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. (born May 12, 1957), known as "Sweet Lou", is a former American professional baseball player. He was a second baseman for the Detroit Tigers. Lou Whitaker played his entire career with the Tigers from 1977 to 1995.
He played in 2,390 games for the team. This is the third most in Tigers history. Only Ty Cobb and Al Kaline played more. Lou helped the Tigers win the 1984 World Series. He was also chosen as an All-Star five times in a row. He won four Silver Slugger Awards and three Gold Glove Awards. In 2022, the Tigers honored him by retiring his No. 1 jersey.
Lou was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in Virginia. The Detroit Tigers drafted him in 1975. He spent three years playing in the minor leagues. In 1976, he was named the most valuable player in the Florida State League. Lou made his first Major League Baseball appearance in September 1977. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1978.
He was named "Tiger of the Year" in 1983. That year, he hit for a .320 average and had 206 hits. He won the award again in 1989. That season, he hit a career-high 28 home runs. Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played together for 19 seasons. They formed the longest-running double play team in baseball history. Lou was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 2000.
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Early Life and Baseball Start
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 was raised there by his mother and grandmother.
He went to Martinsville High School. Lou played baseball for his school team. He was a middle infielder and a pitcher. After graduating in 1975, he planned to play college baseball at Ferrum College.
Becoming a Professional Player
Minor League Journey
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 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 was a Class A team in the Florida State League. Lou hit .297, stole 48 stolen bases, and had 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. His "sweet swing" earned him the nickname "Sweet Lou" while playing for Lakeland.
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 former player. Brinkman said Lou was a "natural athlete" and learned quickly.
Before the 1977 season, the Tigers also paired Lou with shortstop Alan Trammell. In 1977, they both played for the Montgomery Rebels. This was a Double-A team. Both Lou and Alan were named to the Southern League all-star team. Lou hit .280 and stole 38 bases.
Rookie of the Year Season
In September 1977, the Tigers brought Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell to the major leagues. They both played their first game on September 9 against the Boston Red Sox. Lou had a great debut, getting three hits and a stolen base. He hit a double off the famous Green Monster wall.
In 1978, Lou and Alan became the everyday starters. Their manager, Ralph Houk, praised them. He said they played "absolutely outstanding defensive ball." By August, Houk called them "the best I've ever seen for their age."
In his first full season, Lou played in 139 games. He was the starting second baseman in 123 of them. He helped turn 95 double plays and scored 71 runs. He also stole 20 bases and hit .285. Tigers fans started a tradition of 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 first-place votes. Lou said winning the award was "the biggest moment of my career."
Playing Strong: 1979 to 1982
Lou had another good season in 1979. He hit .286 and walked 78 times. This helped his on-base percentage reach .395. He also stole 20 bases again.
In 1980, Lou's batting average dropped to .233. But he bounced back. In the 1981 season, which was shortened by a strike, Lou played in 109 games. This was the most in the American League. He also led all second basemen with 354 assists.
Lou started hitting more home runs in 1982. He had 15 homers, eight triples, and a .286 batting average. He also had one of his best defensive seasons. He led American League second basemen with 470 assists and 120 double plays. His fielding percentage was .988.
All-Star Seasons and Awards
Lou Whitaker had an amazing season in 1983. He played in a career-high 161 games. He hit for a .320 average and had 206 hits. Both were career highs and ranked third in the American League. He also had 40 doubles, 12 home runs, and 72 runs batted in (RBI).
He was chosen for his first of five All-Star teams. He hit a triple and got an RBI in the game. After the 1983 season, Lou won many awards:
- The Sporting News named him the best second baseman on their all-star team.
- He won the "Tiger of the Year" award.
- He won the Silver Slugger Award as the best offensive second baseman.
- He won the Gold Glove Award as the best defensive second baseman. This was special because three Tigers won Gold Gloves that year. Alan Trammell and Lance Parrish also won.
Lou also finished eighth in the voting for the 1983 American League Most Valuable Player Award.
