Ellis Valentine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ellis Valentine |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Right fielder | |||
| Born: July 30, 1954 Helena, Arkansas, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| September 3, 1975, for the Montreal Expos | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1985, for the Texas Rangers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .278 | ||
| Home runs | 123 | ||
| Runs batted in | 474 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Ellis Clarence Valentine (born July 30, 1954) is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a right fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ellis was famous for having one of the strongest and most accurate throwing arms in baseball history. His former manager, Felipe Alou, once said that Ellis Valentine's arm was as good as it gets.
Contents
Playing for the Montreal Expos
Starting His Baseball Journey
Ellis Valentine played both football and baseball at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. He was the very first professional athlete to be signed from Crenshaw High. The Montreal Expos picked him in the second round of the 1972 Major League Baseball draft.
Ellis quickly became known as one of the top young players in the Expos' farm system. He played well in the minor leagues, hitting for a good average and lots of home runs. This earned him a chance to play for the Montreal Expos in September 1975. In just his fifth time at bat in the major leagues, he hit his first home run! He played regularly for the rest of the season and had a great batting average of .364.
For the 1976 season, the Expos moved their star player, Gary Carter, to a different position. This made room for Ellis Valentine to play right field. After a slow start, Ellis was sent back to the minor leagues for more practice. He returned to the Expos in July and finished the season strong.
The Famous Outfield Trio
On April 15, 1977, Ellis Valentine made history by hitting the first-ever home run at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. He also hit two special inside-the-park home runs that season.
He was joined in the outfield by two other young and talented players: Andre Dawson in center field and Warren Cromartie in left field. These three players were young, fast, and powerful. They quickly became known as one of the most exciting outfields in baseball. Ellis was the first of the trio to become a star. He was the only Expos player chosen for the 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Ellis was already known for his amazing arm. Before the All-Star Game, he even had a throwing contest with other top outfielders. That season, he led his team with a .293 batting average and hit 25 home runs.
In 1978, Ellis, Cromartie, and Dawson played even better. Ellis Valentine led all of Major League Baseball with 25 outfield assists. This means he threw out 25 runners from the outfield! For his excellent defense, he won a Gold Glove Award. The Expos' outfield was considered the best in baseball because all three players were great defenders. Ellis and Dawson both hit 25 home runs that year.
A Challenging Moment
The 1979 season started a bit rough for Ellis Valentine. In a game against the Chicago Cubs, he disagreed with a call made by the umpire. He showed his frustration and was ejected from the game. For his actions, Ellis received a three-game suspension and a $500 fine.
After returning from his suspension, Ellis started playing much better. He hit a three-run home run in his first game back, helping the Expos win. He continued to hit well and drive in many runs. In one doubleheader, he set a team record by driving in seven runs! The Expos had a great season, winning 95 games. Ellis finished the year with a .276 batting average, 21 home runs, and a career-high 82 runs batted in.
A Serious Injury
On May 30, 1980, Ellis Valentine was hit in the face by a pitch from a St. Louis Cardinals pitcher. He suffered a serious injury to his cheekbone and had to miss over a month of games. At the time, he was playing very well, leading his team in runs batted in.
When Ellis returned to play in July, he started wearing a special face mask on his helmet. This was unusual at the time, but it helped protect him from future injuries. He continued to play well, hitting .331 with nine home runs for the rest of the season. However, he also dealt with other injuries, including a pinched nerve and a hand injury. His season ended early on September 21 due to a wrist injury.
Moving to the New York Mets
Ellis Valentine had a slow start to the 1981 season. He was injured with a pulled hamstring in May. While he was recovering, the Expos traded him to the New York Mets.
His first season with the Mets was not as successful as he hoped. However, his presence in the lineup did help his teammate, Dave Kingman, who started getting better pitches to hit.
In 1982, the Mets had a tough season. Ellis Valentine struggled at first, going 31 games without driving in a run. Later in the season, he played better, hitting seven home runs and driving in 33 runs. However, he expressed his unhappiness with the team to reporters. The Mets tried to trade him, but they couldn't find a team to take him. Despite this, Ellis finished the season with a strong .327 batting average.
Playing for the California Angels
After the 1982 season, Ellis Valentine became a free agent. The California Angels signed him on January 21, 1983, after one of their outfielders got injured.
Ellis strained his Achilles tendon during spring training and didn't play his first game for the Angels until their 25th game of the season. He played in 86 games that year, hitting 13 home runs and driving in 43 runs. He signed a new contract with the Angels, but a bruised heel kept him from playing at all during the 1984 season. He was released by the team at the end of that year.
Time with the Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers were struggling in 1985 and needed more offense. They signed Ellis Valentine to a minor league contract on July 6. He played well for their Triple-A team, hitting .314 with ten home runs. However, this success didn't carry over when he joined the Rangers in September. He was not offered a contract for the 1986 season. Ellis decided to retire from baseball instead of accepting an invitation to spring training.
Career Statistics
| Games | PA | AB | Runs | Hits | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | Avg. | OBP | Slg. | OPS | Fld% | OA |
| 894 | 3392 | 3166 | 380 | 881 | 169 | 15 | 123 | 474 | 59 | 180 | 462 | .278 | .315 | .458 | .773 | .972 | 85 |
Life After Baseball
After retiring from baseball, Ellis Valentine worked for a car rental company. In 1995, he had his first baseball-related job since retiring, managing a team in a short-lived league called the Golden State League. His time there lasted only a week before the league closed down.
Today, Ellis Valentine lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He works as a counselor at a local church and is part of the Texas Rangers Alumni Association. He also helped start PastPros, a website where sports fans can buy signed items directly from retired athletes. In 2014, Ellis founded RAFT Recovery Inc., a program that provides lawn services for disabled seniors in his community.
Images for kids
-
Ellis Valentine playing for the Montreal Expos.
