Lou Whitaker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lou Whitaker |
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Whitaker with the Detroit Tigers in 1987
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| Second baseman | |||
| Born: May 12, 1957 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 9, 1977, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 1, 1995, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .276 | ||
| Hits | 2,369 | ||
| Home runs | 244 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,084 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Louis Rodman Whitaker Jr. was born on May 12, 1957. He is a famous former baseball player. People often called him "Sweet Lou." He played as a second baseman in professional baseball.
Lou played his whole career with the Detroit Tigers. He was with them from 1977 to 1995. He played in 2,390 games for the Tigers. This is the third most games in the team's history. He helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series. Lou was chosen as an American League All-Star five years in a row. He also won four Silver Slug Awards and three Gold Glove Awards. The Tigers retired his No. 1 jersey in August 2022.
Lou was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in Virginia. The Detroit Tigers picked him in the 1975 baseball draft. He played in the minor leagues for three years. In 1976, he was named the most valuable player in the Florida State League. He started playing in Major League Baseball in September 1977. In 1978, he won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Lou was named "Tiger of the Year" in 1983. He hit .320 and had 206 hits that year. He won "Tiger of the Year" again in 1989. That year, he hit a career-high 28 home runs.
Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played together for 19 seasons. They were a double play team, which means they worked together to get two outs quickly. They are the longest-running double play team in major league history. Lou was added to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
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Lou's Early Life
Lou Whitaker was born in Brooklyn, New York City, in 1957. His mother, Marion Arlene Williams, moved to Martinsville, Virginia, in the late 1950s. Lou grew up in Martinsville with his mother and grandmother.
Lou went to Martinsville High School. He played baseball for his school team. He was a middle infielder and a pitcher. Lou finished high school in 1975. He planned to play college baseball at Ferrum College.
Becoming a Professional Baseball Player
Starting in the Minor Leagues
The Detroit Tigers chose Lou Whitaker in the fifth round of the 1975 Major League Baseball draft. He was the 99th player picked overall. Lou decided to sign with the Tigers instead of going to college. He started his professional baseball career in 1975. He played for the Bristol Tigers in the Rookie-level Appalachian League.
In 1976, Lou was the starting third baseman for the Lakeland Tigers. This team was in the Class A Florida State League. Lou hit for a .297 batting average. He also had 48 stolen bases and 62 runs batted in. He was named the league's most valuable player. In one game, he stole five bases, including three times stealing home plate. Because of how well he swung the bat, he got the nickname "Sweet Lou." His manager, Jim Leyland, said Lou had a lot of confidence for a young player.
After the 1976 season, the Tigers helped Lou learn to play second baseman. Lou said he was ready to try the new position. He learned from Eddie Brinkman, a good coach. Brinkman later said Lou was a natural athlete and learned second base quickly.
Before the 1977 season, the Tigers also put Lou with shortstop Alan Trammell. In 1977, they both played for the Montgomery Rebels. This team was in the Double-A Southern League. Lou and Alan were both chosen for the Southern League all-star team. Lou hit .280 and stole 38 bases.
Winning Rookie of the Year
In September 1977, the Tigers brought Lou and Alan up to the major leagues. They both played their first major league game on September 9. This game was against the Boston Red Sox. Lou had a great first game. He got three hits and stole a base. He hit a double off the famous Green Monster wall. He also got his first run batted in (RBI) against the Baltimore Orioles. He played in 11 games at the end of 1977.
In 1978, manager Ralph Houk started Lou and Alan as everyday players. Houk said they played "absolutely outstanding defensive ball." He also said they were the best young players he had ever seen. Lou played in 139 games in his first full season. He was the starting second baseman in 123 of those games. He helped turn 95 double plays. He scored 71 runs and stole 20 bases. He had a .285 batting average. Detroit fans started chanting "Loooooooou" when he came to bat. Lou first thought they were booing him!
In November 1978, baseball writers voted Lou the winner of the American League Rookie of the Year Award. He received most of the votes. Lou said winning the award made him proud of what he had done.
Playing Strong: 1979 to 1982
Lou had another good season in 1979. He hit for a .286 batting average. He also got on base a lot, which helped his team.
In 1980, Lou's batting average dropped a bit to .233. But he bounced back.
In 1981, a player strike shortened the season. Lou still played in 109 games, which was the most in the American League. He also led all second basemen in assists.
In 1982, Lou started hitting more home runs. He hit 15 homers, eight triples, and had a .286 batting average. He also played great defense. He led all second basemen in assists and double plays turned. His fielding percentage was .988, which was very good.
Becoming an All-Star in 1983
Lou had one of his best seasons in 1983. He played in a career-high 161 games. He hit for a .320 batting average and had 206 hits. Both were career highs for him. He also had 40 doubles, 12 home runs, and 72 runs batted in (RBI). He scored 94 runs.
He was chosen for the American League All-Star team for the first time. He was a reserve player and came into the game later. He hit a triple and got an RBI. At the end of 1983, Lou won several awards:
- The Sporting News picked him as the best second baseman.
- He won the "Tiger of the Year" award.
- He won the Silver Slugger Award for being the best offensive second baseman.
- He won the Gold Glove Award for being the best defensive second baseman. This was special because three Tigers players won Gold Gloves that year.
Lou also finished eighth in the voting for the American League Most Valuable Player Award.
World Series Champion in 1984
In 1984, the Tigers had an amazing start to the season. They won 35 of their first 40 games! They went on to win the 1984 American League Championship Series. Then, they beat the San Diego Padres in the 1984 World Series. Lou was the team's leadoff hitter and starting second baseman. He played in 142 games. He hit .289 and had 13 home runs. For the second year in a row, he was an All-Star. He also won the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards again.
In Game 1 of the World Series, Lou hit a double and scored a run. He hit .278 in the Series. He also scored six runs in the five games. Lou's second daughter, Sarah, was born on October 14, 1984. This was the same day the Tigers won the World Series!
Hitting More Home Runs in 1985
In 1985, Lou set a new record for Detroit second basemen. He hit 21 home runs. He also scored over 100 runs for the first time in his career.
Lou was picked for the All-Star game for the third year in a row. But he forgot his uniform! He had to wear a blank jersey and write his number on it. The Smithsonian museum even asked for that jersey!
Later Seasons: 1986 to 1992
In 1986, Lou hit 20 more home runs. All four of the Tigers' infielders hit at least 20 home runs that year. During the 1986 All-Star Game, Lou hit a two-run homer.
In 1987, Lou scored a career-high 110 runs. He won his last Silver Slugger award. The Tigers won their division on the very last day of the season.
Lou hit a career-high 28 home runs in 1989. This was a record for a Tigers second baseman. He also had 85 RBIs.
In 1990, Lou's batting average was lower, but his defense was excellent. He made only 6 errors all season. His fielding percentage was a career-best .991.
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In 1991, Lou hit 23 home runs. He also had a career-high 90 walks. In 1992, Lou reached three big milestones. He played in his 2,000th game. He got his 2,000th hit. And he hit his 200th home run.
Final Seasons: 1993 to 1995
In December 1992, Lou signed a new contract with the Tigers. He played three more strong seasons. In 1993, he played in 119 games. He had a .290 batting average. In 1994, he played in 92 games. He hit .301, which was his first time hitting over .300 since 1983.
In May 1995, on his 38th birthday, Lou said he would retire at the end of the season. He said he was tired of being sore. In his final season, he played in 84 games. He had a .293 batting average and hit 14 home runs.
Lou played his last game on October 1, 1995. It was in Baltimore. When Lou and Alan Trammell went onto the field, the Orioles' players gave them bases. The crowd cheered for them.
Lou and Alan Trammell: A Special Team
Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played together for 1,918 games. They were the second baseman and shortstop for 19 seasons. This makes them the longest-running double play team in major league history. They started playing together in 1976. They made their major league debuts together on September 9, 1977. For the next 19 years, they were the Tigers' main middle infielders.
They became very close friends on and off the field. In 1983, they even appeared on the TV show Magnum, P.I. Tom Selleck, the star of the show, was a Tigers fan. During the 1984 World Series, Alan Trammell talked about their partnership. He said, "Lou is my partner. Our names are linked together now. It's like a marriage. We've become a couple."
When Alan Trammell was put into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, he spoke about Lou. He said, "For 19 years, Lou Whitaker and I formed the longest running double play combination in the history of baseball. I doubt that record will ever be broken. Lou, it was an honor and a pleasure to have played alongside you for all those years, and my hope is someday you'll be up here as well."
Lou's Career Numbers
Lou Whitaker was a great leadoff hitter. He was good at getting walks. He was fast on the bases. He could also hit the ball with power. In his 19-year career, Lou hit .276. He had 244 home runs, 1,084 RBIs, and 1,386 runs scored. He also had 2,369 hits and 143 stolen bases. He played in 2,390 games. His fielding percentage was .984.
Lou's career wins above replacement (WAR) was 75.1. This number shows how much a player helps their team win. It is higher than almost all other second basemen who are in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Lou is also one of only 19 players to hit a ball over the roof of Tiger Stadium.
Lou's Baseball Legacy and Honors
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| Lou Whitaker's number 1 was retired by the Detroit Tigers in 2022. |
Lou Whitaker played in 2,390 games for the Detroit Tigers. This is the third most games in the team's history. Only Ty Cobb and Al Kaline played more. He also ranks fourth in major league history for games played at second base. He is among the Tigers' all-time leaders in many categories. He is first in double plays. He is second in assists and walks. He is third in runs scored and strikeouts.
Baseball writer Bill James said Lou was the thirteenth-best second baseman of all time. Another writer, Craig Calcaterra, said Lou was not flashy. But he caught everything, turned double plays easily, and made strong throws. This showed he was a great defensive second baseman.
In 2000, Lou was added to the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
In December 2019, the Tigers announced they would retire Lou's No. 1 jersey. This means no other player on the Tigers will wear that number. The ceremony happened in August 2022. Lou said it was one of the greatest moments of his life. He was happy to see his name on the wall with other Tigers legends. Alan Trammell, whose number 3 was retired in 2018, said that his number wouldn't be on the wall without Lou's number 1.
Lou was considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. He was also considered again in 2020. Many baseball fans believe he should be in the Hall of Fame. They point to his more than 2,000 hits and his high WAR rating.
Lou's Family and Life After Baseball
Lou Whitaker married Crystal McCreary in November 1979. They have four daughters: Asia, Angela, Jessica, and Sarah.
While playing for the Tigers, Lou learned about the Jehovah's Witnesses from his teammate Chet Lemon. Lou became a Jehovah's Witness. After he stopped playing baseball, Lou spent a lot of time doing missionary work for his church.
After retiring as a player, Lou became an instructor for the Tigers. He helped coach hitters during spring training until 2009. He and the Tigers decided to part ways in 2010.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Gold Glove middle infield duos
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
Images for kids
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Whitaker with the Detroit Tigers in 1987
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Whitaker bats at Tiger Stadium in 1981
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Whitaker takes a lead off first base during a 1991 game at Cleveland Stadium
