Billy Sample facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Billy Sample |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: April 2, 1955 Roanoke, Virginia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1978, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1986, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .272 | ||
| Home runs | 46 | ||
| Runs batted in | 230 | ||
| Teams | |||
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William Amos Sample, born on April 2, 1955, is a former baseball player. He was an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Billy played for three teams: the Texas Rangers, the New York Yankees, and the Atlanta Braves. He played for nine seasons, from 1978 to 1986.
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Billy Sample's Early Life
Billy Sample grew up in Salem, Virginia. He went to Andrew Lewis High School and graduated in 1973. Billy was a great athlete in high school. He played three sports: football, basketball, and baseball.
High School Sports Achievements
In 1971, as a junior, Billy played wide receiver on the football team. He scored the winning touchdown in a big state quarterfinal game. His team made it to the state championship. They played against T. C. Williams High School. This game was later shown in the movie Remember The Titans. After high school, Billy went to Madison College. This school is now called James Madison University. He studied there for three years. In 1976, the Texas Rangers baseball team chose him to play for them.
Billy Sample's MLB Career
Billy Sample started his Major League Baseball career in 1978. He hit a single on his very first pitch! In 1979, he was named to the Topps All Rookie Team. This means he was one of the best new players that year.
Highlights of His Playing Days
Billy had a long hitting streak of 19 games in 1981. This means he got a hit in 19 games in a row. In 1983, he reached base in 37 games in a row. That same year, he was fifth in the American League for stolen bases. He stole 44 bases out of 52 tries. Billy was also one of the hardest players to strike out. He ended his career with a batting average of .272. He stopped playing baseball in 1986 with the Atlanta Braves.
After Baseball: Broadcasting and Writing
After his baseball career, Billy Sample became a broadcaster and writer. He talked about baseball for different teams. These included the Braves, Seattle Mariners, and California Angels. He also shared his thoughts on NPR and CBS Radio. You could also hear him on ESPN and read his work on MLB.com.
Writing and Media Contributions
As a writer, Billy's articles appeared in Sports Illustrated and The New York Times. He was also one of the first writers for Baseball Weekly, which is now Sports Weekly in USA Today. Billy also helped with a TV show about baseball. He was a baseball consultant for Showtime's show Joe Torre: Curveballs Along the Way. This show was about the Yankees' 1996 season.
Filmmaking and Books
Billy Sample also became a filmmaker. He produced a movie called "Reunion 108." It was a comedy about baseball. The movie won an award at the Hoboken Film Festival in 2011. It was released in October 2013. In June 2016, Billy wrote his first book. It was called "A Year in Pinstripes ... And Then Some." The book shared stories from his 1985 season with the New York Yankees. It also included memories from his childhood and his time with the Texas Rangers and Atlanta Braves.
Honoring Billy Sample
On October 18, 2019, a baseball field was renamed in Billy Sample's honor. When he was growing up, he played baseball and football there. It was called Municipal Field, then Kiwanis Park. Now, it is called Billy Sample Field at Kiwanis Park. Many future major league players also played there. Billy even watched his future teammate Mario Mendoza play there.
