Born:  Brooklyn, N.Y., 8/26/1925

Died: Clearwater, Fla., 12/10/2020

B-R, T-R...  5'10", 170 lbs

 

Billy DeMars was the Phillies' hitting coach extraordinare from 1969 through 1981, leaving when Dallas Green resigned as manager to tave over the Chicago Cubs. DeMars was an infielder, mainly in the minor leagues, from 1943 through 1960, when he went into coaching full time. DeMars did see major league service for parts of three seasons, playing for the old Philadelphia Athletics in 1948, and for the old St. Louis Browns in 1950 and 1951. DeMars totalled 211 major league at-bats, hitting for a .237 career average with zero home runs and fourteen runs batted in.

 

DeMars' coaching career began with the club he last played for, the Browns (and it's successor the Baltimore Orioles). He served as a minor league manager in the Baltimore chain for 11 seasons before coming to the Phillies in 1969. Though he served as a coach for both the Phils and the Montreal Expos, DeMars never managed on the major league level.

Lifetime Statistics

Year

Team

AB

Runs

Hits

HR

RBI

Avg.

1948

Athletics

29

3

5

0

1

.172

1950

Browns

178

25

44

0

13

.247

1951

Browns

4

1

1

0

0

.250

TOTALS

 

211

29

50

0

14

.237

Phillies Publications

From The Phillies 1980 Media Guide:

 

Age 54. turns 55 on Aug. 26... Born- Brooklyn, N.Y., 8/26/25... Home- Wayne, Pa.... B-R, T-R... 5'10", 170... Married Kate Malick; three children, Janet, Billy and Judy.

 

One of the senior coaches in the league... Entering 12th year with the Phillies... Only Joe Pignatano (NY, 1968) and Rube Walker (NY, 1968) have been with the same club longer than Billy... Has coached third since 1969 and is a highly respected hitting coach among the Phillies players...

 

Came to the Phillies from the Baltimore organization in 1969... Was infielder from 1943 to 1960... Played with Philadelphia Athletics in 1948 and St. Louis Browns, 1950 and 1951... Was successful minor league manager with Orioles, 1958-1968.

From The Phillies 1981 Media Guide:

 

Age 55. turns 56 on Aug. 26... Born- Brooklyn, N.Y., 8/26/25... Home- Wayne, Pa.... B-R, T-R... 5'10", 170... Married Kate Malick; three children, Janet, Billy and Judy.

 

One of the senior coaches in the league... Entering 12th year with the Phillies... Only Joe Pignatano (NY, 1968) and Rube Walker (NY, 1968) have been with the same club longer than Billy... Is a highly respected hitting coach among the Phillies players... Coached third base from 1969 to 1979.

 

Came to the Phillies from the Baltimore organization in 1969... Was infielder from 1943 to 1960... Played with Philadelphia Athletics in 1948 and St. Louis Browns, 1950 and 1951... Was successful minor league manager with Orioles, 1958-1968.

From The 1980 Phillies Yearbook:

Age 54. turns 55 on Aug. 26... Born- Brooklyn, N.Y., 8/26/25... Home- Wayne, Pa.... B-R, T-R... 5'10", 170... Married Kate Malick; three children, Janet, Billy and Judy.

  • Favorite Color:  Blue
  • Favorite Singer/Group:  Frank Sinatra
  • Favorite Song:  Don't have one, like all music
  • Favorite City:  New York
  • Least Favorite City:  Cleveland
  • Person You'd Most Like To Meet:  Don't know
  • Boyhood Idol(s):  Lou Gehrig
  • Biggets Turn-On:  Watching a group of young men like the U.S. Hockey team at the Olympics win the Gold Medal
  • Biggest Turn-Off:  People who are always condemning the U.S. and don't seem to be too proud to be Americans.
  • Favorite Subject in School:  Meterology
  • Favorite TV Show:  Tonight Show, Johnny Carson
  • Favorite Book:  Not much of a book reader, more of a newspaper junkie
  • Person You Most Admire:  Tom Landry, excellent coach and seems to be a real class person
  • Greatest Achievement:  Learning about hitting and being able to pass it on to the offensive players. Nothing more frustrating than being in a slump.
  • Most Memorable Moment:  Playing first major league game
  • Hobbies:  Golf, tennis
  • Toughest Pitcher You've Faced:  Bob Lemon
  • Other Comments: Great that I have been able to make baseball my career and to have met so many fine people on and off the field.