Bump Wills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bump Wills |
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Wills in May 2014
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: July 27, 1952 Washington, D.C., U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 7, 1977, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| NPB: April 9, 1983, for the Hankyu Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 3, 1982, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| NPB: August 4, 1984, for the Hankyu Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .266 | ||
| Home runs | 36 | ||
| Runs batted in | 302 | ||
| Stolen bases | 196 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .259 | ||
| Home runs | 16 | ||
| Runs batted in | 81 | ||
| Stolen bases | 22 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Elliott Taylor "Bump" Wills was born on July 27, 1952. He is a former baseball player from America. He played as a second baseman in the major leagues.
Bump Wills played for the Texas Rangers from 1977 to 1981. He also played for the Chicago Cubs in 1982. After that, he spent two seasons playing in Japan. He played for the Hankyu Braves in 1983 and 1984.
Bump is the son of Maury Wills. His father was also a famous major league shortstop. Maury Wills later became a baseball manager.
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Playing Baseball: Bump Wills' Career
Bump Wills was a switch hitter. This means he could bat (hit the ball) with both his left and right hands. He played college baseball at Arizona State University. His coach there was Jim Brock, a very famous college baseball coach.
Rookie Year and Sports Illustrated
In 1977, Bump Wills was a rookie player. This was his first year in the major leagues. He even appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine that March. This was a big deal for a new player!
Amazing Home Runs
Something very rare happened in 1977. It was during a game at Yankee Stadium. On August 27, Bump Wills and his teammate Toby Harrah hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs. This means they hit the ball and ran all the way around the bases without the ball leaving the field.
This was only the second time this had ever happened in a major league game. Even more amazing, it was the only time it happened on consecutive pitches! Both home runs were hit off a pitcher named Ken Clay.
Speed on the Bases
Just like his father Maury, Bump Wills was known for his speed. He was very fast when running the bases. In 1978, he stole 52 bases. A stolen base is when a runner advances to the next base while the pitcher is throwing the ball.
This broke the Texas Rangers' team record for stolen bases in one season. The old record was 51 stolen bases. Bump's record of 52 stolen bases still stands for the Rangers today.
Later Career and Retirement
After playing for the Chicago Cubs in 1982, Bump Wills went to Japan. He played two seasons there before he retired from professional baseball. During his time in Major League Baseball, his batting average was .266. He hit 36 home runs and had 302 RBI (Runs Batted In).
Life After Baseball
Bump Wills was born in Washington, D.C.. He grew up in Spokane, Washington. He went to Central Valley High School. He was a great athlete there, playing three different sports. He even coached at the school later on.
He also managed baseball clinics for younger players. He helped them learn and improve their skills.
Today, Bump Wills lives in Garland, Texas. He coaches for the Dallas Mustangs. This is a youth baseball club for young players.
