Al Bumbry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Al Bumbry |
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: April 21, 1947 Fredericksburg, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 5, 1972, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1985, for the San Diego Padres | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .281 | ||
| Home runs | 54 | ||
| Runs batted in | 402 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Alonza Benjamin Bumbry (born April 21, 1947) is a former American baseball player. He was an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Al Bumbry played for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres from 1972 to 1985.
Bumbry was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1973. He later became an All-Star player. He also won a World Series championship. Before playing professional baseball, Bumbry served in the US Army during the Vietnam War. He received a special award called the Bronze Star for his bravery. He is a member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Military Service
Al Bumbry was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He went to Ralph Bunche High School. After high school, he attended Virginia State College on a basketball scholarship. He played basketball for four years.
During his last year at Virginia State, the school started its baseball program again. Bumbry joined the team and played very well. He had a great batting average of .578. He was named the team's Most Outstanding Player.
Bumbry was part of ROTC (Reserve Officers' Training Corps) in college. This meant he had to serve in the US military for two years. He joined the United States Army and served during the Vietnam War. He led a group of soldiers and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service.
Playing Career Highlights
Starting in Professional Baseball
The Baltimore Orioles chose Al Bumbry in the 11th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional baseball career in 1969. He played for a minor league team called the Stockton Ports.
Bumbry then took time off to complete his military service. He served in the US Army from July 1969 to June 1971. After his military service, he returned to baseball. He played for other minor league teams, including the Aberdeen Pheasants and the Rochester Red Wings. He played very well in the minor leagues, showing he could hit and steal bases.
Joining the Baltimore Orioles
Al Bumbry first played for the Baltimore Orioles in 1972. His first game in MLB was on September 5. He got his first hit on October 3. He finished that short season with a .364 batting average.
1973: Rookie of the Year
In 1973, Bumbry became a regular player for the Orioles. He often batted first in the lineup. He had a fantastic season, finishing with a .337 batting average. He also had 73 runs scored and 23 stolen bases. He led the league with 11 triples. A triple is when a batter hits the ball and reaches third base safely.
The Orioles won their division that year. Bumbry was named the American League Rookie of the Year. This award goes to the best new player in the league.
Bumbry had a tougher year in 1974. He broke his leg in 1978, which made him miss many games. But he came back strong.
1979: World Series Appearance
In 1979, the Orioles won their division again. Bumbry had a good season, batting .285. He also stole 37 bases. The Orioles won the American League Championship Series. This sent them to the 1979 World Series.
The World Series was a tough seven-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Orioles lost the series, even though they were ahead 3-1 at one point. Bumbry played in all seven games.
1980: All-Star Season
The 1980 season was one of Bumbry's best. He played in almost every game for the Orioles. He was chosen to be an All-Star. This means he was one of the best players in the league.
He finished the year with a .318 batting average. He also had career highs in runs scored (118) and stolen bases (44). He was the first Orioles player to get 200 hits in a season since 1948.
1983: World Series Champions
The Orioles won their division again in 1983. Bumbry batted .275 and continued to be a key player. The Orioles won the American League Championship Series. They then went on to win the 1983 World Series! They defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in five games. This was the Orioles' first championship since 1970. Bumbry played in most of the World Series games.
Bumbry played one more season with the Orioles in 1984. He played in 119 games. He spent 13 of his 14 MLB seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He played in 1,428 games for them. He is still one of the top players in Orioles history for stolen bases and runs scored.
Playing for the San Diego Padres
In 1985, Al Bumbry signed with the San Diego Padres. He played 68 games for them. He mostly played as a pinch hitter, which means he came into the game to bat for another player. After the 1985 season, Bumbry retired from playing baseball. He finished his career with 1,496 games played. He had a .281 batting average.
Coaching Career
After retiring as a player, Al Bumbry became a baseball coach. He was a first base coach for three different MLB teams:
- Boston Red Sox (1988–1993)
- Baltimore Orioles (1995)
- Cleveland Indians (1998, and 2002)
He also coached for an independent league team, the York Revolution, in 2007.
Personal Life and Recognition
Al Bumbry has received several honors for his baseball career. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1987. He also joined the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 2002.
He co-owns a store that sells sports memorabilia in Timonium, Maryland. His son, Steve Bumbry, also played baseball in the minor leagues.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
