Chuck Knoblauch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chuck Knoblauch |
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: July 7, 1968 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 9, 1991, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 2002, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .289 | ||
| Home runs | 98 | ||
| Runs batted in | 615 | ||
| Stolen bases | 407 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Edward Charles Knoblauch (born July 7, 1968) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played for 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). From 1991 to 2002, he played for the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, and Kansas City Royals. He mostly played as a second baseman. For his last two seasons, he moved to left field.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Chuck Knoblauch was born in Houston, Texas. He grew up in a family that loved baseball. His uncle, Eddie Knoblauch, and his father, Ray Knoblauch, both played and managed in the minor leagues.
Knoblauch played baseball for Bellaire High School. This school also produced many other future MLB players. He missed his senior year in 1986 because of a broken leg. Even so, he cheered on his team as they won the state championship.
The Philadelphia Phillies picked Knoblauch in the 18th round of the 1986 draft. However, he chose not to sign with them. Instead, he went to Texas A&M University. He played college baseball for the Texas A&M Aggies. He was named a second-team All-American player. In 1989, his team won 58 games, which was the most in the school's history.
In 1988, Knoblauch played summer baseball for the Wareham Gatemen. This team is part of the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL). He won an award for being an "Outstanding Pro Prospect." In 2001, he was honored by being added to the CCBL Hall of Fame.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Time with the Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins drafted Knoblauch in the first round of the 1989 MLB draft. He quickly made a name for himself. In 1991, he won the American League Rookie of the Year award. That same year, he helped the Minnesota Twins win the World Series.
In Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, Knoblauch made a clever play. He pretended to start a double play on a hit by Terry Pendleton. This made the opposing player, Lonnie Smith, only get to third base. Smith later said he lost track of the ball, so Knoblauch's trick might not have been the reason.
From 1994 to 1996, Knoblauch was a great hitter. His batting averages were .312, .333, and .341. In 1997, he won the AL Gold Glove Award for his excellent fielding at second base. He also stole more than 40 bases in three seasons in a row.
In 1998, the Twins traded Knoblauch to the New York Yankees. This trade made some Twins fans upset. When he returned to play against the Twins, some fans showed their disapproval.
Joining the New York Yankees
When Knoblauch joined the New York Yankees, many people were excited. Some even thought he and Derek Jeter would be the best double play team ever. He had a career-high 17 home runs in his first year with the Yankees. That year, the Yankees won a record 114 games in the American League.
Knoblauch helped the Yankees win the 1998 World Series and the 1999 World Series. In Game 3 of the 1999 World Series, he hit a big two-run home run to tie the game. The Yankees went on to win that game. In Game 5 of the 2001 World Series, Knoblauch scored the winning run. He started the inning with a single and scored on a hit by Alfonso Soriano. The Yankees won the American League pennant every year he was with the team. They won three World Series championships during his time there.
Playing for the Kansas City Royals
Towards the end of his career, Knoblauch's hitting became more difficult. Many thought he was too focused on his fielding problems. He also seemed to be trying too hard to hit home runs.
In the final game of the 2001 World Series, Knoblauch did not play much. After that season, he joined the Kansas City Royals as a free agent. He played in only 80 games for the Royals, mostly in left field. His batting average was .210. The team did not offer him a new contract. In 2003, Knoblauch announced his retirement from baseball.
Challenges with Throwing
Chuck Knoblauch was once known as one of the best fielders in baseball. However, his throwing skills changed after he joined the Yankees. In 1999, his errors at second base doubled. Most of these were throwing errors.
In 2000, he started having trouble throwing the ball accurately to first base. This problem is sometimes called the "yips" in baseball. Knoblauch tried different ways to fix his throwing, but it did not get better. He made 15 errors in less than half a season in 2000. During one game, a throw went into the stands.
After making three throwing errors in one game, Knoblauch left the game early. He returned the next day, but his throwing accuracy never fully came back. In 2001, his manager, Joe Torre, moved him to left field. He never played second base again after that.
Chuck Knoblauch's Baseball Legacy
Chuck Knoblauch was a four-time All-Star player. During his career, he had a batting average of .289. He hit 98 home runs and had 615 runs batted in. He stole 25 or more bases in 10 of his 12 seasons. He finished his career with 407 stolen bases. This included 276 with the Twins, which is the most for the team since they moved from Washington in 1961.
On August 18, 2018, Knoblauch returned to the new Yankee Stadium. He was there to celebrate the 1998 championship team.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
- List of Texas A&M University people
