Garry Templeton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Garry Templeton |
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Templeton with the Long Beach Armada in 2009
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: March 24, 1956 Lockney, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 9, 1976, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 5, 1991, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .271 | ||
| Hits | 2,096 | ||
| Home runs | 70 | ||
| Runs batted in | 728 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Garry Lewis Templeton (born March 24, 1956) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, and New York Mets. His career lasted from 1976 to 1991. He was later honored by being inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
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Playing in the Major Leagues
Garry Templeton was born in Lockney, Texas. Many people thought he was one of the best players in baseball early in his career. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was chosen for the All-Star team in 1977 and 1979.
In 1979, Garry made history. He was the first switch-hitter (a player who can bat from both sides of the plate) to get 100 hits from each side. Only one other player, Willie Wilson, has done this since. Garry led the National League with 211 hits that year. He also led the league in triples for the third year in a row.
Challenges and Changes
Even though Garry was a great hitter, he wasn't always popular with Cardinals fans. Some felt his body language showed he wasn't interested. He also made many errors (mistakes in fielding). This led to disagreements with the team's management.
In 1979, he famously said, "pay me or trade me." He even said he wouldn't try his best if he had to stay in St. Louis. The next day, he apologized for his words.
Things got worse in 1981. During one game, fans booed him for not running to first base. Garry made a rude gesture back at them. Then, he got into an argument with his manager, Whitey Herzog, in the dugout. Later that year, Garry had a tough time and needed a break.
The Big Trade
After the 1981 season, the Cardinals traded Garry to the Padres. In return, they got Ozzie Smith. This trade was a big deal for both teams. Ozzie Smith was an amazing defensive player, and the Cardinals needed better defense. Garry Templeton was a strong hitter, and the Padres needed to improve their offense.
The trade was good for the Cardinals. Ozzie Smith became a Hall of Famer. He also improved his hitting with the Cardinals. Garry's defense got better in San Diego, but his hitting wasn't as strong.
Time with the Padres and Mets
Garry played for the San Diego Padres for ten years. He played in 1,286 games and had 1,135 hits. He won a Silver Slugger Award in 1984. He was also an All-Star again in 1985. In 1987, he became the team captain for the Padres.
His final season in MLB was 1991. He played 32 games for the Padres before being traded to the New York Mets. He played 80 more games for the Mets that year.
On August 8, 2015, Garry Templeton was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame.
Life After Playing Baseball
After he stopped playing in 1991, Garry Templeton continued to be involved in baseball. He became a coach and a minor league manager.
He managed teams for the Anaheim Angels organization from 1998 to 2001. He also managed teams in independent leagues, like the Gary Railcats and the Fullerton Flyers. In 2010, he led the Chico Outlaws to win the Golden Baseball League Championship. In 2013, he managed the Newark Bears.
Family Life
Garry Templeton's son, Garry Templeton II, also played minor league baseball. He later became a manager for teams like the Hawaii Stars and the Vallejo Admirals. In 2014, he won the Manager of the Year Award for the Pacific Association. He now works as a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Images for kids
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Templeton with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
