Gary Sheffield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gary Sheffield
Sheffield with the New York Yankees in 2005
Outfielder / Third baseman
Born: (1968-11-18) November 18, 1968 (age 56) Tampa, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
September 15, 1988, for the Milwaukee Brewers
Last appearance
September 30, 2009, for the New York Mets
MLB statistics
Batting average	.292
Hits	2,689
Home runs	509
Runs batted in	1,676
Teams
Milwaukee Brewers (1988–1991) San Diego Padres (1992–1993) Florida Marlins (1993–1998) Los Angeles Dodgers (1998–2001) Atlanta Braves (2002–2003) New York Yankees (2004–2006) Detroit Tigers (2007–2008) New York Mets (2009)
Career highlights and awards
9× All-Star (1992, 1993, 1996, 1998–2000, 2003–2005) World Series champion (1997) 5× Silver Slugger Award (1992, 1996, 2003–2005) NL batting champion (1992)

Gary Antonian Sheffield (born November 18, 1968) is a former American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder for eight different teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1988 to 2009.

Gary was known for his powerful hitting and unique batting swing. He hit 509 career home runs, which is a lot! He also had a great eye for pitches, earning many walks. Gary was an All-Star nine times and won a World Series championship in 1997.

Early Life and Baseball Beginnings

Gary Sheffield was born in Tampa, Florida. He grew up in a neighborhood called Belmont Heights.

Gary's uncle is Dwight Gooden, who became a famous pitcher for the New York Mets. Gary and Dwight played baseball together often. Gary learned how to hit a fastball from his uncle.

Gary was a talented hitter even in Little League. He played for the Belmont Heights Little League All-Stars. This team included other future MLB players like Derek Bell. In 1980, their team made it to the finals of the 1980 Little League World Series. They played against a team from Taiwan and lost a close game, 4–3.

High School Baseball Star

In 1983, Gary joined the varsity baseball team at Hillsborough High School. He played as a pitcher and third baseman.

During his senior year, Gary was very strong. His fastball was fast, and he hit many home runs. He batted .500 and hit 15 home runs in just 62 at-bats. Because of his amazing performance, he was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.

Professional Baseball Journey

Starting in the Minor Leagues

After high school, the Milwaukee Brewers chose Gary Sheffield as the sixth pick in the 1986 MLB draft. Gary later said he might have played college baseball if he hadn't been drafted so high.

He started playing for the Helena team in the Pioneer League. He had a great batting average of .365 and 71 RBIs in just 57 games. At first, he played shortstop, but he made many errors.

In 1987, he moved to the Stockton team. His defense got better, and he continued to hit well. He led his league with 103 RBIs. By his third season, he was playing in Double-A and then made it to the major leagues.

Milwaukee Brewers (1988–1991)

Sheffield in 1988

Gary Sheffield made his MLB debut on September 3, 1988. He was still a teenager! His first hit was a home run. He finished his first season with a .238 batting average and four home runs.

After some injuries, Gary was moved to third base. He sometimes had disagreements with the team, but he worked hard to improve his playing. In 1990, he batted .294 with 10 home runs.

San Diego Padres (1992–1993)

In 1992, the Brewers traded Gary to the San Diego Padres. This was a great year for him! He was chosen for his first All-Star team.

He almost won the Triple Crown, which means leading the league in batting average, home runs, and RBIs. He won the National League batting title with a .330 average. This was a big achievement, as he was the only Padres player other than Tony Gwynn to win a batting title.

Florida Marlins (1993–1998)

In the middle of the 1993 season, Gary was traded to the Florida Marlins. He continued to hit well, making the All-Star Game again. The Marlins gave him a big contract, making him one of the highest-paid third basemen.

In 1994, he moved from third base to right field. He hit 112 home runs with the Marlins between 1994 and 1998. In 1996, he hit 42 home runs and was an All-Star again.

Gary helped lead the Marlins to win the 1997 World Series against the Cleveland Indians. He even hit two home runs in one inning in 1997, which was a first for the Marlins team!

