Brad Lesley facts for kids

Bradley Jay Lesley (born September 11, 1958 – died April 28, 2013) was an American actor, TV star, and former professional baseball pitcher. Brad was a very tall and strong person, standing 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 meters) tall and weighing 230 pounds (104 kg). People called him "The Animal" because he was known for being very energetic and excited, especially during games.

About Brad Lesley

Early Life and Baseball

Brad Lesley was born in Turlock, California. He went to Turlock High School and later studied at Merced College in Merced, California.

Playing in the Major Leagues

Brad played professional baseball for two teams in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was chosen in the first round of the 1978 draft by the Cincinnati Reds. He played as a pitcher for the Reds for parts of three seasons, from 1982 to 1984. Before joining the main team, he spent five seasons playing for the Reds' smaller minor-league teams.

Brad made his first big-league appearance at age 23 on July 31, 1982. It was a game where the Reds lost 5-4 to the San Diego Padres. Brad pitched the last inning without letting the Padres score any runs. In his first year, he played in 28 games, all as a relief pitcher (meaning he came into the game after the starting pitcher). He had a record of 0 wins and 2 losses, but a good earned run average (ERA) of 2.58.

The next year, he played in only five games for the Reds. He had a 0-0 record and a 2.16 ERA. In 1984, he pitched in 16 games for the Reds, with a 0-1 record and a 5.12 ERA.

On November 12, 1984, Brad joined the Milwaukee Brewers. He played in five games for them, getting 1 win and 0 losses, but his ERA was 9.95. After that season, he left the team, which ended his time in the Major Leagues.

Playing in Japan

After leaving MLB, Brad played two seasons in Japan for the Hankyu Braves. In Japan, he had a record of 7 wins and 5 losses. He also had 24 saves in 60 games over those two years.

Brad had a special way of celebrating when he struck out a batter. He would put his arms backward behind him, making his chest stick out, and then he would let out a loud roar! In one game, a famous pitcher named Nolan Ryan even copied Brad's celebration after striking out a Reds player. This made players from both teams, including Brad, laugh.

Beyond Baseball: TV and Movies

Becoming a TV Star

After he stopped playing baseball, Brad became a television personality in Japan. He is probably best known there for his role as "Animal Leslie" (Animaru Resuri) on the Japanese game show Takeshi's Castle. On the show, he played games like Devil's Domain and Stuck Up, and even had his own game called Animal Bang. Takeshi's Castle later became popular in the US as MXC.

Acting in Films

Brad Lesley also appeared in several movies. Some of his films include Brother (2000), where he played a character named Moose. He was also in Big Monster on Campus (2000) as Arnie, and Buddy (1997) as Ali Baba. Other movies he appeared in were A Boy Called Hate (1996), Little Big League (1994) as John 'Blackout' Gatling, and Mr. Baseball (1992) as Niven.

Personal Life and Legacy

His Family

Brad was married and had a son named Kentaro. They later divorced.

His Passing

By early 2013, Brad Lesley had problems with his kidneys. He was living in a special care home for many months and receiving treatment called dialysis. On April 28, 2013, he was taken to a hospital in Marina del Rey, where he passed away.

Later, it was reported that Brad died from a heart attack caused by a heart condition called coronary artery disease.