Bill North facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bill North |
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North in 2013
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: May 15, 1948 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 3, 1971, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 11, 1981, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .261 | ||
| Home runs | 20 | ||
| Runs batted in | 230 | ||
| Stolen bases | 395 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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William Alex North (born May 15, 1948) is a former American baseball player. He was a very fast center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1971 to 1981, he played for several teams. These included the Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Francisco Giants. Bill was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides of the plate. He threw the ball with his right hand.
During his 11-year career, Bill North was known for his speed. He had a batting average of .261. He hit 20 home runs and helped score 230 runs. One of his biggest strengths was stealing bases. He stole an amazing 395 bases throughout his career!
Contents
Bill North's Baseball Journey
Starting Out and World Series Wins
Bill North was picked by the Chicago Cubs in the 1969 amateur draft. He was a very speedy outfielder. After the 1972 season, he was traded to the Oakland Athletics. He quickly became their starting center fielder. In 1973, he helped the Athletics win the 1973 World Series. He batted first in the lineup and had his best year for batting average (.285). He also scored 98 runs.
However, in September 1973, Bill hurt his ankle. This injury meant he missed the rest of the season. It also cost him the American League stolen base title. He finished second with 53 steals, just one behind the leader.
In 1974, Bill North led the league in stolen bases with 54. His Oakland Athletics team won their third straight 1974 World Series title! During that season, there was an incident in the clubhouse. Bill and teammate Reggie Jackson had a disagreement. Another player, Ray Fosse, tried to help. Both Jackson and Fosse were sidelined for a while after the event.
Speed on the Bases
Bill North continued to show off his speed. In 1976, he led the American League in steals again. He stole 75 bases that year. This was the second-highest number of steals in the Athletics' team history at the time. Only Eddie Collins had stolen more (81 in 1910).
Later, another famous player, Rickey Henderson, would steal even more bases for the Athletics. Henderson stole over 100 bases three times. He even set a Major League record with 130 steals in 1982.
Later Career and Notable Plays
Injuries limited Bill North's playing time in 1977. In 1978, he was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His Dodgers team won the National League pennant. But they lost to the New York Yankees in the 1978 World Series.
After that season, the San Francisco Giants signed him. In 1979, he played well again. He stole 58 bases, which was the most by a Giants player in many years. Injuries still kept him out of some games. He had a similar season in 1980 before his career slowed down in 1981.
Bill North's speed wasn't just for stealing bases. He was also great in the outfield. He often led American League outfielders in plays made. He was good at putouts, assists, and double plays. On July 28, 1974, he made an amazing play. He caught a fly ball and then ran to second base. He tagged out a runner who had left the base too early. This was a rare "unassisted double play."
Bill North also made history for the Oakland Athletics. He was the first player for the team to be a designated hitter. This happened in their first game of the 1973 season.
Even though he was a great base runner, Bill North struggled a bit with hitting in the postseason. In 20 playoff games, his batting average was very low (.051). However, he still helped his team. He scored 8 runs, got on base 7 times by walking, and stole 3 bases.
After Playing Baseball
Years later, in 2023, Bill North was honored. His former Dodgers teammate, Dusty Baker, invited him to be an honorary coach. This was for the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. The game was played in Seattle, Bill North's hometown. Dusty Baker was managing the American League All-Star team. He had just led the Houston Astros to win the 2022 World Series.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