Los Angeles Dodgers (1998–2001)

In 1998, Gary was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He continued to be a powerful hitter for them. In 3½ seasons with the Dodgers, he hit 129 home runs and drove in 367 runs.

He was selected for three All-Star Games while playing for the Dodgers. He became known as one of the best outfielders in baseball.

Atlanta Braves (2002–2003)

In 2002, Gary Sheffield was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He played two seasons with the Braves, hitting 64 home runs and driving in 216 RBIs. In 2003, he had an amazing 132 RBIs.

After these two seasons, he became a free agent, meaning he could choose which team to play for next.

New York Yankees (2004–2006)

In 2003, Gary signed a contract with the New York Yankees. He joined a strong lineup with stars like Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.

In his first year with the Yankees, Gary hit 36 home runs and had 121 RBIs. He finished second in the voting for the MVP award. On July 27, he hit his 400th career home run.

In 2005, a Red Sox fan interfered with a play at Fenway Park. This led to a brief interaction between Gary and the fan. Gary was fined for the incident, but charges against both were later dismissed.

In 2006, Gary was injured when he collided with another player. He needed wrist surgery and missed much of the season. When he returned, he played first base for the first time in his career.

Detroit Tigers (2007–2008)

On November 10, 2006, the Yankees traded Gary to the Detroit Tigers. He signed a two-year contract extension with them.

In his first season with the Tigers, he hit 25 home runs and stole 20 bases. This was the first time he had stolen 20 bases since 1990! He was one of only six players in the AL that year to have at least 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases.

On September 8, 2008, Gary hit the 250,000th regular season home run in MLB history! It was a grand slam. He ended the 2008 season with 499 career home runs.

In March 2009, the Tigers released Gary.

New York Mets (2009)

On April 3, 2009, Gary Sheffield agreed to play for the New York Mets.

On April 17, Gary hit his 500th home run in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He became the 25th player in MLB history to reach this amazing milestone. He was also the first player to hit his 500th home run as a pinch-hitter.

Gary Sheffield became one of only three players in MLB history to hit home runs before age 20 and after age 40. The others were Ty Cobb and Rusty Staub.

Retirement

Gary Sheffield did not play in 2010. He officially announced his retirement from baseball at the beginning of spring training in 2011.

Career Highlights and Achievements

Gary Sheffield had a remarkable career filled with many achievements.

Other Notable Achievements

• He was the second Padres hitter ever to win a batting title.
• His Tampa team finished second in the 1980 Little League World Series.
• He is the first player to represent five different teams in the All-Star Game.
• He tied Paul O'Neill as the oldest player (at age 38) to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in a season.
• He was the first player to hit at least 25 home runs for 6 different teams.
• He was the 25th player in MLB history to reach 500 home runs.
• He had 8 seasons where he hit 30 or more home runs.
• He holds the record for playing in the most MLB ballparks (51).
• He is one of only two players in MLB history to hit 30 or more home runs in one season for 5 different teams.

Statistical Leader

• In 1992, he led the National League in batting average (.330) and total bases (323).
• In 1996, he led the National League in on-base percentage (.465) and OPS (1.090).

Hall of Fame Consideration

Gary Sheffield was considered for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Players need 75% of the votes to be elected. In 2024, his final year on the ballot, he received 63.9% of the votes, which was close but not enough for election.

Personal Life

Gary Sheffield is married to Deleon. They live in Tampa, Florida. They have three sons: Jaden, Noah, and Christian. Gary also has five other children from previous relationships. Deleon is a gospel singer and has sung the National Anthem at Yankee Stadium.

Gary's cousin, Derrick Pedro, played baseball in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Another cousin, Tim Carter, played professional football.

Images for kids

• 

  Sheffield (right) with the Tigers in 2007.

• 

  Sheffield with the New York Mets in 2009

See also

In Spanish: Gary Sheffield para niños