Lloyd Moseby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lloyd Moseby |
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Moseby at bat during a game in September 1985
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: November 5, 1959 Portland, Arkansas, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: May 24, 1980, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| NPB: April 21, 1992, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 6, 1991, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| NPB: August 28, 1993, for the Yomiuri Giants | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .257 | ||
| Home runs | 169 | ||
| Runs batted in | 737 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .289 | ||
| Home runs | 29 | ||
| Runs batted in | 84 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2018 | ||
Lloyd Anthony Moseby, born on November 5, 1959, is a former American baseball player. He played as a center fielder in Major League Baseball. People called him "Shaker" because he was so good at getting past defenders in basketball. He was a great athlete!
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Early Life and Baseball Start
Lloyd Moseby was born in Portland, Arkansas. He went to Oakland High School in Oakland, California. His main sport in high school was basketball, not baseball. He didn't start taking baseball seriously until his second year of high school.
Moseby was so good at basketball that 75 colleges offered him scholarships. He even planned to play college basketball for St. Mary's. But then, he decided to sign with a professional baseball team instead.
Playing in Major League Baseball
The Toronto Blue Jays picked Lloyd Moseby second overall in the 1978 amateur draft. He made his first big league appearance on May 24, 1980. At first, he had some challenges, but he soon became a skilled player. He was good at hitting, fielding, and running bases.
Moseby often stole more than 30 bases in a season. He also helped his team score nearly 100 runs in 1984, 1986, and 1987. He was even considered for the Most Valuable Player Award twice.
The "Killer B's" Outfield
In the mid-1980s, Moseby was part of a famous outfield group for the Blue Jays. They were called the "Killer B's." This group included Moseby in center field, George Bell, and Jesse Barfield. They were known for being a very strong and talented outfield.
On April 19, 1983, Moseby hit a special walk-off home run. This means his home run ended the game and gave the Blue Jays a 9-7 win. It was against the Cleveland Indians.
Moseby also had a very unusual play on August 16, 1987. He tried to steal second base. The catcher threw the ball, but it went into center field. Moseby, seeing the ball far away, ran back to first base. The center fielder then tried to throw the ball back to first base, but it was a bad throw. This allowed Moseby to race all the way to second base!
Later Career and Retirement
After the 1989 season, Moseby joined the Detroit Tigers. He played for them for two seasons. Then, he went to Japan to play baseball. He played for the Yomiuri Giants in 1992 and 1993.
Over his entire career, Moseby scored 869 runs. He hit 169 home runs and helped his team score 737 runs batted in. He also stole 280 stolen bases. His career batting average was .257. In 1984, he led the American League in triples. He was also chosen as an All-Star in 1986.
As of 2018, Lloyd Moseby is still one of the top 10 players in Toronto Blue Jays history for many records. He is the team's leader in stolen bases!
After Playing Baseball
After his playing career, Moseby became a coach. He was the first base coach for the Blue Jays in 1998 and 1999.
In 2018, Lloyd Moseby was honored for his great career. He was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders
