American second baseman who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles and California Angels (1964–1969), Chicago White Sox (1969–1970) and Kansas City Royals (1971–1972). In his nine-year MLB career, he appeared in 1,153 games.
Nicknamed “Nureyev” by sportswriters for his exciting and acrobatic fielding plays, Knoop played a deep second base, with exceptional range and a strong arm. He turned the double play well along with shortstop Jim Fregosi, to give the Angels outstanding keystone defense. In 1967, the pair both won the Gold Glove award at their respective positions—the second of three Gold Gloves Knoop would capture from 1966–1968; he was the American League’s starting second baseman in the 1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and went hitless in two at bats. As a hitter, he had his best season during 1966, with career-highs of 17 home runs, 72 RBI, 54 runs and 11 triples.
After retiring, Knoop worked for over 40 years as a minor league and major league coach, scout and adviser, including stints with the Chicago White Sox (1977–1978), Angels (1979–1996 and 2013–2018), Toronto Blue Jays (2000) and Colorado Rockies (2008–2012). In 1994 Knoop served as manager of the Angels for two games, posting a 1–1 record. In February 2019, Knoop retired from Major League Baseball, after a career that lasted 53 years.
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