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Tim Foli
Ultimate Mets Database popularity ranking: 69 of 1252 players
Timothy John Foli
Born: December 8, 1950 at Culver City, Cal.
Throws: Right Bats: Right
Height: 6.00 Weight: 175

Tim Foli was the most popular Ultimate Mets Database daily lookup on December 23, 2008, October 5, 2010, April 2, 2016, November 20, 2018, and July 23, 2023.

First Mets game: September 11, 1970
Last Mets game: April 18, 1979

Father of Dan Foli

Share your memories of Tim Foli HERE IS WHAT OTHER METS FANS HAVE TO SAY: Michael Z. December 11, 2000 His nickname was "crazy horse." I don't know why, though. I don't remember him being any crazier than anybody else? Mr. Sparkle March 29, 2001 Amazing that this guy was a #1 draft pick. He was pretty horrible. I couldn't stand him. kinerskorner April 19, 2001 foli was the 2nd baseman on that pirates team with stargell that went 7 games against the orioles...i think he was a typical 70's 2nd baseman. he choked up on the bat alot and slapped the ball around. he also had very large glasses. wasnt as cool as omar moreno, who he batted after. Happy Recap June 21, 2001 Foli is now the bench coach for Bob Boone and the Cincinnati Reds. I read a report on baseballweekly.com that Foli has been having problems with fellow coach Ron Oester. The other day in the clubhouse, Foli came charging out of the shower, got into a fight with Oester, and bit Oester on the leg, leaving teeth marks and a bruise. I'm beginning to understand why his nickname was "Crazy Horse." Jersey Joe August 16, 2001 He was the SS on the "We are Family" Pirates, Phil Garner was the second baseman. Dale Berra played some SS too, when he wasn't trying to snort the foul lines. How could he be a number 1 pick ?? Big J September 18, 2001 There is a TV show on MTV that sums up the entire person of Tim Fooli (pun intended). It's called "JackA$$" and that is exactly what he is. He is the most arrogant, ignorant, unpersonable jerk to ever wear a Met uniform. I had the "pleasure" of working with him (thank God for only a limited amount of time) in the late '90s when he came back as a minor league coach with the Mets. He had already allienated himself from the entire minor league coaching staff before lunch on the 1st day of spring training. Let me tell you, that ain't easy to do! But he did it with ease. I can only hope that the reason he bit Oester in the leg, was because Ron had already kicked his jewels into his brain (which would be the 1st time anything rattled around between those ears in years, if not ever) and that he was in the fetal position on the floor in agony. Talk about a Clubhouse Cancer: this guy would make you wish for a 25 man roster full of Carl Everetts! Lewmin October 12, 2001 I remember Tim Foli and Ed Kranepool had a fight in the clubhouse because Ed thought that Tim was intentionally throwing the ball in the dirt - on a hop - to first base during infield practice to try to hurt Ed. does anyone recall that? Rich S November 12, 2001 My memory of Foli is this - warning track power. This is confirmed by his 1 career Mets homer. Mitchell December 12, 2001 I attended Tim Foli's major league debut in 1970- I was 10 years old at the time. He started at 3rd base and went 2-4. I remember John McAndrew pitched and the Mets won the game 3-2. How is that for a memory! Jim Snedeker January 15, 2002 One vivid memory of Tim Foli was when I went to Veteran's Stadium in 1971, the year after it opened. I was sitting near the field and watching the Metsies and Phillies warm up before the game. Artificial turf was still kinda new in those days, and I saw Foli running down the third base sideline bouncing a baseball on the turf like he was playing basketball, and shooting right when he got to home plate. I was happy for him when he won with the Pirates. I remember seeing him in the champagne-soaked locker room saying how he couldn't believe such a second-rate infielder such as himself could be part of such a great team! I think he's called Crazy Horse cos he's got some Native American blood in 'im. BB February 6, 2002 Obviously, most who have posted here know little about baseball. Here is a player that was a team player, not trying to play for individual stats. Only a true baseball fan can appreciate a player like Tim Foli: a player who did whatever it took to move the baserunner or try to make a defensive play even if it cost him a Gold Glove (took chances when other so-called Gold Glovers would not want the chance of a miss). As for the incident with Oester, Oester is a punk who was ruining the Cinci clubhouse & nobody on the team liked him- he tried to throw Foli on his head because he thought Foli & Boone were "plotting against him" and biting him was his only defense (notice Oester is gone now, not Foli). Final