Ray Durham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ray Durham |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Durham with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008
|
|||
| Second baseman | |||
| Born: November 30, 1971 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| debut | |||
| April 26, 1995, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 28, 2008, for the Milwaukee Brewers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .277 | ||
| Hits | 2,054 | ||
| Home runs | 192 | ||
| Runs batted in | 875 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
Ray Durham (born November 30, 1971) is an American former professional baseball player. He played as a second baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 years. Ray Durham had a career batting average of .277. He also achieved 2,054 hits, 192 home runs, and 875 run batted in (RBIs) during his time in the league.
Contents
About Ray Durham
Ray Durham grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. He went to Harry P. Harding High School, where he was a talented athlete. He played both baseball and football. In football, he was a defensive back and was even named an All-American.
After high school, Ray Durham did not go to college. Instead, he started playing minor league baseball. The Chicago White Sox picked him in the 5th round of the 1990 draft. Ray Durham is married to Regina, and they have three children.
Ray Durham's MLB Career
Playing for the Chicago White Sox (1995–2002)
Ray Durham started his MLB career with the Chicago White Sox in 1995. He played for them until 2002. During these years, he was often the team's "leadoff hitter." This means he was the first batter in the lineup. He was known for getting on base often and stealing many bases.
From 2000 to 2002, Ray Durham played exceptionally well. He hit at least 15 home runs, scored 100 runs, and stole 20 bases in each of those three seasons. Only a few other famous players in baseball history have done this. When he left the White Sox, he was the team's all-time leader in leadoff home runs. He was also among the top players for stolen bases, doubles, and runs scored.
Time with the Oakland Athletics (2002)
In 2002, the Chicago White Sox traded Ray Durham to the Oakland Athletics. This trade happened during the middle of the baseball season. Ray Durham's strong hitting helped the Athletics make it to the playoffs that year.
He was also part of the Athletics team that won 20 games in a row in 2002. This was a very impressive winning streak! The Athletics often had less money than other teams. Because of this, it was expected that Ray Durham would sign with a different team after the season.
Playing for the San Francisco Giants (2003–2008)
After the 2002 season, Ray Durham signed a three-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. He later extended his contract for a fourth year. During his time with the Giants, Ray Durham faced some challenges with injuries. He had recurring hamstring injuries, which are injuries to the back of the thigh. These injuries caused him to miss many games.
Despite his injuries, Ray Durham still played well when he was on the field. His speed and stolen bases decreased because he was trying to protect his hamstrings. However, he still had good hitting numbers. In 2006, he had one of his best offensive years. He hit 26 home runs and had 93 RBIs, which were career highs for him.
The Giants signed Ray Durham again for two more years in December 2006. The team's general manager praised him for changing his playing style. He went from being a leadoff hitter to a player who could hit for power in the middle of the batting order.
In 2007, Ray Durham had a difficult season. He felt his performance was not good. He admitted that his defense suffered because he was thinking too much about his hitting. On June 12, 2008, Ray Durham got his 2,000th career hit while playing against the Colorado Rockies.
Final Season with the Milwaukee Brewers (2008)
On July 20, 2008, Ray Durham was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers. He played his final MLB games with them. After the 2008 season, Ray Durham became a free agent. He decided to retire from baseball after turning down an offer to play in the minor leagues.
More About Ray Durham's Career
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career stolen bases leaders
