Jerome Walton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jerome Walton |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Walton in 1988
|
|||
| Center fielder | |||
| Born: July 8, 1965 Newnan, Georgia, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 4, 1989, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 6, 1998, for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .269 | ||
| Home runs | 25 | ||
| Runs batted in | 132 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Jerome O'Terrell Walton (born July 8, 1965) is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for several teams. Jerome Walton played from 1989 to 1998. He was known for batting and throwing with his right hand. Walton was born in Newnan, Georgia.
Contents
Jerome Walton's Baseball Journey
Jerome Walton started his baseball journey after graduating from Newnan High School in Newnan, Georgia. He then went on to attend Enterprise State Junior College. His talent was noticed, and the Chicago Cubs picked him in the second round of the 1986 Major League Baseball draft. This was a big step towards his dream of playing in the MLB.
Making His MLB Debut
Walton made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on April 4, 1989. He played for the Chicago Cubs. This was a very exciting time for him and his fans. He quickly showed everyone what he could do on the field.
Rookie of the Year Success
In his first year, 1989, Jerome Walton had an amazing season. He was named the National League Rookie of the Year. This was a huge honor, and he was the first Cubs player to win it since 1962. He played in 116 games that year. He had a batting average of .293, which means he got a hit almost 30% of the time he batted. He also stole 24 bases and had an impressive 30-game hitting streak. This means he got at least one hit in 30 games in a row!
Playing in the Postseason
Walton's great performance in 1989 even earned him votes for the Most Valuable Player Award. In the 1989 National League Championship Series, he batted very well, getting eight hits. Even though the Cubs lost that series, Walton showed he could perform under pressure.
Moving to Different Teams
After playing three more seasons with the Cubs, Jerome Walton became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team he wanted. He then played for several other teams during his career:
- The California Angels in 1993.
- The Cincinnati Reds from 1994 to 1995. He had a strong batting average of .309 in 1994.
- The Atlanta Braves in 1996, where he batted an impressive .340.
- The Baltimore Orioles in 1997.
- He finished his career in 1998 with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Career Highlights and Stats
Over his 10-year career in Major League Baseball, Jerome Walton had a total batting average of .269. He hit 25 home runs and had 132 runs batted in (RBIs). He also stole 58 bases. Most of his time was spent as a reserve player, meaning he often came into games from the bench.
During his early years with the Cubs, fans created a fun way to track his batting average called the "Jerome-O-Meter." This was inspired by a similar "Shawon-O-Meter" used for another Cubs player, Shawon Dunston.
External Links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball-Reference (Minors)
