leftfield. That's you playing softball. He stumbles in for a fly ball, lunges and catches it at the last moment. That's you, all right. He rips a triple over the centerfielder's head and raced to third like a runaway fire hydrant. It could be the moment in the office picnic." Los Angeles Times sportswriter Jim Murray wrote in September 1968 that Brown had "the most level swing since Joe DiMaggio and added: He's batting .459 as a pinch hitter. He hits the "A" pitches farther than some guys hit the batting practice pitches. He strikes out so seldom that pitchers are convinced he could get wood on a cultured pearl, or a machine gun bullet." California Angels manager Bill Rigney said: "When I think of Gates Brown, I think of loud noises and line drives. When my pitchers ask me what to do with him, I say, 'Duck'!" Later years In 1969, Brown's batting average dropped by more than 160 points to .204 in 100 at bats. His slump continued in 1970 as he hit .226 in 124 at bats. From 1971 to 1973 Brown hit 33 home runs with 110 RBIs in 571 at-bats, including a .338 average in 1971 (66 for 195). He retired at the end of the 1975 season. Brown holds the American League record for the most pinch-hit at bats in a career, with 414. In his career, Brown collected 107 pinch hits including 16 pinch homers - both are also American League career records - and also twice led the AL in pinch hits (1968 and 1974). In a 13-season career, Brown was a .257 hitter with 84 home runs and 322 runs batted in in 1,051 games played. Coaching career After retiring as a player, Brown became a scout and rookie league instructor for the Tigers. He returned to majors in 1978 as the Tigers' hitting coach. He continued in that position through the 1984 season. Family and later life Brown moved to Detroit in 1960. He married Detroiter Norma Jean Sterling in July 1962. In 2009, Crestline High School renamed its baseball field as Gates Brown Field and established a scholarship fund in Brown's honor. At the time, Brown said: "You dream about something like this, but you don't ever think it's going to happen. I didn't want no fanfare when I was with the Tigers, but this is quite an honor."