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 79) 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 Abraham McRae (born July 10, 1945) is an American former baseball player and manager. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). McRae played for the Cincinnati Reds (1968, 1970–72) and Kansas City Royals (1973–87). For most of his career, he was a designated hitter. He batted and threw with his right hand. Hal McRae is the father of former MLB outfielder Brian McRae.

Playing Baseball

Early Career and Injury

The Cincinnati Reds picked Hal McRae in the 1965 draft. He was the 117th player chosen overall. Before the 1969 season, McRae played winter baseball in Puerto Rico. He broke his leg badly while sliding on the bases.

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

Moving to the Royals

In 1972, McRae was traded to the Kansas City Royals. This trade helped him become a very good designated hitter in the American League (AL). He played for 23 years in total, with 14 of those seasons in Kansas City.

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

McRae, around 1977

In 1976, McRae was very close to winning the AL batting title. In the last game of the season, he lost to his teammate, George Brett. There was a disagreement during that game. McRae believed the other team's manager had told a player to let Brett's ball drop. A league investigation later found no proof of this. Even so, McRae led the AL in on-base percentage that year. The next season, he led all of MLB with 54 doubles.

Aggressive Baserunning

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

In the 1980 World Series, McRae turned simple singles into two-base hits twice in one game. He played so hard that a rule was made because of him. This rule says a runner must slide into second base when trying to break up a double play. It's sometimes called the "Hal McRae Rule." This rule helps protect players from dangerous collisions.

In 1982, McRae had another amazing year. He led all of MLB with 46 doubles and 133 RBI (runs batted in). He finished fourth in the voting for the AL's Most Valuable Player award.

Over his 19-year career, McRae had a .290 batting average. He got 2,091 hits, 191 home runs, and 1,097 RBI. He also had 484 doubles, 65 triples, and 109 stolen bases.

Managing and Coaching

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 strong emotions and passion for the game. In 1993, while managing the Royals, he had a very angry moment during an interview after a loss. He threw some objects around his office. This event was filmed and became widely known. Despite this, he continued to manage the team.

Managerial Records