Charley Lau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charley Lau |
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: April 12, 1933 Romulus, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Died: March 18, 1984 (aged 50) Key Colony Beach, Florida, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 12, 1956, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1967, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .255 | ||
| Home runs | 16 | ||
| Runs batted in | 140 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Charles Richard Lau (April 12, 1933 – March 18, 1984) was an American professional baseball player. He later became a very important hitting coach. During his time in Major League Baseball, Lau played in 527 games. He was a catcher and a pinch hitter for 11 seasons.
After his playing career, he spent 15 years as a coach. He worked for five American League teams. His most famous coaching job was with the Kansas City Royals. Charley Lau was the hitting coach for the Chicago White Sox when he passed away in 1984. He was 50 years old.
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Charley Lau: A Baseball Player
Charley Lau was born in Romulus, Michigan. He was 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg). He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. After high school, the Detroit Tigers signed him as a free agent.
He started playing in the Tigers' minor league system in 1952. He missed 1953 and 1954 for military service. Lau first played in the major leagues in September 1956. However, he did not get a regular spot with the Tigers. He played in only 35 games for them. He had 13 hits and a low batting average of .157.
Playing for the Braves and Orioles
In 1959, the Milwaukee Braves traded for Lau. He spent 1960 as a backup catcher. He hit only .189 in 21 games. In 1961, he played more often when the main catcher was hurt. On April 28, 1961, he caught one of Warren Spahn's two no-hitter games. But Lau still struggled with hitting. He was then sold to the Baltimore Orioles.
Lau had shown some power in the minor leagues. But in 1962, he changed his batting stance. He stood with his feet wide apart. He held his bat almost flat. This change helped him a lot. He played in 81 games and hit .294. He had 58 hits, six home runs, and 37 runs batted in. He was especially good as a pinch-hitter, batting .367.
In 1963, the Orioles sold Lau to the Kansas City Athletics. He got more playing time there. He hit .294 for Kansas City. In 1964, the Orioles traded for him again. He played in 62 games as a catcher. He hit .259 for the Orioles that year.
Later Playing Years and World Series Win
In 1965, Lau started to become a full-time pinch hitter. He played in 35 games as a catcher. He also had 36 appearances as a pinch-hitter. He had his best batting average that year, hitting .295.
In 1966, he had elbow surgery and missed most of the season. He played in only 18 games, all as a pinch hitter. The Orioles won their first World Series championship that year. Lau did not play in the World Series games.
He played one more season in 1967 as a pinch hitter. He had only one hit with the Orioles. Then he was sold back to the Atlanta Braves. He finished his MLB career there. After the season, the Braves released him. They then made him the manager of their minor league team in Shreveport.
Overall, Charley Lau batted .255 in his major league career. He had 298 hits. These included 63 doubles, nine triples, 16 home runs, and 140 runs batted in. He had 47 pinch hits.
Charley Lau: The Hitting Coach
Lau managed in the minor leagues for only one season. Then he returned to the major leagues as a coach. He started as a bullpen coach for the Baltimore Orioles in 1969. In 1970, he became the first-base coach for the Oakland Athletics. He soon started taking on duties as a hitting coach.
Coaching the Kansas City Royals
In 1971, Lau became the hitting coach for the Kansas City Royals. He stayed in this role until 1978. For a short time in 1975, he worked as a minor league hitting instructor. He helped many great players like Hal McRae, Amos Otis, Willie Wilson, and George Brett. He is also known for helping Cookie Rojas improve his career. Lou Piniella, who played for the Royals, called Lau "the greatest batting instructor of them all."
Later Coaching Career and Legacy
After the Royals, Lau coached for the New York Yankees from 1979 to 1981. He worked with Piniella again there. In 1982, he became the hitting instructor for the Chicago White Sox. He coached players like Greg Luzinski, Carlton Fisk, Steve Kemp, Harold Baines, and Ron Kittle.
Charley Lau taught specific ideas about hitting. He did not say that hitters should always let go of their top hand after hitting the ball. But he did suggest it for players who could not fully extend their arms.
Lau created a list of "Absolutes" for hitting. These were his main rules:
- Have a balanced and ready stance.
- Move and have rhythm in your stance. Don't stand still.
- Shift your weight well from your back leg to your front leg.
- Step with your front toe pointing inward.
- Get your bat ready to swing as soon as your front foot lands.
- Make your step a strong move towards the pitcher.
- Swing without being too stiff or tense.
- Hit through the ball, not just at it.
- Hit the ball where it is pitched, don't try to force it.
Charley Lau passed away in 1984 in Key Colony Beach, Florida. He was still the White Sox' hitting coach. He had been battling cancer for about a year.
After his death, only one White Sox player or coach has worn his number 6 jersey. This was his friend and student, Walt Hriniak. The baseball field at Lau's old high school, Romulus Senior High School, is named the Charley Lau Baseball Field in his honor.
Off the Field
Charley Lau also appeared in the movie Max Dugan Returns. He played himself in the film. In the movie, the main character pays Lau to teach his grandson how to hit.
