Lloyd McClendon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lloyd McClendon
McClendon with the Seattle Mariners
Outfielder / Manager
Born: (1959-01-11) January 11, 1959 (age 66) Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
debut
April 6, 1987, for the Cincinnati Reds
Last appearance
August 11, 1994, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Batting average	.244
Home runs	35
Runs batted in	154
Managerial record	501–613
Winning %	.450
Teams
As player Cincinnati Reds (1987–1988) Chicago Cubs (1989–1990) Pittsburgh Pirates (1990–1994) As manager Pittsburgh Pirates (2001–2005) Seattle Mariners (2014–2015) Detroit Tigers (2020) As coach Pittsburgh Pirates (1997–2000) Detroit Tigers (2006–2013, 2017–2020)

Lloyd Glenn McClendon (born January 11, 1959) is an American former professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as an outfielder from 1987 to 1994. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

After his playing days, McClendon became a manager. He led the Pittsburgh Pirates from 2001 to 2005. He also managed the Seattle Mariners from 2014 to 2015. Most recently, he was the interim manager for the Detroit Tigers in 2020.

Playing Baseball

Early Years and "Legendary Lloyd"

In 1971, Lloyd McClendon played in the Little League World Series. He played for his hometown team from Gary, Indiana. He earned the nickname "Legendary Lloyd" during this time. He hit a home run in five straight times at bat. These were his only official at-bats in the series. In other turns, opposing coaches intentionally walked him. His 1971 team was the first all-African American team to reach the final round of the LLWS. He went to Roosevelt High School in Gary, graduating in 1977.

McClendon played college baseball at Valparaiso University. He had a batting average of .330 during his college career. He also hit 18 home runs and had 73 runs batted in. He was recognized as an all-conference player twice.

Starting Professional Baseball

New York Mets

The New York Mets drafted McClendon in 1980. He was chosen in the 8th round as a catcher. He began his professional career with the Kingsport Mets. This team was part of the Appalachian League.

While playing for the Lynchburg Mets, McClendon shared a room with teammate Darryl Strawberry. Their manager, Gary Dusan, hoped McClendon's positive attitude would help Strawberry. Strawberry later said that McClendon helped him through a tough season. This help allowed him to have a successful major league career. After the 1982 season, McClendon was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. This trade was part of a deal to bring Mets legend Tom Seaver back to New York.

Cincinnati Reds

In 1983, McClendon started playing other positions besides catcher. He played third and first base for the Waterbury Reds. He continued to be a utility player for several seasons. A utility player can play many different positions. He finally reached the major leagues with the Reds in 1987.

McClendon made his major league debut on Opening Day in 1987. He came in as a pinch hitter. He spent most of the season with the Reds. He played in 45 games, mostly as a pinch hitter. He also played five different positions on the field. In 1988, McClendon played a similar role. His playing time increased, and he played five defensive positions. After the season, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs.

Chicago Cubs

McClendon played the most games of his major league career with the Cubs in 1989. He mostly played left field and first base. He hit for a .286 batting average. He also achieved career highs with 12 home runs and 40 runs batted in. He scored 47 runs and even stole 6 bases. In 1990, McClendon struggled at bat. He played in 49 games for the Cubs and batted only .159. He was traded to the Pirates later that season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

McClendon played for the Pirates from late 1990 through the end of the 1994 season. He spent most of his time playing in the outfield. In the 1992 postseason, he had an amazing batting average of .727. He played in five games of the 1992 National League Championship Series. He got eight hits in eleven times at bat. This is the highest batting average ever in one postseason. He batted .286 in 1991, but his average dropped in 1992 and 1993. The 1994 season ended early due to a players' strike. After the season, he became a free agent.

Cleveland Indians

McClendon signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians in 1995. He did not make the main team after spring training. He was sent to the Buffalo Bisons. He played 37 games there. He retired from playing after that season.

Coaching and Managing Baseball

Pittsburgh Pirates Manager

After he stopped playing, McClendon became a hitting coach for the Pirates. He was then named manager after the 2000 season. When he was hired, he became the first African American manager or head coach for any of Pittsburgh's three major sports teams. He managed the Pirates until September 6, 2005. In his five seasons as manager, McClendon had a record of 336 wins and 446 losses.

Detroit Tigers Coach

McClendon with the Tigers (2010)

When Jim Leyland became the manager of the Detroit Tigers, he hired McClendon as a bullpen coach. For the 2007 season, McClendon was promoted to hitting coach. He helped many Tigers players become great hitters. A Detroit player won the American League batting title in four of his seven seasons as hitting coach.

Seattle Mariners Manager

On November 7, 2013, Lloyd McClendon was officially announced as the new Seattle Mariners manager. In his first season, the Mariners finished with an 87–75 record. This was a big improvement from their 71–91 record in 2013. However, in 2015, the Mariners struggled and finished 76–86. McClendon was fired on October 9, 2015. He finished his time with the Mariners with 163 wins and 161 losses.

Toledo Mud Hens Manager

On November 23, 2015, McClendon was hired to manage the Triple-A team of the Detroit Tigers, the Toledo Mud Hens. The Mud Hens finished the 2016 season with a record of 68 wins and 76 losses. After that season, McClendon was named the Tigers' new hitting coach.

Return to Detroit Tigers

On October 21, 2016, McClendon became the Tigers' hitting coach again. He had held this position before from 2007 to 2013. On September 30, 2019, he became the Tigers' bench coach. On September 19, 2020, McClendon was named interim manager of the Tigers. This happened after Ron Gardenhire retired. After the 2020 season, the Tigers hired a new manager, and McClendon was not kept on the coaching staff.

Second Time with Toledo Mud Hens

On January 27, 2022, McClendon was hired to manage the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens for a second time. This happened after the previous manager was promoted.

Challenging Umpires

McClendon is known for strongly disagreeing with close calls made by umpires. He believed his Pirates team did not always get fair calls. In 2002, he said he would keep demanding a fair playing field for his players. He said he would get thrown out of 100 games if needed.

On June 26, 2001, in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers, McClendon argued a call. After being ejected, he famously removed first base from the field. He walked off with it and threw it into the dugout. The field crew had to replace the base with a new one. The Pirates ended up winning that game. This act of anger was even featured on ESPN.com's "Coaches Gone Wild" list.

Later, in 2005, McClendon said he didn't like that moment being shown. He said it wasn't who he was. However, on June 2, 2015, he again made headlines. He challenged the entire umpire crew during a Mariners game. He threw his hat and argued with each umpire.

Managerial Record

Personal Life

Lloyd McClendon is one of twelve or thirteen children in his family. He met his wife, Ingrid Scott, at Valparaiso University. They got married in 1981. They have two children: a daughter named Schenell and a son named Bo. Schenell graduated from Valparaiso and became a lawyer. Bo also attended Valparaiso and played minor league baseball for two years.

McClendon and his wife still live in Indiana.