Brant Alyea

[William Malone]

Garrabrant Ryerson Alyea was born on December 8, 1940 in Passaic, New Jersey.

The Cincinnati Reds signed him as an amateur free agent in 1961, but he was taken by the new Washington Senators in the 1962 expansion draft. Alyea debuted for the Senators in 1965, and played sparingly for them as a backup outfield through the 1969 season. He played 165 games during his tenure with the Senators, batting .255 with 19 home runs and 69 RBI.

Alyea was traded to the Minnesota Twins during spring training in 1970. He wasted no time making an impact with his new club, going 4-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBI on Opening Day. Alyea stayed hot through the month of April, compiling six multi-hit games and three games with four or more RBI. He finished the year batting .291/.366/.531 with 16 home runs and 61 RBI, playing 94 games as part of a left field platoon with Jim Holt. Minnesota won the AL West that year. Alyea was 0-for-7 with two walks and a run scored in the ALCS.

His production dropped off in 1971. Alyea hit .177 in 79 games, and was removed from the 40-man roster once the season concluded. He was well traveled in 1972, beginning and ending the year with the Oakland Athletics. There was a 13 game stint with the St. Louis Cardinals in the middle. Alyea was left off the Athletics postseason roster that fall, but he did receive a World Series ring after Oakland defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the fall classic.

He spent ten years working as a pit boss in Atlantic City after retiring from the game, then spent several more years working as a car salesman. Alyea passed away in 2024 at the age of 83.

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