Nomar Garciaparra facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nomar Garciaparra |
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Garciaparra in 2010
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| Shortstop | |||
| Born: July 23, 1973 Whittier, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| August 31, 1996, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 4, 2009, for the Oakland Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .313 | ||
| Home runs | 229 | ||
| Runs batted in | 936 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Nomar Garciaparra (born July 23, 1973) is a famous American baseball player. He used to play Major League Baseball (MLB) and is now a sports analyst. Nomar was a star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox for many years. He also played for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics.
Nomar was known for being a great hitter. He is one of only 13 players in MLB history to hit two grand slams in a single game! He was also the only player to do this in his home stadium. Nomar was chosen for the All-Star Game six times. In 1997, he was named the American League Rookie of the Year. He also won the Silver Slugger Award that year.
Nomar was a fantastic hitter, with a career batting average of .313. He won the American League Batting Title in 1999 and 2000. This made him the first right-handed batter since Joe DiMaggio to win batting titles in two years in a row.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Nomar Garciaparra was born in Whittier, California. His family is Mexican-American. He went to St. John Bosco High School in Bellflower, California. His middle name, Nomar, is his father Ramon's name spelled backwards!
When Nomar was a kid, his dad taught him how important it was not to strike out. His dad would give him 25 cents for every hit he got in tee ball. But he would fine him 50 cents for every strikeout. When Nomar was 13, his dad even had him practice hitting against a college pitcher who threw very fast. Nomar was known as "No Nonsense Nomar" because he was always very focused and prepared for baseball.
The Milwaukee Brewers picked Nomar in the 1991 baseball draft. But he decided not to sign with them. Instead, he went to college at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He played college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. In 1994, he helped his team reach the College World Series championship game. Nomar was a top college player, being named an All-American twice. In 1992, he even played for the United States Olympic Baseball team in the Summer Olympics in Barcelona.
Professional Baseball Career
Starting in the Minor Leagues
After college, the Boston Red Sox picked Nomar in the first round of the 1994 draft. He started playing in their minor league system. He played for the Sarasota Red Sox, where he hit his first professional home run.
In 1995, Nomar played for the Double-A Trenton Thunder. He hit 8 home runs and stole 35 bases. He worked hard to get stronger during the off-season. In 1996, he played for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox. He had a great season, hitting .343 with 16 home runs. This led to him being called up to the Major Leagues.
Boston Red Sox Star (1996–2004)
Rookie Sensation: 1996–1997
Nomar Garciaparra made his MLB debut on August 31, 1996. His first Major League hit was a home run! It happened on September 1 against the Oakland Athletics.
In 1997, Nomar had an amazing rookie season. He hit 30 home runs and had 209 hits, which was a record for a Red Sox rookie. He also drove in 98 runs. He batted .306 and had a 30-game hitting streak, which was an American League rookie record. Nomar also stole 22 bases and led the league with 11 triples. He won the Rookie of the Year award by a unanimous vote. He also played in the Home Run Derby and his first MLB All-Star Game. Red Sox fans loved him and called him "NO-mah!"
Batting Champion Years: 1998–2000
In 1998, Nomar signed a big contract with the Red Sox. He continued to be a star player. He hit 35 home runs and drove in 122 runs. His batting average was .323. He helped the Red Sox reach the playoffs. In the playoffs, he hit .333 with 3 home runs.
In 1999, Nomar became a batting champion, hitting .357. He hit 27 home runs and drove in 104 runs. On May 10, he hit three home runs in one game, including two grand slams! He was again an MLB All-Star and played in front of his home fans in Boston. He helped the Red Sox win a playoff series.
The year 2000 was another great year for Nomar. He batted .372, which was the highest batting average by a right-handed batter since World War II. He won the American League batting title for the second year in a row. He hit 21 home runs and drove in 96 runs.
Injuries and Challenges: 2001–2004
In 2001, Nomar suffered a wrist injury. This kept him out for most of the season. He only played in 21 games. Many people believe this injury changed the rest of his career.
By 2002, Nomar had recovered from his wrist injury. He batted .310 with 24 home runs and 120 runs batted in. He led the league with 56 doubles. He also got his 1,000th hit, becoming the fastest Red Sox player to reach that milestone. He was an All-Star again.
