Danny Goodwin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Danny Goodwin |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Designated hitter / First baseman | |||
| Born: September 2, 1953 St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 3, 1975, for the California Angels | |||
| NPB: April 4, 1986, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: July 7, 1982, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| NPB: October 8, 1986, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .236 | ||
| Home runs | 13 | ||
| Runs batted in | 81 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .231 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 26 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Danny Kay Goodwin (born September 2, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a first baseman and designated hitter. His career spanned from 1975 to 1982. He also played in Japan for the Nippon Professional Baseball league in 1986.
Goodwin holds a unique record in baseball history. He is the only player ever to be picked first overall in the MLB draft not once, but twice!
Contents
Danny Goodwin: A Baseball Star Drafted Twice!
From High School to College Star
In 1971, Danny Goodwin was a talented catcher at Peoria Central High School. The Chicago White Sox picked him first in the 1971 Major League Baseball draft. However, Danny decided not to sign with them. He wanted to go to college and get an education. He also felt the White Sox offered him less money than he expected.
So, Danny chose to attend Southern University. There, he became an amazing college player. He hit for a high average and hit many home runs. He was named an All-America player three times. In 1973, he played in a special summer league for college players. By 1975, he was named the College Player of the Year.
Drafted First Again!
After his great college career, Danny entered the 1975 Major League Baseball draft. The California Angels chose him as the first overall pick. This time, he signed with them for a record amount of money. It was a huge deal for a young player.
Playing for the California Angels
The Angels wanted Danny to play in the major leagues quickly. They sent him to a Double-A team called the El Paso Diablos in 1975. He played well there, hitting .275. Soon, he was called up to the California Angels in September. He got his first major league hit that year.
In 1976, Danny played in both Double-A and a Single-A league. He hit over .300 for both teams. In 1977, he moved up to Triple-A. He continued to play well, hitting .305 with ten home runs. This earned him another call-up to the Angels in July. He hit his first career home run off a famous pitcher named Fergie Jenkins.
Danny returned to El Paso in 1978 and had an excellent season. He hit .360 with 25 home runs. He was called back to the major leagues in August. He showed great promise, hitting .283 that month. After the season, the Angels traded him to the Minnesota Twins. Even though he was a catcher in high school and college, the Angels only used him as a designated hitter or pinch hitter.
Time with the Minnesota Twins
When Danny joined the Minnesota Twins, they changed his main position. He became a first baseman, though he still played mostly as a designated hitter. His first season with the Twins in 1979 was his best in the major leagues. He started in Triple-A, then joined the Twins mid-season. He hit .289 with five home runs and 27 RBIs. These were all career highs for him.
In 1980 and 1981, Danny didn't get as much playing time. He played in fewer games and his batting average dropped. After the 1981 season, the Twins released him.
Joining the Oakland A's and Beyond
Danny then signed with the Oakland Athletics for the 1982 season. He spent time between the A's and their Triple-A team, the Tacoma Tigers. He played very well for Tacoma, hitting .301. However, he struggled a bit with the A's.
He spent the next two seasons playing only in Triple-A for Tacoma. He continued to hit well, but he never returned to the major leagues. After his time in American baseball, Danny played for the Nankai Hawks in Japan in 1986.
Life After Baseball
After his playing career, Danny Goodwin continued to be involved in baseball. He worked for the Atlanta Braves. He helped develop programs for children who needed support in the city.
In 2011, Danny received a special honor. He became the first player from a historically black university to be inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. While in college, Danny also studied zoology.