World Series Champion in 1984
In 1984, the Tigers started the season incredibly strong. They won 35 of their first 40 games. They went on to win the 1984 American League Championship Series and the 1984 World Series. Lou Whitaker 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 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 and scored six runs in five games. The Tigers won the World Series on October 14, 1984. On the very same day, Lou's second daughter, Sarah, was born!
Hitting for Power: 1985 to 1992
In 1985, Lou set a new record for Tigers second basemen. He hit 21 home runs. He also scored over 100 runs for the first time, with 102.
He was chosen for the All-Star game for the third year in a row. But he forgot his uniform! He had to wear a blank jersey with his number written on it. This jersey is now in the Smithsonian museum!
In 1986, Lou hit 20 home runs again. All four of the Tigers' infielders hit at least 20 home runs that year. In the 1986 All-Star Game, Lou hit a two-run homer.
In 1987, Lou scored a career-high 110 runs. He also 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. He also had 85 RBI. This set a new record for home runs by a Tigers second baseman. He now shares this record with Ian Kinsler.
In 1990, Lou had his best defensive season. He made only 6 errors in 664 chances. His fielding percentage was a career-best .991.
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In 1991, Lou hit 23 home runs and walked 90 times. This helped him have a very high OPS score. In 1992, Lou reached three big career milestones. He played his 2,000th game, got his 2,000th hit, and 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 hit .290 and had a career-best .412 on-base percentage. He also had 67 RBIs. In 1994, he hit .301, his first time hitting over .300 since 1983.
In May 1995, on his 38th birthday, Lou announced he would retire. He said he was "tired of being sore." In his final season, he hit .293 with 14 home runs.
Lou played his last game on October 1, 1995. It was at Camden Yards in Baltimore. When Lou and Alan Trammell took the field, the Orioles' players gave them the bases from second base and shortstop. The crowd cheered loudly for them.
The Dynamic Duo: Whitaker and Trammell
Lou Whitaker and Alan Trammell played side-by-side 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 on the same day in 1977.
For almost two decades, they were the Tigers' key players in the middle of the infield. They became very close friends. In 1983, they even appeared on the TV show Magnum, P.I. Alan Trammell talked about their partnership during the 1984 World Series. He said, "Lou is my partner. Our names are linked together now. It's like a marriage."
When Alan Trammell was inducted 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."
Career Highlights and Stats
Lou Whitaker was a great leadoff hitter. He was good at getting walks and was fast on the bases. He could also hit the ball with power to all parts of the field. In his 19-year career, Lou hit .276. He had 244 home runs, 1,084 RBI, and 2,369 hits. He also had 420 doubles, 65 triples, and 143 stolen bases.
Defensively, he had a .984 fielding percentage. His career Wins Above Replacement (WAR) score of 75.1 is very high. It's higher than almost all other second basemen who are not in the Hall of Fame.
Lou is also one of only 19 players to ever hit a ball over the roof of Tiger Stadium.
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 in team history. 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:
- First in double plays (1,527)
- Second in assists (6,653)
- Second in walks (1,197)
- Third in runs scored (1,386)
- Fourth in wins above replacement (WAR) (75.1)
- Second in defensive WAR (16.2)
Baseball writer Bill James ranked Lou Whitaker as 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 made him a great defensive second baseman.
In 2000, Lou was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
In December 2019, the Tigers announced they would retire Lou's No. 1 jersey. The ceremony was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It finally happened in August 2022. Lou said it would be "one of the greatest moments of my life." Alan Trammell, whose number 3 was retired in 2018, said: "There wouldn't be a number 3 on the wall without the number 1."
Lou was considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. He did not receive enough votes. Later, he was considered again in 2020 but also fell short. Many baseball fans believe Lou should be in the Hall of Fame. They point to his 2,000 hits and his high WAR score.
Family and Later Years
Lou Whitaker married Crystal McCreary in November 1979. They have four daughters: Asia, Angela, Jessica, and Sarah.
While playing for the Tigers, Lou became a Jehovah's Witnesses. After retiring from baseball, he spent a lot of time doing missionary work for his church.
After his playing career, Lou became an instructor for the Tigers. He helped coach hitters during spring training until 2009.
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
