Union County Baseball Field Named After Star MLB Catcher

WESTFIELD, NJ - Westfield native and catching legend Jeff Torborg has a field bearing his name at Echo Lake Park in Mountainside. Torborg was honored in a ceremony last week.

"Jeff is a long time Union County resident, a class act and role model to our youth," Mayor Shelley Brindle said. "His impact on others was evident by how many came to yesterday’s ceremony, including MLB stars Willie Randolph, Al Leiter, and Mike Lowell."

Torborg, a former Major League player and standout at Westfield High School, also went on to serve as the manager for numerous major league teams, including the Cleveland Indians, the Chicago White Sox, the New York Mets, the Montreal Expos and the Florida Marlins. He also served as a coach with the Yankees. His tenure with the White Sox brought him an manager of the year award in 1990.

As a player, Torborg began his career as a catcher in Westfield and went on to catch for Rutgers and was a 1963 All-American athlete. Torborg spent his professional playing career on the west coast with the Dodgers and the Angels. Torborg made baseball history when he caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game in September of 1965. In July of 1970 he was the catcher receiving Dodger Bill Singer's no-hitter. Torborg behind the dish for the first of Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters in 1973.

"Thanks to the County of Union, New Jersey for recognizing this outstanding resident that the Town of Westfield, New Jersey can proudly call our own," Brindle said.

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