word: no Tim Foli, no World Series in '79 for the Pirates. Larry Burns May 31, 2002 First round draft pick, no talent. Complete tool. His lack of talent was enough to wish bad things on him, but he compounded it by being a classless jerk also. From his picture he looks like he should be sitting behind you at a Lynryd Skynryd Concert circa 1978 getting baked. The 1979 Pirate World Series is due to Foli? I guess Pops Stargell and Dave Parker had nothing to do with it. But I do have one shining memory---that the idiots in Montreal were so enamored with him Jorgensen and Singleton that they traded us the Grande Orange for this scrub. Andy from Rego Park December 7, 2002 Gosh this is a tough crowd... Tim Foli had a 16-year major league career. Think how many number one picks can't say that (anybody seen Shawn Abner lately? How about Kirk Presley or Dave Proctor?) Early on with the Expos he was reknowned for his intensity (think Wally Backman, who was also a hothead when he first came up). Once Foli was so angry with himself after an error he made cost the Expos a game that he slept the night on second base at old Jarry Park. He may not have been the main cog in the '79 Pirates lineup, but he played every day, batted a respectable .288 sandwiched between Omar Moreno and Dave Parker, where he did the little things that a number 2 hitter is supposed to do. For the record, in 1978, with Foli at short and Doug Flynn at 2nd, the Mets lead the NL in double plays. Hartford March 5, 2003 As apparent by what these so called fans have said, they're mostly not true baseball fans and don't know the true meaning of the game. Foli always played to win. I never remember seeing him hold back anyhting. Think about all the players today that sit out for seasons at a time for injuries and don't give a flip about whether or not their team wins as long as they get their check. I remember when Foli played with a broken finger and never made any stink about it. Sure Foli was a hothead, but that was only because he gave 150% when he played and wanted nothing less than a win for his team. Most of his career he batted 2nd and was not recognized for his ability to move guys around whether he sacrificed his batting average or not. Foli was a REAL player!! Winning is the name of the game and Foli was the best at it! What true athlete accepts defeat easily? Foli never did! And yes he was a true first-round pick. He was also eligible to be drafted in basketball, and football. Not many athletes can boast that. I think the fact alone that he was in the bigs for 16 years is a tribute to his ability as an athlete! Unfortunately baseball today has become way too political and I miss "the good ol' days" when winning was all that mattered, not money! Foli was the best example of that that I can think of! Francine July 30, 2003 I was a very big Mets fan in the early 70's. I saw Tim Foli and fell head over heels in love! He was the man. I was gonna marry this one! My father took me to Shea to see a game a few months before he passed away. I was only 10 and shortly after the game started it was called for rain. I did get to see Tom Seaver, Jerry Grote and all the other greats, but no Tim Foli. Big Vin August 4, 2003 Tim was always on the edge - maybe the current Mets team could use a little of his fire. Some guys I met at Shea on Kiner/Murphy Bobblehead Day told me that today, if you ask Foli to sign a baseball, he always writes a Psalm or Scripture passage next to his name. I can't confirm this but that is what these guys said. In any case, Tim must bring something to the game - he is still around! John November 16, 2004 He played hard and was a strategic hitter. He would bunt, hit to the right side to move the runner; he was about doing what he had to do to win. There is a comment about folks who are sharing their memories of Tim Foli “know little about baseball”. Well, this person went on to use Tim Foli and Gold Glove in the same sentence which proves that he/she knows very little about baseball! I have seen LAMPPOSTS with better range that Foli, he played shortstop as if he were wearing shower clogs. A player with very limited abilities, he made the best of what he had. bill nason May 13, 2005 Tim was a great example of how tough it is to be a sucessful major league player. I played little league with him in the San Fernando Valley. