Darrell Porter facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Darrell Porter |
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Porter with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1983
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: January 17, 1952 Joplin, Missouri, U.S. |
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| Died: August 5, 2002 (aged 50) Sugar Creek, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 2, 1971, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 1987, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .247 | ||
| Home runs | 188 | ||
| Runs batted in | 826 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Darrell Ray Porter (January 17, 1952 – August 5, 2002) was a famous American baseball player. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 17 years. Darrell was known for his strong hitting and great defensive skills behind the plate.
He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, and Texas Rangers. He was chosen for the All-Star team four times. In 1982, he was named the most valuable player of the 1982 World Series while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals. Darrell Porter passed away in 2002 when he was 50 years old.
Contents
Darrell Porter's Baseball Journey
Early Career and Rise to Stardom
Darrell Porter was born in Joplin, Missouri. He was picked by the Milwaukee Brewers in the first round of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft. He was only 19 when he played his first major league game in 1971.
In 1973, he finished third in the Rookie of the Year voting. The next year, in 1974, he was selected for the American League All-Star team. In 1976, the Brewers traded Darrell to the Kansas City Royals.
With the Royals, Darrell became their main catcher. He had an amazing season in 1979. He hit for a .291 batting average, had 20 Home runs, and brought in 112 runs. He also led the league with 121 walks. He was only the sixth catcher in baseball history to score 100 runs and have 100 runs batted in during one season. This was a rare achievement, only done by a few legendary players. He was chosen for the American League All-Star team three times in a row while with the Royals.
Later Years and World Series Glory
After facing some personal challenges, Darrell Porter made positive changes in his life. He became a born-again Christian and started speaking for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. His performance on the field changed after this, but he still played in three World Series. He played in the 1980 World Series with the Royals. Then, he played in the 1982 and 1985 World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In 1982, Darrell had an incredible postseason. He won both the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award and the World Series MVP Award. This meant he was the best player in both the league championship series and the World Series that year! He was only the second player ever to win both awards in the same postseason.
After the 1985 season, the Cardinals let Darrell go. He finished his career playing two seasons with the Texas Rangers. He played as a catcher and a designated hitter. In 1986, he hit a home run more often than any other player with 10 or more home runs. He retired from baseball in 1987 at the age of 35.
Life After Baseball
Darrell Porter was married twice and had three children with his second wife, Deanne. In 1984, he wrote a book called Snap Me Perfect!. In this book, he shared stories about his baseball career and his personal journey.
In 2000, Darrell was honored by being inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall Of Fame. After his baseball career, he worked in sports broadcasting and also had an antique business.
Darrell Porter passed away on August 5, 2002, in Sugar Creek, Missouri. The exact reasons for his death are not fully known.
Baseball Achievements
During his 17 years in Major League Baseball, Darrell Porter played in 1,782 games. He had 1,369 hits and a career batting average of .247. He hit 188 home runs and brought in 826 runs.
He was known for his good fielding percentage as a catcher. Darrell also caught two no-hitters during his career. A no-hitter is when a pitcher completes a game without allowing any opposing player to get a hit. He was also one of the few catchers at that time who wore eyeglasses while playing.
Images for kids
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Porter with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1983
