Mike Sadek
Michael George Sadek (May 30, 1946 – January 20, 2021) was an American baseball player who was a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Originally drafted by the Minnesota Twins in 1969, he spent his entire major league career with the San Francisco Giants. He was a backup throughout his eight-year major league career, which spanned the years 1973 and 1975 through 1981. Sadek's nickname was "The Sheik" which was coined by Giants teammate Craig Robinson who, upon seeing the name Mohammed Ahmed Sadek, declared to the catcher, "Hey, you’re a sheik."[1][2]
| Mike Sadek | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Sadek behind the plate in a game against the Cubs | |||
| Catcher | |||
| Born: May 30, 1946 Minneapolis, Minnesota | |||
| Died: January 20, 2021 (aged 74) San Andreas, California | |||
| |||
| MLB debut | |||
| April 13, 1973, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| June 10, 1981, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .226 | ||
| Home runs | 5 | ||
| Runs batted in | 74 | ||
| Teams | |||
In the 1996 film The Fan, Sadek served as Robert De Niro's body double in scenes where DeNiro's character was throwing a baseball.[3]
Sadek died on January 20, 2021, in San Andreas, California, at the age of 74.[2]
References
- '"Giants Trounce Reds," Ukiah Daily Journal (July 15, 1980), p. 23.
- Shea, John (January 21, 2021). "Popular Giants catcher Mike Sadek, known as the 'Sheik,' dies at 74". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved January 21, 2021.
- Sadek profile, Internet Movie Database. Accessed June 4, 2016.
Sources
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Baseball-Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet