Kenny Lofton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenny Lofton |
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Lofton in 2019
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: May 31, 1967 East Chicago, Indiana, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 14, 1991, for the Houston Astros | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 2007, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .299 | ||
| Hits | 2,428 | ||
| Home runs | 130 | ||
| Runs batted in | 781 | ||
| Stolen bases | 622 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Kenneth "Kenny" Lofton (born May 31, 1967) is a former American Major League Baseball (MLB) player. He was a speedy center fielder known for his amazing stolen bases. Kenny was picked for the All-Star Game six times (1994–1999). He also won the Gold Glove Award four times (1993–1996) for his excellent defense. When he retired, he was 15th all-time in stolen bases with 622.
Kenny played for many teams during his career. These included the Houston Astros, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Texas Rangers. He played for the Cleveland Indians the longest.
Before playing baseball, Kenny went to the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship. His college basketball team, the Wildcats, made it to the Final Four in 1988. He didn't even join the school's baseball team until his junior year! Kenny made it to the World Series twice, in 1995 and 2002. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in postseason history, with 34. In 2010, he was inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and High School Sports
Kenny Lofton grew up in East Chicago, Indiana. He was raised by his grandmother, Rosie Person. He was a very small baby, weighing only about 3 pounds (1.4 kg) when he was born.
Kenny went to Washington High School in East Chicago. He was a talented athlete, playing both baseball and basketball. In baseball, he played as a pitcher and a center fielder. He was also an all-state basketball player.
Kenny Lofton is the uncle of actor Cirroc Lofton. Cirroc played Jake Sisko in the TV show Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
College Sports: Basketball and Baseball
Kenny accepted a scholarship to play college basketball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was a backup point guard on the team that reached the Final Four in the 1988 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. The next year, he was the starting point guard, and the Wildcats made it to the "Sweet Sixteen." Kenny is one of only two men to play in a college basketball Final Four and an MLB World Series. He left Arizona as the Wildcats' all-time leader in steals.
During his junior year, Kenny decided to try out for the Arizona Wildcats baseball team. He only played in five baseball games and had one official at-bat. However, baseball scouts noticed his incredible speed and potential. The Houston Astros picked him in the 17th round of the 1988 MLB draft. Kenny played minor-league baseball during the summer while finishing his basketball studies. He earned a degree in studio production from the University of Arizona.
Minor League Baseball Journey
Kenny had a tough start in the Astros' minor league system. In 1988, he hit .214 for the Auburn Astros, but he stole 26 bases in 30 tries. He improved in 1989, hitting .263 with 26 steals for Auburn. He then hit .329 with 14 steals for the Asheville Tourists.
Once his college basketball career ended, Kenny could focus fully on baseball. He quickly got better. In 1990, he hit .331 and stole 62 bases for the Osceola Astros. He also became much better at fielding.
In 1991, he went straight to the Triple-A Tucson Toros. He led the league with 168 hits and hit .308 with 30 steals. The Toros won their league championship. On September 14, 1991, the Astros called Kenny up to the major leagues.
Major League Baseball Career
First Steps in MLB
Kenny Lofton made his MLB debut with the Houston Astros on September 14, 1991. He had a great first game, getting 3 hits and scoring 3 runs. He played 20 games for the Astros that year. Since the Astros already had a good center fielder, Kenny was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He later said, "One man's trash is another man's treasure," about the trade.
Becoming a Star in Cleveland
In his first season with Cleveland in 1992, Kenny hit .285. He stole 66 bases, which was a record for an American League (AL) rookie. It was also the most by any MLB rookie since 1985. His 66 stolen bases led the AL and set a new Cleveland team record. Kenny learned a lot about base running and bunting from his coach, Dave Nelson. He became one of the best bunters in baseball history.
In 1994, Kenny was chosen for his first All-Star Game. He led the AL with 60 stolen bases and had a career-best .349 batting average. He finished fourth in the voting for the Most Valuable Player Award. Kenny, along with other stars like Albert Belle and Jim Thome, helped make the Indians one of the best teams in baseball.
In 1995, Kenny hit .310 and led MLB with 13 triples. He also led the AL in stolen bases for the third year in a row with 54. The Indians made it to the World Series for the first time since 1954. Kenny's amazing speed helped them win the AL Championship Series. Even though the Indians had a great season, they lost the World Series to the Atlanta Braves. Kenny later said this was his toughest playoff loss.
In 1996, the Indians had the best record in baseball again. Kenny led MLB with 75 stolen bases, his highest total ever. He also hit .317 and had a career-high 67 runs batted in (RBIs). He won his fourth straight Gold Glove Award and was an All-Star for the third time.
Playing for Other Teams
Near the end of spring training in 1997, Kenny was traded to the Atlanta Braves. He had a good season with the Braves, hitting .333 and stealing 27 bases. The Braves won their division and made it to the playoffs. They lost in the National League Championship Series.
After one season with the Braves, Kenny became a free agent. He decided to return to the Cleveland Indians, signing a big contract. He was happy to be back, saying, "It's like I was a ghost for a year. But now I'm back." In 1998, he stole 54 bases. The Indians made the playoffs again, but lost to the New York Yankees.
In 2000, Kenny tied an MLB record by scoring runs in 18 straight games. He also tied an Indians' record with five stolen bases in one game. He hit a walk-off home run to win that game! In 2001, the Indians made the playoffs again. Kenny had a key role in a game where the Indians came back from being down by 12 runs to win 15-14. This was one of the biggest comebacks in MLB history.
Chasing a World Series Ring
From 2002 to 2007, Kenny played for many different teams, trying to win a World Series. He played for the Chicago White Sox and then was traded to the San Francisco Giants in 2002. With the Giants, he had a key hit that helped them win their league championship. However, the Giants lost the World Series in a close Game 7. This was Kenny's second World Series loss.
In 2003, Kenny played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and then was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He reunited with his former manager, Dusty Baker. Kenny helped the Cubs win their division and make the playoffs. They won their first playoff series, but then lost a tough series to the Florida Marlins.
In 2004, Kenny signed with the New York Yankees. While playing in Cleveland, he got his 2,000th career hit. Indians fans gave him a standing ovation, which touched him deeply. The Yankees had the best record in the AL and made the playoffs. They took a 3-0 lead in the AL Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox. But the Red Sox made a historic comeback, winning four games in a row to beat the Yankees.
Kenny then played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005. He hit .335, which was the best on his team. He also stole 22 bases. Later, he even appeared in a TV commercial for DHL Express, making fun of how often he changed teams!
In 2006, Kenny played for the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2007, he signed with the Texas Rangers. He tied a record for playing on the most teams for a position player.
On July 27, 2007, Kenny was traded back to the Cleveland Indians for the third time! He said his biggest goal was to win a World Series ring. In the playoffs that year, he tied and then broke Rickey Henderson's record for most stolen bases in postseason history, with 34. The Indians had a 3-1 lead in their series against the Boston Red Sox, but they ended up losing. After the season, Kenny became a free agent and did not sign with another MLB team.
Retirement and Hall of Fame
Kenny Lofton's 622 stolen bases rank him 15th all-time in MLB history. He holds the Indians' record for stolen bases with 452. He finished his career with a .299 batting average, 130 home runs, and 1,528 runs scored. He played in 95 playoff games. Baseball expert Bill James called Kenny the "fastest player" and "best bunter" of the 1990s.
On January 27, 2010, Kenny Lofton was chosen to be a member of the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame. He was officially inducted on August 7, 2010.
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Kenny Lofton para niños
- Major League Baseball titles leaders
- List of Gold Glove Award winners at outfield
- List of athletes on Wheaties boxes
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
