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 Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres from 1972 to 1985.
Al Bumbry was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1973. Later, he became an All-Star player. He also helped his team win a World Series championship. Bumbry is honored in both the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame and the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Before playing baseball, he served in the US Army and received a Bronze Star.
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Al Bumbry's Early Life and Military Service
Al Bumbry was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia. He went to Ralph Bunche High School in King George, Virginia. He then attended Virginia State College on a scholarship for basketball. He played basketball for four years there.
During his last year at Virginia State, the school brought back its baseball program. Bumbry joined the team and played very well. He hit for a .578 average, which means he got a hit almost 58% of the time. He was named the team's Most Outstanding Player.
Bumbry was part of ROTC in college. This meant he had to serve in the US military for two years. He served in the United States Army as a platoon leader during the Vietnam War. For his service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.
Al Bumbry's Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Baltimore Orioles picked Al Bumbry in the 11th round of the 1968 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional baseball career in 1969. He played for the Stockton Ports in the Class A California League.
From July 1969 to June 1971, Bumbry served in the US Army. After his military service, he returned to baseball in 1971. He played for the Aberdeen Pheasants. He hit .336 and had 34 stolen bases. In 1972, he played for two more minor league teams. He continued to hit well, with a .345 average.
Playing for the Baltimore Orioles
Al Bumbry joined the Baltimore Orioles late in the 1972 season. His first MLB game was on September 5. He came in as a pinch hitter against the New York Yankees. He got his first hit on October 3 against the Cleveland Indians. He finished the season hitting .364 in a few games.
Rookie of the Year in 1973
In the 1973 season, Bumbry started playing more often. He usually batted first in the lineup as the leadoff hitter. By July, his batting average was .304. He finished the season with an impressive .337 average. He also had 7 home runs and 23 stolen bases.
Bumbry led the league with 11 triples. A triple is when a batter hits the ball and reaches third base safely. On September 22, he hit three triples in one game. This tied a record for both the American League and MLB. The Orioles won their division that year. Bumbry was named the American League Rookie of the Year.
In 1974, Bumbry's hitting wasn't as strong. He finished the season with a .233 average. The Orioles won their division again but lost in the playoffs. Over the next three years, Bumbry's batting average improved. He hit .269 in 1975, .251 in 1976, and .317 in 1977. In 1978, he broke his leg sliding into second base. This injury caused him to miss most of the season.
1979 World Series Appearance
The 1979 Orioles won their division again. Bumbry had a good season, hitting .285. He also had 37 stolen bases. In the playoffs, the Orioles beat the California Angels. Bumbry played center field in every game.
The 1979 World Series went to seven games. The Orioles played against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Even though the Orioles were leading 3-1, the Pirates won the last three games. Bumbry played center field in all seven games.
All-Star Season in 1980
Bumbry had an excellent 1980 season. He played in almost all of the Orioles' games. He was the team's main center fielder and leadoff hitter. He was chosen to be an All-Star. He and pitcher Steve Stone represented the Orioles.
The 1980 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was played on July 8. Bumbry played in the game and batted once. He finished the season with a .318 batting average. He also had career highs in RBIs (53), runs scored (118), and stolen bases (44). He was the first Orioles player to get 200 hits in a season. He also received votes for the American League Most Valuable Player award.
In 1981 and 1982, the Orioles finished just one game behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Bumbry continued to be the team's main leadoff hitter. He hit .273 in 1981 and .262 in 1982.
Winning the World Series in 1983
The Orioles won the American League East division in 1983. Bumbry hit .275 with 31 RBIs. He continued to bat leadoff when he started games. In the playoffs, the Orioles beat the Chicago White Sox. Bumbry played in three of the four games.
In the 1983 World Series, the Orioles played against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Orioles won the series in five games. This was their first championship since 1970. Bumbry was the starting center fielder in most of the games.
In 1984, the Orioles finished in fifth place. Bumbry played in 119 games and hit .270. After the season, his contract with the Orioles ended.
Al Bumbry played 13 of his 14 MLB seasons with the Orioles. He played in 1428 games for them. He had a .283 batting average. He also had 252 stolen bases, which is the 4th highest in Orioles history.
Final Season with the San Diego Padres
In March 1985, Al Bumbry signed with the San Diego Padres. He played in 68 games for them. He mostly came in as a pinch hitter. He finished his career with 1,496 games played. He had 54 home runs and a .281 batting average. After the 1985 season, Bumbry retired from playing baseball.
Al Bumbry's Coaching Career
After his playing career, Al Bumbry became a first base coach for several MLB teams. He coached for the Boston Red Sox from 1988 to 1993. He also coached for his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, in 1995. Later, he coached for the Cleveland Indians in 1998 and again in 2002. In 2007, he coached outfielders and base running for the York Revolution, an independent league team.
Personal Life and Honors
Al Bumbry has received several honors for his baseball career. He was inducted into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1987. In 2002, he was also inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
He is also a co-owner of a sports memorabilia store. The store is located in Timonium, Maryland. His son, Steve Bumbry, also played baseball. Steve was drafted by the Orioles in 2009 and played in the minor leagues.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