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that if anyone was going to make it, it would be him. He hit 100 points higher than anyone else he played with thru high school. He was probably the best all around athlete in the valley in the late 60's. For those of you who aren't familiar, the San Fernando Valley is a suburb of LA and a hotbed for great young athletes. I played at Cal State Northridge when we had Lyman Bostick and Jason Thompson. We played against Fred Lynn and Anthony Davis at SC. Yes, that Anthony Davis. Foli was better than any of them! As good as I was, I knew from the age of 9 that Tim Foli was going to be a major leaguer and I was going to need to get a day job. The fact that Tim was a career .250 hitter in the majors is a testament to how hard it is to reach the pinnacle. Yes, he was a pain in the ass as a little leaguer too, but I'd take him on my team any day. Eric May 22, 2005 I went fishing with him once In New Smyrna Beach Florida! I think it was in 1982. I was about ten at the time. We caught a bunch of nice blue fish! Had a great time. Jonathan Stern June 10, 2005 Looked a lot like my rabbi when I was a kid. All I heard about Foli was that he was this jerk. But he looked like my rabbi. He was also the starting SS for the "We are Family" Pittsburgh Pops Pirates of 1979, having replaced Frank Taveras. Hated that team, though I still wasn't sure if playing for it made Rabbi Foli a jerk. agee_of_aquarius October 13, 2005 In 1971, he had a fistfight with Ed Kranepool in the clubhouse because Krane thought Foli was deliberately bouncing his throws to first in warm-ups. Kranepool reportedly won the fight easily. Jeff Foli March 1, 2006 Tim is my father's, Joseph John Foli's, cousin. I met him in about 1975 in Tuscon, AZ, and he gave me a neat glove. What a memory for a child! Craig De Serf May 19, 2006 A cousin of mine, he came to my school when I was 9 and played catch with me and signed a ball. My friends were amazed. Showed the same class and respect to my 6-year-old son 30 years later. He must have been some kind of talent to last in the majors for 15 plus years! agee_of_aquarius October 5, 2006 In spring training of '72, Foli and coach Joe Pignatano threw punches at each other because Foli used a bunch of minor-league hockey tickets the previous night that Piggy had reserved for himself and Gil Hodges. Two weeks later, Hodges was dead and Foli was dealt to the Expos. Jamey Bumbalo December 30, 2006 Manager Dick Williams didn't say much good about Foli in his autobiography, "No More Mr. Nice Guy." He called him a "chronic complainer" who "led the team (Expos) in gutlessness." Tom Macaulay August 14, 2007 I was the starting shortstop on the Marion Mets in 1968 when the announcement came that the Mets had signed their number one draft pick, Tim Foli, a shortstop, and that he would be reporting to Marion. That was the last I saw of shortstop unless Foli got hurt (or kicked out of a game) or it rained and the Mets didn't want him to get hurt. I was with Tim when he received his glove contract in the mail from Rawlings. They asked him to sign his name ten times. Presumably, Rawlings would pick one of the autographs from the list to burn onto the Tim Foli model baseball glove. Tim signed on the top two lines, and I made a remark about the signature looking like a first grader's handwriting. I urged Tim to sign better. "Tim, cmon," I said, "you have to sign better. Otherwise, the kids in America will wrinkle their noses and think 'Tim Foli writes like a first- grader.'" Without a word, Tim handed me the sheet of paper, and I signed the other eight 'Tim Foli' signatures. Years later I occasionally looked for the Tim Foli model baseball glove, but I never saw it. I always wondered if there was a Tim Foli model glove and whether that was 'Tim Foli' signed in Tom Macaulay's handwriting on the gloves. Aase2Zim November 21, 2007 Hey Lewmin, are you still out there? Sorry it took me 6 YEARS to answer your "does anybody remember?" query. Yes, I recall the Tim Foli/Ed Kranepool match, if you want to call it that. It happened, as you said, because Foli was intentionally throwing balls in the dirt to Kranepool during infield drills. In fact, as I recall, it was reported that he was also alternately skipping Steady Eddie and not throwing it to him at all! The story goes that Kranepool promptly decked him, but in the dugout and not the clubhouse if memory serves. Foli had a reputation for being arrogant, cocky, etc., and Kranepool had no patience for disrespectful young players in general, let alone a #1 pick who I'm sure had the ego to go with it. He was a nutty hot-head who picked on the wrong guy, thus the moniker "Crazy Horse". Aase2Zim November 25, 2007 Just one more thought on Mr. Foli... I was at a memorabilia show in Secaucus last year and Kranepool was signing stuff at a nearby table. As I waited in line I mentioned the Foli/Krane match to the guy standing behind me, who said he had never heard the story. He also apparently knew Eddie personally and called out "Hey Ed, what's Tim Foli up to these days?" just loud enough for Kranepool to hear. Kranepool kept signing, never looked up, and simply said "Yeah, I heard he found religion." It was a special moment indeed. Witz December 22, 2008 