Jack Pierce (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jack Pierce |
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Pierce in 1978
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: June 2, 1949 Laurel, Mississippi |
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| Died: September 13, 2012 (aged 63) Monterrey, Mexico |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: April 27, 1973, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| NPB: 1977, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: September 12, 1975, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| NPB: 1977, for the Nankai Hawks | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .211 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 22 | ||
| Teams | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2001 | ||
Lavern Jack Pierce (born June 2, 1949 – died September 13, 2012) was a professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman. Jack Pierce played in MLB for parts of three seasons. He was with the Atlanta Braves from 1973 to 1974. Then he played for the Detroit Tigers in 1975. He also played in Japan for the Nankai Hawks in 1977.
Jack Pierce is especially famous for his time in minor league baseball. He hit a lot of home runs in the minor leagues. By 1998, he was ranked ninth all-time for home runs in minor league history, with 395!
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Jack Pierce's Early Life
Jack Pierce was born in Laurel, Mississippi, in 1949. He grew up and went to high school in San Jose, California. He attended San Jose High School and later San Jose City College.
Jack Pierce's Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Atlanta Braves picked Jack Pierce in the 1969 baseball draft. He started his professional career in 1970. His first team was the Magic Valley Cowboys, a rookie league team. He hit 9 home runs that year.
In 1971, he played for the Kinston Eagles. He had a great year, hitting for a .292 batting average. He also hit 20 home runs and tied for the league lead in doubles. The next year, in 1972, he played for the Savannah Braves. He continued to do well, hitting 23 home runs and getting 103 RBIs.
Playing for the Atlanta Braves
Jack Pierce started the 1973 season in Triple-A, which is just below the major leagues. He was playing so well that the Atlanta Braves called him up to the big leagues. He made his MLB debut on April 27, 1973. However, he only played 11 games and was sent back to the minor leagues.
In 1974, Pierce played in Mexico for the Charros de Jalisco. He hit 28 home runs there, which was second-best in that league. This earned him another chance with the Braves, but again, he only played a few games.
Time with the Detroit Tigers
In 1975, Jack Pierce was traded to the Detroit Tigers. He started the season in Triple-A again. When the Tigers' main first baseman struggled, Pierce got another chance in the major leagues. He became the starting first baseman for the Tigers in June 1975.
He played in 53 games for the Tigers that year. He hit 8 home runs. However, he made some errors while playing first base. By August, he lost his starting job. His last major league game was on September 12, 1975.
Back to the Minor Leagues, Mexico, and Japan
After his time in MLB, Jack Pierce returned to playing baseball in Mexico. He became a star there! In 1976, he hit 36 home runs and led the league in RBIs.
In 1977, he went to Japan to play for the Nankai Hawks. He hit 13 home runs in Japan. After one season, he returned to America. He played for minor league teams like the San Jose Missions and Spokane Indians in 1978 and 1979.
He went back to Mexico and continued to be a powerful hitter. In 1980, he led the Mexican League with 17 home runs. In 1984, he hit .364 and had 117 RBIs. The next year, in 1985, he hit 40 home runs!
In 1986, Jack Pierce had an amazing season. He set a new Mexican League record by hitting 54 home runs! He also had a very high batting average of .381 and drove in 148 runs. He even spent some time as a player-manager for his team, the Bravos de León.
Jack Pierce retired from playing baseball in 1987. He hit 294 home runs in his 11 years in Mexico. This was the most by any American player in that league's history at the time.
Later Years and Legacy
In 2001, Jack Pierce was honored for his amazing career. He was elected into the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. He also worked as a batting coach for the Sultanes de Monterrey team.
Jack Pierce passed away in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2012, at the age of 64. He is remembered as a powerful hitter, especially for his incredible success in the minor leagues and in Mexico.
