Larry Hisle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larry Hisle |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 5, 1947 Portsmouth, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 10, 1968, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 6, 1982, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .273 | ||
| Home runs | 166 | ||
| Runs batted in | 674 | ||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Larry Eugene Hisle, born on May 5, 1947, is a former American professional baseball player and hitting coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder. His teams included the Philadelphia Phillies (1968–71), Minnesota Twins (1973–77), and Milwaukee Brewers (1978–82). Larry was a two-time All-Star. In 1977, he led the American League (AL) in RBIs. After his playing career, Hisle became a coach. He helped the Toronto Blue Jays win two World Series championships.
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Playing Career Highlights
Larry Hisle was chosen by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1965 MLB draft. He was the 38th player picked overall. He started playing professionally in 1966. Hisle made his MLB debut on April 10, 1968.
Early Years and Trades
In 1969, Hisle played his first full season. He hit for a .266 batting average and had 20 home runs. After two seasons where his batting average dropped, he was traded. First, he went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1971. He spent 1972 playing in the minor leagues. There, he had a great season, hitting .325 with 23 home runs. He was then traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. Soon after, in November 1972, he was traded again to the Minnesota Twins.
Making History with the Twins
On March 6, 1973, Larry Hisle made baseball history. In a spring training game for the Minnesota Twins, he was the first designated hitter (DH) in MLB. A DH is a player who bats but does not play a defensive position. In that game, he hit two home runs, including a grand slam. He also had seven RBIs.
Later that year, Hisle hit .272 with 15 home runs. He was a strong player for the Twins throughout the mid-1970s. On June 4, 1976, he achieved a rare feat: he hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run all in the same game.
His best season with the Twins was in 1977. He hit .302 with 28 home runs. He also led the American League with 119 RBIs. This amazing performance earned him his first All-Star Game selection.
Time with the Brewers and Retirement
After the 1977 season, Hisle became a free agent. He signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. In 1978, he continued to play well. He hit .290 and finished third in the voting for the American League MVP. He hit 34 home runs and had 115 RBIs, which were among the best in the league.
In 1979, Larry Hisle suffered a shoulder injury. This injury greatly limited his playing time for the rest of his career. He played in only 79 games over his last four seasons. He retired from playing baseball in 1982.
Life After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, Larry Hisle became a hitting coach. He worked for the Toronto Blue Jays from 1992 to 1995. During this time, he helped the Blue Jays win two World Series championships. They won in 1992 and 1993.
In 1993, under Hisle's coaching, three Blue Jays players had amazing batting averages. John Olerud, Paul Molitor, and Roberto Alomar finished first, second, and third in the American League for batting average.
As of 2019, Larry Hisle works for the Milwaukee Brewers. He is the Manager of Youth Outreach. He also leads an organization called Major League Mentoring in Milwaukee. This group helps young people.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
