Carl Crawford facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page is about the American baseball player. For the Guyanese boxer, see Carl Crawford (boxer).

Quick facts for kids

Carl Crawford

Crawford with the Dodgers in 2013

Left fielder

Born: August 5, 1981 (age 43)
Houston, Texas, U.S.

Batted: Left

Threw: Left

debut

July 20, 2002, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Last appearance

June 3, 2016, for the Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB statistics

Batting average

.290

Home runs

136

Runs batted in

766

Stolen bases

480

Teams

Tampa Bay Devil Rays / Rays (2002–2010)
Boston Red Sox (2011–2012)
Los Angeles Dodgers (2013–2016)

Career highlights and awards

4× All-Star (2004, 2007, 2009, 2010)
Gold Glove Award (2010)
Silver Slugger Award (2010)
4× AL stolen base leader (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
Tampa Bay Rays Hall of Fame

Medals

Men's baseball

Representing United States
Baseball World Cup
Silver	2001 Taipei	National team

Carl Demonte Crawford (born August 5, 1981) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). People nicknamed him "the Perfect Storm". He played for the Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Carl batted and threw with his left hand.

Crawford is most famous for his nine years with the Rays. During this time, he was known as one of the best baserunners in baseball. He led the American League in stolen bases and triples four times each.

Early Life and Sports
Professional Baseball Career
Personal Life
- 1501 Certified Entertainment
See also

Early Life and Sports

Carl Crawford grew up in the Fifth Ward area of Houston. As a child, he played little league with Michael Bourn, who also became an MLB player. Carl went to Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas. He was a top athlete in football, basketball, and baseball.

In high school baseball, Carl worked with Willie Ansley. He batted an amazing .638 in his senior year. He joined the Pasadena Stars team to get noticed by professional scouts. Carl was offered scholarships to play basketball at UCLA. He could also play college football as a quarterback at big schools like Nebraska and USC. But Carl chose to focus on baseball and signed a contract to play professionally.

Professional Baseball Career

The Devil Rays picked Carl Crawford in the second round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft. This was a big step towards his dream.

Minor Leagues

In 2002, Carl was named the Devil Rays' Most Outstanding Rookie. This was for his great play in the minor leagues. He also won the Rookie of the Year award while playing for the AAA Durham Bulls.

Major Leagues

Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays (2002–2010)

First Years (2002–2006)

Carl Crawford made his Major League debut on July 20, 2002. He was only 20 years old. In his first game, he got his first hit, which brought in two runs. He hit his first home run on August 10. In 2002, he played in 63 games and stole 9 stolen bases.

In 2003, Carl had a fantastic season. He batted .281 and led the league with 55 stolen bases. He also won the James "Cool Papa Bell" Legacy Award.

In 2004, Carl stole 59 bases, again leading the league. He batted .296 with 11 home runs. He also hit a league-leading 19 triples. Carl was chosen for the All-Star Game. He was also named the Devil Rays team MVP.

Carl batted .301 in 2005, which was a great achievement. He had career highs in hits (194), home runs (15), and RBI (81). He led the league with 15 triples again and was third in steals (46).

Carl Crawford heading back to the dugout in 2006

On July 5, 2006, Carl made history. He became one of only eight players to get 200 stolen bases before turning 25. He finished the season with his best batting average (.305) and home runs (18). He won a Fielding Bible Award for his excellent defense in left field.

Later Years (2007–2010)

Carl was named an All-Star for the second time in 2007. He was the first Devil Ray to be an All-Star more than once. He even hit a home run in the All-Star Game.

In 2008, Carl got his 1,000th hit. This made him one of only eight players to have 1,000 hits and 250 stolen bases before age 27. In a playoff game against the Boston Red Sox, he had five hits, tying an ALCS record. He also stole two bases in that game. After the season, he won his second Fielding Bible Award.

Carl Crawford playing for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009

On May 3, 2009, Carl tied a modern record by stealing six bases in one game! This was against the Boston Red Sox. On July 14, 2009, he played in the All-Star Game again. He was named MVP for an amazing catch that stopped a home run.

In 2009, he was one of the best defensive left fielders in the league. He won his third Fielding Bible Award.

On July 31, 2010, Carl reached 400 stolen bases. He was the seventh player in history to do this before his 29th birthday. On August 17, 2010, he hit his 100th career triple. He joined Ty Cobb as one of only two players to have 100 triples and 400 stolen bases before turning 30. He ended the 2010 season with a career-high 19 home runs and 90 RBI.