I had always heard that because of their fight, Krane skipped Foli during between inning warmups. (A few posts up it says Tim skipped Eddie, but how can the SS skip the 1B?) Metsmind December 29, 2008 To get it straight, Foli had made some wild throws to Kranepool earlier, for which he was "punished" by Eddie skipping over him during the subsequent infield warmups. Foli confronted Krane in the dugout after the inning, and the bigger, (and veteran) Kranepool put Foli in his place by dumping him to the dugout floor. Pockmarx January 21, 2009 For those of you who like to torture yourselves with hindsight and second guessing the Yankees took Thurman Munson at four the year the Mets took Foli at one. That means, if we allow ourselves the luxury of hindsight, Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson could have been teammates on the Mets. Does that mean that Kranepool would have been the straw that stirred the drink? TT February 17, 2010 I was one of Tim's best friends in 5th through 8th grade. He was passionate to the extreme in all things sports. Wouldn't allow himself to believe he could or would lose. Somebody mentioned they thought Tim was the best athlete in the SFV in late 60s. Bit of a story here: In the 8th grade, he wanted to race anyone and everyone to demonstrate his superior speed. My younger bro who was in 4th grade at the time said he would. So off they went in about a 50-60 yard race, which my brother won by about two strides. Tim was furious and demanded a replay. My brother said sure - off they went again and Tim lost by a good 3 strides. And my bro was a better baseball (Giacapuzzi (sp) Field) and football player than Foli - but was not quite the basketball standout. Tim did play a grade or two above his age but my bro was 3 to 4 years ahead of his age - and against the best. He was much the 'natural' while Tim was much the 'worker' : a difference one can 'see'. Alas my bro went into another sport - which he dominated nationally on the HS level from his sophomore to senior year. We did spend many hours 'playing' basketball and baseball and football and Tim could have earned the nickname "Crazy Horse" then... but didn't. Quite frankly I was surprised he didn't do better in the big dance. His personality and temper took quite a bit of the edge off his game I think. He was no Dale Carnegie. Jonathan April 13, 2012 I was at the game when Foli and Kranepool had their fight, sitting in the front row boxes right behind first. As others have said, Kranepool was unhappy with Foli's throws during first-inning warmups and stopped throwing him grounders. Foli was visibly pissed, stood with hands on hips and yelled at Kranepool. Several of us noticed this, so we leaned over the rail between innings and saw the subsequent fisticuffs between the two. Mike Zocchi April 12, 2013 I remember Tim Foli always giving 100 percent. He was called Crazy Horse because of the way he ran to first base. Always at full throttle; a fun ball player to watch. tony bracci February 7, 2014 The consummate number 2 man in the Pirate lineup, and one of the keys to the Pirates '79 World Championship. Foli was popular in Pittsburgh because he hustled, hustled, hustled, which was a big deal in a blue-collar city. Plus he looked like the average guy on the street and not some prima donna celeb. Foli was a tremendous bunter (led the league in SAC for the Angels in '82), excelled at the hit-and-run because he was a contact hitter, and could hit for average. A typical Pirate run scoring inning would have Garner or Moreno put into scoring position by Foli, and knocked in by Parker, Madlock, et al. Don Lambert February 14, 2014 For some reason I was just thinking about the Foli - Kranepool confrontation and was gratified to see that I'm not the only one who remembers it. If my memory serves me well (to paraphrase Dylan) I was watching the game in question on the Phillies network (living in Philly at the time) and remember the between-inning skipped warmup throws which provoked the incident and the TV action cutting away to commercial just as Foli charged Kranepool in the dugout after the inning. Coming back from commercial, Phillies announcer Richie Ashburn (former Met!) remarked something to the effect that you won't believe what happened between innings. I don't know if they showed a replay then, but I do remember seeing a clip of it at some point. It was about the only time I remember teammates tussling during a game. (I don't count the Reggie - Billy Martin shouting match) Anyway, as a lifelong Yankee-hater (I'm actually a Pirate fan and was in 5th grade when they beat the Yankees in '60), I'm somewhat of a Met fan by default and wish they had held on to Nolan Ryan. He was truly special, but that's another story!

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