Lyman Bostock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lyman Bostock |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Bostock in 1975
|
|||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: November 22, 1950 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
| Died: September 23, 1978 (aged 27) Gary, Indiana, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 8, 1975, for the Minnesota Twins | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 23, 1978, for the California Angels | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .311 | ||
| Home runs | 23 | ||
| Runs batted in | 250 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
Lyman Wesley Bostock Jr. (born November 22, 1950 – died September 23, 1978) was a talented American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for four seasons. Lyman was an outfielder for the Minnesota Twins from 1975 to 1977. He also played for the California Angels in 1978. Throughout his career, he had an impressive batting average of .311. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Sadly, Lyman Bostock was shot and killed in his hometown of Gary, Indiana. This happened on September 23, 1978. It was just hours after he played a game against the Chicago White Sox. The person who shot him was sent to a hospital for treatment. They were released after seven months. After this, Indiana lawmakers changed the state's laws. This change meant that people with mental health issues could still serve prison time. This would happen after they finished their hospital treatment.
Contents
Lyman's Early Life and Baseball Start
Lyman Bostock was born in Birmingham, Alabama. His father, Lyman Bostock Sr., was a famous baseball player. He played in the Negro leagues from 1938 to 1954. Lyman Jr.'s parents separated when he was young. His mother moved with him to Gary, Indiana, in 1954. Later, in 1958, they moved to Los Angeles. Lyman Jr. did not have a close relationship with his father. He felt his father had left him.
A Unique Way to Catch the Ball
When Lyman was a kid, his baseball glove was stolen. His mother could not afford a new one. A family friend gave him a glove. But this glove was for left-handed players, and Lyman was right-handed. It was hard for him to catch with the wrong hand. So, he started making "basket catches." This is when a player catches the ball with both hands in front of their body. He kept this habit throughout his life.
Lyman played baseball at Manual Arts High School in Los Angeles. Then he went to San Fernando Valley State College. This school is now called California State University, Northridge (CSUN). There, he met Yuovene Brooks, who became his wife.
College and Professional Draft
Lyman did not play baseball during his first two years of college. Instead, he focused on student activism. Even so, the St. Louis Cardinals picked him in the 1970 baseball draft. But Lyman chose not to sign with them. He stayed in college and played baseball for his college team, the Matadors.
His college coach, Bob Hiegert, said Lyman was very open and honest. Lyman was a great player in college. He hit .344 in his junior year and .296 in his senior year. He helped his team finish second in the 1972 Division II College World Series. The Minnesota Twins then drafted him in 1972. Lyman decided to become a professional player. He was only 15 credits short of finishing his college degree.
Lyman's Baseball Career
Lyman Bostock started his professional career in the minor leagues.
Minor League Journey
He played for the Class A Charlotte Twins in 1972. In 1973, he played for the Class AA Orlando Twins. Then, in 1974, he was with the Class AAA Tacoma Twins. His batting averages were very good: .294, .313, and .333. In 1975, he was hitting .391 for Tacoma. That's when the Minnesota Twins called him up to the major leagues.
Playing for the Minnesota Twins (1975-1977)
Lyman made his major league debut on April 8, 1975. He got one hit, two walks, and scored three runs. This helped the Twins win 11–4 against the Texas Rangers. He played 98 games for Minnesota that season.
Lyman was a very good defensive center fielder. In 1976, his first full season, he finished fourth in the American League batting race. He hit .323, just behind other great players. On July 24, he achieved a special feat: he hit for the cycle. This means he hit a single, double, triple, and home run in the same game. The Twins won 17–2 against the Chicago White Sox.
In 1977, Lyman's batting average was .336. This was second only to his teammate Rod Carew. On May 25, Lyman set a major league record for outfielders. He made 12 putouts in one game. He had 17 putouts in a doubleheader, setting an American League record.
Joining the California Angels (1978)
After the 1977 season, Lyman became a free agent. This meant he could sign with any team. He signed a big six-year contract with the California Angels. He had made $20,000 with the Twins. His new contract was worth $2.3 million. Lyman immediately donated $10,000 to a church in his hometown. He wanted to help rebuild its Sunday school.
A Generous Gesture with His Salary
The 1978 season started slowly for Lyman. He only batted .150 in April. He felt he wasn't playing well enough to earn his salary. So, he tried to give his April salary back to the team. The team refused to take it. So, Lyman announced he would donate his April salary to charity instead.
The Angels' general manager, Buzzy Bavasi, remembered this. He said Lyman felt he wasn't doing his job. Lyman looked through thousands of requests for the money. He wanted to make sure it went to those who needed it most. After his slow start, Lyman played much better. He hit .404 in June. By September, when he passed away, his batting average was .296.
In his four-season career, Lyman Bostock was a .311 hitter. He had 23 home runs, 102 doubles, and 30 triples. He also had 45 stolen bases and 250 runs batted in. He was a contact hitter, meaning he rarely struck out. He had a great fielding percentage of .988. He played all three outfield positions, mostly in center field.
Lyman's Tragic Death
After a game in Chicago, Lyman visited his uncle in Gary, Indiana. He had dinner with relatives. Then, Lyman and his uncle visited a woman named Joan Hawkins. Lyman had tutored her when he was a teenager. His uncle offered to drive Joan and her sister, Barbara Smith, to their cousin's house. Lyman and Barbara rode in the back seat.
Barbara Smith's husband, Leonard Smith, was waiting outside Joan's home. He saw them leave. At 10:40 p.m., Lyman's uncle's car stopped at a traffic light. Leonard Smith's car pulled up next to them. Leonard Smith fired a shotgun into the back seat. Lyman was sitting between Barbara Smith and where the shot came from. The shot hit Lyman. He died two hours later at a hospital in Gary. Barbara Smith was also hurt but recovered.
Aftermath and Changes to the Law
The person responsible for the shooting was found not guilty due to mental illness. He was sent to a hospital for treatment. He was released after seven months. In total, he was in custody for 21 months. After this case, Indiana changed its laws about mental illness and crime. The new law meant that if someone was found to be mentally ill during a crime, they could still be found guilty. This meant they could be sent to prison after their mental health treatment.
Lyman Bostock is buried in the Inglewood Park Cemetery in Inglewood, California. His teammates remembered him fondly. Bobby Grich, an Angels teammate, said Lyman was always talking and full of energy. He made everyone laugh. Rod Carew, a Twins teammate, said Lyman was very close to his uncle. He was shocked by the senseless tragedy. Ken Brett, another Angels teammate, gave a eulogy at Lyman's funeral. He said Lyman made every clubhouse lively and always looked on the bright side. Everyone was better for having known him.
Honors and Legacy
- The Angels baseball team wore a black armband for the rest of the 1978 season to remember Lyman.
- A special scholarship fund was created in his name. It helps needy student athletes at CSUN every year.
- In 1981, Lyman Bostock was the first person inducted into the CSU Northridge Matadors Hall of Fame.
See also
- List of baseball players who died during their careers
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- 27 Club
