Larry Milbourne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larry Milbourne |
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Milbourne in 1976
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| Infielder | |||
| Born: February 14, 1951 Port Norris, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 6, 1974, for the Houston Astros | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 29, 1984, for the Seattle Mariners | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .254 | ||
| Home runs | 11 | ||
| Runs batted in | 184 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Lawrence "Larry" William Milbourne (born February 14, 1951) is a former American professional baseball player. He was a utility infielder, meaning he could play many different positions in the infield. Larry played for 15 seasons, with 11 of those in Major League Baseball (MLB).
He played for several teams, including the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, Minnesota Twins, Cleveland Indians, and Philadelphia Phillies. Larry mostly played second base, but also spent time at shortstop, third base, and even left field. Over his career, he had a batting average of .254. He hit 11 home runs and had 184 runs batted in (RBI). Larry was a switch hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides of the plate. He threw the ball with his right hand.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Larry Milbourne was born on February 14, 1951, in Port Norris, New Jersey. He grew up in Commercial Township, New Jersey. Larry went to Millville Senior High School and played baseball there. He graduated in 1969.
His batting average improved a lot during high school. It went from .263 in his second year to .439 in his final year. After high school, he attended Cumberland County College in Vineland, New Jersey.
Larry Milbourne's Professional Baseball Journey
Starting His Career in the Minors
Larry Milbourne began his professional baseball journey on June 18, 1969. He signed as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles sent him to their rookie-level team, the Bluefield Orioles. In his first season, Larry batted .305 with 75 hits in 68 games. He played shortstop for the team.
The Orioles released him in April 1970. After a year away from professional baseball, the San Francisco Giants signed him in 1971. He played for their Class-A team, the Decatur Commodores. That season, he batted .301 with 156 hits and 21 stolen bases. He mainly played second base for the Commodores.
Moving Through Minor League Teams
At the end of 1971, the California Angels chose Larry in the minor league draft. He played one season with their Double-A team, the Shreveport Captains, in 1972. He batted .264 with 110 hits. He played only second base that year.
After that season, the St. Louis Cardinals picked him in another minor league draft. In 1973, he played for the Triple-A Tulsa Oilers. He batted .283 with 104 hits. The Cardinals then added him to their main roster.
Playing for the Houston Astros
The Houston Astros selected Larry Milbourne in the Rule 5 draft on December 3, 1973. He started the 1974 season with the Astros. On April 6, he made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut. His first MLB hit came on April 11 against the San Diego Padres.
In his first major league season, Larry batted .279 with 38 hits in 112 games. He played mostly second base. After this successful season, he was named to the Topps All-Star Rookie Team.
In 1975, Larry hit his first career MLB home run on September 23. He batted .212 in 73 games that year. He also played some games in the minor leagues with the Iowa Oaks. In 1976, he batted .248 in 59 games for the Astros. He played only second base that season. Later in 1976, he played for the Triple-A Memphis Blues, where he batted .325.
Time with the Seattle Mariners
On March 30, 1977, the Seattle Mariners traded for Larry Milbourne. He hit the Mariners' first game-winning hit on April 8, 1977. During the 1977 season, he batted .219 in 86 games. He played second base, shortstop, and third base.
In 1978, Larry continued his role as a utility infielder for the Mariners. He said he knew his job was to "fill in." On August 3, he got another game-winning hit. He batted .226 in 93 games that season. He played many different infield positions.
Larry made the Mariners' Opening Day roster for the third time in 1979. He played in 123 games and batted .278. He played shortstop, second base, and third base that year.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1980, the Seattle Mariners traded Larry to the New York Yankees. He was traded again in 1982 to the Minnesota Twins. A few months later, the Twins traded him to the Cleveland Indians.
After the 1982 season, the Indians sold him to the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies then sold him back to the Yankees in 1983. After the 1983 season, the Yankees traded him back to the Mariners. The Mariners released him after the 1984 season, and Larry Milbourne retired from baseball.
See also
- Houston Astros award winners and league leaders
