Don Hopkins (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Hopkins |
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| Pinch runner / Designated hitter / Outfielder | |||
| Born: January 9, 1952 West Point, Mississippi |
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| debut | |||
| April 8, 1975, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1976, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Games played | 85 | ||
| Runs scored | 25 | ||
| Stolen bases | 21 | ||
| Hits | 1 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Donald Hopkins (born January 9, 1952) is an American former professional baseball player. He was known for his amazing speed on the baseball field. He mostly played as a pinch runner for the Oakland Athletics in the 1970s. A pinch runner is a player who comes into the game just to run the bases for another player. He was 6 feet tall and weighed 170 pounds. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Don Hopkins was born in West Point, Mississippi. He went to Benton Harbor High School in Benton Harbor, Michigan. There, he played baseball with another future player, Dave Machemer.
In 1970, the Montreal Expos signed Don. He joined them as a player who was not picked in the main draft.
A Speedy Baserunner
Don was very fast. He was great at stealing bases. In his time playing in the minor leagues, he stole over 40 bases four times! This skill made him stand out.
Playing for the Oakland Athletics
Just before the 1975 baseball season, the Oakland Athletics got Don from the Montreal Expos. The Athletics' owner, Charlie Finley, had a special idea. He wanted to use "designated runners." These were fast players whose main job was to run the bases.
The Pinch Runner Role
Don Hopkins became a key "pinch runner" for the Athletics in 1975. He played in 82 games that year. Most of the time, he would run for Billy Williams. Billy Williams was a famous player and the team's designated hitter. A designated hitter is a player who only bats and does not play a defensive position.
Don stole 21 bases and scored 25 runs for his team. He didn't bat much, only eight times. He got on base twice by walking. He also got one career hit, which was a single. This hit happened on July 22, 1975, against the Detroit Tigers' Fernando Arroyo. The Athletics won that game by a lot, 16-4.
End of His Career
In 1976, Don Hopkins spent most of his time in the minor leagues. He did play three more games for the Oakland Athletics in September 1976. He retired from baseball after the 1977 minor league season.
