Walter William "Chip" Hale, born on December 2, 1964, in San Jose, California, is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and third baseman, as well as a current coach for the New York Mets. He is an alumnus of the University of Arizona.
Hale was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 17th round of the 1987 MLB amateur draft, and he made his Major League Baseball debut with the Twins on August 27, 1989. He went on to appear in his final game on October 2, 1997.
In addition to his playing career, Hale is also remembered for a memorable blooper in baseball history. On May 27, 1991, while playing for the AAA-level Portland Beavers, he hit a deep fly ball to right field where outfielder Rodney McCray attempted to catch the ball and ran through the wall.
Hale has also had a successful coaching career, serving as a coach for the Arizona Diamondbacks under manager Bob Melvin for the 2006 Major League Baseball season. Before coaching in the majors, Hale was the manager of the Diamondbacks' AAA affiliate, the Tucson Sidewinders, for three seasons. During his tenure with the Sidewinders, the team finished the regular season with a record of 91-53, a new franchise record, and Hale was named Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year.
Hale was a candidate to become the manager of the Mets after Jerry Manuel was fired at the end of the 2010 season. However, the position went to Terry Collins instead.
