Ken Singleton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ken Singleton |
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Singleton in 2012
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| Right fielder / Designated hitter | |||
| Born: June 10, 1947 Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| June 24, 1970, for the New York Mets | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 25, 1984, for the Baltimore Orioles | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Hits | 2,029 | ||
| Home runs | 246 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,065 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kenneth "Ken" Singleton, born on June 10, 1947, is a former American baseball player. He also became a well-known television sports commentator. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder and designated hitter. His career lasted from 1970 to 1984.
Singleton is best known for his time with the Baltimore Orioles. While with the Orioles, he was chosen as an All-Star three times. He was also part of the team that won the 1983 World Series. Before joining the Orioles, he played for the New York Mets and the Montreal Expos. In 1982, Singleton received the Roberto Clemente Award. This award honors players who show great sportsmanship and community involvement. In 1986, he was added to the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame. After his playing career, he worked as a broadcaster for the New York Yankees from 1997 to 2021.
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Early Life and Education
Ken Singleton was born in Manhattan, a part of New York City. He grew up in a nearby town called Mount Vernon. As a young boy, he played baseball in the Bronx Federation League. This league played at Macombs Dam Park, which was right across from the old Yankee Stadium.
Singleton went to Mount Vernon High School. There, he played both baseball and basketball. After finishing high school in 1965, Singleton received a scholarship for basketball. He then went to Hofstra University.
Playing Baseball Professionally
The New York Mets picked Ken Singleton in the 1967 Major League Baseball draft. He was the third player chosen overall in that draft. He signed with the Mets and received a $10,000 bonus. Singleton played his first major league game with the Mets on June 24, 1970. He was 23 years old at the time.
On April 5, 1972, the Mets traded Singleton to the Montreal Expos. He was traded along with two other players, Tim Foli and Mike Jorgensen. In return, the Mets received Rusty Staub. Singleton played for the Expos for three years. His best year with them was 1973. That season, he had a .302 batting average. He also hit 23 home runs and had 103 runs batted in (RBIs). He led the league in on-base percentage that year.
Joining the Baltimore Orioles
On December 4, 1974, the Baltimore Orioles traded for Singleton. They also got pitcher Mike Torrez from the Expos. In exchange, the Expos received Dave McNally, Rich Coggins, and a minor league pitcher. Singleton spent ten years playing for the Orioles. During this time, he played the best baseball of his career.
The Orioles won two league championships, called pennants, in 1979 and 1983. They also won the 1983 World Series in 1983. In 1977, Singleton had his highest batting average of .328. He also had his best on-base percentage of .438. He was one of the top players in the American League that year.
In 1979, Singleton had a fantastic season. He hit 35 home runs and had 111 RBIs. These were career-high numbers for him. His 35 home runs were a record for a switch-hitter on the Orioles team for many years. He collected 1,455 hits while playing for the Orioles.
His manager, Earl Weaver, once said that Singleton was a great hitter. He could start a scoring chance or hit the ball to win the game. Singleton was not a fast runner, which was his only weakness. He only stole 21 bases in his entire career. Singleton played his last major league game on September 25, 1984. He was 37 years old when he retired from playing.
Career Highlights and Statistics
Ken Singleton played in 2,082 games during his 15-year MLB career. He had 2,029 hits in 7,189 times at bat. His career batting average was .282. He also hit 246 home runs and had 1,065 runs batted in. His on-base percentage was .388. He was also a good fielder, with a .980 fielding percentage.
Singleton is one of the all-time leaders for the Orioles in many hitting categories. In his ten years with the Orioles, he hit .290 or better in five of those years. He was chosen as an All-Star three times: in 1977, 1979, and 1981. In 1982, he won the Roberto Clemente Award. This award recognizes players who are great on the field and in their communities.
Broadcasting Career
After he stopped playing baseball, Ken Singleton started a new career in broadcasting. In the mid-1980s, he worked as a sportscaster for WJZ-TV in Baltimore. He also worked for TSN in Canada. He was a color commentator for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985 and 1986. Then, he became a TV and radio announcer for the Montreal Expos from 1987 to 1996.
From 1997 to 2021, Singleton was a commentator for the New York Yankees. He worked on the YES Network and WPIX. He was both a color commentator and a play-by-play announcer. He often worked with Michael Kay.
Singleton became known for some special phrases he used during games. When a player hit a home run, he would say, "This one is gone!" If a foul ball was hit hard into the crowd, he would shout, "Look out!" He also called a pitch thrown right down the middle of the plate a "cookie."
Singleton announced his retirement from broadcasting several times. He first said he would retire after the 2018 season. Then he postponed it to 2019, and then to 2020. Finally, he announced he would retire after the 2021 season. On October 2, 2021, he officially retired during a live broadcast.
Personal Life
Ken Singleton is related to former NBA player and coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers. Doc Rivers is his cousin. Ken also has a son named Justin Singleton, who played minor league baseball.
Singleton grew up in a house in Mount Vernon, New York. This house was once owned by the family of former Brooklyn Dodger Ralph Branca. Today, Singleton still lives in the Baltimore area.
He is also on the Board of Directors for the Cool Kids Campaign. This is a non-profit group in Towson, Maryland. One of his jobs on the board is to host a Celebrity Golf Tournament every June. This event helps raise money for the organization.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