Carl was voted the Most Valuable Player for the Rays in 2010. After the season, he won the Gold Glove Award for his defense. He also won the Silver Slugger Award for his hitting.

Playing for the Boston Red Sox (2011–2012)

Carl Crawford during his time with the Boston Red Sox in 2011

On December 8, 2010, Carl signed a big contract with the Boston Red Sox. He had a tough start in 2011. On May 3, he got his 1,500th career hit. For the 2011 season, he batted .255.

Carl injured his left wrist in January 2012. He had surgery to fix it. He also had discomfort in his elbow and was told he had a sprained ligament. He started the 2012 season on the injured list. He played in some minor league games to get back in shape. Carl made his 2012 season debut on July 16, 2012.

On August 23, 2012, Carl had surgery on his left elbow. This ended his 2012 season. He later said he was not happy playing for the Red Sox.

Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2012–2016)

Joining the Dodgers (2012)

On August 25, 2012, Carl was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. This trade included other big players like Josh Beckett and Adrián González. Even with his injury, Carl was ready to play for the Dodgers on Opening Day in 2013.

2013 Season

Carl started strong with the Dodgers in 2013. He hit .308 with 4 home runs in April. He missed about a month due to a hamstring injury. In 116 games, he hit .283 with 6 home runs and 15 stolen bases.

In the 2013 playoffs against the Braves, Carl hit three home runs. Two of these were in one game, helping the Dodgers win the series.

2014 Season

Carl had a slow start in April 2014. But he played much better in May, hitting .333. On May 27, he sprained his left ankle and was put on the injured list. He came back on July 10. Carl finished the 2014 season with a .300 batting average in 105 games. He also had 8 home runs and 23 stolen bases.

2015 Season

On April 27, 2015, Carl tore a muscle in his side during a game. He was placed on the injured list again. He did not return to play until July 21. In 2015, he played in 69 games and hit .265.

2016 Season

Carl spent the first two months of 2016 as a backup player. He played in 30 games and hit .185. On June 5, the Dodgers decided to release him. Carl later said he chose to retire from baseball after the Dodgers released him.

Career Statistics

In his 15 seasons, Carl Crawford played in 1,716 games. He had a career batting average of .290. He scored 998 runs, hit 136 home runs, and had 766 RBI. He also stole 480 stolen bases. Carl finished his career with a .989 fielding percentage playing in left and center field. In 39 playoff games, he hit .260 with 7 home runs and 10 stolen bases.

Awards and Achievements

American League All-Star (2004, 2006, 2009, 2010)
Gold Glove Award (2010)
Silver Slugger Award (2010)
Fielding Bible Award (2006, 2008, 2009)
American League stolen base leader (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007)
American League triples leader (2004, 2005, 2006, 2010)
All-Star Game MVP (2009)
MLB modern-era, single-game, stolen-base record: 6 (May 3, 2009)
International League Rookie of the Year (2002)
"Cool Papa Bell Legacy Award" (2003)
Rays' Most Valuable Player (2004, 2010)
Rays' Most Outstanding Rookie (2002)
Rays' single-season runs record: 110 (2010)
Rays' single-season triples record: 19 (2004)
Rays' single-season stolen base record: 60 (2009)
Rays' all-time leader in many categories, including hits, doubles, triples, and stolen bases.
Named the Rays' "Face of the Franchise" by ESPN

Carl Crawford was on the ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022. However, he did not receive enough votes to be chosen.

Personal Life

Carl Crawford giving an interview c. January 2022

Carl Crawford's first cousin once removed, J. P. Crawford, also plays baseball. J.P. was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in 2013.

Carl has two children with Amy Freeman: a son named Justin, born in 2004, and a daughter named Ari, born in 2013. Justin Crawford was chosen in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft.

In December 2013, Carl got engaged to Evelyn Lozada. They had a son, Carl Jr., born in March 2014. They later ended their engagement in 2017.

1501 Certified Entertainment

Carl Crawford is the CEO of 1501 Certified Entertainment. This is a music record label based in Houston. In 2018, the label signed hip-hop artist Megan Thee Stallion. She quickly became famous with many hit songs. Her music from 1501 Certified is now promoted by 300 Entertainment and distributed by Warner Music Group.