Davey Lopes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Davey Lopes
Lopes coaching for the Nationals in 2017
Second baseman / Manager
Born: (1945-05-03) May 3, 1945 (age 80) East Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 22, 1972, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
Last appearance
October 4, 1987, for the Houston Astros
MLB statistics
Batting average	.263
Home runs	155
Runs batted in	614
Stolen bases	557
Managerial record	144–195
Winning %	.425
Teams
As player Los Angeles Dodgers (1972–1981) Oakland Athletics (1982–1984) Chicago Cubs (1984–1986) Houston Astros (1986–1987) As manager Milwaukee Brewers (2000–2002) As coach Texas Rangers (1988-1991) Baltimore Orioles (1992–1994) San Diego Padres (1995–1999, 2003–2005) Washington Nationals (2006) Philadelphia Phillies (2007–2010) Los Angeles Dodgers (2011–2015) Washington Nationals (2016–2017)
Career highlights and awards
4× All-Star (1978–1981) 2× World Series champion (1981, 2008) Gold Glove Award (1978) 2× NL stolen base leader (1975, 1976)

David Earl Lopes (born May 3, 1945) is an American former professional baseball player and coach. He was a talented second baseman and later a manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). Davey played for teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros. He also managed the Milwaukee Brewers.

Early Life and College Baseball

Davey Lopes was born and grew up in Rhode Island. He played baseball in high school at La Salle Academy in Providence. After high school, he played college baseball for Iowa Wesleyan College and Washburn University in Kansas.

In 1967, the San Francisco Giants picked Lopes in the MLB Draft. However, he decided not to sign with them. The next year, in 1968, the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him. This time, he joined their team.

Davey Lopes' Baseball Career

Playing in the Major Leagues

When Davey Lopes first joined the Dodgers, he was a bit shy. His manager, Tommy Lasorda, encouraged him to be more confident. Lopes became a strong leader and a key player. He was known for his incredible speed on the field.

Lasorda also helped Lopes change from an outfielder to a second baseman. Lopes spent three seasons playing in Triple-A (a level below MLB) before making it to the big leagues.

Lopes made his first MLB appearance for the Dodgers on September 22, 1972. Two days later, he got his first hit. His first home run came in May 1973.

Lopes with the Dodgers

Davey Lopes played nine seasons as the regular second baseman for the Dodgers. He was part of a famous infield with Steve Garvey (first base), Bill Russell (shortstop), and Ron Cey (third base). This group played together for over eight seasons!

Lopes was often the leadoff hitter, meaning he was the first batter in the lineup. He was one of the best base stealers in baseball history. He stole 557 bases in his career. What's even more amazing is that he was successful 83.01% of the time. This is one of the best success rates ever for players with many stolen bases.

In 1975, Lopes set a record by stealing 38 bases in a row without getting caught. This broke a record that had stood for 53 years! He led the National League in stolen bases twice, with 77 steals in 1975 and 63 in 1976.

Lopes was a rare player who had both speed and power. In 1979, he hit a career-high 28 home runs. He was one of only a few second basemen in the National League to hit that many home runs in a season. He also hit 17 home runs twice.

He was chosen for the All-Star Game four times in a row, from 1978 to 1981. He played in four World Series, winning the World Series with the Dodgers in 1981. In the 1978 World Series, he hit three home runs and drove in seven runs against the New York Yankees.

Before the 1982 season, the Dodgers traded Lopes to the Oakland Athletics. There, he teamed up with Rickey Henderson. Together, they stole 158 bases, setting a new American League record for teammates. Henderson stole 130, and Lopes stole 28.

Lopes later played for the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros. He continued to steal bases even when he was older. He stole 47 bases at age 40 and 25 at age 41 before he retired in 1987.

Over his 16-season career, Lopes had a .263 batting average. He hit 155 home runs and had 614 runs batted in. He played in 1,812 games.

Coaching Career

After retiring as a player, Davey Lopes became a coach. He was a bench coach for the Texas Rangers from 1989 to 1991. Then, he coached first base for the Baltimore Orioles and the San Diego Padres.

In 2000, Lopes became the manager for the Milwaukee Brewers. He managed the team for three seasons.

Lopes later returned to coaching first base for the Padres (2003-2005), the Washington Nationals (2006), and the Philadelphia Phillies (2007-2010).

While coaching for the Phillies, his teams were excellent at stealing bases. They led all of MLB in stolen base percentage for three years in a row. In 2007, they had the best stolen base percentage in MLB history!

In 2010, he became the first base coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers again, staying until 2015. He then coached for the Washington Nationals again from 2016 to 2017. After the 2017 season, Lopes decided to retire from coaching.

Career Statistics

Playing Career Highlights

Davey Lopes was also a good defensive player. His main position was second base. He also played in the outfield, at third base, and at shortstop.

Managerial Record

Personal Life

Davey Lopes is of Cape Verdean descent. There is a recreation center in Providence, Rhode Island, named after him.

Amazing Achievements

• 4-time All-Star (1978–1981)
• Won the Gold Glove Award in 1978 for being an excellent defensive second baseman.
• Led the National League in stolen bases twice (1975 and 1976).
• His 557 career stolen bases rank him 26th all-time in MLB history.
• He has one of the best stolen base success rates ever, at 83.01%.
• He is second in Dodgers history with 413 stolen bases, behind Maury Wills.
• In the 1978 World Series against the Yankees, he hit two home runs and drove in five runs in one game! He hit another home run in the final game.
• He stole five bases in the 1981 NLCS.
• He stole four bases in the 1981 World Series.
• He once tied an NL record by stealing five bases in a single game (1974).

Notable Feats

• On August 20, 1974, Lopes had an incredible game against the Cubs. He hit three home runs, a double, and a single! This helped the Dodgers win 18–8.
• In 1975, Lopes set an MLB record by stealing 38 bases in a row without getting caught. This was a record for 14 years until Vince Coleman broke it in 1989.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball stolen base records
• List of Gold Glove Award winners at second base
• List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
• List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
• List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders