Herb Washington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Herb Washington |
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Washington in 1974
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| Pinch runner | |||
| Born: November 16, 1951 Belzoni, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 4, 1974, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 4, 1975, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Games played | 105 | ||
| At bats | 0 | ||
| Runs | 33 | ||
| Stolen bases | 31 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Herbert Lee Washington (born November 16, 1951) is an American athlete known for his incredible speed. He was a world-class sprinter who used his fast running skills to play a short time in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Oakland Athletics in 1974 and 1975.
Washington was a very special player because he was a "pinch runner." This meant he only entered games to run the bases, usually to steal a base or score a run. After his baseball career, he went back to professional track. Later, he became a successful owner of many McDonald's restaurants. He also owned a minor league professional hockey team.
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Early Life and School Years
Herb Washington was born in Belzoni, Mississippi. When he was a baby, his family moved to Flint, Michigan. His parents worked in the car industry. Herb first went to Flint Northern High School. However, it was found that he lived outside the school's area.
Because of this, he had to switch schools. He moved to Flint Central High School. This change meant he lost some time for sports. But at Flint Central, he became a star runner. He ran the 100-yard dash in a very fast 9.4 seconds. This amazing speed got him many college scholarship offers.
Washington chose Michigan State University. He knew many black athletes were already there. At Michigan State, he was a four-time All-American. He won one National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title. He also won seven Big Ten titles. He even tied or broke world records in the 50- and 60-yard dashes several times.
In 1972, the Baltimore Colts football team picked him in the NFL draft. But Herb decided not to play football. He wanted to focus on track and try to make the US Olympic team.
Track and Field Career
Herb Washington was a top sprinter. In 1972, he tied the world record for the 50-yard dash. He ran it in just 5.0 seconds. A week later, he set a new world record for the 60-yard dash, finishing in 5.8 seconds. These records are still impressive today. Races in yards are not common anymore.
Washington was featured on the cover of Track and Field News magazine in February 1972. This showed how famous he was in the track world. In 1973, he tied the 50-yard record again. Later that summer, he won the 100 meters race at the Pacific Conference Games.
Despite his success, Washington said his biggest disappointment was not making the 1972 Summer Olympics team.
Unique Baseball Career
In 1974, the owner of the Oakland A's, Charlie Finley, had a special idea. He wanted Herb Washington to be the team's "designated runner." This meant Washington would only run the bases. He would not bat, pitch, or play in the field. Finley signed Washington to a contract for $45,000. It even had a funny rule that Washington had to grow a mustache!
Washington had no professional baseball experience. He had not played baseball since high school. But he became part of the Athletics team that won the 1974 World Series. Finley made it clear he only wanted Washington for his speed. He did not expect him to learn other baseball skills.
Washington got special coaching on how to run bases from Maury Wills, a famous base stealer. His teammates had mixed feelings about him. They knew he was fast. But some felt he was not a "real" baseball player. Reggie Jackson said, "He's a great athlete, but he's not a baseball player." Pitcher Rollie Fingers thought the idea was "a little crazy" but agreed Washington "could run like crazy."
In the 1974 World Series, Washington came into a game as a pinch runner. He was on first base in a very important moment. But he was "picked off," meaning the pitcher threw him out before he could steal a base.
Early in the 1975 season, Washington was released from the team. The Athletics had found other players who could run fast and also play in the outfield.
Washington played in 105 MLB games. He never batted, pitched, or played defense. He was only a pinch runner. In his short career, he stole 31 bases and scored 33 runs. He is one of only a few players who played in more games than they had chances to bat. His 1975 Topps baseball card is the only one ever to say "pinch runner" as the player's position!
Business Ventures
After his time in baseball, Herb Washington went back to professional track and field. He competed until 1976. Then, he worked for a phone company.
In 1980, he started a new career. He opened his first McDonald's restaurant in Rochester, New York. He quickly opened more McDonald's franchises. By 2009, his company owned 21 McDonald's restaurants in Ohio and Pennsylvania. At that time, it was the largest McDonald's franchise owned by an African-American.
Later, Washington had a disagreement with McDonald's. He said he was treated unfairly. In 2021, they reached an agreement. McDonald's bought 13 of his restaurants for $33.5 million. Washington then left the McDonald's system.
Washington also held important roles in the community. He helped with the United Way and the National Urban League. He was also named to the New York State Athletic Commission. In 1992, he became the chairman of the board for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York in Buffalo.
In 2005, he started a minor league ice hockey team called the Youngstown SteelHounds. The team had some issues with league payments. Because of this, the team was removed from its league in 2008. Washington said he had paid most fees but held back some money due to travel expenses he felt the league owed him.
Family Life
Herb Washington married Gisele Gibbs in 1980. She also went to Michigan State University. They have two children, Terrell and Arielle. Both of their children also attended Michigan State University. Washington's son, Terrell, ran track in college. As of 2012, Terrell was the general manager for his father's McDonald's company.
