Gerald Perry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gerald Perry |
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: October 30, 1960 Savannah, Georgia, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 11, 1983, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 24, 1995, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 59 | ||
| Runs batted in | 396 | ||
| Teams | |||
As player
As coach
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Gerald June Perry (born October 30, 1960) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1983 to 1995. During his career, he played for the Atlanta Braves, Kansas City Royals, and St. Louis Cardinals. After his playing days, he became a hitting coach for several MLB teams.
Playing Career
Gerald Perry had a great baseball career. His best season was in 1988. That year, he had a batting average of .300. This means he got a hit in 30% of his official turns at bat. He was one of only five players in the National League to hit .300 or better that season. He was even a contender for the batting title for most of the year! Tony Gwynn won the title that season. Because of his excellent performance, Perry was chosen for the 1988 National League All-Star team.
In 1993, while playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, he set a team record. He had 24 pinch hits in one season. A pinch hit happens when a player comes off the bench to bat in place of another player. In 1995, he made history again for the Cardinals. He became the team's all-time leader in pinch hits, with 70 total.
Coaching Career
After his playing career, Gerald Perry became a hitting coach. A hitting coach helps players improve their batting skills. He worked for several Major League Baseball teams:
- From 2000 to 2002, he coached the Seattle Mariners.
- From 2003 to 2005, he coached the Pittsburgh Pirates.
- In 2006, he coached the Oakland Athletics.
- From 2007 to 2009, he coached the Chicago Cubs.
- In 2011, he returned to coach the Oakland Athletics for another season.
Perry also coached in the minor leagues. In 2012, he was the hitting coach for the AAA Pawtucket Red Sox. The next year, in 2013, he joined the Erie SeaWolves as their hitting coach. He also served as the hitting coach for the USA team in the 2013 World Baseball Classic.
