Hal McRae facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hal McRae
McRae with the Kansas City Royals in 1980
Designated hitter / Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1945-07-10) July 10, 1945 (age 80) Avon Park, Florida, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
July 11, 1968, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last appearance
July 17, 1987, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
Batting average	.290
Hits	2,091
Home runs	191
Runs batted in	1,097
Managerial record	399–473
Winning %	.458
Teams
As player Cincinnati Reds (1968, 1970–1972) Kansas City Royals (1973–1987) As manager Kansas City Royals (1991–1994) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2001–2002) As coach Kansas City Royals (1987) Montreal Expos (1990–1991) Cincinnati Reds (1995–1996) Philadelphia Phillies (1997–2000) Tampa Bay Rays (2001) St. Louis Cardinals (2005–2009)
Career highlights and awards
3× All-Star (1975, 1976, 1982) 2× World Series champion (1985, 2006) Silver Slugger Award (1982) AL RBI leader (1982) Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame

Harold "Hal" McRae (born July 10, 1945) is a famous American baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a left fielder and later as a designated hitter. Hal McRae played for the Cincinnati Reds and the Kansas City Royals. He was known for his intense playing style and later became a manager and coach. His son, Brian McRae, also played in the major leagues.

Hal McRae's Baseball Journey

Starting His Playing Career

Hal McRae was chosen by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1965 baseball draft. He was picked in the 6th round. Before the 1969 season, he broke his leg while playing baseball in Puerto Rico. This injury changed how he played the game.

Before his injury, McRae was a very fast player. He could run quickly and play center field. After his leg healed, he was still fast, but not as quick as before. He was considered an average outfielder for the Reds.

A Motivational Moment

In 1969, McRae came to spring training with his leg still in a cast. The Reds' manager, Dave Bristol, used a unique way to motivate him. He pointed to a famous announcer, Harry Caray, who was also recovering from serious injuries. Bristol told McRae that if an older man like Caray could work hard after breaking many bones, McRae should be able to recover from his leg injury.

McRae later said this was one of the best motivational speeches he ever heard. It taught him that he needed to truly want to recover to get better. His teammates even joked about his intense approach to injuries.

Becoming a Kansas City Royal

In 1972, McRae was traded to the Kansas City Royals. This is where he really shined as a designated hitter in the American League (AL). He played for the Royals for 14 seasons.

McRae was chosen as an All-Star three times. He hit over .300 (meaning he got a hit more than 30% of the time he batted) six times for the Royals. He was also named "Designated Hitter of the Year" three times.

McRae, around 1977

In 1976, McRae was very close to winning the AL batting title. He lost to his teammate, George Brett, by a tiny amount. McRae was known for his strong opinions and once had a heated discussion with the opposing team's manager after this game. He did lead the AL in on-base percentage that year. The next season, he led all of Major League Baseball with 54 doubles.

An Aggressive Baserunner

After his leg injury, McRae became famous for being a very aggressive baserunner. He always thought about getting an extra base every time he hit the ball. He taught younger players to always play hard and never give up on the bases.

McRae played so hard that a rule was even named after him. The "Hal McRae Rule" requires runners to slide into second base when trying to break up a double play. This rule was made because McRae's strong slides often caused injuries to other players.

In 1982, McRae had an amazing year. He led all of Major League Baseball with 46 doubles and 133 RBI (runs batted in). He finished fourth in the voting for the AL MVP award.

Over his 19-year career, Hal McRae had a .290 batting average. He hit 191 home runs and had 1097 RBI. He also had 484 doubles and 109 stolen bases.

Managing and Coaching Baseball

Leading Teams as Manager

After he stopped playing, Hal McRae became a manager. He managed the Kansas City Royals from 1991 to 1994. He also managed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays from 2001 to 2002.

McRae also worked as a hitting coach for several teams. These included the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals. He won a World Series ring as a player with the Royals in 1985. Later, he won another World Series ring as a coach for the Cardinals in 2006.

McRae was known for his very passionate and intense style as a manager. He once had a very emotional moment during a press conference after a tough loss in 1993. This event showed how much he cared about his team's performance. Even after this, he continued to manage the Royals.

Managerial Records

See Also

• List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
• List of St. Louis Cardinals coaches