Leon Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leon Durham |
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| First baseman / Outfielder | |||
| Born: July 31, 1957 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| May 27, 1980, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 17, 1989, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .277 | ||
| Home runs | 147 | ||
| Runs batted in | 530 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Leon "Bull" Durham (born July 31, 1957) is a former American baseball player. He played as a first baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 10 seasons. After his playing career, Durham became a hitting coach. He was the assistant hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers in 2017. He also coached for the Louisville Bats. Leon Durham played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, and Cincinnati Reds. He batted and threw with his left hand.
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Early Life and High School Baseball
Leon Durham grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. He went to Cincinnati Woodward High School. In 1976, he graduated as a high school All-American. During his senior year, he was a great player. He had a .385 batting average and hit 16 home runs. He also pitched, winning 11 games and losing 3.
Playing in Major League Baseball
The St. Louis Cardinals chose Leon Durham in the first round of the 1976 amateur draft. He was the 15th player picked overall.
Starting His MLB Career
Durham made his first MLB appearance on May 27, 1980, with the St. Louis Cardinals. Later that year, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs. This trade helped his career take off. In 1981, a season shortened by a player strike, he hit 10 home runs and had 55 runs batted in (RBI).
Becoming an All-Star
The 1982 season was excellent for Durham. He had a .312 batting average, hit 22 home runs, and drove in 90 runs. He also stole 28 bases. He won the Silver Slugger Award as the Cubs' left fielder. He was also chosen for the All-Star team. In 1983, he continued to play well in the first half of the season. He hit 12 home runs and had 55 RBI, earning another All-Star spot. However, an injury stopped him from playing the rest of that season.
Moving to First Base
In 1984, the Cubs made some big trades to improve their team. Durham moved from the outfield to first base. He played a key role as the Cubs won the National League East division. That year, he hit .279 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI. He even hit home runs in two games of the 1984 NLCS. After 1984, Durham had three more seasons where he hit over 20 home runs. In 1987, he hit a career-high 27 home runs.
Later Career and Retirement
In 1988, Durham had a tough start to the season. He was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. He played only 21 games for the Reds that year. He then took time away from baseball to deal with personal challenges. He tried to return with the Cardinals the next season. However, he faced a suspension for not following league rules. He played only a few games before retiring.
Over his 10-year MLB career, Leon Durham had a lifetime batting average of .277. He hit 147 home runs and drove in 530 runs. He was a good fielder, especially at first base and in the outfield.
1984 National League Championship Series Error
Leon Durham is often remembered for an error he made during the 1984 National League Championship Series. This happened in the fifth and deciding game between his Chicago Cubs and the San Diego Padres.
In the seventh inning, the Cubs were leading 3-2. The Padres had a runner on second base. A Padres player hit a ground ball towards Durham at first base. The ball went right through his legs. This error allowed the tying run to score. The Padres then went on to win the game 6-3. They won the series and advanced to the 1984 World Series.
Some Cubs fans believed this error was part of a "curse." This was because some Gatorade had spilled on Durham's glove before the inning. This play was similar to a famous error made by Bill Buckner in the 1986 World Series. Interestingly, Durham had replaced Buckner at first base for the Cubs in 1984.
Coaching Career
After his playing days, Leon Durham became a baseball coach. He worked as a hitting coach for the Toledo Mud Hens, a minor league team for the Detroit Tigers. In October 2016, he became the assistant hitting coach for the Detroit Tigers. He later became the hitting coach for the Louisville Bats, a minor league team for the Cincinnati Reds.
In Movies
Leon Durham also appeared in a couple of movies:
- He played Leon Alexander, a player for the Minnesota Twins, in the movie Little Big League.
- He had a brief appearance in the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He was the first baseman in a scene where a foul ball was caught by the main character.