In 2003, Nomar had another strong season. He hit 28 home runs and drove in 105 runs. He was an All-Star for the fifth time. The Red Sox made it to the playoffs again. They played against their rivals, the New York Yankees, in a tough seven-game series. Even though Nomar hit well, the Red Sox lost.
Before the 2004 season, there were rumors about Nomar being traded. He was not happy about this. He also had an Achilles' injury that kept him out until June. When he returned, he still hit well, but his defense was not as strong. The Red Sox decided to trade him at the end of July 2004. Nomar finished his Red Sox career with a .323 batting average and 178 home runs.
Chicago Cubs (2004–2005)
On July 31, 2004, Nomar was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He continued to deal with his Achilles' injury. In 43 games with the Cubs, he hit .297. The Cubs did not make the playoffs that year.
Even though he was no longer with the Red Sox, his former teammates voted to give him a World Series ring after they won the championship in 2004. This showed how much they appreciated his contributions to the team.
In 2005, Nomar signed a one-year deal to stay with the Cubs. But he got another injury, a torn groin, which kept him out for over three months. When he returned, he started playing third base for the first time in his career. He finished the season hitting .283.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2008)
In 2006, Nomar signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which was close to his hometown. He moved to playing first base. He had a fantastic comeback season! He was healthy and started hitting very well. On June 25, he hit his 200th career home run.
Nomar was selected for his sixth All-Star Game. He was chosen by fans as the National League's "Final Vote" winner. He hit two game-winning home runs for the Dodgers in September. One was a walk-off home run in the 10th inning. Another was a game-winning grand slam! The Dodgers made it to the playoffs. Nomar was named the National League's Comeback Player of the Year for 2006.
In 2007 and 2008, Nomar continued to battle injuries. He played different positions, including first base, third base, and shortstop. In 2008, he hit a walk-off home run against the Philadelphia Phillies. He played in 55 games that year. The Dodgers made the playoffs in 2008, but lost to the Phillies.
Oakland Athletics (2009)
In 2009, Nomar signed a one-year deal with the Oakland Athletics. This was his final season in Major League Baseball. He played in 65 games and batted .281.
Career Statistics
Nomar Garciaparra played in 1,434 games over 14 seasons. He had a career batting average of .313. He hit 229 home runs and drove in 936 runs batted in. He was also a good hitter in the playoffs, batting .321 with seven home runs in 32 games.
Retirement and Beyond
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On March 10, 2010, Nomar Garciaparra signed a special one-day contract with the Boston Red Sox. This allowed him to officially retire as a member of the Red Sox, the team where he became a star.
After retiring from playing, Nomar became a baseball analyst for ESPN. He shared his insights on shows like Baseball Tonight.
On May 5, 2010, the Red Sox held "Nomar Garciaparra Night" to honor him. He threw out the first pitch using his famous sidearm throwing style.
In 2014, Nomar joined the Los Angeles Dodgers broadcast team. He became an analyst for their TV and radio games. In February 2014, he was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
Nomar even made a funny appearance on the TV show Saturday Night Live in 2000. The show had a popular sketch called "The Boston Teens" where characters were big fans of "Nomah."
Personal Life
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Nomar's younger brother, Michael, also played baseball in the minor leagues.
On November 22, 2003, Nomar married Mia Hamm, a famous Olympian and World Cup champion soccer star. They have twin daughters, Grace Isabella and Ava Caroline, born in 2007. They also have a son, Garrett Anthony, born in 2012. Nomar and Mia first met at a promotional event in Boston in 1998.
Nomar was known for his unique routine when he was batting. He would adjust his batting gloves and tap his toes before each pitch.
In 2005, Nomar and his uncle helped save two women who had fallen into Boston Harbor outside his home. He quickly jumped into the water to rescue them.
In 2014, Nomar became a part-owner of the Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), a soccer team in Major League Soccer (MLS). In 2022, LAFC won the MLS Cup, making Nomar an MLS champion as an owner!
Images for kids
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Garciaparra with the Red Sox in 2002
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Garciaparra with the Cubs in 2005 spring training
