Larry Herndon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larry Herndon |
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Herndon with the Lakeland Flying Tigers in 2012
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 3, 1953 Sunflower, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 4, 1974, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 2, 1988, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .274 | ||
| Home runs | 107 | ||
| Runs batted in | 550 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Larry Darnell Herndon (born November 3, 1953), also known as "Hondo", is a former American baseball outfielder and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1974 to 1988.
Born in Mississippi and growing up in Memphis, Tennessee, Herndon was chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1971 baseball draft. He played for the Cardinals' minor league teams before being traded to the San Francisco Giants in 1975. With the Giants, he won the The Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year award in 1976. He also received the Willie Mac Award in 1981 for his great spirit and leadership.
Herndon later played for the Detroit Tigers as a left fielder from 1982 to 1988. He was a key player on the 1984 Detroit Tigers team that won the American League championship. They went on to defeat the San Diego Padres in the 1984 World Series.
After his playing days, Herndon became the Tigers' hitting coach from 1992 to 1998. He also coached for the Lakeland Flying Tigers, a minor league team.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Larry Herndon was born in 1953 in Sunflower, Mississippi. He was the oldest of eight children. He started playing baseball as a young boy near the railroad tracks in Sunflower. By age eight, he knew he wanted to play in the major leagues. His grandmother, Estella, raised him.
When Larry was in sixth grade, he moved with his grandmother to Memphis, Tennessee. He went to Douglass High School in Memphis. He played baseball for three years, hitting very well each season. He also played basketball and ran track for his school.
Becoming a Professional Baseball Player
Starting with the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals picked Larry Herndon in the third round of the 1971 MLB Draft. A scout for the Cardinals described him as having "excellent speed, a good arm, and being an outstanding overall athlete." Herndon signed with the Cardinals for $25,000.
He started his professional career in the Cardinals' rookie league team. In 1971, his roommate was Randy Poffo, who later became the famous wrestler Randy Savage. Herndon spent several years playing in the Cardinals' minor league system, improving his skills. He was known for his speed and ability to steal bases.
In September 1974, Herndon was called up to play for the St. Louis Cardinals in the major leagues. He mostly played as a pinch-runner, scoring three runs. In his only time at bat, he hit a single.
Playing for the San Francisco Giants
In May 1975, the Cardinals traded Herndon to the San Francisco Giants. He spent the rest of 1975 with the Giants' Triple-A team.
Herndon joined the Giants' main team in 1976 and became their starting center fielder. He played in 115 games and had a strong batting average of .288. He also stole 12 bases. At the end of the season, The Sporting News named him the National League Rookie of the Year. They praised his "tremendous throwing arm, excellent speed and defensive maturity."
After a leg injury in 1977, Herndon's performance dropped. He struggled for a bit but returned to form in 1978. He played in 151 games and stole 13 bases. He also hit nine triples, which was one of the best in the league.
In 1981, Herndon became the Giants' main left fielder. He worked hard, lifting weights and changing his batting style. His batting average went up to .288, and he stole 15 bases, his highest in the major leagues. He also won the Willie Mac Award for his great spirit and leadership on the team.
Joining the Detroit Tigers
Power Hitting in 1982 and 1983
In December 1981, the Giants traded Larry Herndon to the Detroit Tigers. He quickly became the Tigers' regular left fielder. In 1982, he played in 156 games. His hitting improved a lot, with a .292 batting average. He hit 23 home runs and 13 triples, which were career highs for him. He even tied a major league record by hitting home runs in four straight times at bat on May 17 and 18, 1982.
Herndon was known as a quiet player. His manager, Sparky Anderson, said he wished he had more players like Larry because he was so good and didn't talk much. Herndon explained that he was just a quiet person who wanted to play the game well.
His strong hitting continued in 1983. He had his best batting average ever at .302. He also had career highs in hits (182), doubles (28), and runs batted in (92). In his first two years with the Tigers, he hit 43 home runs, much more than he had with the Giants. He said this was because he was playing regularly and liked the Tigers' home stadium.
World Series Champions in 1984
In 1984, Herndon was the starting left fielder for the Tigers team that won the American League championship. They then beat the San Diego Padres in the 1984 World Series. Herndon started the season slowly but got much better in August and September, hitting six home runs.
His great hitting continued into the 1984 post-season. In Game 1 of the World Series, he hit a two-run home run that helped the Tigers win 3-2. In the final Game 5, Herndon caught the last out of the game, a fly ball to left field. This catch sealed the World Series victory for the Tigers. He later said it was the "best feeling" he had ever had in baseball.
Final Years with the Tigers
Herndon's hitting numbers dipped a bit in 1985 and 1986. However, in 1987, his hitting bounced back strongly. He had career highs in batting average (.324) and on-base percentage (.378).
On October 4, 1987, in the Tigers' last regular-season game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Herndon hit a solo home run. This was the only run of the game, and the Tigers won 1-0, securing their division championship. In the 1987 American League Championship Series, Herndon hit well, but the Tigers lost to the Minnesota Twins.
In 1988, an issue with his knee limited Herndon's playing time. He played in only 76 games, mostly as a designated hitter. He played his last major league game on October 2, 1988. He tried to play again in 1989 but retired due to ongoing knee injuries.
Career Statistics
Over 14 seasons and 1,537 games, Larry Herndon had a .274 batting average. He hit 107 home runs and had 550 runs batted in. He was a good defensive player, with a .972 fielding percentage in the outfield. In the World Series and American League Championship Series, he hit .310 with two home runs and six RBIs.
Coaching Career
In October 1991, Larry Herndon became the hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers. He held this important position for eight years, from 1992 to 1998.
Later, in 2005, Herndon was hired as the hitting coach for the Lakeland Flying Tigers. This is a minor league team connected to the Detroit Tigers. He continued to coach for them for many years.
Personal Life
Larry Herndon and his wife Faye have four children: Latasha, Kamilah, Maya, and Larry Jr. Larry Jr. was born in July 1983. On the day his son was born, Larry Herndon had an amazing game, getting five hits, including a home run!
