Gary Ward (outfielder) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gary Ward |
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Gary Ward during his time with the Minnesota Twins.
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: December 6, 1953 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 3, 1979, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1990, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .276 | ||
| Home runs | 130 | ||
| Runs batted in | 597 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Gary Lamell Ward (born December 6, 1953) is a former American professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 12 seasons, from 1979 to 1990. During his career, he played for the Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers. His son, Daryle Ward, also became a major league player.
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Major League Career
Starting with the Minnesota Twins
Ward was signed by the Minnesota Twins in 1972 as an amateur free agent. He first played in the major leagues in 1979. On September 18, 1980, Ward achieved a rare feat called hitting for the cycle. This means he hit a single, a double, a triple, and a home run all in the same game.
Amazingly, he did this in only his 14th career game, which is still an MLB record. No other player has hit for the cycle so early in their career.
In 1982, Ward had a fantastic season. He had a batting average of .289, hit 28 home runs, and had 91 runs batted in (RBIs). Because of his great performance, he was named the Twins Player of the Year. The next year, in 1983, he was selected as an All-Star for the first time. He also led all outfielders with 24 assists, showing off his strong throwing arm.
Time with the Rangers and Yankees
After the 1983 season, Ward was traded to the Texas Rangers. In his first year with the Rangers, he hit .284 with 21 home runs and scored 97 runs. He continued to play well, leading the Rangers in batting in both 1985 and 1986. He was also named an All-Star for a second time in 1985.
In 1987, Ward joined the New York Yankees. He had a great start to the season but struggled in the second half. For the next two years, he was a part-time player. He later played for the Detroit Tigers before finishing his career in 1990.
Over his entire career, Ward had a .276 batting average, 130 home runs, and 597 RBIs.
Life After Playing
After retiring as a player, Ward became a coach in Minor League Baseball. He worked for several teams connected to the Chicago White Sox organization, helping younger players develop their skills.
A special moment in baseball history involves Gary and his son, Daryle. On May 26, 2004, Daryle also hit for the cycle. This made them the first father-son duo in MLB history to both achieve this feat. They were later joined by Craig and Cavan Biggio in 2019.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
