George Lombard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids George Lombard |
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Lombard with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2017
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| Detroit Tigers – No. 26 | |||
| Outfielder / Coach | |||
| Born: September 14, 1975 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 1998, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 2006, for the Washington Nationals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .220 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 21 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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George Paul Lombard Sr. (born September 14, 1975) is an American professional baseball coach and former outfielder. He is currently the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers in Major League Baseball (MLB).
Before playing baseball, George Lombard was a talented football player. He was even named an All-America high school running back by Parade and USA Today. He first planned to play football for the Georgia Bulldogs but decided to play baseball instead. He later earned a college degree in psychology in 2015.
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Baseball Career Highlights
Playing in the Major Leagues
George Lombard played both baseball and football when he was in high school in Atlanta. He was picked by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 1994 MLB Draft. He then signed a contract to play baseball.
Lombard played for several MLB teams, including the Braves, Detroit Tigers, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and Washington Nationals. In 2002, playing for the Detroit Tigers, he hit 5 home runs and stole 13 bases. During his entire career in the major leagues, he hit 8 home runs and successfully stole 23 bases.
George Lombard made history on March 15, 2008. He was the first American baseball player to hit a home run in China during a special MLB game series. After that, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians but was released by them in July 2009.
Becoming a Baseball Coach
After his playing days, George Lombard became a baseball coach. In 2010, he was the hitting coach for the Lowell Spinners. This team is a part of the Boston Red Sox organization. He then managed the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Red Sox for two years, from 2011 to 2012. His teams had a good record, and the 2012 team won their division.
In December 2012, the Red Sox promoted Lombard. He became a special coach who traveled around to help players in their minor league teams. He taught them about playing in the outfield and running bases.
In 2015, the Atlanta Braves hired him for a similar role. He helped coordinate player development in their minor league system.
On December 17, 2015, George Lombard joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as their first base coach. He held this important position until the end of the 2020 season. During his time with the Dodgers, the team played in the World Series three times. They won the World Series championship in 2020!
On November 7, 2020, Lombard was named the bench coach for the Detroit Tigers. He continues in this role today.
Personal Life
George Lombard's mother, Posy Lombard, passed away when he was 10 years old. She was known for her important work in the civil rights movement, which fought for equal rights for all people. Her name is even listed on the Civil Rights Movement Archive's "In Memory" page. George's grandfather was also a respected professor at the Harvard Business School for many years.
George Lombard has two sons, George Jr. and Jacob. Both of his sons are athletes. George Jr. was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round of the 2023 MLB draft and signed with them.
