Ken Harvey (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Harvey |
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Harvey with the Kansas City Royals in 2004
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| First baseman / Designated hitter | |||
| Born: March 1, 1978 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 18, 2001, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 18, 2005, for the Kansas City Royals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Home runs | 27 | ||
| Runs batted in | 126 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kenneth Eugene Harvey, born on March 1, 1978, is a former professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Ken was known for his strong hitting and impressive skills on the field. He played for the Kansas City Royals during his MLB career.
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Ken Harvey's College Baseball Career
Before joining the pros, Ken Harvey was a star college baseball player. In 1999, he played for the University of Nebraska. He was named a first-team All-American, which means he was one of the best college players in the whole country.
That year, Ken helped his team win the Big 12 Tournament. He also led the entire nation with an amazing .478 batting average. This means he got a hit almost half the times he went up to bat! He also hit 23 home runs and helped his team score 86 runs. Even though he was a great hitter, Ken was also an excellent defensive player. He made very few errors, earning him a special award for his defense.
Joining the Kansas City Royals
Because of his fantastic college performance, the Kansas City Royals picked Ken Harvey in the fifth round of the 1999 MLB Draft. This is how professional teams choose new players.
Ken Harvey's MLB Career
Ken Harvey started playing for the Kansas City Royals in 2003. He quickly showed his talent.
Becoming an All-Star
In the first half of the 2004 season, Ken played incredibly well. He was one of the top hitters in the American League, battling for the lead in batting average. His great performance led to him being chosen for the All-Star Game. This is a special game where the best players from different teams play against each other. Ken was the only player from the Royals chosen that year.
Sometimes, when the Royals played against teams from the other league, they needed Ken to play left field. This was so both Ken and another strong hitter, Mike Sweeney, could be in the game at the same time.
Later Career and Injuries
After his strong start in 2004, Ken faced some challenges in the second half of the season. In 2005, he started the season in the minor leagues with the Omaha team. However, he played very well there, hitting .375 with three home runs. This earned him a quick return to the Kansas City Royals.
Unfortunately, Ken began to have back problems. These injuries made it hard for him to play consistently. He was placed on the disabled list in May 2005.
Playing in Independent Leagues
After his time with the Royals, Ken Harvey continued to play baseball. In 2006, he signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins, but he later chose to become a free agent. In 2008, he played for the Kansas City T-Bones in an independent league called the Northern League. Independent leagues are professional leagues that are not directly connected to Major League Baseball teams. He also played for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs in 2009.
