Gary Matthews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gary Matthews |
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| Left fielder / Right fielder | |||
| Born: July 5, 1950 San Fernando, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 6, 1972, for the San Francisco Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1987, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .281 | ||
| Hits | 2,011 | ||
| Home runs | 234 | ||
| Runs batted in | 978 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Gary Nathaniel Matthews Sr., also known as "Sarge," is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 16 seasons. After he stopped playing, Matthews became a TV commentator for the Philadelphia Phillies. His son, Gary Matthews Jr., also played in the big leagues. They are one of only seven father-son duos in the history of the Chicago Cubs.
Contents
Gary Matthews' Baseball Journey
Starting His Professional Career
Gary Matthews was chosen by the San Francisco Giants in the first round of the 1968 baseball draft. He began his professional career in 1969 with the Giants' minor league team, the Decatur Commodores. In 1973, which was his first full season, he earned the National League Rookie of the Year award. This award goes to the best new player in the league.
Playing for Different Teams
Matthews played for 16 seasons in the major leagues. He played for the San Francisco Giants (1972–1976), the Atlanta Braves (1977–1980), the Philadelphia Phillies (1981–1983), the Chicago Cubs (1984–1987), and the Seattle Mariners (1987). Over his career, he played in 2,033 games. He had 2,011 hits, hit 234 home runs, and brought in 978 runs. He also scored 1,083 runs himself.
In 1973, he was named the National League Rookie of the Year. That year, he had a batting average of .300, with 12 home runs and 58 runs batted in for the Giants.
Time with the Atlanta Braves
In 1976, Matthews signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves. He had his best season with the Braves in 1979. That year, he was chosen to play in the All-Star Game. He finished the season with a .304 batting average, 27 home runs, and 90 runs batted in.
Success with the Philadelphia Phillies
In 1981, Matthews joined the Philadelphia Phillies. He played in the postseason with the Phillies in 1981 and 1983. In 19 playoff games, he hit 7 home runs. He was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 1983 National League Championship Series (NLCS). He helped the Phillies win against the Los Angeles Dodgers and reach the World Series. In that five-game series, he had 6 hits in 14 tries, with three home runs and eight runs batted in.
Joining the Chicago Cubs
In 1984, Matthews was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He was a very important player for the Cubs when they won the National League Eastern Division title in 1984. He had a .291 batting average and scored 101 runs that season. In the first game of the 1984 NL Championship Series, he hit two home runs. He played as a starting left fielder for the Cubs for three seasons. In 1987, injuries limited his playing time. He was traded to the Seattle Mariners during that season.
Career Highlights and Stats
Over his 16-season career, Gary Matthews had a batting average of .281. He hit 234 home runs and had 978 runs batted in over 2033 games. He also had 183 stolen bases, scored 1083 runs, and hit 319 doubles. He had 2011 hits in 7147 at bats. He was also good at not striking out, with a career on-base percentage of .364. In 19 playoff games, he had a .323 batting average with 7 home runs and 15 runs batted in. As an outfielder, his fielding percentage was .968, which means he made very few errors.
After Playing: Coaching and Broadcasting
Coaching Baseball Teams
After he stopped playing baseball in 1987, Matthews worked in other jobs and in broadcasting. In 1995, he joined the Cubs organization as a hitting coach for their minor league teams. He held this job for three years. In 1998, he became the hitting coach for the Toronto Blue Jays for two years. He then worked for their broadcast team. In 2002, he returned to coaching as the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers. He also coached for the Cubs from 2003 to 2006.
Working as a TV Commentator
Gary Matthews started his broadcasting career as a radio commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays from 2000 to 2001. He also worked as a studio analyst for a Canadian TV network called Headline Sports Television. After finishing his coaching career in 2006, Matthews became a color analyst for the Philadelphia Phillies from 2007 to 2013. A color analyst helps explain the game and provides insights during the broadcast.
From 2008 to 2011, after the Phillies won a game, Matthews would often interview a player on the field who had a big impact on that day's win. On January 8, 2014, Matthews and another commentator, Chris Wheeler, were given different jobs within the Phillies organization. Jamie Moyer and Matt Stairs took over their commentary roles.
More About Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
