Ralph Bryant facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ralph Bryant |
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Bryant with the Albuquerque Dukes c. 1987
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 20, 1961 Fort Gaines, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: September 8, 1985, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| NPB: June 29, 1988, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| MLB: October 4, 1987, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| NPB: June 11, 1995, for the Kintetsu Buffaloes | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .253 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 24 | ||
| NPB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .261 | ||
| Home runs | 259 | ||
| Runs batted in | 641 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Ralph Wendell Bryant is a former professional baseball player from the United States. He was born on May 20, 1961. Ralph played as an Outfielder and was known for his powerful hitting.
He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Major League Baseball (MLB). Later, he became a big star in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in Japan. There, he played for the Chunichi Dragons and the Kintetsu Buffaloes.
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Ralph Bryant's Baseball Journey
Ralph Bryant was born in Fort Gaines, Georgia. He went to Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. In 1981, the Los Angeles Dodgers chose him in the first round of the amateur draft. He had been drafted before by the Dodgers and Minnesota Twins, but he didn't sign with them then.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Ralph first joined the major leagues in 1985. However, he found it hard to stay as a regular player. For the next three years, he moved between the major and minor leagues. He was looking for a chance to play more consistently.
Moving to Japan
In 1988, the Chunichi Dragons from Japan's Central League became interested in Ralph. He moved to Japan in May of that year. This was a big change for his career.
Joining the Kintetsu Buffaloes
A short time later, the Kintetsu Buffaloes needed a strong hitter. One of their main players, Dick Davis, was no longer with the team. The Buffaloes saw Ralph Bryant playing well for the Dragons' minor league team. He hit a huge home run in a game.
The Buffaloes quickly offered to sign him. Even though the Dragons' minor league staff didn't want him to leave, rules allowed only two non-Japanese players per team. The Dragons already had two foreign stars, so there was no room for Ralph. On June 28, his move to the Buffaloes was made official. This started a new chapter for one of Japan's best power hitters.
Success with the Buffaloes
Ralph quickly became a key player for the Buffaloes. In just 74 games in 1988, he hit 34 home runs. This helped his team make a big comeback. They finished in second place, very close to the Seibu Lions. Many of the Buffaloes' home games that year were even played at the Nagoya Baseball Stadium, which was the home field of the Chunichi Dragons.
MVP Season and Records
Ralph had his best season in 1989. He hit 49 home runs, which helped the Buffaloes win their third Pacific League championship. This 49-home-run season set a new record for the Buffaloes team. It stood until 2001 when another player, Tuffy Rhodes, tied it.
Ralph won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award that year. He also tied a career record held by the legendary Sadaharu Oh. Ralph hit 3 home runs in a single game five different times! Even with his amazing play, his team lost in the championship series that year.
Later Career and Coaching
Ralph continued to play well in the following seasons. He retired from playing in 1995 after dealing with injuries. In 2005, he was invited back to Japan by manager Akira Ogi. He became a hitting coach for the Orix Buffaloes. He stayed in this job for one year. During that time, he even hit three home runs in a special home run contest!
Ralph Bryant was known for hitting many home runs. He also had a lot of strikeouts during his career. He holds the top four spots for the most strikeouts in a single season in Nippon Professional Baseball.
