Elmer Valo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elmer Valo |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: March 5, 1921 Rybník Czechoslovakia |
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| Died: July 19, 1998 (aged 77) Palmerton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 22, 1940, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1961, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Home runs | 58 | ||
| Runs batted in | 601 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Elmer William Valo (born Imrich Valo) was a talented baseball player from Slovakia who became an American citizen. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 20 seasons, from 1940 to 1961. Elmer was a right fielder, meaning he played in the outfield. He also worked as a coach and a scout after his playing days.
Elmer Valo was known for hitting the ball well. He had a batting average of .282, hit 58 home runs, and brought in 601 runs for his team. He played in over 1,800 games, mostly for the Athletics team, which was in Philadelphia and later Kansas City.
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Early Life
Elmer Valo was born in Rybník, Czechoslovakia. When he was six years old, he moved to the United States with his family.
Baseball Career Highlights
Elmer Valo played for several teams during his long career. He started with the Philadelphia Athletics. He also played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, New York Yankees, and Washington Senators. He even played for the Minnesota Twins.
His baseball career was put on hold for a few years. This happened when he served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946.
A Fearless Player
Elmer was known for being a very energetic player. He was an aggressive hitter who often hit line drives. He hit for a batting average of .300 or better five times. His best year was 1955, when he hit an amazing .364.
As a right fielder, he was very brave. He would often run right into the outfield walls to catch a ball. Sometimes, he even crashed through them!
Pinch-Hitting Star
Later in his career, Elmer Valo became a fantastic pinch-hitter. A pinch-hitter is a player who comes into the game to bat in place of another player. He was very good at knowing which pitches to swing at. This helped him get on base often.
In 1960, Elmer set new records for pinch-hitting. He had the most games, walks, and times on base as a pinch-hitter in a single season. He also set a career record with 91 walks as a pinch-hitter.
Memorable Games
Elmer Valo was part of some special moments in baseball history.
On May 1, 1949, he did something amazing. He became the first player in Major League Baseball to hit two triples with the bases loaded in one game. A triple means he ran to third base. With the bases loaded, it means three runners were already on base. This feat has only been matched by two other players since then.
He also hit for the cycle on August 2, 1950. Hitting for the cycle means a player hits a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game. It's a very rare achievement!
Life After Playing
After he stopped playing baseball, Elmer Valo continued to work in the sport. He was a coach for the Cleveland Indians. He also managed minor league teams. For 13 years, he worked as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. A scout finds new talented players.
In 1990, Elmer Valo was honored. He was inducted into the Philadelphia Baseball Wall of Fame. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 77.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
