was a student of the game. He took great interest in studying hitters and in that regard he was a pitcher’s best friend.�

In addition to his brother Bill, Haller is survived by his wife, Joan; his sons, Tom Jr. and Tim; and a sister, Joyce Ganz.