Rodney McCray (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rodney McCray |
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McCray with the South Bend White Sox around 1988
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: September 13, 1963 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 30, 1990, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 11, 1992, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .214 | ||
| Runs scored | 13 | ||
| Stolen bases | 9 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Rodney Duncan McCray (born September 13, 1963) is a former American professional baseball player. He is most famous for a single play where he crashed right through an outfield fence while trying to catch a ball.
McCray played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox and the New York Mets between 1990 and 1992. Today, he is the head coach for the New York Rise, a professional fastpitch softball team.
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Early Life and Career
Rodney McCray was born in Detroit, Michigan, but his family moved to Los Angeles, California when he was a child. He played baseball at University High School and later at two junior colleges, West Los Angeles College and Santa Monica College.
Because he was a fast outfielder, several professional teams wanted him. The Chicago White Sox drafted him in 1982, and the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in 1983. However, McCray chose to stay in school. In 1984, he finally decided to turn pro and signed a contract with the San Diego Padres.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
After signing with the Padres, McCray spent four years playing in their minor league system. The minor leagues are where players develop their skills, hoping to make it to the major leagues. In 1987, the White Sox selected him in the minor league draft.
McCray was not known for being a great hitter. His career batting average in the minors was .226. However, he had other valuable skills. He was very good at getting walks, which helped him get on base often. He was also an amazing base stealer. In 1986, he stole 91 bases in a single season.
The Famous Fence Crash
After years in the minors, McCray finally made it to the major leagues with the White Sox in 1990. The next year, he was sent back to the AAA-level minor league team, the Vancouver Canadians.
On May 27, 1991, during a game in Portland, Oregon, McCray became a part of baseball history. He was playing in right field when a batter named Chip Hale hit a long fly ball. McCray ran hard after it, his eyes on the ball. He made the catch but couldn't stop his momentum. He ran directly through a plywood section of the outfield fence, shattering it. The impact caused him to drop the ball.
This incredible play was shown on news reports all over the country. A video of the crash is now a famous blooper clip that plays on a loop at the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Major League Career
McCray returned to the White Sox later in 1991. He was mostly used as a pinch runner, a fast player who comes in to run for a teammate. He also served as a backup outfielder.
In 1992, he signed with the New York Mets. On May 8, in a game against the Dodgers, he had a memorable moment. He came in as a pinch runner and then stayed in the game to play right field. In the ninth inning, with the score tied, he came up to bat. It was his only time at-bat that whole season. He hit a game-winning single, which was also the last hit of his MLB career.
After that season, McCray played one more year of independent baseball before retiring as a player. In his MLB career, he played in 67 games and stole nine bases.
Life After Playing
After he stopped playing, McCray stayed involved in baseball. He worked for many years as a roving instructor for several MLB teams, including the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Dodgers. He taught young players in the minor leagues how to be better outfielders and base runners.
On August 12, 2006, the city of Portland honored him with "Rodney McCray Bobblehead Night." The team gave away bobbleheads showing him crashing through the fence. The part of the field where he crashed was even renamed "McCray Alley."
McCray joked about the incident, saying, "I just wish I had run through something like a Coca-Cola sign so I could have gotten endorsements. Instead, I ran through a local sign, `Flav-R-Pac meats.'"
The fence crash is often ranked as one of the most memorable bloopers in sports history by networks like ESPN and other sports shows.
McCray's family is also athletic. His son, Grant, was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2019. His daughter, Sidney, plays college softball for Grand Canyon University.
